What Dr. Lowe has to say about ENDOCRINOLOGISTS

[Guest guest]

(The following came from a post in Dr. Lowe's February Q & A)

Question: I was diagnosed in 1999 with hypothyroidism and have been

on Synthroid ever since. My doctor started me on 125 mcg, but he

recently lowered me to 100 mcg because he said my blood work has

improved. I honestly do not feel any better and find it very

difficult to get out bed in the morning to the point where I cry for

an hour in the bathroom.

I must admit that my weight is back to normal, but I feel terrible

and always have bags under my eyes. I still feel like crap! Please

help me. Can you recommend any good thyroid specialist in New York?

Dr. Lowe: If by " thyroid specialist, " you're referring to an

endocrinologist, then no, I don't know of one in your area I would

refer you to. Over the years, I've spoken with many endocrinologists

in Canada, France, and all across the United States. Based on those

communications, I know of only of a few I could in good conscience

refer you to. Unfortunately, none of those few are in your

geographic area.

If you insist on being treated by an endocrinologist, I wish you

luck; you'll need it. I believe that a few—precious few—are cordial

human beings and excellent clinicians who work collaboratively with

their patients. In my experience, however, most are arrogant, rude,

and dictatorial. Worse, I'm convinced that most are thoroughly

ignorant of how to help hypothyroid patients overcome their symptoms

and recover their health. You may eventually find one who'll

interact well with you and treat you properly. But to find that one,

you may have to sort through many who'll sustain your symptoms and

insult you in the process.

The problem is that, for all practical purposes, the modern

endocrinology specialty is a marketing wing of various corporations

that lavish it with financial inducements. The inducements buy the

specialty's loyalty. As a result, what you as a patient can get from

most members of the specialty is strictly what the corporations

market and profit from—even if this leaves you ill and debilitated.

Consider, for example, the endocrinology specialty's obstinate

endorsement of Abbott Laboratories products. Abbott markets

Synthroid and TSH and thyroid hormone blood tests. Synthroid and the

lab tests are a package of products that the endocrinology specialty

dogmatically pronounces to be the be-all and end-all for diagnosing

and treating hypothyroid patients.

No matter what the contrary evidence, high-profile members of the

specialty, with no apparent shame, remain loyal to products marketed

by Abbott (and in the past, its predecessor, Knoll). For example,

the FDA has repeatedly recalled batches of Synthroid for subpotency.

Subpotency, of course, means that the tablets contained less T4 than

the label states. Despite the repeated FDA recalls, prominent

endocrinologists vow that the product is highly reliable. To my

amazement, they aren't daunted by the public record showing their

testimony to be false. In my mind, their conduct portrays the

endocrinology specialty as bribable, corrupt, and of dubious

scientific credibility.

Fortunately, patients such as you don't have to be fodder for this

cooperative financial venture between the endocrinology specialty

and corporations. Alternative metabolic therapies are now widely

available. When used properly, the alternative therapies are both

safe and effective. A few endocrinologists provide these therapies,

but finding one may be a challenge for you. It's far easier to find

physicians other than endocrinologists (chiropractic, naturopathic,

and alternative medical and osteopathic) who provide these metabolic

therapies. I encourage you to promptly seek one out and bring to an

end the suffering that T4-replacement therapy with Synthroid has

imposed on you.

http://www.drlowe.com/QandA/askdrlowe/mostrecent.htm#December%2018,%

202003