NOVEMBER 3, 2011 DO YOU HAVE A SLUGGISH THYROID ?

"The common denominator of success is in forming the habit of doing the things that failures don't like to do." - Albert Gray

DO YOU FEEL SLUGGISH ALL THE TIME?

Do all physicians do the correct and necessary laboratory tests? You would think so, but this is not the case with thyroid disease. I hear it all the time. The patient says, "I am fatigued, constipated and have cold hands and feet, but my endocrinologist tells me I am not hypothyroid because my TSH is normal."

Some doctors believe even if you have all the bodily signs and symptoms of an under active thyroid, it cannot be if your TSH is normal (the TSH in this case would be high). I disagree. I have seen patients with all the symptoms and signs, with a normal TSH that respond favorably to natural thyroid, seaweed and kelp. These patients might even respond to two herbs which happen to be adaptogenic. These two herbs are Eleurococcus and Withania (Siberian ginseng and Ashwaganda respectively)

I do not rely on the TSH numbers alone. I rely on other lab tests including the total T4, total T3, free T4, Free T3 and the rT3 (reverse T3). At the Tacoma Clinic, physicians using clinical evaluation and observation cited that elevated rT3 was responsible for the discovery of more than twice as many hypothyroid problems as other laboratory data, including the TSH.

I have seen that elevated rT3 is associated with patients who have elevated levels of toxic metals including mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium and nickel.

Is there a difference in treating a patient with synthetic versus natural thyroid? I think there is a difference. Prior to the 1940's physicians used whole animal thyroid supplementation, not synthetic. By the 1940's synthetic hormone replacement was utilized. Brand name synthetics are Synthroid and Cytomel.

Recently I read an article published on thyroid replacement by Dr O'Reilly. At first, I agreed with the article as I am conventionally trained. Yet the more and more patients I see who are hypothyroid with normal TSH, I contemplate if we as physicians are missing something.

I think thyroid testing should include rT3. I know some physicians who use the TRH stimulation test in their practice.

If you feel fatigued, have dry hair, are losing your hair, have constipation, weight gain, and cold intolerance, think thyroid. If you get tested and your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is normal -- do not stop there.

Still think hypothyroid ..(an under active thyroid)

Also think about heavy metal intoxication...

Until tomorrow...