I have been living with hashimotos thyroiditis for 18 years. I have been complaining to my Dr.'s off and on for years that I felt like I had symptoms of hypothyroidism, but they kept telling me that the blood tests were normal. After recently having a baby, my thyroid went crazy, and I basically had to tell my Dr. what I thought I needed. This book helped me understand that I was right! He goes into great detail about the fact that you can have a "normal" lab value and yet still suffer from low level hypo or hyper thyroidism!! I found a new Dr and have gotten myself at the other end of the "normal" range.In addition, those of us with thyroid disease have never been told before that high cholesterol or mild depression can be symptoms of thyroid disease! This book describes all of the bodily functions effected by the thyroid AND what other diseases those of us with thyroid disease may be at higher risk for.
I can't stress enough how much this book described my life for the past 5+ years and how much better it had made me feelI now understand so much better why I have felt the way I have and have a plan for working on the situation.
This is the best thyroid book I have ever purchased and strongly recommend it to anyone with thyroid disease!!
When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I could hardly function from day to day. The doctor convinced me that by taking a pill I would fully recover in 4-6 weeks. WRONG. The imbalance sent me into a spiral of health problems, anxiety, depression, weight loss, and appetite changes. I almost dropped out of school. I withdrew from friends and family. Even after my blood levels had returned to normal, I lived in a fog of pain and stress and confusion. I was too tired to turn pages in a book. I'm a PhD candidate and I couldn't even complete a sentence!
This book helped me take control of my life from diagnosis to recovery. It listed both the physical AND emotional symptoms that the doctors hadn't bothered to discuss. It told me which blood tests to request, and how to interpret the results. It suggested treatments and allowed me to understand my dosage scale. And MOST IMPORTANTLY it informed me of the complexity of recovery. No one had bothered to tell me that my symptoms might not resolve simultaneously with my blood levels. No one told me that the imbalance may have additional effects for which I may need supplemental medication (for instance, I required anti-depressants). Dr. Arem not only suggests medicinal treatments for these effects but also physical and psychological treatments to help people cope with the disease and aid their improvement. This book told me EVERYTHING the doctors didn't and allowed me to take control of my recovery. Thyroid disorders affect your body AND your mind, and you need to treat yourself holistically. For the first time in almost five months, I am happy and healthy in both body and spirit. But the doctors could not have done it for me. I had to be informed and take control. THIS BOOK SAVED MY LIFE!I loved this book. I re-read it twice; made notes, and have informed many family members and friends with thyroid disease that this is a must read! As a patient, who had a hard time finding someone to diagnose my own hypothyroidism to begin with, it empowered me, to not give up. Even after my diagnosis fifteen years ago and subsequent Synthroid treatment, I have never felt "well". You start thinking that you must be crazy, if everyone says your hormone levels are fine...you must be fine! Finally, Dr. Arem explains why you may still not feel well after traditional Synthroid treatment, and he gives specific treatment options. Dr. Arem also addresses other diseases, that can occur in addition to thyroid disease, that are often overlooked by other physicians as "typical thyroid complaints". This book is good for people who have just been recently diagnosed with thyroid disease, as well as those of us who have been dealing with the disease for many years. And it will help to enlighten family members who live with thyroid patients.It is evident from the glowing recommendations that there is not much to add to how valuable The Thyroid Solution has been to patients suffering from thyroid disease. Dr. Ridha is a doctor at Baylor Medical Center, and has plenty of background in treating those who have been undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with thyroid problems. It is recognized that many people suffer needlessly from hypoor hyperthyroidism because their internists or family practitioners are unfamiliar with endocrinology and the symptoms that present themselves. This book helps those who wonder whether they are being properly treated and supplies information in order that they can go to the right doctor. Many doctors don't like it when their patients become educated...tough. As shown by the other recommendations, obviously lives have been changed for the better. That is the yardstick by which we should measure what the medical truth is.
My family has a history of hypothyroidism. Both my grandmother and my older sister have had their thyroids removed. My younger sister was diagnosed with a cancerous bulge on her thyroid at age 3, and they were wrong, but the lump was removed along with part of her thyroid. She consequently had problems becoming pregnant. I've been hypothyroid for years. My internist was checking my peripheral neuropathy for things like MS and other neurodegenerative diseases of the muscles. Nothing came back positive. Yet, when I'd asked him to consider whether I was receiving adequate thyroid hormone, he refused to consider it. I've been lucky to have him test for changes in my thyroid once a year. The book says a known thyroid problem should be checked every 4-6 weeks, especially when the thyroid levels change. So I've been suffering with peripheral neuropathy and some other problems for over two years; I also have spent much of the last seven years anemic, in spite of removal of my uterus and subsequent iron supplementation. My sister led me to this book...she was positive I was not being treated right for hypothyroidism. After reading the book, I am inclined to believe the book and my sister. I have the familial background, the anemia, the deafness, the pins and needles, and too many other symptoms to count. So I have a referral to a known endocrinologist who is listed as a caring and listening doctor.
It's atrocious that physicians can dismiss the intelligence of women, and the ability of them to know their own body. I am tired of such patronizing attitudes, and hope that this doctor will assist me in restoring me to better health. I don't have time for this, and since I have an MS from med school in Neuroscience, I have more then enough background to know when my doctor is missing important signals.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who suspects he or she may have a problem with their thyroid. If necessary, drag the book into the other doctors and force them to pay attention. If they don't, find another doctor.
Karen L. Sadler,
Science Education,
University of PittsburghAs a person with hypothyroidism, I have read a dozen or more books specifically on thyroid disease over the last twenty years. In addition I have read approximately forty to fifty professional journal articles relating to hypothyroidism and depression. This was for me the best single source of information that I have found dealing with thyroid disease and depression; and it contains up to date information from a practitioner in the field.
Having read quite a bit about the subject, I am surprised by how many doctors I have spoken to, or read articles written by, that are very out of date in their knowledge of hypothyroidism. Many doctors don't seem to recognize the symptoms of hypothyroidism despite its prevalence in the US population. Most doctors still treat hypothyroidism with the "gold" standard" of levothyroxine (T4) alone, despite there being evidence that a combination of triiodthyronine (T3) and levothyroxine (T4) may work better in some specific cases. For depression, Dr Arem says that he often supplements antidepressant use with cytomel (T3) rather than levothyroxine because of the connection between the distribution of norepinephrine and T3 in the brain (chapter 6). This is in concurrence with what I have been able to find through my research efforts.
The mind-body connection in hypothyroidism is a complicated one, and I thought that Dr. Arem's handling of the subject was done admirably. There is evidence that depression and hypothyroidism can in some people have genetic origins. In some instances hypothyroidism might be caused by infectious agents (viruses). Hypothyroidism might also be induced by stressful events in a person life (chapter 1). All of these are covered at a level that can be understood with perhaps some work required for persons with a light science background.
There are many other areas covered in this book that I won't mention due to lack of space. These subjects include testing procedures (TSH, TRH, T3/T4, etc), and what they mean, finding and talking with your doctor, discussing your illness with your spouse, and infertility. Additionally there is a section on nutrition, diet, and exercise, which can help in hypothyroidism.
I would recommend this book whole-heartedly to anyone with hypothyroidism, depression, or who suspects that they may have thyroid disease.
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