If you only read one thyroid article cover-to-cover this year, make this the one. Right now, a battle is waging in the endocrinology community regarding the so-called "reference range" for the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test. Most practitioners rely solely on this TSH test as their supposed "gold standard" for diagnosing and managing most thyroid conditions. But, the medical community is split over whether or not to adopt recommendations to change the reference range and make it narrower. This change would meaning that millions more Americans would be fall into the range of having thyroid disease!
What does this mean for you? Well, because of the controversy, if you are tested today and took your results to different doctors, you could... (1) get properly diagnosed, (2) be turned away, (3) be told that your problem is "mental" or "psychological" or "in your head," or (4) be told that your real problem is that you're "stressed, depressed and PMSed!"
It all depends on which camp your doctor is in -- new range, or old range...
This is one of the most important issue facing thyroid patients today, and yet few doctors are even aware of the controversy and the implications for patients. Find out all about the issue, and why doctors are coming down on both sides of the controversy, and what it all means for you, your thyroid diagnosis, your treatment, and ultimately, your health in this in-depth article.
More on the TSH Reference Range Wars...
