Re: This Morning TV - thyroid

[Guest guest]

You are right Sheila, she was interrupted and nobody brought up the subject again of what she is taking now.     Perhaps it was the time scale or perhaps it was thought better not to let her say, who knows.

Yes, she did come over very well.    I notice Eamon did try and lighten it up a bit (when he giggled about it happening to men), but nobody let him.A good plug for Thyroid UK though.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

Hi SheliaI emailed this to This Morning:Hi there,I felt I had to contact

you regarding this mornings information about hypothyroidism.I had every symptom that Dr said relates to hypothyroidism and because my blood test results kept coming back normal the NHS, to date, are still refusing to acknowledge that I have a thyroid problem and I have to see a private Dr - Dr Gordon Skinner - who treats according to symptoms and not to blood tests.When I first went to see Dr Skinner I thought nothing

could ever help me - I was in danger of losing my job, I couldn't do anything, I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything everything seemed pointless because I was constantly exhausted and the doctors were not in the slightest bit interested in treating me or even finding out what was wrong. I would get in from work and have to sleep for hours because I was exhausted, I could only walk at a snail's pace and I felt like everything was too much, I even contemplated ending it all because I thought my family would be better off without me.It was suggested that it was all in my mind. that I was depressed (who wouldn't be!) and that I was making it up to get attention.I have been seen by the head endocrinologist at University Hospital Birmingham (UHB) (who was at the time the president for the British Thyroid Association) and was told that I couldn't possibly have a thyroid problem because of my blood test result - end of conversation. This was despite the fact that I was taking 150mcg of thyroxine and 1 grain of armour and the thyroid medication was making me feel a million times better - I had got my life back. The professor in question could not explain how taking quite large doses of thyroxine and armour could make me well or why it was not making me

ill. My mother has hashimoto's thyroiditus and has had half of her thyroid removed. I had thyroiditus when I was 21 and a goitre for the past 20 years but still - according to UHB - I do not have a thyroid problem. I also live in Birmingham where we have had fluoride added to the water since before I was born and the links between fluoride and hypothyroidism are well known. I know there are few doctors in Birmingham who are willing to go against what an endocrinologist tells them and it seems that in Birmingham at least unless your blood tests are where they want them to be they will not diagnose hypothryoidism no matter how many symptoms you present with - they are just not interested.Dr Skinner has been reported to the GMC and has restrictions placed upon his practice - this was up for review in July but due to a massive error

regarding a lead witness (who was found to be biased against Dr Skinner) this review has been postponed until 14th November - Dr's like Dr Skinner who treat the symptoms are being persecuted by other doctors who don't agree with them - this is wrong. I am in the process of making a complaint against UHB which I would happily share with you if you are interested and I am expecting to hear back from them regarding my complaint on the 9th November. As part of this complaint I received an email that stated

that one of the Doctor's who was looking at my complaint wanted to refer Dr Skinner to the GMC because of my complaint!! I found this quite threatening as there was an implication that I would get Dr Skinner in 'trouble' by complaining about how badly I had been treated by UHB.I am a 42 year old busy mother of teenagers (15 and 18) and a full time secondary school teacher and it is only through Dr Skinner that I have regained my health had it been left to the NHS in South Birmingham this would never have been the case and now instead of leaving an active and happy life I would have been left on the scrap heap as many other suffers have been. I am not the kind of person who complains or who usually sends emails like this. But I know there are thousands of people

who have been left on the scrap heap of life when they could easily be treated and it makes me very angry. I certainly didn't plan on having to take on the NHS in order to have my condition acknowledged!Since getting my health back I have written my first novel and renewed my interest in many of my hobbies that I simply couldn't do before.Hope there is nothing there that the moderator disapproves of!!I'm

hoping they might be able to use the story? You never know!DawnFrom: Sheila <sheila@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 11:20Subject: This Morning TV - thyroid

Have just watched This Morning,

[Guest guest]

I watched it and I`m glad Sue spoke about being intolerant of synthetic

thyroxine because it left a massive query over exactly what else could you take

- but obviously she was not allowed to say (cos as far as RCS/GMC/BTF are

concerned, there isn`t anything else). I`m glad there was that void because it

will get loads of people asking the question " Well, what else is there " .

Jane

>

> You are right Sheila, she was interrupted and nobody brought up the subject

> again of what she is taking now.

[Guest guest]

What i find surprising about Thyroid Uk is that alot of the people are on T4

only. There was a poll with around 90% of people taking thyroxine and with only

3% taking T3 only.

I will watch this on ITV catch up after work, and possibly get my mum to watch

it,if i think there is any chance for her to listen and take notice.

Steve

> A good plug for Thyroid UK though.

>

> Lilian

>

[Guest guest]

I watched it too and was shouting at the TV, " so what are you taking then? " .

Sheila, is there any chance of you getting on This Morning to tell your story,

or do you think you wouldn't be allowed?

>

>

> I watched it and I`m glad Sue spoke about being intolerant of synthetic

thyroxine because it left a massive query over exactly what else could you take

- but obviously she was not allowed to say (cos as far as RCS/GMC/BTF are

concerned, there isn`t anything else). I`m glad there was that void because it

will get loads of people asking the question " Well, what else is there " .

>

> Jane

>

[Guest guest]

I have a plan….. but basically, I don't think I would be

allowed to say what I wanted on a programme like 'This Morning' - but I

want to come from a completely different angle to what Holmes and Suze

talked about. I want to get at the Medical profession as a whole, especially

the Medical Schools and the teachers and ask questions as to why doctors are

being kept in the dark and not being given the full fact, and even being told lies

to terrify them in to not daring to diagnose and prescribe any other form of

thyroid hormone other than levothyroxine.

I am working with another journalist right at this point in time

and I think this may get published. I do think however, that the short time

given on programmes like 'This Morning' are really not worth the bother when

you get Eamonn making silly unhelpful remarks and not asking the right

questions and before we know what's happened, the item is finished. I am

wanting to get a documentary done on this whole subject so investigations can

be made into certain aspects of what we see as being dreadfully wrong, which

the RCP, BTA insist see as being right - but we all know what they see is right

is doing what they can to help Big Pharma - and line their own pockets into the

bargain. Me Cynical - NEVER!

Luv - Sheila

I watched it too and was shouting at the TV, " so what are you taking

then? " .

Sheila, is there any chance of you getting on This Morning to tell your story,

or do you think you wouldn't be allowed?

[Guest guest]

Sheila, as you know im at college and planning to go med school.

In my biology lesson's we covered the endocrine system, we were taught nothing

about under/over active thyroid, or that the thyroid controls the metabolism,

BUT yet we did half a lesson on metabolism.

Maybe i am biased but i feel we should of touched on thyroid a bit more.

If you would like to throughout my learning i could let you know when we are

being taught wrong/outdated/ or simply not enough about the thyroid and related

illness if you think one day it could maybe be changed and people gain more

knowledge.

Steve

>

> I have a plan...

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have the link so I could watch too?

Thanks a bunch.

Cheers,

JOT

[Guest guest]

Hello Dawn,

So pleased that you are well. All due to Dr Skinner who also brought me back to full health when others said I must have ME and to live with it.

Today's program on ITV was very good although as said, not enough content and I was saying 'come on what are you taking now'. but the medication wasn't allowed to be mentioned.

However Dr Steel was on the side of the patients with symptoms. Nice to talk to a fellow sufferer who is now made well by one of our favourite DOCTOR'S. Love Ina

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve, I would love to be informed about exactly what they

are teaching you and what they are not. I would also like to know where the

information that is being taught is coming from. Are they using text books,

research papers, opinion???? We do know from what our doctors are saying to us

that they know very little about the functioning of the greater thyroid system,

and end up when they don't know what to do by turning on the patient and

blaming them for causing their own illness. Yes please Steve. This could be

something we could use in the future.

Luv - Sheila

Sheila, as you know im at college and planning

to go med school.

In my biology lesson's we covered the endocrine system, we were taught nothing

about under/over active thyroid, or that the thyroid controls the metabolism,

BUT yet we did half a lesson on metabolism.

Maybe i am biased but i feel we should of touched on thyroid a bit more.

If you would like to throughout my learning i could let you know when we are

being taught wrong/outdated/ or simply not enough about the thyroid and related

illness if you think one day it could maybe be changed and people gain more

knowledge.

Steve

>

> I have a plan...

[Guest guest]

Hi, didnt manage to catch todays show, but watched the Dianna Holmes clip from a

few years ago when she was on the show. Apart from the presenters joking on all

the time, which drove me nuts, I loved the fact that Dr Steel was trying to get

the list of symptoms out and when he said a few timess 'patient, not paper' , I

cheered!

Jan x

[Guest guest]

JOT - It doesn`t seem to be on the ITV iplayer to watch again. It may get put up

on Youtube eventually.

Jane

>

>

>

> Does anyone have the link so I could watch too?

>

> Thanks a bunch.

>

> Cheers,

> JOT

>

[Guest guest]

I too noticed that she didn't mention what she was taking. The programe was good

nbut I feel that the people who should be watching this type of thing [G,P's]

won't be?????

>

> Have just watched This Morning, with Suze talking about her thyroid problems

> and the difficulty she had in getting a diagnosis. She came over well, even

> though she said she was feeling very nervous.

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jane....I appreciate your checking on it for me...

Maybe I'll catch it when it's on youtube.com..

> > Thanks a bunch.

> >

> > Cheers,

> > JOT

[Guest guest]

I agree with you there, Sheila. There is someone on Radio 2 who hosts

discussions in the afternoon and he is terrible. He keeps interjecting

provocative remarks, and when a caller has just spoken he misrepresents what

they have said. I think TV and radio interviews on that type of programme are

no good for trying to get a serious message across.

Miriam

> I do think however, that the short time given on programmes like 'This

Morning' are really not worth the bother when you get

> Eamonn making silly unhelpful remarks and not asking the right questions and

before we know what's happened, the item is finished.

[Guest guest]

Can someone please explain to me how Big Pharma profit from levothyroxine only

treatment; the " NHS cost " is £4.58 for 8 weeks, 8pence a day, £30 a year!.

Peanuts in anybody's language.

Surely surely they would prefer to sell a patented combined T3/T4 slow release

drug for considerably more money.

So what is the real explanation, because lining big pharma's pockets isn't it?

Steve

>

> but we all know what they see is right is doing

> what they can to help Big Pharma - and line their own pockets into the

> bargain. Me Cynical - NEVER!

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

[Guest guest]

Isn't it strange, when we had our article published in the Mail

on Sunday, that particular article didn't get put on-line, and now this

programme we can't get on the ITV iplayer. Is this being done on purpose. Do I

smell a conspiracy????

Luv - Sheila

JOT - It doesn`t seem to be on the ITV iplayer

to watch again. It may get put up on Youtube eventually.

Jane

[Guest guest]

Perhaps the theory is that if people are untreated, or suboptimally treated,

then they will have other conditions - eg fibromyalgia, depression, obesity, all

of which can be treated with other more expensive drugs: antidepressants,

orlistat, etc. The drugs used to treat those conditions are much more

expensive than 30 pounds a year.

chris

>

>

> Can someone please explain to me how Big Pharma profit from levothyroxine only

treatment; the " NHS cost " is £4.58 for 8 weeks, 8pence a day, £30 a year!.

Peanuts in anybody's language.

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve

I don't buy the big Pharma thing. If big Pharma was really doing something

untoward, wouldn't they be pushing for a much lower TSH limit, e.g. 2.5 so that

more people get to be diagnosed as hypo (sub-clinically or overt). That way

their market would be expanded massively. Also, they could push for people to be

prescribed T3 or, as you say, T3/T4 and they would be keen to fund research in

that area.

As a matter of interest, a University spin-off has recently filed a patent

application for a " timed-release " T3/T4 combo but when I enquired about it, I

was told that it was way off being marketed. If big Pharma were really

interested in making big bucks out of hypothyroidism, then I'm sure they would

have snapped up the rights to a T3/T4 patent filing. Also, in terms of patenting

stuff, there would be a lot of mileage for them in synthesizing and patenting a

NDT look-alike complete with T3, T2 and T1 plus other constituents, especially

if they are able to demonstrate that T2 and/or T1 confer benefits.

For this reason, I find the medical establishment's stance very puzzling. It's

almost as if they believe they're right - but of course they're not.

TC

>

>

> Can someone please explain to me how Big Pharma profit from levothyroxine only

treatment; the " NHS cost " is £4.58 for 8 weeks, 8pence a day, £30 a year!.

Peanuts in anybody's language.

>

> Surely surely they would prefer to sell a patented combined T3/T4 slow release

drug for considerably more money.

>

[Guest guest]

Here is the link....

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=283859

No need to whatch the whole program..... scroll froward about 30 minutes using

the bar on the bottom of the ppicture...

>

> Have just watched This Morning, with Suze talking about her thyroid problems

> and the difficulty she had in getting a diagnosis.

[Guest guest]

And don't forget Statins. People with untreated or undertreated hypot will have higher cholesterol.

But there are also profits for industry and shops with creams for dry skin, pills or lotions for brittle nails, special shampoos for hair conditions, and umpteen other things we have to buy to try and do something about each symptom and sign. Extra heating, warm clothes.

I think it must be us hypoT's who keep the economy going

It is in the interest of this country that fluoride be added to water to make more people hypoT.

We can all stand up (or try to) and say we are doing (forced to) our bit for our Country. Walk (if you can) proudly knowing the iller you are the healthier big pharma and industry is.

Lilian

Lilian

Perhaps the theory is that if people are untreated, or suboptimally treated, then they will have other conditions - eg fibromyalgia, depression, obesity, all of which can be treated with other more expensive drugs: antidepressants, orlistat, etc. The drugs used to treat those conditions are much more expensive than 30 pounds a year. chris

[Guest guest]

You'll find it here (assuming you're not in a country which blocks access):

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=283859

TC

>

>

>

> Does anyone have the link so I could watch too?

>

> Thanks a bunch.

>

> Cheers,

> JOT

>

[Guest guest]

Big Cynic says:

Big Pharma would not make the billions of pounds throughout the

world that it does if doctors gave a proper diagnosis of hypothyroidism and

treated all those with the thyroid hormone replacement they need. This is

cheap, and people would get better for the most part and not need their doctor

anymore or any other prescription medicine.  The drug companies are in business

for no other reason than to make a profit. They are not there to make patients

well. That is supposed to be the job of the doctors. So the drug companies also

offer key workers in the field of thyroid and doctors great incentives to

ensure they prescribe their patients what they want them to prescribe etc. This

is one way of ensuring they do this - no diagnosis, no proper therapy but treat

all the symptoms separately with many different expensive prescriptions. Keep

treating those who have been given a diagnosis with the inactive

levothyroxine-only, knowing that the majority will continue to suffer symptoms,

so more expensive medicines have to be prescribed to them. They then rub their

hands with glee - and who can blame them. drug companies have the most money in

the world and have become the most powerful of organisations. Business is

business - medicine is medicine, but this is Dirty Medicine. Oh, I could go on…..

Luv - Sheila

Can someone please explain to me how Big Pharma profit from levothyroxine only

treatment; the " NHS cost " is £4.58 for 8 weeks, 8pence a day, £30 a

year!. Peanuts in anybody's language.

Surely surely they would prefer to sell a patented combined T3/T4 slow release

drug for considerably more money.

So what is the real explanation, because lining big pharma's pockets isn't it?

Steve

>

> but we all know what they see is right is doing

> what they can to help Big Pharma - and line their own pockets into the

> bargain. Me Cynical - NEVER!

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

[Guest guest]

Why would the pharmaceutical companies spend hundreds of thousands of pounds trying to get a medication that gets people well enough not to need any of their other products.

Spend £100 to get £10 back and at the same time lose £200 from not selling other products. (Of course we are talking millions not hundreds).

Why would they spend loads of money to get a T4/T3 pill on the market when they are already selling T4. They would have spent loads of money but selling the same (T4/T3 instead of T4 - not double e.g.T4/T3 AND T4). And, at the same time (because T4/T3 is effective) lose out on selling other stuff they make like Statins, anti depressants etc.

Also NICE put a stop to any one product if it is too expensive, but are happy to allow someone to have the same amount of money spent on several different pills for their condition.

So if they put the price of T4/T3 up too high NICE would stop them selling it anyway, and they have to recoup the money they spend out getting it approved, patented etc. somehow.

Lilian

I don't buy the big Pharma thing. If big Pharma was really doing something untoward, wouldn't they be pushing for a much lower TSH limit, e.g. 2.5 so that more people get to be diagnosed as hypo (sub-clinically or overt).

[Guest guest]

Hi Jot, I'm currently watching Sue and Dr Steele @ http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=283859

Bill>> Thanks Jane....I appreciate your checking on it for me...> Maybe I'll catch it when it's on youtube.com..> > > > Thanks a bunch.> > > > > > Cheers,> > > JOT>