Or that leaves only look green because of alien filters in your eyes. That ripe apples fall because invisible evil hands pull them down. That fire doesn’t burn your skin–it’s only your imagination, so ignore the fake pain and blisters.Â
That giving you only one of five thyroid hormones…a storage hormone called T4 with the name of Synthroid, Levothyroxine, Eltroxin, Oroxine, etc…is all you need to adequately treat your hypothyroid state.Â
Because if those in authority say so, it must be so…right?
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The gaslighting of hypothyroid patients for decades
If you have never heard of the term “gaslighting”, it describes a form of manipulation by an individual or enterprise. The result is to cause you to doubt your own intuition, intelligence, perceptions and natural wisdom.
Here’s what gaslighting does:Â
- implies a person in authority knows what he or she is talking about or doing, over your own inner wisdom and observations.
- makes you question your own self
- makes you second guess what is going on and your own perceptions
- spins a false interpretation of reality.
- tries to put the blame on you
- makes you feel crazy
- is a way to benefit the person or enterprise pushing the delusion for their own aims.
20Â ways that Hypothyroid or Hashimoto’s patients are gaslighted–which ones are you?
- Authoritatively putting you on only one of five thyroid hormones as if it’s an adequate treatment, as if relying solely on “conversion” to get T3 is all you need (Yet all along, there was a proven treatment that contains all five thyroid hormones, including some direct T3, called Natural Desiccated Thyroid. But of course, you aren’t told, or it’s efficacy is grossly misrepresented)
- Telling you that Synthroid or Levo etc is the gold standard of hypothyroid treatment i.e. adequate, easy to dose, reliable, then sending you off into the world (Yet for all too many, sooner or later, T4-only meds have been problematic for millions, in their own degree and kind, for over five decades, as reported by patients worldwide about themselves, relatives, friends, etc)
- Implying the TSH lab test, aka Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, is a reliable way to diagnose or dose by. Â (The TSHÂ is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone, with a lousy “normal” range, and with a history of lagging behind for years and thus preventing diagnosis, and more)
- Implying that those continued symptoms, whether at the beginning or the longer you stay on T4-only, are somehow your fault, about your life situation, or in your imagination (examples in #5, #6, #7, for example. See the best list of symptoms on the net)
- Telling you that you need to “eat less” or “exercise more” (as if easy weight gain is totally your fault or in your control, instead of the fault of a poor treatment with T4, or the use of the TSH)
- Sending you to a therapist (as if your hypothyroid-caused depression isn’t related to your T4-only treatment…when it definitely can be… or can be due to the lack of a diagnosis)
- Saying your afternoon fatigue is due to “being a mother” or “part of getting older” (yet we see that need for a nap go away for the majority once optimal on NDT or T3 with optimal iron and cortisol)
- Implying that you have “separate” conditions which now need more medications only (like rising cholesterol, higher blood pressure, depression, fibromyalgia, and more…all which can be clearly related to a poor treatment and which either go away or improve, say many patients, once they have T3 or NDT in optimal amounts)
- Stating that Natural Desiccated Thyroid (with all five hormones) is outdated and thus a reason to avoid it (Hmmm. Then I guess so is listening to the radio, talking to people live on the phone instead of on Facebook, or sending a real birthday card instead of an internet one…should be avoided since they are outdated.)
- Saying you’ll get heart or bone issues if your TSH goes below range while optimal on NDT or T3 (Patients have noted that it’s not only normal for the TSHÂ to go that low when optimal, but they see improved bone and heart health! A low TSH on NDT is NOT the same as a low TSH with Graves disease!)
- Stating that it’s rare for anyone to be above 2 grains, aka one grain is 60 or 65 mg depending on brand, so your continued symptoms aren’t related (Yet there are many patients who aren’t optimal until the mid-or-upper 2’s, or in the 3-5 grain range. It’s individual where optimal falls.)
- Implying that continued hypo symptoms while on NDT or T3 proves they aren’t needed (There are understandable and correctible reasons.)
- Stating that Natural Desiccated Thyroid is not for Hashimoto’s patients (which is contrary to the majority of Hashi’s patients on NDTÂ who have reported great gains once they get up to their optimal amount)
- Stating that iodine is the worst thing for every and all Hashimoto’s patients (in spite of those with Hashi’s who discovered that iodine lowered their antibodies if they used it correctly with supporting nutrients. It’s individual and each Hashi’s patient has to find out for themselves).Â
- Saying that NDT or T3 for those over 60 is dangerous (yet many patients this age range report huge improvements from using it safely and wisely, such as starting low, building in small doses, watching labs, learning how to read labwork, etc)
- Implying there’s no such thing as adrenal fatigue/hypocortisolism (yet many get low cortisol, as proven by saliva testing, due to the inadequate treatment of Synthroid or Levothyroxine, and suffer from it.)Â
- Stating that the use of hydrocortisone (Cortef) in the presence of extremely low cortisol three or more times (as proven by saliva testing) is dangerous or should be kept low (in spite of how patients have successfully learned how to use HCÂ safely and wisely as outlined in chapter 6 of the revised STTM book)
- Underscoring that if you are “in range” with your lab result, you are doing great (We learned that it’s where we fall that has meaning, not just being in range.)
- Stating that you should not go by what is said on the internet, such as on Stop the Thyroid Madness (STTM) or the books (in spite of the fact that it’s all based on 15 years of repeated, solid, patient reports and wisdom; can include studies to back it up on several pages; has the support of many other practitioners….etc)
- Implying you are a “difficult patient” because you dare to state what you have learned that is contrary to what the doctor says (See Things we have learned)
So you see, the horror movie plot has been a reality for hypothyroid patients.
Like a few years ago. A couple saw the STTM book in my vehicle and struck up a conversation with me. She was on Synthroid; he was on Levoxyl–both T4. They had each been on their T4-only treatment for 12 and 14 years respectively. They felt their hypo was perfectly treated and they believe in their doctors. So the other problems they dealt with were separate: his rising cholesterol, her depression, his fatigue, and her weight gain. But of course, they felt those have nothing to do with their T4-only treated hypothyroid, as some of it was their own fault, and their doctors are right…leaves aren’t really green, invisible hands make ripe apples fall, and fire doesn’t really burn.  Gaslighting.
Sad.
