The Guardian seems to be printing the word "thyroid" quite a bit these days! The article below (and do read the rest by following the link to their site) might elicit some responses here. Shame that, at least at the moment, it is not possible to post comments on the article.
'Miracle-cure' claims examined in Sense About Science's guide for patients
I've Got Nothing to Lose by Trying It offers advice on how to tell medical treatments from bogus ones such as homeopathy
Patients harmed by treatments based on unfounded claims, or hit with crippling costs from them, have collaborated with medical charities to produce a guide to the risks of "miracle cures" that are often found advertised online.
Testimonies include one from a woman with a thyroid condition who was bed-bound for weeks after an "alternative doctor" advised her to reduce her prescribed medication.
Much appreciated Helvella, as i do not usually read or access Newspapers.
From one who has 'donated' a lot of money.
I did see that article and a shame that it could not be commented upon.
Your last example concerning a thyroid patient who then goes on to say 'useless and misleading saliva tests' - well, she clearly has not been educated on thyroid matters! Would her GP have treated her any differently?
The book needs to be taken with a pinch of salt surely? Or are the health charities involved following established protocols set by the medical establishment in conjunction with Big Pharma?
if only NHS treated us better or at all!then maybe they would have more of a right to ridicule any alternative routes that we take, but how they dare to criticize alternative treatments, saliva tests etc if they harm us by giving wrong medications or not treating us at all. This really makes me angry. We do not receive any help!! so we look for help wherever we can.
Prof W is one of the people behind Sense About Science. It's a q***k organisation (imho) whose sole aim appears to be to destroy patient experience in favour of the arguments puts forward by Pharma and Psychiatry.
I wrote and complained when he was given this made up award. An award he was, apparently, happy to give to himself as he is a Trustee of the organisation that gave the award. senseaboutscience.org/pages...
I looked for the comments section too cinnamon girl. sounds like a bit of propaganda (maybe) in response to articles on thyroidism in the Gaurdian recently
I agree with edysia about looking elsewhere for help. I'm surprised the Guardian prints such vague stories and and encourages it's readers to denigrate homeopathy and alternative treatments without clear facts or knowing the least thing about it.
Having just returned from holiday, where I had two accidents involving extensive bruising, I could not have continued to enjoy hiking etc. without having taken homeopathic Arnica. It has saved the day on many occasions over the years, as have many other alternative remedies, proving more effective than various drugs prescribed with various toxic side effects.
Thank you Rod. People with very serious diseases are obviously very vulnerable to seeking a cure and I think the Guide is more a warning about Internet 'miracle cures' than genuine alternative practitioners and homeopaths, who are usually highly trained and take a holistic approach to the body, unlike the more usual GP's approach to hypothyroidism, which is to first offer statins, hypertensive drugs and antidepressants without getting to the root of the problem.
For The Guardian to call homoeopathy bogus shows its ignorance and lack of research. Homoeopaths are usually trained doctors, disillusioned with drug centred allopathic medicine, Homoeopaths during the most serious flu epidemic in the last century claimed not to have lost a single patient.
I twitch whenever I read the words "Evidence based."
I USED to be a 100% fan of such principles, I thought they were scientifically based and well balanced but having been hung out to dry by Doctors especially Endos who quote "evidence based" twaddle as the reason not to make people well, I tend to look a lot more closely at the studies they use as evidence. It's amazing how often they are just more drug company loaded tripe, using strangely selected populations and excluding anything everyday that has a nasty tendency to get in the way of "proving" what they want to prove.
That said, not all evidence is bad, it just takes a LOT of picking out the good from the bad, also I have not found a scrap of anything to support Homoeopathy over placebo.
The worst bit about evidence-based things is that most of the evidence is never collected.
Of course, if two options are carefully evaluated one against the other, with eyes open to every difference and effect, there can be a proper evidence base. But, quite simply, the attitude is all too often that lots of other patients do fine so it must be good. That is, bulk anecdotal evidence rather than properly collected and considered evidence.
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