Last week, I wondered if Oprah Winfrey really is cured of thyroid disease, as she had said in her show on January 5, 2009. Now, at her website, there is a special page to clarify Oprah's thyroid issue, and whether Oprah's thyroid problem was actually cured. It says at Oprah.com:
The everpresent Dr. Oz also attempted to clarify the issue further for Oprah...When Oprah announced last Monday that her thyroid problem was cured, it sent many viewers buzzing on the message boards. Is it even possible to cure thyroid disease? And how did she do it? Oprah is now clearing the air. "Here's the bottom line," she says. "When I said I was cured, I meant I don't have the thyroid problem anymore because my thyroid levels are all in the normal range now and my doctors have taken me off of any thyroid medication." However, Oprah says she still has her levels frequently checked to monitor her thyroid gland.
Well, just to be clear, your thyroid problems aren't the usual thyroid problems. And by that I mean although the ailment itself is common, there's two issues that can happen with your thyroid. It can underperform—that's hypothyroidism—or it can overperform—hyperthyroidism. But your issue, Oprah, and you're so unique, is you were having a frat party in your thyroid. You were having a bunch of different things happening at once. And so you have these two ailments: One was stimulating the thyroid with antibodies; the other one was actually waging war on the thyroid. And so when those two level out, they actually can bring you into a place of peace—which, interestingly, is where you are right now.Clear as mud, right? Oprah says her thyroid levels are "in the normal range." But again, the discussion of her thyroid problem seems to raise more questions than it answers. You have to wonder why Oprah and anyone around are all incapable of clearly discussing anything to do with her thyroid problem. A "frat party" in the thyroid? Really? Is that truly the best that the world-renowned Dr. Oz can do?
Oprah herself has said that she had a period of where her thyroid was overactive (hyperthyroidism), followed by underactive (hypothyroidism). And Dr. Oz' description of the antibodies suggests that Oprah might have had Hashitoxicosis, a condition where you have antibodies suggestive of both Hashimoto's and Graves' disease-- and these antibodies are stimulating the thyroid to produce excess hormone, and at the same time, attacking the thyroid and attempting to destroy it.
Dr. Oz suggests that the antibodies have "leveled out," and that she's now in a "place of peace." And Oprah herself says her "thyroid levels are all in the normal range now and my doctors have taken me off of any thyroid medication."
What do I think is going on? I suspect Oprah is in a situation that millions of women face every year. She's overweight, tired, puffy-faced, and perimenopausal, but she's now being told that her thyroid levels are "normal." She's turned into a lab value -- and she may be inadvertently damaging her health, and sabotaging her weight loss efforts by remaining uninformed about thyroid disease, failing to ask the right questions, and failing to consult with experts and practitioners who actually understand thyroid disease.
So Oprah, if you or any other woman in this situation asked me what to do, here's what I would suggest.
1. Find out if you still have elevated antibodies.
Because if you do, even if the other thyroid levels are in the normal range, you can still have symptoms, including weight gain or difficulty losing weight. In fact, some studies have shown that in patients who have elevated antibodies, but normal thyroid levels, preventative treatment with thyroid medication can slow or stop the elevation of antibodies, help prevent progressive to overt hypothyroidism, and help relieve symptoms.
2. Find out what your doctors mean by "thyroid levels are all in the normal range."
There is currently a controversy among conventional physicians as to what even constitutes the so-called "normal range." Since 2003, many endocrinologists have recommended that the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) normal range of .3 to 3.0 be used for diagnosis and management of thyroid problems. And some physicians target a TSH level of between 1.0 and 2.0 to relieve symptoms in patients. Shockingly, most labs in America, and many physicians, still use the old, out-of-date range of .5 to 5.5. That means that if Oprah Winfrey has, for example, a TSH level of 4.0 -- some doctors will tell her that her TSH is normal; others would say she's hypothyroid.
The unfortunate reality: People who fall into the "limbo" between 3.0 and 5.5 have as much chance of being told they are normal as they do of being properly diagnosed and treated!
Being told that your levels are "normal," therefore, is definitely not enough information for any woman. Find out the exact numbers, and the range that your doctor is using to decide what is normal.
3. Find out if your Free T4 and Free T3 have been checked.
TSH is a pituitary hormone, but T4 and T3 are actual thyroid hormones, and the Free T4 and Free T3 tests measure the amount of these hormones circulating and available in the bloodstream. In some people, especially those with elevated antibodies, the TSH may be normal, but the Free T4 and Free T3 are low or borderline. This can point to a subtle problem that warrants treatment. TSH alone is not enough to truly assess thyroid function.
4. Find out if you are suffering from adrenal fatigue.
Oprah said that she went off of all medications because she didn't like how they made her feel. Clearly, if she had felt a benefit from thyroid medication, she might have continued, but the combination of medications for blood pressure, palpitations and thyroid disease apparently made her feel worse. While she may have been reacting to the other medications, we also know that, in some patients who have underlying adrenal fatigue, thyroid treatment actually makes them feel worse. These patients do better when they start with adrenal support (either nutritional/supplements, or a prescription hydrocortisone, or both), and then introducing the thyroid medication.
MORE ON OPRAH WINFREY'S THYROID AND WEIGHT CHALLENGES
Read all of Mary Shomon's About.com Thyroid site coverage of Oprah Winfrey's thyroid condition here.
Photo: Getty Images Entertainment / Alberto E. Rodriguez
Yep, it is all as “clear as mud.” I expected more from Dr. Oz than his “Frat Party” metaphor and claim that somehow Oprah has a completely special form of thyroid condition, unique unto her alone.
Why can’t they do a clear, specific, detailed show about all forms of thyroid disease?
I’ll bet Oprah was on Synthroid and felt as lousy on it as other patients do. Sigh.
If Oprah is going to air her medical problems, she owes it to the public to do so in an educated and honest way. This is pure, unadulterated crap. How is it that no one can say “Hashimoto’s”? A frat party?!?! Shame on you, Ahmet and Oprah. Step up to the plate and do a real show with real thyroid experts.
Mary, congrats for putting the “awareness” in Thyroid Month. Oprah’s health may be a focus but any way you can get patients and their physicians looking to the thyroid is important for all of us.
From reproductive health, to weight gain, to cardiac disease, mental health issues, immune diseases such as diabetes – most can be forestalled if attention is paid to family health history and the thyroid gland.
We may have a vested interest as the manufacturer of “ThyroChek”, the FDA approved, CLIA waived rapid test for elevated TSH, however, the more commentary on thyroid health that can be generated, the better; as both the docs and their patients have no real understanding of the important role of thyroid hormones. We say, ” Good health begins six inches below the chin.tm”.
Best regards,
Sharon Wyman Cunningham
President
Screening Devices Canada, Inc.
I’m not sure if Oprah’s thyroid revelations are helping or hurting other women with legitimate thyroid issues. One thing’s for sure—she most likely has untreated obstructive sleep apnea.
http://www.doctorstevenpark.com
I think Dr. Oz does thyroid patients a disservice by minimizing Oprah’s thyroid issue by comparing it to a “frat party”. I don’t think it’s all that unusual for the thyroid gland to be attacked by two separate autoimmune diseases. I had Grave’s disease about twenty years ago, but didn’t actually hear a doctor refer to it by name until a couple of years ago. I didn’t lose weight, possibly even gained. I blamed any weight gain on having delivered three children in four years, all before the age of thirty.
A couple of years later, when my thyroid slowed down, again, no disease diagnosis was given. I was denied treatment until my TSH surpassed 10. Then the Synthroid cycle began. We would get my TSH just to the “normal range” of the day, I would gain weight, TSH would rise, then we’d again treat just to the limit of the range. It was like a dog chasing it’s tail!
Only after stumbling upon this site did I realize the road that I was on was keeping me sick, tired and fat. Each time I asked for a change in medication (I hesitate to even refer to thyroid hormone, natural or synthetic, as medicine, since your body manufactures it when healthy), or to see a specialist, I was told I just needed to exercise and lose weight!
What a disgrace to the medical system! My doctor couldn’t even tell me if my thyroid disease was autoimmune, and didn’t seem interested enough to find out. The endo who told me I have Grave’s disease (even though the thyroid implications are no longer a concern, my eyes are still affected), said the presence of antibodies indicates Hashimoto’s disease. Both of these diseases were affecting me at a very young age. Neither was specifically diagnosed until nearly twenty years later. Oprah is lucky if it only took a couple of years for her diagnosis.
Yes, thyroid issues like this are caused by disease. Not by overeating, lack of exercise, negative thinking, or lack of self esteem. These are real diseases that need real treatment. The sufferers deserve compassionate treatment, and to know the options available to them. Shame on Dr. Oz for reducing thyroid diseases to a catchy little sound bite! And shame on Oprah’s show for failing to present these diseases as complicated, life-altering problems. I compare my requirement for life-giving thyroid hormones (natural desiccated “Thyroid” by Erfa Pharmacuetical, Canada) to a diabetic’s need for insulin. One is just as important as the other. You can’t live without insulin, and poorly controlled diabetes leads to other health issues. In the same way, you will eventually go into a coma and die without thyroid hormones, and poorly treated hypothyroidism leads to serious, life shortening health problems.
Thanks Mary, for keeping patients informed with sound, appropriate information, as usual.
If anyone wonders why thyroid patients have been anxious for Oprah to do an honest show about thyroid, all you have to do is look at today’s show on Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy.
Because Oprah believes in BHRT, she has guests on who believe in it too and explain treatment options to her audience.
In response there has been an explosion on the Oprah.com message boards. Women across the country are suffering with fatigue, mood swings, and weight gain and aren’t being taken seriously by the medical community.
I believe that many of these women are probably expressing thyroid symptoms, but don’t realize it because the discussion was mostly on sex hormones.
Now, that women know they have options, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. I just wish they knew more about one of the most vital hormones to well-being-thyroid.
After reading Mary’s article and the very intelligent comments below, all I can say is…Oprah, compare this excellent information and thoughtful discussion to the cutesy and pathetic comments by the famous Dr Oz. Thyroid issues are serious business, and frankly, I think Mary should be a special guest on a show devoted entirely to thyroid disease. Millions of women would benefit from some decent coverage of this heartbreaking and frustrating condition. Dr Oz is obviously not taking it seriously. But, then, I haven’t met a lot of male docs who take women seriously about much of anything. Excellent article, Mary…here’s hoping Oprah reads it.
I wonder if she actually has a thyroid problem or is is using it as an excuse for her weight issues. If so it’s a great disservice to those who geniunely have a thyroid problem as we don’t need this sort of nonsense from a high profile person.
I am under the impresion that a lot of these TV doctors are just frauds. OK, they have a degree but they became tv stars, they are not doctord anymore.
In a couple months when she hasn’t lost any weight, I wonder what the excuse will be.
So glad you are encouraging a test for free t3. There’s just too many doctors who do not understand that free t4 is needed only for the conversion to t3, which is the active hormone.
I would be horrified if Oz were testing only total T (worthless). Hopefully, Oprah understands THE bottom line is ft3, and that only t3 that is FREE & unbound to other elements are *capable* of entering her cells. Only ft3 is the active hormone.
Many progressive researchers know that some people fare best when ft3 is in the top 1/3 of the range. I say that the patient MUST dictate the level based on how she feels, and only then can lower levels be acceptable. Patients reactions should NEVER be left out of this equation.
I’m glad that Oprah is learning about BHRT. Perhaps she can educate doctors about these things as well. Hormones act in concert, and thyroid is no exception. Don’t forget IGF-1.
I have a different take on the Oprah show and all it entailed. What really struck me was that she had to get all her doctors together into one room so that they could come up with a diagnosis. That would never happen in Saskatchewan where I live. I suffered from thyroid disease for over 10 years before they finally figured it out. Apparently I was crazy for a long time. I saw every kind of specialist and my medical doctor just didnt get it. I live in a rural area, there are no doctor meetings, you’re bloody lucky to find a doctor period. So I changed to a naturopathic doctor and it has taken years to undo the damage of these so called specialists. Im better now, thank goodness. I think Oprah is just a poster girl for the rest of us, she lives the rollercoaster ride that we all do. She shows us that even though she has access to so many experts that thyroid disease if very much misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The real issue here is that so many experts disagree how to diagnose the disease and then the treatments are another matter. If Oprah has been sidetracked with all of her experts, how the heck can the rest of us actually get the treatment we need when the waters are so muddied with confusion? Ive lived Oprah’s rollercoaster ride, cut her a bit of slack, she’s doing the best she can with what she has….just like the rest of us.
Wow, why are they all in such denial? I fought a long battle with Hashitoxicosis because of my Hashimoto’s thyroid disease. I would go hyperthyroid to the point where I went to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack, then hypothyroid, etc., etc. It is impossible to regulate your thyroid properly when it starts acting up like this (and my doctor refused to even acknowledge the problem, which is another bad part of everyone’s story, it seems), so it’s just a matter of time before Oprah’s thyroid goes wild again, one way or another. I finally had my thyroid removed about a year ago, and it’s been like a miracle. Wish I had done it 40 years ago.
When my thyroid was “sputtering out” I found that I had periods of it going from hyper – to hypo to normal. I had a huge goiter which inevitably had to be removed. As I was watching Oprah talk about her thyroid I pointed to my husband that every time she swallowed, her neck puffed out – she has a noticable goiter! Dr. Oz is OK, but I think he’s like most Dr’s – and does not truely understand the whole thyroid issue. Sooner or later, Oprah will though. Give it time. She’s in denial right now.
a couple things… sometimes i get so angry because I think Oprah is being dishonest and this woman who has the power to help people of all races, religions, ethnic backgrounds, etc., is abandoning us. I feel like she can open a school in Africa and help to get Obama elected – all these Herculean efforts and so admirable – but she is abandoning a lot of sick people. On the other hand, I sometimes feel so sad for her because I feel like she is on the same journey as many of us and is completely being misled by incompetent doctors or those with their own agendas. At the end of the day, either way, I am feeling hopeless.
i also stopped using meds due to my doctors advice he told me that from time to time patients could feel great and totaly healthy and also have the normal thyroid levels but this doesnt mean that you are cured or you dont have to use meds for the rest of your life it’s just temporary and you can never stop being a thyroid patient unfortunately.. i think that’s what’s happening to Oprah.
If someone would do entire show on thyroid disorders, in two segements, one is not enough to do justice to this disease.
Have people on the show who can attest to the symptoms of both undiagnosed and diagnosed conditions. Seven years prior to my diagnosis, I was told I had a multitude of disorders…if only a Dr would hve checked my thyroid hormone levels.
I went from Graves to Hashimoto…had hysterectomy.a heart attack..colon disorders..eye problems…because a Dr. thought it was due to hormones..too much to write.
This disease has to be addressed in the meida.
Why is it so alarming to producers to show the real truth about thyroid disorders…or would it cause a real alarm to the millions of people who are suffering from the ignornance of others . Maybe the medical profession would be in danger of lawsuits. Show the faces of peoople with thyroid disorders….show the bulging eyes of overactive thyroid patients…lets tell it the way it is…
We the patients who are suffering with this disorder need to be heard….let us speak to the audience…they would learn alot than the what it covered on talk shows.
Perhaps Oprah’s underlying problem is Gluten intolerance, which causes all sorts of autoimmune diseases. This is just an emerging problem that is slowly, I emphasize slowly, being recognized. Just like thyroid disease was not fully understood years ago. My journey to find a solution for my hypothyroidism took me to 7 different doctors with a myriad of failed attempts at a solution or just a pacifying “woman’s thing” to be dealt with. I have been a fan of Dr. Oz’s logical approach to medical problems in the past, it is such a disappointment to hear his glib response about Oprah’s condition.
This article and others about Oprah has such an angry tone. Oprah Winfrey has a team of medical professionals working with her and maybe they know a little more about her health than the rest of us “lay people”.
If Oprah’s team is succeeding in helping her to normalize TSH utilizing state of the art techniques, they may want to continue to monitor her situation rather than jump the gun by spilling her treatment plan. That’s called, by the Health Privacy Act, ETHICAL PRACTICE.
Drop the outrage……it’s a turnoff.
Do we lead the world in thyroid disorders?
What nations have a higher incidence than the USA?
Does a pregnant woman who has a thyroid disorder during her preganacy pass it on to the unborn child? What effects does synthroid have on the fetus?
Are our overweight children suffering from thyroid disorders? Should Doctors be checking their thyroid levels before assuming that the weight is soley due to over indulgence?
Would be interested in hearing if Autism research has covered thyroid disorders in the family history?
So many questions, so little time.
Would be interested in hearing from other peoople if they share the same thoughts.
Thank you for this great chance to vent.
I think Sandra Garman is onto something! I was thinking the same thing. I have just been investigating gluten issues, and my son and I were tested for gluten sensitivity with a new testing protocol, that detects the anti-gluten IgA antibodies from the gut, where they originate, in a fecal sample. It’s much more sensitive than a blood test and can detect detect problems with gluten much earlier, before more damage is done. The lab that does this test is Enterolab, www dot enterolab dot com (no affiliation other than as a client).
Yes, we were both positive for IgA antibodies, anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA, and we each had two copies of genes that would predispose to gluten sensitivity if gluten was in the diet. My son showed some mild fat malabsorption, too, which is an issue for fat soluble vitamins and proper mineral utilization (esp strong bones & teeth).
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism only three years ago, but I’ve probably had it for many more years before that. The hypothyroidism symptoms really increased in number and severity after several years of consuming a lot of gluten – first I was baking bread with a bread machine and the recipes called for added wheat gluten to “improve” the bread, and then later when I adopted low carb permanently (to lose weight and manage my blood glucose levels), for a while I was consuming packaged Low Carb pita bread with added wheat gluten and soy flour (I stopped that because of the soy and reducing packaged foods).
So it’s quite possible that all that gluten I was eating exacerbated whatever problems my thyroid was having. It needs to be better known that gluten sensitivity is very common, especially in those of European and Middle Eastern descent (wheat cultures) and not all gluten sensitivity issues display as GI symptoms; in persons with genes that predispose to celiac and/or gluten sensitivity, gluten can wreak havoc with both the adaptive and innate immune systems, and can cause auto-immune attacks anywhere in the body on non-GI tissue, like the thyroid.
So in that context, it’s a good idea for anyone with auto-immune thyroid conditions to consider testing for gluten sensitivity and/or eliminated gluten from the diet. And I recommend getting the fecal test over the blood test or the invasive biopsy, as those half century old protocols have serious limitations for diagnosing.
WAKE UP OPPIE!
Your all about bring the truth to those who need to know and everyone is so appreciative of that fact! Look at your popularity and Neilson ratings–Da why not tape into theis ready made vieing audiance and make it a point to learn everything you can about thyroid or have those who are experts on this on your shows. Have Mary as your guest! Have me as another guest! I have had my thryoid and indeed my wo=hole system fried with fluoride exposure and one little aside to this is that my T-3 receptor sites are bound with FL and little to no iodine can be used to make thryoid hormone now.
SOOOOOOOOO many shows can be made about the Thyroid alone OR just about Fluoride and it’s prevenalency and toxicity to EVERY receptor site of the body you could do a spin off programs about either or both. I would watch!
Dr Oz-what a suck up! He’s feeding her delusions.
Frankly, Ms Winfrey doesn’t really know what is going on. She is being irresponsible in her comments and she is not being helpful. Thyroid patients need to do their homework and take these types of comments with a huge grain of salt.
Unfortunately we are all pulled into forgetting that Oprah is anything other than an entertainer. Remember when she took a stand on beef? She was sewed by the entire beef industry. Yes, she met and launched Dr. Phil’s career but that was a meat-by product. This said, I’m sure her legal department maintains a tight reign on any specifics that are said regarding ANYTHING. Leaving things ambiguous leaves holes for her Legal Eagles to posture a fight if needed. I bet the only ones who know ALL the info are Oprah and Gail. Maybe not though. Maybe Stedman too, and her dogs.
What I know to be true is my thyroid antibodies just tested at 2379 (gradual increase since 04′)AND no Dr. Oz, it’s not a “frat party”. I went to some pretty fun frat parties back in the day, and Hashimoto’s is no party. It’s a WAR raging inside of me that the best anyone can give me is, “No one knows why that happens”. Yes, even my alt medicine doc finally came to the conclusion “Some people just produce them”. This was after 2 years of “treating” me for adrenal fatigue. I had half my thyroid removed 4/9/08 along with a nodule the size of a tangerine, I’ve got pretty much all of the “Super Symptoms” in varying degrees affiliated with over 80 auto-immune disorders and I take Armour Thyroid to ensure the 80-20% ratio of T4-T3. My point, and I have one: I am my own advocate and will continue to not take “no” for an answer and will be the director of my health care via gathering facts and fighting where I have to, but maintaining the “iron fist in a velvet glove” method. I can wind myself into a tizzy sometimes about some people’s satisfaction with mediocrity and inaction and blind acceptance. And then I have to visualize myself standing in the waves down at the beach and tell myself to, “feel the tide, feel the tide”. We can’t control the tide that is “life” sometimes. I will do what I can when I can and not give up on ME. Oprah’s contract for her show will one day end, and probability is it will likely be due to fatigue from a under-appreciated thyroid gland that finally says, “You should have read Mary’s articles back in 2008 & 2009. And that Dr. Oz? What ever happened to him?”
TO OUR HEALTH AND TO OUR THYROID GLANDS! We respect you and will continue to listen to you far after Oprah is off the air. CHEERS!
Think back ladies to Oprah being sued by the beef industry…I think therein lies the answer. I noticed when she had Suze O on this last week she did NOT give ANY investment advice at all on that show! Why? Because last time she did everyone moved out of the stock market into the Treasury market and funds were left stranded trying to pay out dividends and cash to those streaming leaving the funds and not having anything left to reinvest!! Oprah has a HUGE responsibility as do her guests on the show because they impact the public SO much! I am sure the Securities industry was on her tail as well as Suze O’s about keeping investment advice quiet! Do we not believe the pharmaceutical industry would do the same given the poor performance of “synthetic thyroid hormone” that many many MANY of us have experienced! They are already lamenting and griping because now BHRT will have the upper hand! I was treated with synthetic for a decade and my health deteriorated to nothing. I would have been better off not to have taken a thing! All I initially had were thyroid antibodies. Did anyone ask me if celiac sprue or gluten intolerance ran in my family? No. Well it did… and it affected my thyroid. And without the wheat the antibodies did go back to normal. So…the solution is not synthetic hormone for thyroid problems either… nor is a LAB value range alone a cause for alarm. Doctors need to look at the WHOLE picture when they see a patient (and I mean family history too), and because of dictates of insurance companies their hands are tied… they are not reimbursed for their time as it is! If we want to start complaining to make changes it isn’t just about the lab values being in the correct range, it is about insurance companies and how they are raping public health! It is about the impact lobbyists for pharmaceuticals have on the dictates of how we are treated!
we heard this all the way down under in Aust as both my mother and i have hypo… it brought a heated discussion to the dinner table how celebrities make out they can fix anything and leave us normal people wondering what are we doing wrong – hmmm maybe we should NOT eat to loose some weight, celebrities have to be careful what they say as lucky we are smart enough to know that they dont know what they are talking about, crikey even our dr’s here dont know how to help – shame on you Dr Oz and Oprah
This is to #18, Viva, I feel from your post that you’ve never had a problem with thyroid issues, or you’re on the wrong blog. Either way, if you don’t like the tone of this blog, prattle somewhere else thank you very much.
How can Oprah be suffering from perimenopause? I thought perimenopause was started in early to mid forties. Oprah is well into her fifties and has long ceased here monthly cycle which puts her in the postmenopausal phase, right? Please someone clear this up for me.
Firstly I am not going to beat up Oprah or Dr. Oz for that matter. The endocrine system is magnificently intricate and complex and even trained endocrinologists have fallen short of helping their patients more frequently than is acceptable. It is easy to get frustrated at the staggering level of marginalization that occurs with this disease and it is even harder not to take it personally, especially when you find that the vast majority of suffers are women. Truly it boggles the mind the level of medical ignorance that we all experience as thyroid disease survivors.
But if an acquaintance of Oprah is reading this, tell her not to give up and to definitely keep asking questions, for that matter, all of you, don’t give up and keep asking the questions. I would hasten that no one can take what the Dr’s tell them as wrote either. I was told at one point that I didn’t have a thyroid disease simply because TSH levels fell into a “Normal” range. I had already been diagnosed with hypothyroidism years prior. No antibody test was ever requested and I had still 10yrs of mismanagement to endure before I was forced to become as knowledgeable as an endo from all the research I had to do. It is hard when you are brain fogged and tired, tired, tired.
Dr Oz is NOT an endocrinologist, but watching the show on peri-menopause, I can see he is truly interested in Dr Prudence Hall’s hormone replacement treatments.
So given that the thyroid is more than a thermostat; its hormones are a primary and secondary catalyst for energy and oxygen exchange on a cellular level. It’s beyond complex regulating not only our basal levels, but it has its hands in bone density, blood serum, insulin, calcium, digestion, muscle, protein, sleep, heart, cellular repair, etc
So to say that the thyroid is a thermostat, or the antigens are a frat party or that its complexity is exclusive only to Oprah, serves to diminish the experiences of present survivors who have identical symptoms and are desperate for help, a marked level of validation and true and lasting cellular balance.
It’s all infuriating and it has to stop. Moving forward to make thyroid disease count in the medical community is a necessity. I want a cause and a cure found for why antibodies decide to attack important organs in the body, and how that can be stopped, don’t you? The thyroid is the victim not the cause. It’s only when the disease is given weight that patients can get the attention they need. With that said, I hope Oprah does a show on Thyroid Disease, its symptoms, and treatment’s. I think it would be important to include information on how it increases the incidence of osteoporosis, infertility, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Also I would be interested to see how it usually partners with a second auto immune disease, such as PCOS, Arthritis, and Celiac Disease to name a few.
Viva says: This article and others about Oprah has such an angry tone.
Do you SEE how many articles there are on Oprah? It’s getting obsessive. Leave her alone already! I agree with Viva, it really is a turn off. And don’t start yelling at me like someone yelled at Viva. I do have thyroid issues. I have NO thyroid due to thyroid cancer. So leave me alone too.
Leila isn’t open to differing opinions. Like Oprah, my endocrinologist took me off Synthroid because, in the early stages of Hashimoto’s, you can go from hypo to hyper. My normal daily intake of Synthroid was causing heart palpitations, insomnia, etc. Like Oprah, all my levels, including anti-bodies, are being monitored by my endo…..ethical treatment. I feel better. My endo has said he expects, eventually, the thyroid to burn out and plunge me back into hypo. At which point, I will resume medication. I just don’t see how anger helps anyone and wish we could give Oprah a break.
Though it is understandable that people react in anger, it would serve us better if Oprah could be inspired to invite a person like Mary to her show. The best service to all thyroid sufferers is to finally be acknowledged. Like diabetics and insuline, there is no cure other than hormone replacements. It would help thyroid sufferers to finally be understood. I think we’re asking for compassion, in combination with “Thyroid research”.
As confusing as Oprah’s thyroid issues seem, I’ve actually gotten some ideas from Mary’s articles which may help me understand my own situation better! LOL I have antibodies for both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ Disease — the Graves’ being the current “active” one. Or, so i thought. “Frat party”?? In the “out-of-control” sense, yeah. War? THAT seems more like it.
I feel a bit sorry for Oprah. With all her money and clout, even she is getting shuffled around by medical “experts” who are really doing little more than writing off her complaints by convincing her it’s “all in the mind” — or so it would seem, huh?
Gar, you seem to know a lot about Oprah’s menstrual cycle!!! Which is surprising to say the ;least but to clear things up. Menuopuse is defined as being onset a year after a women has completely ceased to have monthly periods. For most women (at least in Eurpe) this is late 50’s. Perimenopuase is defined as withing the decade prior to menopause. Therfore if Oprah was say, 52 – she would be perimenopausal.
ciara(33), where are you getting your info? i did some googling, and every source i found agreed that the average onset of menopause (i.e., one year after the last menstrual period) occurs at age 51, give or take a few months.
from a 2002 german article in pubmed: “In western Europe the average age at menopause is 52 years.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12018037
btw, oprah will be 55 on 1/29/09.
I learned just a few hours ago that my sister (age 60)is a victim of thyroid cancer gone to the bone. A portion of her thyroid was removed 14 years ago; 3 years ago she developed what was called ’scar tissue’.
For 3 years she BEGGED 3 doctors for a biopsy but was dismissed. Last year she finally found an endocrinologist who took her seriously and he removed the ‘malignant’ ’scar tissue’. He told her this was his favorite surgery and to rest assured…a radiation pill would be sufficient. Home from the hospital for a day, she received a call from the dr….whoops! we didn’t remove a lymph node…we removed your parathyroid! We’ll have to ask that you come back for a 2nd surgery tomorrow! No, really, where are these doctors being trained??? Following the 2nd surgery, my sister complained of arm/shoulder pain. We’re talking July ‘08. Her doctors again turned a deaf ear. Blood levels and xrays showed nothing until…December: elevated t levels. An xray showed something in her shoulder. He sent her to U/Michigan along with a copy of xray for diagnosis. The receptionist declined the envelope containing the xray, saying we have all of your records; we don’t NEED anything else. 3 scans and several tests later,her U/MI dr. said nothing shows, go home, you won’t need radiation. My sister said, but what about my arm pain…I’ve been off my thyroid meds and on Oxycodeine for 6 weeks in preparation for my visit here. The physician said, what arm pain? My sister gave her the envelope…a tumor clearly visible. My dear sister has pushed, prodded, suffered excruciating pain, and endured night after night of worry and sleeplessness. Now she must face the consequences of a system that forces the patient to scream ‘will someone please listen to me?’ Bone cancer. If you are reading this, will you please say a prayer for her? THANK YOU and God bless each of you….
My prayers go out to your sister and your families.I understand clearly when doctors don’t listen. May 2009 while performing my rover patrol duties as a security officer, I started experiencing pain in both my knees and ankles that lasted until November. At first I was sore all over, which was expected because I had not done this much walking in a while. I didn’t report as a complaint because I thought in time the soreness would go away. When the pain came to the knees and ankles I knew something was terribly wrong and not to look over this. I had one doctor that paid attention and wanted me out of pain. He place me on lite duty with physical therapy. The doctor that seen me after said one thing to me and wrote another thing in the file. Well long story short job said they have no lite duty for me and I have been out of work since June. Job stated I had a prexisting condition. Yes, I do have hypothryroid and never hide that, however this pain in knees and ankles came from my job. I said all that to say this. When our body gives us a signal and we ask for help to find out what’s wrong. I guess we do need to start screaming! Because no one will ever feel what you feel. Today no job, no health insurance. I’m out there with hypothyroid.
Here it is a year after the other postings and Oprah still looks like she has a thyroid problem, especially periorbitally. She appears to be suffering from myxedema. I wonder if she has secondary hypothyroidism, and also if she is on HRT, which would affect her lab tests.
I have been very concerned about my wife’s changing moods since having had an ovary removed last year. In the morning, she seems coherent and awake, but around dinner time she seems intoxicated and irritable and has slurred speech. I thought she was hitting the bottle when she came home from work although she denies it. Could this be hypothyroidism? Is anyone familiar with these symptoms?
I went through all my thyroid levels were fine. But i was very tired and irritable. I went to a wonderful endrocronologist, and she did thyroid scans and blood work. I had a biopsy it came back with possiable hurthle cells. She wasnt sure if it was cancer, My fatigue had gotton worst and my calcium levels climbed. I had my thyroid and parathyroid taken February 24th. The tumor had attached itself to my thyroid and was growing down into my chest. Since i have had my surgery i have had more energy and am starting to loose the weight. Thanks to both of my doctors.
A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. There are a few things I want to mention that I have not seen commented on yet.
I went undiagnosed for 15-20 years. I slowly gained weight, was tired and fatigued. Symptoms I put down to having fibromyalgia and 2 small children. Thyroid tests always came back “normal” so I was told diet and exercise were the answer.
Finally I mentioned to my doctor that I was tired of dealing with my double vision which seemed to be getting worse. He immediately sent me to specialists and a bunch of tests where they finally did a Thyroid Antibody test. It was Positive. My eye doctors never said anything to me about my double vision issues, just prescribed prisms for my lenses.
I started taking the Synthroid medication and am loving it. Most importantly, as a result of the undiagnosed thyroid problem I developed stage 3 liver disease called N.A.S.H. I was diagnosed with N.A.S.H. two years before we discovered the Hashimoto’s. Nothing was helping to lower my liver enzymes and stop the damage. Next stage is Cirrhosis and a transplant. When I started taking Synthroid the liver enzymes dropped to almost normal levels and we discovered the Thyroid problems (Hashimoto’s) was causing the Liver Disease. I still have N.A.S.H., but the disease is no longer progressing and is under control. This was miracle number one.
The second miracle is that I’ve actually gone off my antidepressants because of it. Something I never thought would happen.
My endocrinologist says I will be on Synthroid for life because my body is destroying my thyroid with antibodies it is producing against it. So although you may have “normal” thyroid levels, your thyroid is having to deal with the constant attack of antibodies against it, and will do so until the Thyroid Gland is completely destroyed. And this can affect other organs in your body, not just your thyroid gland. Taking Synthroid means that my body doesn’t have to over produce the thyroid hormone just to have “normal” levels show up on the tests.
In conclusion, Oprah – if your hormone levels are normal but you still have the antibody, it means your gland is overproducing so take your meds – your need them to prevent further damage. And if the meds are not helping or making you feel bad, keep looking, there may be something else going on.
and Dr. Oz – you should not be trivializing such an important and potentially dangerous health concern. Be a part of the solution not the problem.
They think mine stopped woking when I was about 4 it was not found till I was 18 after my frist child.They think it could of been trigger by something that happen to me . All of school it was hard for me I would tell my mom that I felt like I was in a bubble and everything was moving faster around me . And learning was impossable.And the weight my life it seems fighting the weight .
I think this thing about her having Thyroid disease is just another Oprah lie to excuse herself for being a food addict.
You obviously don’t know much about thyroid disease. I knew she had before she did. Her face is the classic hypothyroid puffy face. And that is NOT caused by being overweight.
Just like Oprah overweight and overstressed without relief probably why she had to quit it was affecting her health. There is just so much stress a body can deal with and I think she burned out her body doing more and more.
If she wants to do for others she needs rest and getting her body back in balance.
The doctors did the same thing they had me on synthoid and blood pressure medication what a mess. Still trying to flush that out of my system.
I just stopped everything changed my diet, steamed vegetables, broiled fish with favorful seasoning (garlic, onion powder, paprika, lemon, tumeric, basil, rosemary) chicken, green vegetable juices with some fruit tasty, oatmeal, soymilk, water, plus a lot of green vegetables to combat the stress and restore my energy. Also added green fruits, and almonds, walnuts. Fruits high is potassium, to rehydrate my body since the thyroid medication and blood pressure medication dehydrated my body and caused problems. I also did a lot of soups, chicken with vegetables from scratch, green pea soup, lentil.
A lot of rest when my body wanted to rest I rested. Did meditation also bought adrenal support will try that. A lot of Omega vitamins (cod liver oil, fish oil) also magnesium, along with a good one a day vitamin.
I just took care of myself and went back to basic, reduce my stress, said a lot of no’s. Took time for myself and not feel selfish and rebuilt my reserves back up. Now I am feeling a whole lot better.
So Oprah was misinformed by her doctor. Who hasn’t been? I have sympathy and compassion for any woman who has received less than adequate care from a physician. I think that includes most of us. Also, I know personally so many people who have gotten rid of their antibodies and who have normal, stabilized thyroid levels. It’s not that uncommon anymore. They went to holistic doctors, not MD’s. Actually I found my holistic doctor right on this web site in the referal section which is a wonderful resource. I’ve had normal TSH, T3 & 4 levels for about six months now, without medication, and the antibodies are almost gone. I had to go on a 75% raw food diet and eliminate all processed foods. I also had to deal with my stressful emotions. You can do it too. And so can Oprah. I’m rooting for the ole’ girl!