Recently in our San Rafael CA practice, we saw a patient who had been to doctor after doctor for complaints of severe fatigue, chilliness, and hair loss. She was told repeatedly that her thyroid tests were normal, that her problems could not be due to low thyroid. No other diagnosis or treatment, however, had been of any help to her.
When she came to our clinic, I was immediately able to validate the fact that her prior lab tests were indeed "totally normal", in fact she showed (on paper) an excellent thyroid panel, including TSH, total T4, total t3, T3 uptake, thyroid antibodies, free T4 and free T3. This is more testing than most folks receive, and it all showed normal.
I advised her to simply go home and do the *Canary Club saliva panel, which includes TSH, Free T4, Free T3, and thyroid peroxidase antibody testing. When she came back with her results, they were not at all normal. Her saliva TSH was high, not like the "normal" results on her blood testing. And what's more, the TPO antibody by saliva showed positive.
This was a woman who was indeed suffering with the standard Hashimoto's low thyroid. I now had a diagnosis for her, and started her on the thyroid therapy that had been so helpful to another person in her immediate family. She responded beautifully, with the fatigue, chilliness, and hair loss. Within 5-6 weeks, she was feeling terrific, and has been ever since.
How to Get Tested?
We have worked with the labs involved to create a special panel of testing that measures the important gland functions, and negotiated for access to a special, lower group rate for tests. Generally you can get around 12 tests performed for what one blood test often costs!
The sensitive saliva testing can help you to evaluate if you really DO have a thyroid, adrenal, or sex gland problem. If your doctor doesn't believe you, but you still feel lousy, you can order these tests.
We've coordinated this by forming a patient advocacy group, called the Canary Club, that allows you to get high quality saliva measurements of thyroid, adrenal, and sex gland hormones, at the reduced group rate cost.
What Is the Canary Club?
The Canary Club is a consumer advocacy group we created for the purpose of helping millions of people to obtain the information they need in order to feel better when they may be challenged by the current epidemic of gland-related hormone hormone disruption. In other words, it is YOUR club.
Your membership in the Canary Club is free. We've created the Club because we feel it's important for patients to have an opportunity to learn and speak out about endocrine-disrupting chemicals and their effects on the thyroid, adrenal and reproductive hormones.
It was created for people like you, who know or suspect that something is wrong with their hormones and metabolism, but feel that they're not getting accurate information.
Why Join the Canary Club?
Membership is free. It doesn't cost you anything.
You'll have access to reduced cost, high-quality saliva testing.
It is also easy to do, and it allows your voice to join with the voices of millions of others -- all in the same situation -- to create a mighty voice for healthy change.
- More people deserve to have access to this higher quality testing
- Doctors can be encouraged to listen more to their patients with multiple uncomfortable symptoms, perhaps changing their tune so we all get better care
- As we grow, we can become politically active regarding pollution and our health
- First join the Canary Club. It's free and easy - just log onto www.CanaryClub.org.
- Read our book Feeling Fat, Fuzzy or Frazzled so you will understand more about the relationship among these critical hormone producing glands.
- Get your tests done
- When you receive your test results, you can review the discussion about how to interpret these on our website at FeelingFFF.com and also on the CanaryClub.org site.
As advisors to the club, we are also available to support you in feeling your best. If, after reviewing your results and reading and learning about these topics, you still require more personalized help, we are available to help you via telephone coaching or in-office medical appointments. For more information on this see www.FeelingFFF.com and go to the section on appointments.
