this and that/ was new here

August 20, 2004

Tish,

I totally agree with everything you say!

HOWEVER, I have been thinking a lot about these things. People in general

want a quick fix. Thyroid takes months to get right. It does take a lot of

paying attention. Many people do not want to take responsibility for this.

They WANT the doctor to tell them what to do, and to FIX them. They do not

want to take responsibility for their own health.

So maybe this is why doctors stay away from treating the thyroid. There are

so many variables; they don’t want to open the can of worms. Also they get

their training from the synthroid reps probably.

I am a bit frustrated at a friend of mine. I got her to switch to armour

from synthroid. We have discussed this at length. She was feeling better,

and for the first time in years she didn’t get a boil right before her

period. Then she started feeling worse, and I told her she needed to up the

armour, an support her adrenals. (she was only on ½ grain), anyway, she did,

and couldn’t handle the extra energy! She couldn’t take her usual afternoon

nap. So she switched back to synthroid.

Imagine that! She was not willing to get the extra supplements to help, and

to take the couple of weeks to sort it all out. And believe me she is really

into her health. She only eats organic, vegetarian, etc. So if this type of

person couldn’t be bothered….I would think the average Joe out there

couldn’t do it.

NO wonder doctors are bad…patients sometimes are bad too.

Luckily I have a top doc, and he writes prescriptions so that I can decide

what to do. He says take 1-2 or 3 of whatever. He tells you the symptoms to

watch for if you take too much. He actually makes YOU in charge! I am on

cloud nine with him. I think his kind… are few and far between. I was self

medicating before I found him though, and he didn’t even bat an eye when he

found out what I was taking and where I got it. He told me that I have

obviously learned a lot and doing all the right things. Can you imagine!

I learned SO much from this list, and others, but I have put in HOURS of

study. Regular people will not do that, and if you are REALLY hypo, you

don’t have the energy or brain power to sort it out.

I don’t know what my point is, just throwing some ideas out I guess.

nne

I am in total agreement here. I am a self medicator and haven't been

to a doc in over 2 years. But, I have this notion that most people

are afraid to do this. Doctors have so trained patients to turn over

their health decisions to them and to be afraid to take

responsibility and charge. They spout out dire warnings about

osteoporosis and heart attack and how dangerous thyroid medication

is. They are so vague about test and health information in order to

leave the patient thinking it is all away bove their heads and that

danger lurks for the poor soul who does anything without their

blessing.

Thyroid therapy is hardly rocket science. It's real simple with

Armour, You start out low, amd move up slow and gradual, increasing

your dose untill you feel best. You may go over what you need for a

while in order to find out what this point is. This is not dangerous

for a few months, though it may be hard on you. But it may be the

only way to find your optimum dose.

You have to pay attention to how you feel, your temperatures, and

pulse. You have to be aware of adrenal fatigue problems. That's all

part of being responsible. Doctors don't want people to know that

thyroid therapy is so simple. Keeping a patient just a little

undertreated is very good for business. He/she will have to treat

you for cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, dementia,

cancer, and a huge list of other ailments throughout your life just

by keeping you a bit undertreated.

Tish

August 20, 2004

>>>I had not thought of the possibility that

folks just don't want to deal with it on their own...that they had rather

let a

doctor direct everything. But my goodness, if I had done that...I'd still

be

sleeping the day away on the couch.<<<<

That is the HUGE problem I think. The very people who have to do all the

research to get themselves better, are the exact ones who don't have the

energy to do it!

And I still think MOST people still think Doctor know best. It would be

inconceivable to most (except people on this list) to even " dare " think they

know more than the doctor.

My step daughter is surely hypo T, but while at college went to an ADD

clinic. The doctor told her to bring in a bunch of things documenting the

problem. I just laughed when she told me that..I mean, if she could get all

the stuff together..she wouldn't have ADD in the first place! LOL

I sent her to a doctor here to get blood tests, and told her which ones to

get..The doc patted her on the head, and said, Dear, I am the doctor!

I know what tests to order. So he didn't do the Free's antibodies, or

ferrritin. Totally useless. Her TSH was elevated, but not enough for anyone

to notice. Meanwhile she has lived her whole life in Florida, and wears long

pants and sweaters, when it is 95 degrees.

>>>As for the doctors, I truly think a lot of them just don't know any

better...that it is the way they have been trained.<<<

I think you are right there Cindi. I don't think they have time in the day

to keep up with all that is out there. We are experts in the thyroid now,

but think of how many systems they have to understand. It must be

impossible. That is why I think it would be good to see a doc who has a

personal interest in the thyroid. Someone with a family member with hypoT,

like Dr. Shames.

Then maybe they would put in the time to study up.

nne

August 20, 2004

Wow, Debbie, so true. I saw a new doc yesterday, and you could just see

his ears and mind shutting down when I started talking about the research

I've done --- I didn't get as far as to state what I've learned and my

conclusions. Same reaction as all the docs I've been to.......they

don't want to hear about what we 'think' we know. They don't want to

learn from US. It doesn't help to say that a doctor(s) wrote the

articles/books... makes no difference. He told me my symptoms could

just as easily be hyper as hypo ..... NO WAY. He said I was taking

a huge risk self-medicating with Armour because one little bit too much of

T3 could cause a heart palp and next thing I'm dead. I told him I didn't

want a mammogram this year and he glared at me and said I'm researching the

WRONG stuff and I should be reading about how wonderful mammograms are......

i gave up, asked for some prescriptions and blood tests........

......joan

>>>>I still say the docs should take

responsibility. Maybe it's not their fault completely. Maybe it's a

faulty education, but they still should be open to learning. I don't

care how 'set in stone' my knowledge is, I am still open to hearing

other opinions and changing my mind if given enough evidence.

Blessings,

Debbie K.

August 20, 2004