• Armour
• Health Care
• Patients
• Related conditions due to hypo
• Thyroid treatment

Before my thyroid disease of hypothyroidism was discovered, I had horrific and debilitating consequences from exercise or any activity.  You can read about it all here or even more detail in the Introduction of the patients-to-patients Stop the Thyroid Madness book.

When my so-called “borderline hypothyroid” was discovered by age 30, I thought whoo-hooo, I’ll finally get rid of this strange nightmare whenever I tried to do ANYTHING.  I was put on Synthroid and my anticipation for a better life was profound.

But my hope was dashed. Not only did my body continue to overreact to activity, it got worse over time.  Horribly worse.  Nearly twenty years after I had started on a T4-only medication, and was told by one doctor after another that my problem was not my thyroid, I was going to apply for social security disability.

But they were all dead wrong. Sure, turns out I have a form of Dysautonomia, a malfunction and overreaction of my autonomic nervous system, causing my body to far overreact to stress. But remaining hypothyroid, as we all do on the sucky t4-only medications, had made it far worse. And I proved it. When I switched to Armour desiccated thyroid in 2002 and raised it according to what patients have learned, a miracle occurred.  My severe autonomic reactions made an almost complete turnaround.

And my experience of change or improvement when it comes to other diseases or conditions has been shared by others.

Last week, I received an email from a man whose brother has MS–Multiple Sclerosis.  And though Armour has not taken his MS away, it allowed him to move from this wheelchair to a walker! That is impressive.

So I am left wondering:  what other conditions or diseases, which are unique in themselves, are worsened being undiagnosed thanks to the lousy TSH lab test or the inadequate treatment of Synthroid, Levoxyl, levothyroxine, Eltroxin and all other T4-only medications? It’s awful to think about it.

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Update to the below: it was brought to my attention that taking a second BP reading is usually always lower anyway. Ah, I thought, that’s correct! So to test this information based on research, I went back last night before bedtime. First took my BP with my arm in the upper correct position. Then the second time, took it with my arm down.

138/89 (up perpendicular to body; level with heart) pulse 80
146/100 (arm down) pulse 82

The second did NOT go down. It went UP! Interesting.

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Last week, I had found my blood pressure quite high for me! Upper 140’s and some 150’s for my Systolic, and upper 90’s and lower 100’s for my Diastolic.   Stage One hypertension!  I was pretty sure my 4 grains may suddenly be a tad too high since entering meno.  My temps and heartrate implied that, too.

I got off Armour for two days to use up some excess, got back on one, then on 2 grains multi-dosed.  My plan is to make my way back up to 3 1/2 grains by a week or slightly more…and see.

In the meantime, I have been using some blood pressure lowering supplements (high dose potassium, grape seed extract, Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar in juice, more CoQ10 than normal, plus my regular supplements).  I was more faithful to my treadmill walking (thanks to an April that still thinks it’s winter), and meditating. The latter two definitely helped lower both the Systolic and Diastolic, even if not low enough for my ideal.

For the last five days, my BP readings have still been too high. All those days, I had been seated on our couch. I put a pillow in my lap, laying my arm on that pillow, which meant my arm was slightly downward.  Sometimes my wrist would hang off the pillow.

Today, I decided I wanted to test something I have read. Namely, it’s actually quite important how you place your arm. The recommended way is placing your arm perpendicular to your body and at the height of your heart or a tad higher, all while comfortable resting on something.  Elbow can be flexed, but your arm must still be perpendicular to your body and about heart height or slightly higher.

Below are four of my most recent afternoon BP readings with pulse: two with the Left arm, then two with the Right arm.

L:  139/106   98  (arm hanging down and resting on seated leg)
L:  122/88 89  (arm up, perpendicular to my body, supported by pillows)
R:  141/87     92  (arm hanging down and resting on pillow)
R:  123/85 89 (arm up, perpendicular to my body, supported by pillows)

What you should note is that the first L reading, and the first R reading, were with the arm relaxed on a pillow but lower than my heart.  The second of each is with the arm on two pillows, putting it perpendicular to my heart,  with elbow flexed, and all of arm completely supported.

I was shocked! Putting my arms in what research is saying is the CORRECT position gave me much better readings. I am VERY pleased with the 122 and 123.  Much better. And though the 88 and 83 Diastolics are not to my liking yet, and tell me I need more work, the difference between the arm positions was stunning….as is the difference in what I’ve been getting for five days.

*Want to be informed of the STTM blog postings?? Curious what’s on my mind? Just use the Notifications to the left at the bottom of the links.

**Are you in the US and want to help make sure we don’t end up like the UK, having our Armour taken away?? In the post below, I have given you SEVEN STEPS that I hope you will follow through on!  YOU can make a difference.

Right on the heels of the insane recommendation by the UK’s Royal College of Physicians and the British Thyroid Association (that thyroxine be the ONLY treatment for hypothyroidism–see Feb. 14th below) came an EXCELLENT and THOROUGH rebuttal by Dr. John C. Lowe titled Stability, Effectiveness, and Safety of Desiccated Thyroid vs Levothyroxine: A Rebuttal to the British Thyroid Association. WAY TO GO, John!!

p.s. Also see Sheila’s experience on the Feb. 20th post. Awful

Want to be informed of these blog posts? Curious what’s on Janie’s mind? Just go to the notification on the left and bottom of the links.

And again, on the heels of my post below about Sheila Turner of the UK’s TPA (be sure and read it–good comments, too) comes a blog post by Dr. Richard B. Gutler of California, an Endocrinologist (why are we not surprised).  And his message?

1) That the NHS is correct to ban Armour

2) That Armour is a “second drug” that causes harm.

3) That it’s only “fringe” patients who don’t do well on T4

4) That none of the above patients are hypothyroid

5) That they don’t feel well on T4 because of other reasons

6) Therapy is not needed if the TSH is below 10

You know what patients have a fantasy about, Dr. Gutler?? That folks like YOU become hypothyroid and are put on T4. You’ll then have to eat dirt as you see your blood pressure rising, or your cholesterol doing the same, or depression and fatigue setting in, or your adrenals overworking, or weight gain and a host of other continuing symptoms of hypothyroid while on T4. OH WAIT. Those are all due to something else. Gee, let’s put you on anti-depressants, statins, blood pressure meds, pain meds, anti-anxiety meds since those “other” reasons never seem to be fixed.  OH WAIT. They DO get fixed when these same patients are switched to Armour or any other desiccated thyroid, and have addressed their low cortisol or low ferritin thanks to years of undiagnosis or undertreatment with T4.

SHAME ON YOU.

p.s. It’s because of opinions like yours that the Stop the Thyroid Madness book has been sent to patients in over 16 countries, so far. People want to find out the TRUTH.

Update: you can read Sheila’s and UK-TPA’s response here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/uk-tpas-response-to-the-rcp/

See more from Sheila that gives UK patients hope: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/relationship-between-the-RCP-and-MHRA/

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Even 1 1/2 years ago, over 2000 professionals from a variety of disciplines called the US Congress to end Fluoridation of water, citing it’s toxicity and the deception of putting it in our water. You can read their call to action here.

The importance of this call lies in each of us with thyroid disease, since fluoride is a KNOWN inhibitor of our thyroid function.

As of Feb. 9th, 2009, the Courier Post Online of South Jersey has an excellent article on the problem of our extreme exposure to fluoride.  This article cites the following facts:

1) 53 US cities rejected fluoridation during our last November election
2) Ingested fluoride can damage kidney patients, bones, the thyroid gland, high water drinkers, and children’s teeth
3) Studies linking fluoride to cancer and lowered IQ are plausible.
4) In 2007, the British Medical Journal indicated that fluoridation never was proven safe or effective and may be unethical.
5) Health Canada says the government should cut the recommended amount in drinking water, encourage the use of low-fluoride toothpaste by children and have makers of infant formula reduce levels.

I personally made a point to stop using any toothpaste with Fluoride a few years ago.  I also supplement with iodine, since fluoride displaces iodine levels. Sadly, I still love iced tea, which contains fluoride.  But YOU can avoid more fluoride exposure by finding a way to get off anti-depressants and osteoporosis medications which contain fluoride, and that is especially possible when you are optimal with Armour desiccated thyroid in presence of strong adrenals or optimal cortisol supplementation.