And now we have to ask: who will fill those shoes when it comes to the continuation of thyroidscience.org and the courageous message of Dr. Lowe?? Even the front page contains an important article  titled “TSH is Not the Answer,” a report Dr. Carol Rowsemitt and Dr. Thomas Najarian: Their explanation and verification  i.e. Dr. Lowe fought for what PATIENTS ALREADY KNOW TO BE TRUE about the lousy TSH lab test!

And Lowe announced that he was next coming out with an article concerning ” false statements of fact online about T3-containing thyroid products including Armour Thyroid” by The British Thyroid Association and UK Royal College of Physicians.  He continued: ” The scientific facts patently show the falsehood of the two organizations’ statements. Is this a failure of responsibility to study scientific issues before making public pronouncements on them? Or do the statements constitute science fraud?”    Unless it was already written, we might never see this article. But we all know the truth.

The loss of Dr. Lowe propels me to ask: Who do YOU see as a medical professional who has the following qualities:

• high intelligence
• an interest in true science rather than blindly following research with outcomes based on who paid for certain studies
• the courage to speak the truth, even if it goes against the grain of staid medical opinion
• compassion for thyroid patients and the willingness to listen to their experiences

Who, as a medical professional, can patients give a vote of confidence to as someone who can continue the legacy of Dr. Lowe?  Propose some names by commenting on this blog post below. (If you are reading this via the Email Notification, click on the title of this post, which will bring you directly to the blog post where you can leave a comment).

A MESSAGE FROM ELLEN GETTENBERG of ACELLA (THE MAKERS OF GENERIC DESICCATED THYROID CALLED N.P. THYROID)

Over the past several weeks, Acella has experienced production planning issues associated with NP Thyroid.  We sincerely apologize for this and want to inform our valued customers that we are putting measures in place now to prevent any further limited supply.  We anticipate improved availability by the end of January.  Please check back here on our website for further updates.  If you need additional information, please email us through the “Contact Us” page on NPThyroid.com.

Ellen Gettenberg
Director, Marketing| Acella Pharmaceuticals
9005 Westside Parkway | Alpharetta, GA 30009
www.acellapharma.com

WANT TO PAY IT FORWARD AS TO WHAT STTM HAS GIVEN YOU?

Out of my own savings last Fall, I paid for three months in hiring a publicist for the message of Stop the Thyroid Madness…i.e. through the end of December. My goal is to reach far more who may not understand WHY they have problems thanks to the lousy TSH lab test or T4-only meds like Synthroid, Levothyroxine, etc. And she has done a fabulous job in getting interviews and articles out there–you can see what she has done on the donation page mentioned below.

After December, patients donations completely paid for January. Now we are working on February, and nearly half way there. But this will end sooner than later if more donations don’t come in. Go here to read about it and Pay It Forward.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED YOU MAY NOT NEED HC TO HEAL YOUR ADRENALS? OR IF ON HC, YOU CAN DO THIS A LOT FASTER?

UK thyroid and adrenal patient Paul Robinson made a VERY interesting discovery–that he could heal his adrenals with his unique use of T3. Yup, and he SUCCEEDED. And it’s quite exciting news for adrenal fatigue patients.  Additionally, if you are on T3, his  T3 titration process alone is vastly superior to most other recommendations in the use of T3, and means you can use less!!

Take the time to find out for yourself!!  There’s a good summary of what he discovered in the new STTM Facebook Adrenals group (and please note this group is for PATIENTS ONLY, not medical professionals. And for approval to the group, you canNOT have a hidden info and friends. We have to be this way to keep out spammers, and to see that you are who you say you are).  You can also order his book from this Recommended books page on STTM. To order the patient-to-patient STTM book, go here.

IRON AND ITS IMPORTANCE 

It all too common with hypothyroid patients: finding themselves with low iron levels.   I probably had insufficient iron my entire adult life, remembering that my doctors always told me I was borderline, yet nothing was done about it. So when I finally got on desiccated thyroid, and my iron needs increased due to better health, I finally fell into true anemia, and twice.  Miserable, let me tell you. I was breathless, achy, depressed and had horrific fatigue.

And why is iron so important?

• Iron carries oxygen from your tissues to your lungs (so if iron is low, you can be breathless and your heartrate has to go up in response to less oxygen. Link here.)
• Iron helps raise dopamine and serotonin in your brain (so if iron is low, you can feel depression or hyperactive i.e. attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Link here.)
• Iron assists with the cortisol secretion after ACTH stimulation (so if your iron is low, the cortisol secretion is decreased, lowering glucose in your cells, and that might cause the pooling of T3 in your blood. Link here.)
• Iron promotes good conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3 (so if iron is low, your storage iron T4 will build too high. Link here.)
• Iron balances your autonomic nervous sytem (so if your iron is low, you can end up in a frequent state of fight-or-flight with accompanying adrenaline surges and nervousness due to heightened sympathic activity. Link here.)
• Iron protects women from breast tumor growth (so if your iron is low, a benign tumor can become a malignant cancer tumor. Link here.) 
• Iron improves your immune system (so if your iron is low, you are most susceptible to infections and illness. Link here.)
• Iron supports brain cell health (so if your iron is low, you can have brain cell death contributing to dementia and possibly Alzheimers. Link here.)

How to discern if your iron is too low:  We used to think testing one’s storage iron, ferritin, was enough. But it’s not. Your storage iron can look normal because of an ongoing inflammation, which tends to thrust iron into storage. So we learned that we need four labs at the minimum : ferritin, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC.  Even low ferritin along with optimal results in the other labs have caused problems with T3 pooling in the blood.  Go here to read what we look for in our iron results.

Raising poor iron levels: Hypothyroid patients tend to “dry up” and that also causes lowered levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which lowers absorption. For better absorption, try adding 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to each large glass of water or juice you use to swallow your iron pills, or use Betaine, which is an OTC hydrochloric acid supplement.

To learn more, go to the following page. And for even more details, read the Odds and Ends chapter in the revised STTM book.

CAN LIVER CLEANSES/SUPPORTS HELP IMPROVE YOUR RT3 RATIO??

Because of low iron or adrenal dysfunction, many thyroid patients have found themselves with high levels of Reverse T3…or more common, a poor RT3 ratio. And too much RT3 can mean the thyroid hormone T3 won’t adequately work in your cells, and you can feel miserable. The solution for most has been to switch to T3-only, but that can have a host of difficulties.  It’s not easy to dose with T3 alone.

Recently, though, patients are discovering an alternative way to lower one’s excess RT3: the use of a good liver cleanse/support product, and most especially those with the herb called Milk Thistle. It’s an herb which, for hundreds of years, has been used as a liver tonic.  In supplements, it’s the milk thistle seeds which are used because they contain silymarin–the powerful part of the herb which does the trick.  And doses in the 400 mg’s of milk thistle extract supplements seem to be doing the trick, say patients who are reporting on it, taking it twice a day at 200 and 200 minimum. Some studies state you can go higher, if needed.

HO! HO! HO! SEND THE REVISED STTM BOOK TO A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE FOR CHRISTMAS OR THE NEW YEAR!  It can be the BEST gift they will ever receive!  Go to the following page, and put in the name and address of the recipient, YOUR email, and the publishing company will get the book out to your special someone:  http://www.laughinggrapepublishing.com/all-about-the-book

 LISTEN TO ONE OF SEVERAL INTERVIEWS I’VE DONE LATELY…AND BOSTON IS NEXT! My next interview will be aired on WBZ-AM 1030 (Boston & New England) on the program called “Women’s Watch” with host Ellen Sherman. You can also listen live here: http://boston.cbslocal.com/station/wbz-news-radio/ No specific time as I am posting this, but it may happen next week. Watch the NTH Yahoo group, STTM Twitter and STTM Facebook groups for an announcement. And there are more to come thanks to a great publicist representing Stop the Thyroid Madness. Want to donate so she can continue helping us spread the word? Go here.  Janie can’t do it without you…and this is specifically to reach millions still on T4-only meds!

 STTM NOW HAS MANY FACEBOOK GROUPS!  See what Facebook has to offer you on top of already great Yahoo groups, here.

NOTE: if you are reading this via the email notification, and you want to comment on it, you’ll need to click on the title of this blog post to take you directly to the blog post. Then scroll down to comment.  For those reading this on the actual blog, sign up to the left under the links. 

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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(Photo graphic by thyroid patient Sam Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Baku city.)

• TAKING YOUR TEMPERATURE CORRECTLY?? Possibly not. 

Thanks to Dr. Broda Barnes, informed thyroid patients know the importance of taking one’s temperature, especially just before we get out of bed in the morning. According to Barnes, we can suspect a thyroid problem if that temp is below 97.8. Conversely, healthy thyroid function (or adequate treatment) would  put our before-rising temp from 97.8 to 98.2. (Menstruating females would need to be aware of higher temps right after ovulation.).

Today, we favor the mercury thermometer over digitals for accuracy. But are we using the mercury thermometer correctly? Maybe not.

A discussion between thyroid patients recently underscored the need to leave it in the mouth longer than the 5 minutes we thought was adequate. Thyroid patient Jennifer states: At 5 minutes it read 97.6, at 10 minutes it read 97.8 and at 15 minutes it read 98 degrees. After that, it stayed 98 degrees.  We then discussed the fact that manipulating the muscle in the back of throat could have caused the final temp. But her experiment, as well as others, underscored that we need to be holding that mercury thermometer in our mouths no less than five minutes, and ten is probably better.

• DOES SELENIUM REALLY CAUSE A RISE IN REVERSE T3 (RT3)?  THINK AGAIN.

The above statement about selenium causing excess RT3 has oft been repeated from group to group for a few years. But it may be very wrong.

For example, this study shows selenium did not cause a rise in RT3, and in fact, lowered  it. Here is one which shows LOW levels of selenium can result in increased RT3. This medical book states that though RT3 comes from T4, it also concludes that  low selenium increases RT3.

In other words,  though the enzymes that convert T4 to T3,  and convert T4 to RT3, are selenium dependent to do their job, that doesn’t mean that selenium is going to increase your RT3.  Bottom line, many thyroid patients love selenium, especially with its power to lower Hashimoto’s antibodies, and being anti-cancer. Suggested levels are no more than 400 mcg.

• TPA’s AUTUMN NEWSLETTER IS OUT–many good articles!

TPA stands for Thyroid Patient Advocacy, and is a UK charity organization started by Sheila Turner. Check out the articles below in thelatest newsletter.

Page 5: The Big Question – Is There an Anti-T3 Conspiracy.  Eric Prichard critically questions why those in Endocrinology need to cite numerous anti-T3 studies, in spite of many other studies which reveal the activeness and superiority of T3. Is the UK and other dark age countries ever going to get it?

Page 9:  Why I Believe T3 Should Be the Very Last Treatment that Thyroid Patients Consider.  Don’t let UK’s Paul Robinson’s title fool you. He believes in the efficacy of T3, but underscores why it can be complex to dose with just T3.  Especially compelling are what follows Paul’s article, titled MEMBERS SUCCESS STORY.  Story 1 is about an individual who, when dosing T3 in the early morning hours, was able to get off all adrenal meds. Story 2 is about a gal’s successful transition from T4 to T3.

Page 15:  Thyroid Patients Have Come a Long Way, Baby….But We Still Have a Way to Go!  Though there are now numerous patient groups on the net and many lives have changed, Janie Bowthorpe (yes, me) explains how many doctors still have a long way to go in understanding how T4 and TSH fail patients, just as desiccated thyroid or T3 have turned miserable lives around.

• HEALTHCHECKUSA WENT UP ON SALIVA TESTING….BUT HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET THE ORIGINAL PRICE!!

On the Recommended Labwork page, you’ll see several lab facilities where patients can get their own labwork done. HealthcheckUSA is a favorite for many. Unfortunately, their “Adrenal Hormones Saliva Testing Kit from ZRT labs (Dirunal Cortisol and DHEA-S)” went up, from $170.00 to $ $265.00. But there is GOOD NEWS:  STTM’ers can keep the price of $170.00 by placing a PHONE ORDER for the saliva at 1-800-929-2044. The customer will need to mention STTM!!   MENTION STTM to get the discount.

• READING THIS BLOG POST VIA AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION??

If you want to respond to this post, click on the title at the top of the email, which will take you directly to the blog post on the STTM site. Then click on Comment.

HUMOROUS VIDEO ABOUT ADRENAL FATIGUE:

Well, creator and thyroid patient Brian Foreman has brilliantly done it again, but this time, it’s about adrenal fatigue and titled “Why Isn’t My Thyroid Medication Working?”  Have fun watching it, and get ready for a good laugh here and there.

Want to know more about adrenal dysfunction? Go here to find out about the problem, and do the Discovery Tests tests to see if you might have it.  Note that it’s critical, if the self-tests seem to point to an adrenal issue, to do a 24-hour adrenal saliva test to see what is going on at four key times during a 24-hour period.  Here is a compilation of what patients have learned in how to treat low cortisol, and this page is important to share with your doctor. If you want even more detail, it is strongly recommended by thyroid patients to order the REVISED STTM BOOK, and see Chapters 5 and 6. This can be carried right into your doctor appointment with key areas highlighted and bookmarked.

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BIPOLAR, DEPRESSION and HYPOTHYROID: A thyroid patient emailed me with just one more article on the connection between having a bipolar disorder and one’s thyroid, including the fact that there is “a strikingly high rate of autoimmune-caused thyroid problems in people with bipolar disorder”, aka Hashimotos disease.

And even if depression is your main problem, the article mentions “gently pushing your thyroid status over toward the “hyperthyroid” end of normal, if you happen now to be toward the hypothyroid end of normal”, in order to adequately reverse the depression problem. I constantly think back about my own mother who suffered from depression, succumbed to having shock therapy, and ended up on anti-depressants the rest of her life because of her use of Synthroid.  So we know that treating hypothyroidism with direct T3, such as is found in desiccated thyroid, is far better. 

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IS THERE A BABY KNOCKING IN YOUR BELLY?  I often see pregnant women in forums wondering how their babies are doing and how the thyroid works in helping their babies, or hurting them if the mother is pregnant and hypothyroid.  Here is an article sent to me that can help inform as to changes in your thyroid function when pregnant, how thyroid hormones affect the brain of the fetus, and the role of iodine.  It can underscore how important proper treatment is while pregnant.

What about adrenal fatigue which so many thyroid patients find themselves with, and pregnancy? A gal named Anne has written about this issue here. She has Addisons disease, which is more about a disease process and can be autoimmune, but her comments can be very applicable for those of you with sluggish adrenal function. Share all of this with your doctor. Need to find a good one?? Go here.

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TWO COMMON MISTAKES  MADE BY PATIENTS:  In patient groups, here are two common mistakes I see patients make:

1. Not doing the 24 hour adrenal saliva test if adrenal dysfunction is suspected:  I can’t stress this enough:  patients have learned repeatedly they shouldn’t have rushed into cortisol treatment if they or their doctor’s “suspect” an adrenal problem. Yes, STTM has outlined several self-tests, called Discovery Steps, that you can do in your own home to see if anything is suspicious. There is also a checklist of symptoms related to adrenal problems. But the problem is two-fold:  symptoms of high and low cortisol can be exactly the same, and ‘where you are low’ and ‘where you are not’ can dictate how your treatment should be.  Some only need to lower high cortisol, some may do well on simply adaptogens like Ashwagandha or Rhodiola, some do well on Isocort or OTC adrenal cortex, and some outright need to be on prescription hydrocortisone. Teach this to your doctor. Here is where you can order your own saliva tests, and then take them into your doctor’s office.
2. Not getting copies of labwork: Contrary to how your doctor says it, you have a right to have copies of your own labwork. And you should! Patients often come on groups seeking feedback from other patients, and yet, have no idea what their labwork was, or the ranges. Getting copies of labwork is just one step of many in being a pro-active patient. Here is how to read labwork according to the experience of thyroid patients.

MEN CAN HAVE LOW IRON, TOO:

I’ve seen a few hypothyroid men who have found themselves with low iron. In fact, either iron anemia is growing in men, or we’re just hearing from them more thanks to the internet.

And remarkably, it has become personal for me. Turns out my own husband is very low, which explains the fatigue he had been experiencing lately. Sadly, taking iron pills give him a headache, so he will eat high-iron foods daily, and will be exploring Floradix, a liquid herb-based iron. Men, get all the needed iron labs!

REVERSE T4 (yes, I said it correctly)

I’ve been having an email chat with a scientifically-minded guy named Brian who also has a sister with a major in bio-chemistry. And something dawned on both of them concerning “levothyroxine” which is the synthetic term for T4.  The prefix LEVO means the ”left-hand” version of a molecule, and thyroxine is the biological term for the real T4.  Says Brian: “Levo-thyroxine means it has exactly the same atoms in exactly the same order, but not the same shape (handedness), so if enzymes or proteins have to chemically “fit” it to work, they may not be able to. He concludes this can be one reason being on synthetic T4-only does not work, and knew it was alluded to by Dr. Mark Starr.

But Brian continues: In just the same way that levothyroxine is the mirror-image or “left-handed” version of regular thyroxin, RT3, or Reverse T3, is the mirror-image or “left-handed” version of T3.  If we were consistent with our terminology, in other words, levothyroxine would be known as “Reverse T4″. Says Brian, just as Reverse T3 is biologically inactive , so is Levothyroxine, thus “Reverse T4″. I love it!

CHECK OUT WHAT THIS MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST SAID:

In a facebook discussion,  a female medical transcriptions has had a realization. Namely, in almost every report she is transcribing into text or digital format,  a patient with the diagnosis of hypothyroidism also has a medical history of depression and/or anxiety. You can read about depression & anxiety here. Of course, no patient who is informed is surprised! They are HYPOTHYROID symptoms.  And she then notes the prescription ordered by the doc: Synthroid.  WAKE UP DOCTORS. You are only dooming your patients to a lifetime of depression, anxiety and far more.

WHY MANY OF YOU HAVE INFLAMMATION (and don’t even know it), WHAT IT DOES, AND HOW TO TREAT IT

One thing I see a lot when doing phone consultations, as well as on thyroid patient groups, is evidence that someone has low-grade inflammation. In fact,  research has already shown that a large body of folks with hypothyroidism have higher levels of CRP (C-Reactive Protein) which is a lab test marker of inflammation.  That inflammation, in turn, puts you at a higher risk of heart disease.

Another clue that you have an inflammation problem is having higher ferritin levels (i.e. ferritin looks great, or is too high) along with poor iron serum/% saturation lab results.  In other words, in the presence of chronic inflammation, your iron will be diverted to your ferritin iron storage, and less will be in your serum and saturation.  You can also find yourself with very low TIBC (Total iron-binding capacity). The TIBC is measuring the protein “transferrin”, made in your liver, and which transports your iron through your body. If this is the case, you can’t take high levels of iron supplementation, as explained on the above ferrritin page and more in the book.

What do you do? 1) Treat your hypothyroidism properly–a huge step in lowering that inflammation–with desiccated thyroid, NOT Synthroid. (Read the Things We Have Learned page on STTM, or even more details in Chapter 3 in the new Revised STTM book). 2) Treat proven low cortisol with HC or hydrocortisone. If saliva cortisol tests (Don’t guess! Do a saliva test!) reveal you have adrenal dysfunction, cortisol supplementation will help counter inflammation.   (Read the Adrenal Info and How to Treat page on STTM, or more details in Chapter 6 in the new Revised STTM book.) 3) Use Krill Oil as a supplement. Krill Oil is an even better marine fish oil with rich amounts of Omega 3 fatty oils,  and research with even a low dose of 300 mg proves that it does a bang-up job in reducing inflammation as well as pain in joints associated with rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.  My own husband is on 1000 mg a day.

HAVE THE REVISED SECOND EDITION OF THE STTM BOOK YET? IT’S WORTH IT.

I am frankly extremely proud of the Revised Second Edition of the STTM book.  In spite of being a lot of hard work, it is good to see all the additions, details and corrections throughout the entire book.  There is much more on labs and how to read them, ferritin and iron, adrenal dysfunction and how to treat it, reverse T3 and how to treat it, plus a completely new chapter on good supplements and foods.  I added a little more hidden humor, which was fun.  There are now 36 more pages, too, and at the same price.  You can see more about the book here.  The book is ideal since you can bring that right into the doctor’s office with the information highlighted and bookmarked. As far as Kindle or other readers, yes, I’m already aware that some of you have requested it. But right now, it’s the book only.  But I’ll make announcements in the future as to what might be coming up.

P.S. Seeing this blog post via the email notification? If you have a comment to make, click on the title, which will take you directly to this blog post on the net, and comment there.

YEEHAW!!

Three years ago this month, the book Stop the Thyroid Madness: A Patient Revolution Against Decades of Inferior Treatment came out with quiet fanfare–a complete patient-to-patient book chock full of information based on the successful experience of thyroid patients worldwide.  As the messenger of that information, I had a strong purpose: to create INFORMED patients who can then demand change in their doctors offices. Pro-active patients!  Educated patients!

But the reaction to it wasn’t quiet!

Thyroid patients have reported it was changing their lives.  To date, the STTM book has been sent, and in multiple copies, to Antiqua/ Barbuda, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Netherlands,  Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the UK. That doesn’t include the high volume amount of copies sent to US patients, doctors, and individuals in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Amazingly, yet not surprisingly, patients were discovering new information even a few months after the First Edition was published three years ago.  As a result, Laughing Grape Publishing LLC had to add, and continually update, a bookmark of updated information into all its books ordered directly from the publishing company.

Today, in the REVISED SECOND EDITION, all that extra patient information has been added, plus a LOT more.

• 36 more pages, by and for patients, plus changes & additions in every single chapter
• Much more detail on adrenal and HPA dysfunction and how to treat it
• Recognizing and dealing with Reverse T3
• Identifying and treating gluten issues as related to Hashimotos disease
• Iodine-use information in relation to hypothyroid, breast disease, Hashimotos, adrenal dysfunction, etc.
• More details on labwork preparation, plus what to look for in your results
• Why you need more than ferritin testing, and details on iron testing
• Updated information on brands of desiccated thyroid throughout the world, T3-only products, hydrocortisone, and more
• A completely NEW CHAPTER on supplements & foods which thyroid patients appreciate and use!

And, the price has been kept exactly the same.  Our loss; your gain, in the name of an important movement of needed education and change!

This was NOT an easy book to revise!  I had to go through it with a fine-toothed comb, removing some information, correcting other information, adding a lot more…besides working on making it more readable. I am not a writer by profession. Sometimes I felt like a “cuckoo’s nest mental case”  trying to balance the work on the Revised edition with my other activist responsibilities and a busy private life.  Is it perfect?  Nope.  But as I stated in the First, some information is right on target, some is at least close to the bulls-eye, and other info will fall into place as we continue to learn. That’s why you need to see it as “guide” of patient experience, and to use it to become PROACTIVE in your relationship with your doctor and the entire medical profession.

Today, you can order either copy. As of today, the First Edition has been lowered to 14.95 until supplies run out, which will be soon. The Revised Second Edition is taking pre-orders, and it looks like books will start being sent out in about 7-10 days.

You can go here to see a stand-alone website about the book, as well as here to be among the first to pre-order your copy.

THE STTM BOOK IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Yes, you will eventually be seeing the Revised Second Edition in various languages. That’s in the works right now, and no, I don’t yet know the dates. I’ll announce that here, so be sure and be signed up for this BLOG NOTIFICATION to the left under the links.

KINDLE and E-BOOKS

With no projected dates other than much later this year, you will first see an E-book. Later, we’ll be looking at Kindle. Again, announcements will be made, and you’ll have to be patient.  In the meantime, ordering the book is your best choice right now. Besides, having this book in your lap in the doctor’s office is powerful to many of them, since doctors can have silly thoughts about “internet” information.

And more is coming which will be announced as they occur.

NOTE: they would be Lot #: 1077413 with an expiration of  9/30/2011  This is what your pharmacist would need to know.

PRODUCT

Armour Thyroid (thyroid tablets, USP), 1/2 grain (30 mg) , each tablet contains 19 mcg levothyroxine (T4) and 4.5 mcg liothyronine (T3), 100-count bottle, NDC 0456-0458-01. Recall # D-231-2011
CODE
Lot #: 1077413, Exp. 9/30/2011
RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER
Recalling Firm: Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc., Earth City, MO, by telephone and letters on October 6, 2010. 
Manufacturer: Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cincinnati, OH. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.
REASON
Labeling: Label error on declared strength; some bottles are mislabeled as containing 1/2-grain tablets but actually contain 1-grain tablets. The entire lot is being recalled even though some bottles are labeled correctly because bottles of 1/2-grain and 1-grain could be shrink-wrapped together.
VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
31,172 bottles approx.
DISTRIBUTION
Nationwide, PR, Belgium and the United Kingdom

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm242808.htm

• See my post to a very, very thankful individual, here.
• Have you switched from one brand to another? Tell us how you did here.
• Has STTM made a difference in your life? Make a donation to the hosting fees here, as they have become quite large due to the popularity of this site:
• Need to talk to other patients, or want a one-on-one consultation with Janie? Go here.

And the above quote is probably eggsactly what is going to have to happen for desiccated thyroid to finally become mainstream!  Stop the Thyroid Madness!

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HOW DIFFERENT BRANDS OF DESICCATED WORK FOR SOME, NOT FOR OTHERS: Many patients, for a variety of reasons, have switched from one desiccated thyroid brand to another.  I, for example, was on the pre-reformulated Armour from 2002 to 2009, and successfully treated. When I heard about all the horror stories from folks who picked up their “newly reformulated” Armour, I just let my old Armour run out, and I started on Erfa Thyroid from Canada. And it was an easy and successful switch for me.

For others, a switch has not been that smooth. One brand seemed to serve them well, while other brands caused them to tank.

What causes the switch problems? For many, it could be the adrenals/HPA dysfunction. On one product, they may have felt fine, yet due to an underlying adrenal issue they hadn’t caught, a different brand with that “something different” may have been the umpff that caused their adrenals to rebel.

For others, the issues on the new brand could be from a sensitivity to one or more of the fillers. You can read about all fillers in each brand here.

And for still others, there is a mystery of why one didn’t work and another did.

What has been your experience? What did you switch from and to? Armour? Naturethroid? Erfa? Compounded? Thyroid-S? Let’s share.

HYPOTHYROID and/or ADRENAL WEIGHT GAIN: Have you ever heard of the gal who calls herself nonstickpam? I’ve known Pam for a good 8 years, and she has spent most of that time giving helpful advice on low carb eating and how to maintain your weight while dealing with thyroid and/or adrenal issues. Recently, she wrote an article for STTM about this very issue: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hypothyroid-and-weight-issues/

Have you found something that has worked for you in maintaining or losing weight? Let’s share our successes which might help others.

THANKS go to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), who in their Nov. 10th email newsletter, had a NATURE-THROID desiccated thyroid ad right under their logo and gave us a great chuckle! Why? The ATA has always rigidly recommended T4-only medications and the TSH–both which have failed too many thyroid patients for sixty years. Loved your faux pas, ATA, in the name of making $$!! Are we going to see it again? Huh??

THANKS to Forest Labs, who though patients feel they ruined one of the oldest and best desiccated thyroid medications ever made when they reformulated it in 2009, gave thyroid patients the memory of a desiccated med far superior to press for from other pharmaceuticals in the future after the FDA gets their act together about the safety and efficacy of desiccated thyroid. (p.s. chew your Armour thoroughly before swallowing for better effectiveness, say patients)

THANKS to Erfa in Canada, who makes their own version of desiccated thyroid just like the old Armour, where we can do it sublingually and where it still has a touch of sugar to help with dissolution. Glory be to Erfa!

THANKS to the FDA, who had enough wisdom to allow thyroid patients to order Erfa desiccated thyroid from Canada–a far superior product than the lousy T4-only medications for a huge body of thyroid patients. We hope your wisdom continues.

THANKS to all the makers of important supplements–many which have played HUGE roles in the lives of thyroid patients trying to undo the damage done to us thanks to T4-only and the TSH lab test. They include high potency B-vitamins, selenium, minerals, sea salt, iodine, and so many more. We are behind you in the freedom to choose nutritional supplements without a doctor’s prescription.

THANKS to the growing body of doctors who have been listening to patient experience and email me of that fact. We bow to all of you who have LISTENED to the whole body of knowledge thyroid patients have learned, which is also Chapter 3 in the STTM book with more details.

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