Thyroid Disease in the News: Web, Blogs and More
Here are some of the notable and recent thyroid-related stories, blog posts and articles of interest.
This is a contentious issue among thyroid experts: Some say that T4-to-T3 conversion can be impaired and that T3 supplementation is necessary to fully correct thyroid status. Others argue that T3 is unnecessary. There are studies supporting both sides of the argument, with some studies showing improved mood and energy with T3 added to T4, while others fail to show any improvement.My experience has been most consistent with the first side of the argument: When someone responds "No" to my question about whether they feel normal, I will ask them to consider adding T3 thyroid hormone to their T4. (This is done by either adding a T3 preparation, liothyronine or Cytomel, or by switching to combination preparations like Armour thyroid or Naturethroid.) With rare exceptions, within a week they feel energized, mood improves, excess weight starts to drop
The cognitive side effects of my cancer, however, make me feel old before my time and have tanked my self-esteem....I've turned to my doctors for validation. But, like dozens of thyroid cancer patients I've spoken with about memory loss, my doctors do not acknowledge my symptoms, much less explain the causes.
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Link Found Between Thyroid Cancer and NY Area Residents' Proximity to Indian Point Nuclear Plant
My first three years of life I lived in Peekskill, New York, and I grew up in Westchester County, right outside of New York City. It's always surprised me how many of my friends and neighbors from the "old neighborhoods" have thyroid cancer and other thyroid problems. I always suspected that there was something in the air or water back in the 60s and 70s that was damaging to our thyroid glands, but we haven't seen any studies or specifics that explained the situation...until now. An article just published in the International Journal of Health Services has found that thyroid cancer rates in the four counties surrounding the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which is located in Buchanan, New York (south of Peekskill, and 24 miles north of New York City) - Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester -- are the highest in New York State. The thyroid cancer rates in those four counties around Indian Point are also among the highest in the U.S., with a rate of thyroid cancer that is 66% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The accidental release of radioactive iodine into the atmosphere from the nuclear plant, which started operations in 1962 (when I was just a baby) is thought to be the potential cause of this increased risk.
Some media coverage of the issue:
For what it's worth, I'll add that I received a copy of a rebuttal statement from Paul Steidler, Director of Communications for the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance. (You can read the full statement Read more...Preeclampsia Linked to Thyroid Slowdown During and After Pregnancy
Research just published in the British Medical Journal has shown that women who develop the condition known as preeclampsia during pregnancy are more likely than other women to have reduced thyroid function (hypothyroidism) in the last weeks of pregnancy, and may also may face an increased risk of hypothyroidism later in life, even decades after the pregnancy. The greatest risk of hypothyroidism developing over time was seen in women who had more than one pregnancy in which preeclampsia occurred.Preeclampsia occurs in an estimated 3% to 5% of pregnant women, and involves onset of high blood pressure and protein in the urine in a pregnant after her 20th week of pregnancy. The condition can be dangerous for both the mother and fetus.
The implications of the findings are for women who develop preeclampsia, in that they should be monitored for the development of cardiovascular and renal disease, as well as development of hypothyroidism.
More Information
- Thyroid Disease and Pregnancy -- Fertility, Pregnancy & Thyroid Disease Information Center
- Preeclampsia -- Get more information from the Preeclampsia Foundation
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FTC Says Diet Pills Like Relacore Are Making Baseless and Bogus Advertising Claims About Stress, Cortisol and Weight Loss
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) three companies and two individuals have been charged with making false advertising claims for their fat and weight-loss pills, Relacore and Akävar 20/50. According to the charges, the claims violate a 2006 FTC order barring them from making health or weight-loss claims without a reasonable basis. According to the FTC's statement, "The defendants made claims such as 'eat all you want and still lose weight' and, 'And we couldn't say it in print if it wasn't true!' on product packaging, on the Internet, and in widely read magazines such as Redbook, Star, and Family Circle. The Commission seeks to stop the defendants from making such claims and make them pay civil penalties."
David Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, has said: "The Federal Trade Commission ordered the defendants to stop making baseless and bogus advertising claims."
The government's complaint alleges that advertising for Relacore claimed -- without any evidence -- that it reduces "stress-induced" abdominal fat.
The government's charges about Relacore's advertising are similar to charges that were brought almost five years ago against the manufacturer of CortiSlim, another supplement that claimed to fight stress-induced belly fat.
So, can a supplement really help you lose weight by targeting cortisol? Can you get rid of belly-fat simply by taking a pill? Read more in The Cortisol-Weight Loss Controversy.
And learn more about how thyroid patients can successfully lose weight in the Thyroid Diet and Weight Loss Information Center.
Source: FTC Charges Marketers with Making Baseless Weight-Loss Claims Despite Order to Stop
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Jim Lowrance: Thyroid Patient Advocate
Jim Lowrance, a dedicated patient advocate, was the thyroid editor over at Bella Online Thyroid Health site for a number of years, but recently switched over to editing the Suite 101 thyroid site. Jim writes a series of regular columns on thyroid disease, as well as book reviews. Jim has personally experienced autoimmune thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue and other symptoms, and now works to help inform fellow patients. I greatly value Jim's contributions to thyroid patient advocacy!You'll definitely want to bookmark his site: Jim Lowrance: Thyroid Site at Suite 101.
Jim has also earned the distinction of being the writer/blogger who has reviewed more of my thyroid books than any other patient advocate! Here are links to some of his reviews:
- The Thyroid Diet
- Living Well With Hypothyroidism
- Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism
- Menopause Thyroid Solution
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Chicken Soup by Special Delivery
If you have family or friends who have come down with the H1N1 "Swine" flu, or the regular seasonal flu, or just a plain old bad cold, and you want to do something more than just offer your sympathies by telephone, several companies are now doing mail order delivery of homemade chicken soup. One company, Spoonful of Comfort, sends preservative-free, freshly made chicken soup, and it's delicious...almost as good as my Grandmother used to make! Spoonful of Comfort also has homemade rolls and cookies that you can send along with the soup. The soup comes beautifully packaged, and the glass jar of soup itself is protected in foil backed insulated bubble wrap. More information is available at their website, www.spoonfulofcomfort.com.
Another company that has a similar service -- and they also have the option of matzoh balls instead of noodles in their chicken soup -- is Grandma's Chicken Soup. (By the way, their H1N1 Swine Flu Gift Package, which includes soup, plus things like hand sanitizer and tissues, totally cracks me up!) More information on their products is available at www.grandmaschickensoup.com.
(Disclosure -- I have no connection to either company, but Spoonful of Comfort did send me a free sample of their soup, rolls and cookies so I could try them and see if I liked them, and their soup and baked goods were delicious. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.)
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Thyrogen Drug Used for Thyroid Cancer Treatment is Contaminated with Trash, Says FDA
This is not good news for thyroid cancer patients who rely on the drug Thyrogen (thyrotropin alfa). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that they have found small particles of steel, rubber and fiber -- trash basically -- in vials of their drugs, including the thyroid drug Thyrogen. They also reported that this contamination could cause serious health effects for patients.This is the second time just this year that Genzyme has been cited by the FDA for contamination of their products. In June of this year, Genzyme had to shut down a key production facility due to viral contamination. (Read FDA press release in PDF format, and Genzyme release.)
In addition to Thyrogen, other Genzyme drugs affected by the current contamination issue include Cerezyme, Fabrazyme, Myozyme, and Aldurazyme.
The FDA is not removing the products from the market, because they say that there are few alternatives to these drugs. The FDA is recommending, however, that practitioners take the following actions:
- Discuss with patients and families the potential for foreign particle contamination and development of adverse events, taking into account the clinical necessity of these products, and the risks associated with untreated illness.
- Visually inspect the powder in the vial for the presence of particles, before reconstitution.
- Visually inspect the reconstituted powder (in solution) and the Aldurazyme solution for the presence of particles.
- Do not use any product with visualized particles. Return contaminated products to Genzyme Corporation (1-800-745-4447, option 2).
- Monitor for local or systemic allergic reactions after administration.
- Consider the clinical utility of levothyroxine withdrawal, an effective and well-established alternative to Thyrogen, versus the potential safety risks from administration of Thyrogen that may contain foreign particles.
- MedWatch 2009 Safety summary, including a link to the Information for Healthcare Professionals sheet
- FDA Notification, November 13, 2009
- Read the Genzyme "Dear Healthcare Practitioner" Letter (PDF format)
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Finding Thyroid Support and Support Groups Online, Web and Internet Thyroid Support Groups, Listservs, Forums
Some thyroid patients -- whether newly diagnosed, or long-term patients -- find online support is an important part of their overall approach to wellness. Here is the information about online thyroid support groups, forums and listservs, where information and experiences are shared among patients. If you've participated in online thyroid support, share your own experiences, recommendations, advice, and information about web/Internet-based thyroid support groups, listservs, forums, and other venues for online thyroid support. Feel free to recommend your favorite places for thyroid-related online support as well, and share your pros and cons about the online thyroid support experience.
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How to Start Your Own Community Thyroid Support Group, In-Person, Live Support for Thyroid Patients
While much of the support for thyroid patients is online, even thyroid patients with limited or no Internet access need support systems. Find out how the steps involved in starting up your own community or local thyroid in your area in How to Start Your Own Community Thyroid Support Group.Many thyroid patients could benefit from in-person support from fellow patients. And thyroid patients with limited or no Internet access -- including seniors (who are at highest risk of thyroid disease) -- need support systems. In many cases, however,local, community or in-person support groups need to be started, launched and run by patients in the community. If you have started or participated in an in-person thyroid or health support group, please share your advice, experience, stories, ideas, and thoughts about how to start, run, publicize and grow a community-based, in-person thyroid support group.
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Remembering to Take Your Thyroid Pills
The doctors call it "non-compliance." In plain English, it means "not taking your medicine." And if you're on thyroid hormone replacement drugs because you're hypothyroid, or have had all or part of your thyroid removed or disabled using radioactive iodine, or you are taking antithyroid drugs to control hyperthyroidism, your continued health depends on taking the prescribed thyroid drugs daily, as prescribed by your doctor. Even a day or two failure of forgetting your pills can throw off your treatment, cause fluctuations in your TSH level, and worsen your symptoms. That's why it's critical to remember your thyroid medicine every day. Here are 10 Creative Ways to Remember to Take Your Thyroid Pill. Thyroid patients have many creative ways of their own to help remember to take their own medication, and more than 70 patients have shared their handy tips, tricks and ideas Find out what other thyroid patients are doing to keep from forgetting that all-important thyroid pill each day, in Readers Respond: How Do You Remember to Take Your Thyroid Medication?
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