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Tag: low dose naltrexone

The Problem that Aging Hypothyroid Patients Face and How to Deal With it

Perhaps because millions of baby boomers are hitting their “senior citizen” ages, we are seeing an increase in statements by doctors, websites, and pharmaceutical reps implying that seniors should not have T3 in their treatment like NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid) or synthetic T3, calling it “dangerous”.

So I hope you are as impressed with the words below of this wonderful 72-year-old lady named Pat as I was…because her experience refutes the growing and ridiculous fallacy that T3 is globally and inherently “dangerous”.

I am 72 years old and up until four years ago, I was on Synthroid for over 30 years. Back then, I noticed my hypothyroid symptoms about six years after my second child. But if I’m honest and look back on my life, I now know that even as a teenager, I had brain fog….actually pretty serious brain fog. But I learned how to cover it up…

During all this time, I was diagnosed with multiple problems (which are typical for too many people on the poor treatment with T4-only or those undiagnosed): fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis in my fingers, fatty liver syndrome and more. 

I also had the inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis in one nerve and in my lungs. I can’t actually connect sarcoidosis to my hypothyroidism and poor treatment with Synthroid, even if hypo people can report seeing increased inflammation. But it did happen when I was taking Synthroid. I had to take prednisone to beat it back and have been in remission for 15 years now.

But the bottom line is that for all those other issues mentioned above, I used to take multiple medications to treat all of them.

And guess what? Changing to Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) four years ago took away all the above issues I was having, meaning I was also able to get off most of my prescription meds. I have less fatigue. I now have the flexibility of a 40 year old. The arthritis I had in my fingers just went away. I don’t need cholesterol or blood pressure meds anymore.

I sometimes add in compounded T3 if my RT3 (reverse T3) inches up.

My latest doctor now takes Natural Desiccated Thyroid after she saw how well I was doing. She has hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. We share a lot of ideas on how to conquer this disease.

My husband often goes to my appointments and says he does not understand a thing we discuss. I gave my doctor my copy of the “Stop The Thyroid Madness” book.  Interestingly enough, i knew when I went to my doctor that she used to recommend Synthroid, but also recommended herbs and other things to help with this disease. She was open to change, I think, because of her own experience.

So I think I blew their office up on my first appointment. I came in with all my labs and history. It was a 3-hour appointment with 2 people plugging in my info – my doctor and her assistant. It was later that I realized, when she asked me how I took my NDT, that she had switched to an NDT herself!

On our last appointment when we were talking about my slowly rising antibodies she told me that hers were in the thousands (my mouth dropped) and that she was taking 6 grains of her NDT. I’m thinking of recommending that she take LDN (low dose naltrexone) as I have heard it can reduce the antibodies.

Bottom line, it wasn’t staying on Synthroid that changed my life. It was moving over to Natural Desiccated Thyroid that has direct T3 in it. And in my opinion, my experience tells me the drug companies are lying! They want to keep people unhealthy so they will buy their drugs and then buy more drugs to take care of the damage the first drugs caused.   ~Pat

Here are some of the crazy issues seniors face (and there are more):

1) Medicare in the United States dropped all NDT’s from their Part D formulary—i.e. they won’t be paid for if you rely on Medicare. Armour on page 2, Naturethroid on page 16, NP Thyroid on page 17, Westhroid and WP Thyroid on page 29. See here.  Luckily, most prescription NDT brands are not that expensive anyway. Armour did go up, while the others stayed less expensive like NP Thyroid. Some use the prescription comparison called GOOD RX to find the best price in your city. 

2) Medicare in the US states “….the serum TSH test is reliable, valid, and acceptable to patients.”   To the contrary, patients of all ages have found it to be the most ridiculous test to either diagnose or treat by. It should always be about clear symptoms along with the free T3 and free T4, plus about where the latter fall in those so-called normal ranges. This is why you HAVE to be informed and be prepared to stand up for what is right and wrong. Read http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/tsh-why-its-useless There is also a complete chapter against the lousy TSH lab test in the STTM II book, and written by an MD! THAT is a chapter your doctor should read. 

Even worse, the ATA (American Thyroid Association) has stated that the target serum TSH should be 4-6 mIU/L in hypothyroid individuals age 70 or older.  That is in spite of the fact that so many of us at ANY age can have raging hypothyroid symptoms even with a TSH in the 2’s.

3) Or take the British Thyroid Association (BTA), which has stated that British thyroid patients shouldn’t be put on any thyroid meds whatsoever until their TSH is over 10, and that seniors should have a TSH around 4-10…in spite of the FACT that no matter what age, we can have raging hypothyroid symptoms even with a TSH in the 2’s–symptoms which UK doctors may blame on something else!!  Equally as bad, the UK National Health Service only endorses levothyroxine, and refuses to provide T3 to patients anymore.

4) The American Thyroid Association (ATA) states “As with the younger patient, pure synthetic thyroxine (L-T4), taken once daily by mouth, fully replaces the function of the thyroid gland and successfully treats the symptoms of hypothyroidism in most patients”  YET, we know that’s a joke. Time to inform whomever you can that a healthy thyroid does NOT make the human body solely depend on conversion of T4, a storage hormone, to T3. A healthy thyroid gives some direct T3 to counter any issues with conversion.  Read http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101

But you CAN bypass this craziness, say informed seniors, with these steps

  1. Finding the right doctor: As with any age, senior patients state they all-the-more need to DO THE WORK to find a smart doctor who WILL let you be on T3 or NDT, and will NOT go by the lousy TSH lab test. It can be work, but it’s possible to find one. http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/how-to-find-a-good-doc
  2. Understanding the iron and cortisol issue: Seniors who have either been undiagnosed or on T4 for years say it’s extremely important to check iron and cortisol levels, since they can be off from all the years of no treatment or a poor treatment with T4. If they are off, they can cause reactions to T3 or NDT, causing the misinformed doctor to proclaim “See, I told you so”, when in reality, reactions to NDT or T3 are revealing inadequate iron or a cortisol issue. They will need to be treated. See http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/iron-and-cortisol
  3. Commiserating with other seniors: If you are OVER 60…consider joining the Facebook FTPO 60-and-over discussion group and see where others have found a good doctor. (FTPO stands for For Thyroid Patients Only) https://www.facebook.com/groups/FTPO60andover/ NOTE: you canNOT be approved if the admins can’t discern that your age fits this group, or we can’t see either your wall posts or friends list–the latter to know you aren’t a spammer.
  4. If you have to go in the hospital…have an informed family member or friend) who will advocate for you about your current NDT or T3 treatment. Too many patients have reported they were taken OFF their needed T3 or NDT and put on T4-only…and they regret not bringing their own meds or having an advocate.
  5. Keep a document stating what thyroid meds you are on, and why, that your advocate can have access to.

To read more: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/thyroid-patients-getting-older

To get the very important STTM Books: http://laughinggrapepublishing.com …. because YOU have be informed!! If we put all our apples in a doctor’s cart, the risk is high we’ll stay sick or poorly treated. We have to be prepared to guide our doctors!

 

 

 

 

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THYROID CANCER IS AN EASY CANCER?? Patients are appalled!

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“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” ~ Nelson Mandela

It’s not uncommon when perusing the internet to see the word “easy” associated with “thyroid cancer”, or described as “the best kind of cancer to get”… as if of all cancers, this one is somehow less difficult, less arduous, a walk in the park or a piece of cake cancer.

Nor is it uncommon for thyroid cancer patients to be told something in a similar vein by their doctors. And of course, many of those doctors will use the “one little pill” pronouncement about the treatment afterwards. Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy!!

So where is the truth? Do you have reason to be nervous about your surgery? About your cancer? Is it that easy? What will your life be like after surgery?

One side of the story

Many thyroid cancer patients do report that all went well in many ways. They caught it early enough. It didn’t spread to their lymph nodes. Some didn’t even have to use pain medications after their surgery. If some did, it was short-lived. Others moved over to Tylenol after going home. Or ice packs. Drains were removed smoothly. Recovery went smoothly. Energy returned in several weeks. And they report that the cancer remained gone.

But here’s the other side of the story which completely dispels the myth that thyroid cancer is easy or the “best” cancer to get.

1) No matter where the cancer is, the emotional reaction is the same.

Many a thyroid cancer patient will tell you about their fears, depression, aloneness or anxiety when they were told. Or the denial, anguish, anger and stress they feel. Or the numbness. Or the fears of it returning. Or the unknown.

2) No surgery is fun, and that includes thyroid removal

Who wants to endure the pre-op or the aftereffects of surgery. No matter if some do better than others, it’s not fun to be in a hospital, be put to sleep, the waking up, the drains, the recovery, the discomfort, the time away, and the cost.

3) Many thyroid cancer patients have to endure RAI treatment after surgery and the side effects

RAI stands for Radioactive Iodine Ablation, also called I-131, given in either in liquid or capsule form. Since the thyroid easily absorbs iodine, and the radiation is strong, it serves to destroy any remaining tissue or cells that might still have thyroid cancer in them.

And side effects are far from pleasant and can include isolation, stomach problems, heart palps, neck tenderness, all over achiness, changes in taste, salivary inflammation and parotitis, facial or neck redness or “sunburns”, peeling skin, fatigue, fogginess, nausea, dry eyes, irregular period or other reported problems.

Then comes the reported risks that can come later in life due to having RAI, which include “bladder, breast, central nervous system, colon and rectum, digestive tract, stomach, pancreas, kidney (and renal pelvis), lung, or melanoma of skin”. Keep in mind this is about “risk” rather than a definite outcome, but it’s not fun to consider.

You can read of one patient’s opinion and experience with RAI titled Why have million of patients been treated with RAI?

4) The fear of recurrence always lingers!

Life-long monitoring is a sure bet when one has had thyroid cancer. The itchy reminder that it “could” come back never goes away when one has to have neck examinations, certain thyroid blood tests or neck ultrasounds.

5) The “one little pill” mantra of easiness is foolhardy

That one little pill is a reference to T4-only, aka thyroxine or levothyroxine, also commonly known as Synthroid or other brand names. And reported patient experiences for all too many reveal continual problems, sooner or later.  Equally as silly, that one little pill leads to the use of many other pills to treat the symptoms of continued hypothyroidism that many report finding themselves with while on the T4-only, one little pill. Those include statins, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety or pain meds, to name a few.

The conclusion?

You are not alone. Thyroid patients know that thyroid cancer is not as “easy” as they make it sound, nor is it the “better” cancer!  We are with you! Join the group below for camaraderie, wisdom and support!

This page was brilliantly updated July, 2015 to reflect even better information. Enjoy!

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How LDN, Baking Soda and ALA cured her cancer–very remarkable story!

I meet many amazing individuals via the internet who have struggled with thyroid problems and clueless doctors. And my latest internet thyroid friend is Francie.

Francie  is the owner of an Multiple Schlerosis group that uses LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) in their treatment.  And besides having dealt with MS, she is a thyroid patient who had half her thyroid removed due to a cancer threat.  Afterwards, her doctors never suggested that her fatigue, feeling cold, and weight gain was anything except in her head while pushing SSRI anti-depressants on her. She asks “Why can we not keep it simple? Why do they think that we need powerful prescription drugs when a simple hormone can do wonders? “

But Francie’s story goes beyond her thyroid issue. She played a huge role in CURING HER UTERINE CANCER through the use of LDN, Baking Soda, and ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid). I was SO amazed that she gave me permission to post it here. Read this!

I have found three cheap, easy and safe suggestions to combat cancer: LDN, Baking Soda and ALA.

LDN is Low Dose Naltrexone. I originally started to use it for my Multiple Sclerosis and it honestly gave me my life back. I kept reading about others who were using it for cancers (and other auto-immune diseases, too, like Hashimotos), but that did not affect me, so paid little attention other than to note that the treatment adds Alpha Lipoic Acid, which is a very powerful antioxidant, among other things.

Then in September, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Upon examination, it had apparently spread to the cervix, since that area was white and not good looking. Since I could not get an appointment for a couple of weeks (we have no insurance and the only option in this country was the University of Louisville teaching hospital) I decided to do all that I could to combat it during the wait.

I added the ALA (two 300mg capsules daily on an empty stomach) and along with that, infusions of baking soda in the uterus and then a soaked tampax next to the cervix. Within two weeks, the cervical lesions were gone.

Two weeks later, when I went to Mexico for surgery (I really did not need that uterus at age 62), the pathology showed that there was no evidence of cancer on the cervix or surrounding tissue. I attribute that to the constant sodium bicarbonate environment.

There was also no evidence of cancer in the adjacent lymph nodes or pelvic fluid. I attribute that to the LDN and ALA. It was obvious that the cancer predated my use of the LDN, which enormously improves the body’s own immune system, and there was no indication that it had metastasized outside the uterus. Inside the uterus is very hard for anything to penetrate as it is designed to be walled off from the body’s immune system, since it is made to hold what is recognized as a parasite to the host (baby in a mother.) So it is not surprising that the tumor was not killed in the uterus.

I also refused chemo and radiation. With the clean pathology, all of the Mexican doctors recommended that I take care of myself stay as healthy as possible. All of the US doctors recommended chemo at $10,000-15,000 per treatment. If they don’t recommend it and something happens, they can be sued. If they do recommend it and they kill you with it, they cannot be sued. That does not say much about my part in the equation.

There are excellent videos that explain these treatments. Doing a Google for “LDN ALA and cancer” will get lots of info. There is also a yahoo group called lowdosenaltrexone with more than 9000 members, including very knowledgeable doctors to help.

To do some research, one cannot do better than get Dr. Berkson’s book: “The Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough”. He has cured even pancreatic cancers and has the scientific research to prove it. You can see his speech on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqRwXEnPYKk

Like me, you probably want to really beat the bushes and use anything and everything that seems logical, makes sense and CAN DO NO HARM, especially when they are cheap as well. That is what baking soda, LDN and ALA all promise.

Not one of my US doctors suggested any of these, and yet there are people who know that they have cured or stopped the progression of horrible diseases with just these cheap and available products. Our American medical system is drug and money driven. We are sadly, not much healthier for it, in my opinion.

My best wishes to all,
Francie
http://LDN-for-MS.com

AND A FOLLOW-UP SHE MADE TO SOMEONE WHOSE GIRLFRIEND NOW HAS CERVICAL CANCER:

Changing the pH factor makes a huge difference in most living things on earth. We all live in a very narrow pH range.

For this reason, I am always shocked that people are willing to take expensive and life threatening drugs for toe nail fungus, like the one sold on TV for instance. Soaking the feet a couple of times per week in a vinegar solution (1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water) will kill it right away. It can take a year of soaking while the big toe nail grows back, but at least you are not taking powerful drugs in the whole body to affect a small area. Same thing with fingernail fungus. Just keep a pill bottle of diluted vinegar near where you work or sleep and dip the finger in each day or so.

So, it was no surprise that changing the pH factor might inhibit cancer. My main hesitation was the leap to believing that cancer is actually a fungus. I am not so sure that it is.  HOWEVER, I can imagine that fungus sets in with an unhealthy environment and I can also imagine that fast growing cells (cancer) would be more affected by a pH change than normal cells. So, I don’t have to even believe that cancer is fungus to give a change of pH a try. It is cheap and easy and the main question to me is, “why wouldn’t you?” We are talking your life. It is worth saving.

I think that cervical cancer and skin cancer would be the BEST ones to try and probably the most successful for exactly the same reason listed above. You are directly treating the affected area rather than having to change the whole body environment, like with brain or lung cancer.

The cervix is the opening to the uterus. So, if they said cervical cancer, then it is not the same as uterine cancer (I am hoping it is not both, as it was with me.)

If I were your girlfriend. I would douche with a sodium bicarbonate solution. In Mexico, it is sold in drug stores as bicarsol, which is a 5% sterile solution. This is what I had my doctors rinse the pelvic region out with before closing my incision from my hysterectomy.

I don’t think that you need sterile for douching. I used a much more concentrated solution, but after talking with a doctor that I trust, he feels that a VERY concentrated solution could burn the healthy tissue in such a delicate region, as opposed to on the skin, where I read that patients use a baking soda paste.  As a suggestion, I would dissolve a tablespoon full in a cup of water, which should give a nicely basic solution. After douching, do not rinse out the solution, but leave it with that high pH all day.

No matter what else the doctors recommend, you can still do this. My cancer was also in the uterus, so we did infusions of baking soda solution directly inside the uterus. We have medical backgrounds and were not intimidated by this, although I apologize to any who are offended by talking about private areas 🙂 . I don’t know if it helped there, as the tumor was already quite large and I only had a couple of weeks between diagnosis and the surgery to remove it.

I am personally opposed to chemo and radiation and was determined to not go that route. With my use of LDN and ALA (low dose naltrexone and alpha lipoic acid), I feel comfortable that I am doing more and living a healthier life than if I poisoned myself as recommended by western doctors. I believe that in future decades, we will look back on that practice with bafflement and horror, like we look back on bleeding people to cure the plague in the dark ages.

Don’t let your girlfriend be traumatized or intimidated by her doctors. I found the US doctors cavalier, haughty and offended that I had my own ideas and did not instantly treat them like gods. They were horrified that I would go to Mexico for surgery at 1/10th the price that they wanted to charge for the same thing. Not one of them offered something that I could do while waiting for them to wave their magic wands, as if they have any cure other than surgery, chemo and radiation. They did not mention healthy eating, pH factor or immune system improvement or anti-oxident supplementation. They were close minded and dogmatic.

Francie  http://LDN-for-MS.com

From Janie: please note that I am not posting this for you to take things into your hands, or to direct you against radiation or chemo. Each person, along with working with a trusted and good doctor, has to make their own decision. But I found it VERY impressive and worth educating you about.

You can read more about Low Dose Naltrexone here.

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