Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroidism

[Mephisto]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

My sister was on thyroid meds before I got her to eat Peat now she no longer needs to take them. Give it some more time if you can, the diet alone could be able to fix it.

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

That's great encouragement, himitsu, thanks!

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Lab results came in today:

... 04.04.12 27.06.12 22.02.13
Diet Paleo Paleo Peat Isocaloric "Normal"
Weight 57 58 61
TSH 5.21 6.24 7.12 (0.21 - 4.60 mui/l
FT4 14 13.7 12.5 (12 à 22 pmol/l)
FT3 ... ... 2.55 (1.71 - 3.71 pg/ml)
AC Anti-TPO 914 735 511

The good news: T3 seems OK and Anti-TPOs continue their steady (and welcome) decline, but TSH is higher than ever, while T4 is lower than ever.

What is this?

To treat or not to treat?

What would you guys do? I know Peat says TSH is by itself a mean bugger who shouldn't be allowed to remain high, but I'm afraid I might run into hyperthyroidism if I start taking thyroid. And I guess I should take T4, right, since it's already borderline, if I'm to take anything? Probably it's all my doctor would allow, it sounds like it's the standard treatment here, Levothyroxine, aka Synthroid...

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

A very comprehensive overview, "SUBCLINICAL THYROID DISEASE: TO TREAT OR NOT TO TREAT" by Peter Laurberg leaves the question unanswered, pretty much: it is up to the "educated patient" to decide... I'm gonna check all those references until tomorrow... Or else, toss a coin? :2cents

 

[kiran]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

IMHO, Absolutely treat it. You'll feel much better for it. You can always stop, if for whatever reason it doesn't agree with you.

Plain T4 is usually inadequate, you'd want to go with tissue thyroid (armour, erfa etc) or cynoplus, with additional T3, either way, if needed.

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Thanks, kiran... You're right, after all, if it doesn't agree with me, I can always stop after the first few weeks without doing irreparable damage. And I know what life is like without thyroid treatment, I owe it to myself to see if there is a noticeable difference while on it.

I'm so curious about my appointment tomorrow, can hardly wait to see what the doctor says...

 

[jaa]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Best of luck Isadora!

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Thank you, jaa! Are you going to see another doctor or are you giving self-medication a try, have you decided?

 

[jaa]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

I am going to get a second opinion from my family doc in a few months (first opinion was from a doc in the same office). In the mean time, I'm going to try to increase my body temp and pulse rate through peat eating / living, and I'm going to track my temps and pulse every day to present to my doc at my next visit.

 

[Isadora]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

So, "lucky" me, I don't have to decide anymore -- my doctor said that taking thyroid, in my case, would amount to doping and she cannot agree to it...

She said I should come back in three months and if the T4 is lower than the norm and TSH even higher than now, she might consider it.

She really insisted that I stopped eating differently all the time -- that I should keep eating right as I do now and if I gain weight, then she would see that as a thyroid issue and give me treatment.

But I don't eat as much as I would want precisely because I put on weight very easily! I should have gone to her when I had put on the extra four pounds. I told her about that and she said, yes, had I come to her with the extra kilos, she would have put me on medication.

I don't know, to me this way of practicing medicine doesn't sound OK. Doctors should prevent things, not simply treat issues once the patient is sick according to a line drawn in the sand by a panel of doctors somewhere. I'm not going to put on weight in a week just to show her what my body can do if left to its own devices!

But I'll try your approach, jaa, and use these three months to let the Peat diet work its magic..:) The trouble with that is, I might keep my labs from crossing the red line this way and she would say "See, I told you, I was right to not treat you!". And I'd go on living my life at TSH 7 and T4 12.8 or something...

 

[jaa]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Sorry to hear that Isadora. It's unlucky that you have such an advanced doc that looks at more than just TSH. My doc would have had to prescribe you thyroid meds lol.

I agree that your docs way of going about things seems a little off. I suppose they are just being cautionary and protecting themselves (and maybe the patient in their minds).

Sounds like you're in an interesting spot! A few months of not-so-healthy living and thyroid med lab results, or healthy living and no thyroid med lab results even though you may still need them. hmm... maybe get a few second opinions to see if a doc will treat you with your current labs?

 

[kiran]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

So, "lucky" me, I don't have to decide anymore -- my doctor said that taking thyroid, in my case, would amount to doping and she cannot agree to it...

Now you have to decide whether to ignore your doctor and strike out on your own.

 

[j.]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Pregnenolone helps with thyroid production, and I think progesterone and coconut oil do the same thing. Using some of them, along with having a diet low in PUFA and high in protein might improve your thyroid status.

 

[BingDing]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

I'm in a similar situation as you, Isadora, except my only test was TSH which is high. Peatarian posted a response to someone worried about taking progesterone because it's a strong hormone. She said

Ray Peat says hormones have a bad reputation because of estrogen's effects. I think that's true. Many people who would really need progesterone tell me they don't want to use 'hormones'. Well, you do every day. Vitamin A and vitamin D would really fit the description of hormone. Salt has hormone like effects. So you are really experimenting with hormones every time you eat a carrot. There is only one side effect from progesterone if you use a lot (about 1 bottle in three days) over a long time (half a year or more): It suppresses testosterone and by that can decrease muscle mass. There are 200 hormones. Estrogen is the most dangerous one. But lots of people are forced to use insulin with damaging effects.

A few weeks ago I just said wth and ordered some nature throid USP, dessicated natural thyroid (porcine). Taking real small amounts was my main precaution. 1/6 of a grain once a day but not every day, now 1/4 grain once a day most days. Didn't have any dramatic reaction, I've been doing pretty well lately but probably couldn't tell which day I took it by how I feel. Getting over the idea that a doctor has to oversee this type of experiment did me as much good as the thyroid, I think. I've fired my old doctor because she refused to help me figure things out, the hell with them (for now, LOL).

That quote is from this thread.

 

[BingDing]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

A factoid that's been bouncing around in my head. The amino acid tryptophan is two steps from becoming vitamin B3 and a different two steps from becoming the hormone seratonin. For whatever that's worth

 

[Jenn]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

She might want to look into the work of Dr. Broda Barnes and maybe even grab his book Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness.

Have you read that book, Charlie?

No, but I want to.

I figured that since it was written by a doctor then maybe she would consider reading it.

I've read it/own it.

My nutritionist says to take the book for what it is, as a document for what worked 40-50 years ago. People just aren't that healthy anymore.

 

[charlie]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

And what are your thoughts on the book, Jenn?

 

[Jenn]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

It helped me understand why the temperatures, pulse rate etc. and where the idea that iodine was beneficial to the thyroid came from. Also helped explain some of my mother's behavior (and admittedly my own, unfortunately) growing up.
And we are not even as healthy as when he wrote the book. His simple treatments would not work for so many people, would not work for me 5 years ago, because I was not healthy enough.

 

[charlie]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Interesting, thank you, Jenn.

Well, just got back from my dr. and told him I would like to try thyroid supplement to see if it would help my exhaustion, depression, etc. Told him I was pretty confident thats what the problem is and that maybe I am having some kind of thyroid resistance or something.

He says:

Resistance would show up on your TSH. If we give thyroid hormone to someone who does not need it, it causes death.

 

[j.]

Re: Trying to convince my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid

Resistance would show up on your TSH. If we give thyroid hormone to someone who does not need it, it causes death.

What's your TSH?