The endocrinologists especially seem perhaps overwhelmed with diabetes care, resulting in less-than-proper numbers of people being diagnosed with other hormonal challenges, and furthermore resulting in less-than-optimal care for those who are diagnosed. So what are you to do to achieve a better result?
One of the main reasons that borderline thyroid sufferers are not getting diagnosed is the tyranny of the TSH test, coupled with the fact that blood tests in general do not always reflect the true metabolic state. Often, our true hormonal levels are better represented by measurement from the tissues themselves (where hormones take their action), rather than measuring the bloodstream (where hormones are inactive and tightly bound to transport proteins). A simple home test, not by blood but rather with saliva, can frequently yield a different and more representative result.
In our San Francisco Bay area clinic, a number of people with severe thyroid symptoms -- who were either not diagnosed or not adequately treated -- found that salivary testing became the deciding factor in improving their care. Particularly for those with borderline conditions, this testing-now available without a doctor's prescription- can more readily pinpoint subtle imbalances.
Another major reason for misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment is the crucial issue of concurrent adrenal and/or sex hormone insufficiency. Truly advanced thyroid care involves an accurate evaluation of adrenal and reproductive hormones, since these glands coupled with thyroid constitute an important metabolic triad.
As you know, excess estrogen is anti-thyroid; the more estrogen increases, the more thyroid-binding globulin is in your bloodstream. This keeps your blood readings for thyroid hormone high, but your tissues actually starved for thyroid hormone. Your blood tests may look good, while you continue to feel lousy.
Also keep in mind that the very important conversion of T4 into active thyroid hormone (T3) requires the right amount of adrenal hormone. Too much - or too little - cortisol interferes with this important conversion mechanism. Some researchers suggest that proper levels of cortisol are needed for thyroid to enter our cells from the bloodstream in the first place.
Standard blood tests are often surprisingly poor measurements of the level of adrenal and sex hormones in the tissues. Much more accurate determinations are made via saliva, which is a truer representation of the amount of free and available hormone.
For these reasons, we would like to invite each of you to participate in a consumer-advocacy group www.CanaryClub.org, that will help you measure more accurately the level of thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones currently in your tissues. The Canary Club was started by two courageous California women who had been through the mill with ineffective testing resulting in inadequate care. They are now ready and willing to work with you to create an effective vehicle for healthy change.
This consumer advocacy group allows people from all over the country to self-order a home saliva test kit for concurrent evaluation of these three major hormones. The lab working with the club is one of the oldest and most respected of saliva testing labs in the US.
Please realize that we are not suggesting you forego any blood testing you - or your doctor - might want to order. We're simply recommending that, in addition to whatever regular care you have received so far, you might want to further evaluate your thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive hormone status via home saliva testing.
You can order your home test kit simply by logging onto the site www.CanaryClub.org, becoming a member (it's free), and requesting a test kit. Your payment can be sent using credit card, etc. when you mail in your test kit to the lab for evaluation.
