Reader Letter: "Thank You for Waking Me Up!"

A reader writes: Thank you -- from the bottom of my heart! I've been a hypothyroid patient for 43 years now. I was 5 (1961) when my mom took me to the doctors because she had a difficult time potty training me! They ran me through the ringer. I found my medical record from when I was a child ..they did RAI tests...had me on prednisone. I was seen by the best in the field for that matter ..top endos from all around the nation. I was at NIH and presented to Johns Hopkins ..you name it. I didn't fit the classical pattern or symptoms I guess. Finally someone determined that I was hypo and I was put on Armour Dessicated Thyroid ..and it was in BOLD and underlined ...nothing else but that. There was mention that either Armour or Lilly but no generics.

In 1972 that changed and I was put on Synthroid. The only reason I can think of was because that's about the time Synthroid made it's debut, I don't know. So for years I lived with the symptoms I was told was "normal" for a hypothyroid person. It wasn't until a few years ago when I started researching things ..why was I feeling like crap, why was I still having symptoms ..When I came across your site and many more from links on your site! All these years I was living thinking I was fine ..when I really wasn't ..I was still "undertreated" ...treated based on TSH tests alone.

I went thru 3 doctors in the past 2 years until I found doctor 3 who prescribed Armour for me ..because it was what I wanted. Do you know just a few weeks ago she said my TSH was on the high side of normal ..NOT OPTIMAL and therefor bumped my dosage up? I just about fell out of my chair! Last week I had an appointment with an Endo in Philadelphia so I could hopefully get Armour via the Military pharmacies (I retired from the Navy 5 years ago). He didn't draw labs, didn't really even examine me except to test my reflexes and have me hold my arms out. Didn't feel for my thyroid ..nothing. He scoffed at the mention of Armour ..asked why ..and why not Synthroid or Synthroid and Cytomel. I showed him Dr. Lowe's latest and he said it was "Endocrinologist bashing." I won't be going back to him needless to say. We have one Endocrinologist in my area...he's a MAJOR T4 supporter ..says no one needs Armour.

Because of your research, your efforts and your site ..I've told many others. They now have your site bookmarked, have read your book (I let them borrow my copy.

When I saw my parents last weekend ...I told them about my visit with the doctor and how for so many years I felt this way...undertreated thinking all the time that that was supposed to be normal. Told them I didn't blame them ...they didn't know anymore than I did.

Do you know that doctor said there would be NO reason to do any labs...other than TSH...nothing...no antibodies tests, no Free T3 or Free T4...no other tests are needs if I'm being treated. I feel for other patients ..if that's who they have to see. And I feel for those that don't question as to why they are still feeling like they do...or believing it's something else and not questioning their doctors.

Thank you for waking me up!

Sincerely,

Kim G