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IMPRESSIVE GOOD THYROID NEWS!  

After a grueling week by the United Kingdom’s General Medical Council (GMC) , it was decided that the UK’s most renowned thyroid practitioner, Dr. Gordon P. Skinner, should have all his restrictions lifted and his Fitness to Practice restored!

On November 11th, 2007, the GMC had decided that the beloved Dr Gordon Skinner was not fit to practice, simply because in 2005, he dared to listen to and dose by a patient’s clinically-presented thyroid symptoms rather than her TSH labwork–the latter which fell in the erroneous normal range.  Even more dastardly, felt the GMC, Skinner was going to treat the patient without a referral letter from her GP, and may have failed to contact the GP. Heaven Forbid!!

Says a recent statement from TPA-UK:

The GMC have agreed that Dr Skinner was not acting dangerously in initiating treatment with thyroid hormone replacement for those patients who had normal thyroid function tests but who suffered several symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism. They also agreed that for those patients who did not do well on levothyroxine-only therapy, the use of natural desiccated thyroid extract (i.e. Armour Thyroid) was a safe and effective thyroid hormone replacement that doctors could prescribe, even though it remains unlicensed. This is a precedent - and one that the British Thyroid Association are most definitely very unlikely to be happy with.

There’s something huge to learn from this!  It’s called PATIENT POWER, my thyroid friends, and what we must always practice in our fight to get far better treatment. Namely, what impressed the staff of the GMC was the sheer volume of the general public who attended the hearings in support of Dr. Skinner.  Additionally, there was a nicely bound volume of over 2000 patient citations in support of him.

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SURVIVING STRESSFUL EVENTS EVEN WITH ADRENAL FATIGUE

Having adrenal fatigue with its low cortisol can be a challenge, even while you are on Hydrocortisone for your treatment (HC). So thyroid and adrenal fatigue patient Robin had to learn the hard way how to do something very stressful and still survive, adrenally. After moving to a new house, she created these excellent tips for dealing with any stressful event and preventing an adrenal meltdown:

1. REST REST REST as much as you possibly can! Just sit and stop moving, give yourself permission to stop “doing” and just BE! Let others do the work.
2. Don’t be afraid to stress dose with your HC!  Remember that a healthy person’s adrenals can provide over 100mg per day when in very stressful circumstances! Of course this is not healthy long-term, but we do what we have to do to survive!
3. Remember that if you stress dose, you’ll need to start a tapering down by 2.5 mg, holding for several days, then taking off another 2.5, etc until you work back down to your “regular” daily dose–the one that gave you stable Daily Average Temps.
4. SALT! Drink lots of salt water (or juice–I prefer my salt in watered-down juice or other flavored drinks), salt your food heavily, and even eat lots of salty olives, if you like them! The adrenals thrive in salt, and this can also be important if your aldosterone levels are also sluggish.
5. Eat lots of protein and fat and try to keep the carbs as low as you can!
6. Give yourself permission to be a hermit for a while. People can wait for you to return their calls. Just enjoy some quiet and solitude for a while.

PAYING FORWARD WHAT STTM HAS GIVEN YOU!

Janie began a contract with a top-notch publicist to help get the word out to millions about the problems with T4-only, or for those remaining undiagnosed or undertreated due to the TSH lab test (similar to what Dr. Skinner above tried to avoid for one of his patients). She already has interviews scheduled and more gigs are coming.

But this contract won’t last long–it’s just too expensive for Janie alone. So your help is needed to reach more people, and soon.

Go here and read all about it.

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READING THIS VIA THE EMAIL NOTIFICATION?? If you want to comment on anything on a blog post, click on the title of this post, and you’ll be taken right to the actual post. Then scroll down for the Comment square.

As mentioned in my previous blog post of November 10th, I frequently get emails from doctors all over the world who appreciate the message of patient experience as expressed on Stop the Thyroid Madness, both the revised book and website.  Here is just one more that absolutely blew my mind, as this MD, unlike his ostrich colleagues, keeps his head out of the sand and tells it LIKE IT IS.  Again, I will not be mentioning his name.  The below is exactly as he wrote it to me. Get ready to be both awed and disgusted!

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In the year 1847, a young Hungarian physician named Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis had a practice of Obstetrics which began to grow by leaps and bounds.  Even the Royalty of Hungary began to go to his practice. Why?  Because he had the best outcomes.

When he tried to show his collegues his techniques, they simply made fun of him. As his practice continued to flourish,  his peers brought him before the medical society and censured him for not adhering to the current practice guidelines. 

His crime? Washing his hands before delivering babies.  Physicians were offended to think they should wash their hands, and were especially incensed when he could offer no scientific explanation for his intuitive action.  Yet, this very simple antiseptic procedure meant that his OB patients did not contact puerpeal fever and die. Puerperal fever was common in mid-1800′s and often fatal.

The censureship did him in with depression and his practice ended when he was only 47 years old….not because he couldn’t practice,  but because he literally grieved himself to death watching so many women dying unnecessarily for the sake of  current practice guidelines.

It was not until the 1890′s that his methods were fully recognized,  even though Oliver Wendell Holmes of Boston, Mass. USA had confirmed the contagiousness of peurperal fever, and Louis Pasteur confirmed the theory about germs.

And today, established scientific and medical opinions continue the same ridiculous travesty. 

TSH levels have been set at 0.3-5.1 as normal. Therefore, if your physician screens for thyroid disease and you fall within that range, you are considered normal.  Yet, Gay, JC et. al.,  in the Arch Intern Med 2000: 160: 526-534,  showed that the TSH range was 0.45-2.5 for 95% of general population.

In the J Clin Endrocrino Metab Feb 2002 87:(2)489-499 “Serum TSH,T4, and Thyroid Antibodies”,  Hollowee JG et.al. found that a normal TSH was 0.05-3.0 and was different for Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks.The NHASANES lll study showed the normal TSH to be 0.3-2.5 (95% of normal reference subjects).

As a doctor, I wrote to my pathologist at the lab I use and asked why his lab had not changed the ‘normal’ values. I will give you his reply:

“I am aware of this idea to lower the reference range for TSH.  But there are mixed feelings about this in the medical community, especially with endocrinologists. If, for example,we lowered our reference range for TSH from its current 5.1 to 3.0,  we would go reporting about 7% of TSH results being too high to 30%. The last time I looked into this, which was about two years ago (note: this was written in June 24, 2005,  which puts the date of last looking in 2003), most endocrinologists that I spoke with were concerned that suddenly having many more patients would be considered “abnormal” and it would be difficult to manage. They felt it would be best to wait until the word spread in the general medical commmunity and literature so that most physicians would be prepared for the inevitable questions from patients and know how to deal with patients suddenly having high TSH’s. On an individual basis, we certainly could give a lower reference range for the TSH, but you should know that this is not the standard practice in the commnity at this time. It may become standard, but right now, it is not.

Thanks, and good luck,
xxx

So there is the problem. Even if TSH alone was used for screening,  the answer will be wrong. Many hypothyroid patients misdiagnosed as ‘normal’  are being done so because if the right change were made, the ‘medical establishment’ would be embarassed. This says to me that the ‘medical establishment’ does not care about the patient as much as they do themselves.

Recap: TSH levels were known to be wrong by 2000. Reconfirmed in 2006. Waited at least 5 years to make change and no change made. Something is wrong with the system. Review Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis story. Nothing has changed in approx. 160 years.

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From Janie:  ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!  And of course, informed thyroid patients also know another inane current practice guideline–the use of  Synthroid and other T4-only meds as the “gold standard” of thyroid treatment…in spite of the fact that a huge body of thyroid patients in internet groups ALL OVER THE WORLD report POOR outcomes when on T4-only meds, besides with the TSH, and do much better on natural desiccated thyroid, or even T3, and dosing by symptoms and the free T3.

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FIND THE ABOVE APPALLING??? FIGHT BACK!!!  A publicist has been hired to represent  Stop the Thyroid Madness in getting to the word out to millions who still linger on T4-only meds, or who are considered “normal” thanks to the lousy TSH lab test. But it can’t go on long without your help!! Read about it here.

(Reading this via email notification?  Remember to leave a comment RIGHT on the blog post by clicking on the title of this blog post in your email.)

As thyroid patients, we are continually seeking doctors who understand successful patient experience. It’s not always easy.  So when we do find a good doctor, we’re ecstatic. But little do we know the challenges a good doctor faces!  The following was sent to me by a progressive, open-minded MD, of whose name I have removed to protect him from his own medical board. Be appalled and amazed. I was.

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Janie, it is not infrequent that we are sent messages like this from Pharmacy Benefits Managers. Here is a typical letter with my reply.

Considerations for Your Review

1. Drug Safety Consideration: ARMOUR THYROID Use in Seniors  Our claims record suggests that your older patient is receiving ARMOUR THYROID. Thyroid hormones should be dosed cautiously in seniors due to a potential risk of cardiac effects. Desiccated thyroid products contain variable amounts of T3. T4 and other iodothyronine compounds. Because older patients have a high prevalence of occult
cardiac disease, the Beers criteria generally recommend transition to a safer alternative (e.g.. agents like levothyroxine with more standardized hormone content). Please consider the potential risks versus benefits of therapy for your patient.

Reference(s):
1. Thyroid Agents. In: McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS: Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; 2008:Sec 68:36.04.
2. Pick DM et al. Updating the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2003; 163:2716-2724.
3. Semla TP et al. Geriatric Dosage Handbook. 13th ed. Hudson, OH: Lexi-Comp; 2007.

(And this brilliant doctor’s reply:)

Dear  xxxxxxx

Re: Armour Thyroid Products

I invite your attention to the P.I. (product information) in the PDR on levothyroxine (Synthroid). I quote:  PRECAUTIONS “Patients with underlying cardiovascular disease—Exercise caution when administering levothyroxine to patients with cardiovascular disorders and to the elderly in whom there is an increased risk of occult cardiac disease.”

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

“Caution should be exercised when administering SYNTHROID to patients with underlying cardiovascular disease, to the elderly, and to those with concomitant adrenal insufficiency (see PRECAUTIONS).”

I read your statement that says, “Desiccated thyroid products contain variable amounts of T3 and T4 and other idothyronine compounds.”  Forest Pharmaceuticals has stated their product is standardized as published in the PDR: “ One (1) grain or 60 mg of Armour contains by assay 38 mcg levothyroxine (T4) and 9 mcg liothyronine (T3).” I do not ever remember Armour Thyroid ever being recalled for stability or lack of standardization.

However, Synthroid and the other forms of levothyroxine have had significant problems.

SYNTHROID AND OTHER T4 PRODUCTS were subject to FDA NOTICE in the FEDERAL REGISTER: AUGUST 14, 1997 (VOL 62, NUMBER 157). These were the drugs that were not well standardized and were not stable. I quote from the report: “Some of the problems reported were the result of switching brands. However, other adverse events occurred when patients received a refill of a product on which they had been previously stable, indicating a lack of consistency in stability, potency, and bioavailability between different lots of tablets from the same manufacturer.”

Thank you for caring for the health of the patients receiving medications from your company. I request that you check your facts fully before issuing such flyers.

Respectfully,

xxxxxxxxx, M.D.

Cc: FOREST PHARMACEUTICALS

BRAVO TO THIS DOCTOR in the face of complete ignorance!!

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STTM HAS HIRED A PUBLICIST and YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

Do you value what Stop the Thyroid Madness has given you??  Something has to be done to reach millions of individuals still lingering without a diagnosis due to the TSH, or suffering due to being on T4-only meds! You and I run into them DAILY and don’t even know it!  Or we have many family members in the TSH/T4 category. And the media does NOTHING about this scandal.  STTM has hired a publicist, and you can read about it here. But I can’t do this alone. If you value Stop the Thyroid Madness, please considering helping.

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TPA (Thyroid Patient Advocacy) STILL NEEDS YOU TO REGISTER 

Have you registered for the Counterexamples to T4-only?  So far, 1437 have, and Sheila Turner is determined to get that number to over 2000 at least. There were 900 participants on those flawed studies showing that T4/T3 combination worked no better than T4-only, and we have got to prove our point that this is wrong.  All you have to do is answer 3 very short questions.  http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/register_of_counterexamples.php

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Just within the last few weeks, I’ve been informed by patients that their doctor has outright recommended the patient-to-patient Stop the Thyroid Madness website or book in their newsletter, and agreed with what patients have learned. That is huge!

This also underscores the difference YOU can make in your doctors office, even when you’re not sure you did.  You wouldn’t have even seen these kind of newsletters two years ago, and it means we’ve come a long way, baby. Though many doctors still lag behind, the following two doctors deserve our praise for LISTENING:

1. Allan Lieberman, M.D. Dr. Lieberman is the Medical Director of The Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in North Charleston, South Carolina. He has practiced medicine for 51 years, specializing for the last 33 years in Environmental Medicine and Toxicology.

He wrote about and recommended the STTM book in his August 19th newsletter and after a patient had given him the STTM book. You can read what he wrote here.

2. David Edelberg, M. D. is board certified in Internal Medicine and founder of Whole Health Chicago in Illinois. He is nationally recognized as one of the pioneers of integrative medicine which combines conventional medicine with alternative therapies.

He wrote about STTM in his Sept. 14th newsletter, and it was written after a particular patient spoke “loud and clear” against a bias she felt he had, and strongly recommended STTM to him. You can read what he wrote here.

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DO YOU QUALIFY TO BE IN THIS DOCUMENTARY??

I have been notified by a production company that they are working on a documentary about people who have reversed symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia such as memory loss and cognition problems through natural means.

But they are also interested in interviewing thyroid patients who have had severe memory and cognitive issues before their thyroid was corrected, and which went away afterwards. The key here is “severe”, then the use of natural desiccated thyroid.

i.e. If you are someone who had severe brain fog which went away with natural desiccated thyroid, you can contact them at ddvideoproductions@gmail.com or call either Patricia Tamowski at 914-582-3194 or Alan Scott Douglas at 914-482-8208.  They will then email you full details of the documentary to see if they would like to participate. This would be a good place to mention your patient site Stop the Thyroid Madness.

They both GET IT.

Jeffrey Dach, MD, who is founder of  TrueMedMD clinic in Hollywood, Florida, has recently written just one more brilliant article titled Why Natural Thyroid is Better than Synthetic on OpEdNews. And patients can only derisively agree when Dach says “This nonsense really makes my blood boil and my eyes pop out of head” in response to articles on medical websites which still purport that synthetic T4 is a better treatment  than natural desiccated thyroid.

John O. Wycoff DO graciously had me on his radio program a week ago, called Health and Wellness Solutions radio, which runs each and every Saturday morning in Michigan or live streamed. And I couldn’t help but be impressed by this warm, friendly, and caring doctor who runs the Wycoff Wellness Center in East Lansing, Michigan. He definitely seemed to understand the use of desiccated thyroid and adrenals. Michigan patients are lucky to have this man.

And frankly, there seems to be a growing body of doctors who are GETTING IT, making the large body who still don’t look like medical cavemen and health ostriches.  Natural desiccated thyroid is a FAR better treatment, and millions of changed lives prove this over and over.

Both Dach and Wycoff will go down in history as being part of the founding members of doctors who really GOT IT in the first decade of the 21st century and have played a huge role to STOP THE THYROID MADNESS!!

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UPCOMING PROGRAM with Janie: You will be able to listen to me on Jimmy’s Moore’s Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb program on Thursday July 22nd, 2010 for what Jimmy has dubbed “The Truth About Thyroid Week.” As I see it, each time I’m on a variety of radio and internet podcasts like this, it’s going to mean reaching MORE folks about why they have depression, rising cholesterol or blood pressure, fatigue, hair loss, dry skin or hair, osteoporosis and more as a result of either the TSH lab test, or being on T4 meds like Synthroid!  I’ll announce this closer to the event, as well.

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MORE ABOUT MAGNESIUM: As I wrote about recently here, I found myself very low in my RBC Magnesium levels–the very bottom of the range. I am even lower than a friend who has Celiac disease, which affects digestion!!  No wonder I’ve had issues with muscle cramps for so long, as well as what I saw as a worsening of my MVP (mitral valve prolapse).   Since then, I’ve been on Magnesium Oil and a particular brand of buffered Vit. C which contains a good amount of magnesium. And lo and behold, I have found out that taking magnesium when you are deficient is like drinking water when you are dying of thirst–your body TAKES IT IN faster than you can give it to yourself.  So it’s important to take as high a dose as you can take in, and be patient for it all to level out.  And by the way, I’m already noticing an improvement in my huffin’ and puffin’ when I go out walking.  I do it less!!