RE: Need links for educating a doctor

[Guest guest]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

Hash: SHA1

S. Rout wrote:

> My doctor has become increasingly fixated on TSH levels for

managing my

> Synthroid dosage.

Well it is marginally better for that than for managing your

antithyroid drug dose at least ;-)

Remember it lags.

> (I'm not even going to try for FT3

Do try - I keep trying - it is the single most appropriate

number, although you never manage things by one number.

> I'm seeing a GP, and I do think she

> is educable, but I'd like to print out a couple of medically

> authoritative papers or something to give her so she can be

updated on

> management of Grave's. I'd also like something to give her on

> supplementing Synthroid with T3.

Although (as has been pointed out it has several, and

contradictory views on RAI) www.thyroidmanager.org is definitely

the first thing to show her.

The " news " items there are also very strong on T3 issues,

discussing the study showing rats need T3 for normal tissue

levels of thyroid hormones, and the NEMJ study saying it makes a

difference, plus a study showing T4 only supplementation doesn't

restore full psychological function. Persuasive stuff.

I think the key issue for persuading doctors is credibility of

material, and this site and it's authors have bucket loads.

Doctors need confidence in anything that changes practice. They

also have burocracy of their own to fight, and have issues with

PIM etc. Thus material that references the medical literature is

a must - if they can point to a paper saying " this is the right

thing to do " , or even just " this is safe to do " , they cover

their arses, and probably keep you alive longer as a result.

Although " that's what I learnt at medical school " might not get

doc's off every sticky wicket, they are likely to be sent to

retrain or revise a field at worst, not lose their livelihood.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

Version: GnuPG v1.2.1 (GNU/Linux)

Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org

iD8DBQE+L1SDGFXfHI9FVgYRAvaJAJ9HwUrigPWRJUA4rsCA4jwWWCls2QCeMw8e

3MQ8dHjhDwxcjBBCTAlbv9Q=

=dECR

-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

[Guest guest]

Jody,

Armour makes a lot of sense in some ways, but I can't help but wonder

about possible problems with antibodies. What are the other concerns

that one should think about before trying it? I thought I heard

something about it being linked to TED.

Thanks for the link!

-- in Fla.

[Guest guest]

Jody,

Armour makes a lot of sense in some ways, but I can't help but wonder

about possible problems with antibodies. What are the other concerns

that one should think about before trying it? I thought I heard

something about it being linked to TED.

Thanks for the link!

-- in Fla.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It really is important for you to share this FT3/FT4 testing info with your

doctor. If the doctor won't budge, time for a new doc. I got rid of endo #2

for this very reason. He was an older gent and would not test anything but

TSH.

My current endo tested TSH and FT4 on my first visit, and easily agreed to

test TSI at my request. I then asked her to test FT3 each visit and she

easily agreed to this also. And the FT3 results saved me from a Synthroid

dosage decrease!

My TSH was .707 (normal .35-5.5). My FT4 was 2.0 (normal .61-1.76). But my

FT3 was 3.4 (normal 2.3-4.2). Her comment was, " Your TSH is in normal range,

so let's keep your dosage. " (I guess some docs are bothered by a patient

being right.) I guarantee that my dose would have been lowered without the

T3 being in normal range as my FT4 was high and TSH low end normal!

Next quest...getting my endo to let me try Jody's BRT for my TED! I am

working on it!

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It really is important for you to share this FT3/FT4 testing info with your

doctor. If the doctor won't budge, time for a new doc. I got rid of endo #2

for this very reason. He was an older gent and would not test anything but

TSH.

My current endo tested TSH and FT4 on my first visit, and easily agreed to

test TSI at my request. I then asked her to test FT3 each visit and she

easily agreed to this also. And the FT3 results saved me from a Synthroid

dosage decrease!

My TSH was .707 (normal .35-5.5). My FT4 was 2.0 (normal .61-1.76). But my

FT3 was 3.4 (normal 2.3-4.2). Her comment was, " Your TSH is in normal range,

so let's keep your dosage. " (I guess some docs are bothered by a patient

being right.) I guarantee that my dose would have been lowered without the

T3 being in normal range as my FT4 was high and TSH low end normal!

Next quest...getting my endo to let me try Jody's BRT for my TED! I am

working on it!

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

> My doctor has become increasingly fixated on TSH levels

> for managing my Synthroid dosage.

Hi ,

The best study I've seen thus far supporting the need to include T-3 is:

" Effects of Thyroxine as Compared with Thyroxine plus Triiodothyronine in

Patients with Hypothyroidism " .

It's in the New England Journal of Medicine at

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/340/6/424

Let me know if you have trouble getting it.

Bertta

[Guest guest]

> My doctor has become increasingly fixated on TSH levels

> for managing my Synthroid dosage.

Hi ,

The best study I've seen thus far supporting the need to include T-3 is:

" Effects of Thyroxine as Compared with Thyroxine plus Triiodothyronine in

Patients with Hypothyroidism " .

It's in the New England Journal of Medicine at

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/340/6/424

Let me know if you have trouble getting it.

Bertta

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

> are you a subscriber? can't get in

Yes, you can subscribe free to get access to articles over 6 months old.

Or if you want, I can email it over to you.

Bertta

[Guest guest]

bertta,

are you a subscriber? can't get in

sharon

Re: Need links for educating a doctor

> My doctor has become increasingly fixated on TSH levels

> for managing my Synthroid dosage.

Hi ,

The best study I've seen thus far supporting the need to include T-3 is:

" Effects of Thyroxine as Compared with Thyroxine plus Triiodothyronine in

Patients with Hypothyroidism " .

It's in the New England Journal of Medicine at

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/340/6/424

Let me know if you have trouble getting it.

[Guest guest]

lisa- if docs SHOULD be dosing on TSI but dose instead on FRee T levels,

and one in low and the other high, then do they dose on the one not in

normal range, despite what's happening to the other? or do they just dose

on the Free T 3? i am almost understanding all this, and that's when i can

ask my doc about which test she needs to approve and do from now on.

thanks!

sharon

Re: Need links for educating a doctor

Hi ,

It really is important for you to share this FT3/FT4 testing info with your

doctor. If the doctor won't budge, time for a new doc. I got rid of endo

#2

for this very reason. He was an older gent and would not test anything but

TSH.

My current endo tested TSH and FT4 on my first visit, and easily agreed to

test TSI at my request. I then asked her to test FT3 each visit and she

easily agreed to this also. And the FT3 results saved me from a Synthroid

dosage decrease!

My TSH was .707 (normal .35-5.5). My FT4 was 2.0 (normal .61-1.76). But

my

FT3 was 3.4 (normal 2.3-4.2). Her comment was, " Your TSH is in normal

range,

so let's keep your dosage. " (I guess some docs are bothered by a patient

being right.) I guarantee that my dose would have been lowered without the

T3 being in normal range as my FT4 was high and TSH low end normal!

Next quest...getting my endo to let me try Jody's BRT for my TED! I am

working on it!

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

yes, i did see the 6 mo. deal- email for me, por favor?

Re: Need links for educating a doctor

Hi Sharon,

> are you a subscriber? can't get in

Yes, you can subscribe free to get access to articles over 6 months old.

Or if you want, I can email it over to you.

Bertta