I have been suffering for 14 + years! I finally got sick of my Primary and Endocrinologist not looking for where my symptoms were coming from! I was on Synthroid and VERY Symptomatic for 14 years. After being told it was in my head, I must be depressed and maybe I had a brain tumor or pituitary gland tumor, I fired my conventional doctors and began my digging and researching. Mainly on Google and found some FB groups......ThyroidChange, Thyroid Sexy and Izabella Wentz, PharmD. Also, search for a FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE DOC in your area here: thyroidchange.org/patie...
or google Functional Medicine directory! Conventional Docs are mostly all about keeping us coming back and what synthetic drug they can add to our cocktail!!!!!!!!! Happy Hunting all!
I was put on Armour Natural Thyroid (9/3/14) by my new doctor and day one my headaches were gone and have not had one in 3 weeks, I have lost 13 pounds and I am sleeping amongst other relieved symptoms!!!!!!!!!!! I am also using essential oils to help relieve symptoms.
Always great to hear good encouraging news tnmom. I am seeing a Homeopathic GP who has prescribed me NDT for hypothyroidism after NHS refused treatment. Haven't noticed any improvements yet as I have only been on 15mg a week and now 3 days on 30mg. I am hopeful they will come. May I ask what dose of Armour you are on?
It is a very sad state of affairs when we are left to 'get on with it'. When you are told you are now 'in range' whatever else is bothering you is nothing to do with your thyroid gland. You are then prescribed something for the symptom(s) rather than a decent dose of medication (NDT in particular). In the end paying much more for medications for treating symptoms than making a recovery with proper medication and being continually unwell. Bigpharma has a large amount of sway in the USA and probably elsewhere too by monetary 'incentives' to push their products.
I am glad you are doing well as I am and others too, thankfully, due to our forum and people's experiences.
PS. I see your post has been duplicated about 4 times, so have erased the surplus.
I know I have this question before - but are you in the States ? You talk about Functional Medicine which is a little thin on the ground in the UK and where I live in Crete !
'Functional Medicine' is most prevalent in the USA where it started, I believe. Functional Doctors can be MDs, NDs, DCs or other, Chris Kresser would be considered a Functional Doctor and he is a licensed Acupuncturist. MDs can write scripts, in some states NDs can write scripts and I don't believe that DCs can write scripts in any state except New Mexico which are extremely limited. I am not as familiar with Canada, Australia and the UK but I don't believe Naturopaths can write scripts although they could follow a 'Functional' approach. I believe the Naturopathic approach is basically 'Functional' in nature. As one wag said 'Functional Medicine' is just Naturopathic Medicine by another name so that allopathic MDs don't freak out at the idea. I'm not sure if NDs in Canada can write scripts. Perhaps some others will chime in and add more info, it would be interesting to know. I also would guess that tnmom must be in the USA, hopefully she will tell us. PR
PS The link for ThyroidChange isn't working, maybe this is correct.
Canada chiming in here: naturopaths are trying to get more 'rights'. However, an M.D. can also get their N.D. and then this is the best combo for patients. The testing portion is covered by government insurance (to a point.... there are a lot of tests which are not) and the doctor can prescribe as well. Unfortunately for a patient who does not have a lot of spendos, this can be prohibitively expensive. NDT is readily available here. My friend picked up her prescription at Costco. Her co-pay was only $5 (20% of the total cost). Seems this product is cheap. She just doesn't pay attention though.... brain fog? .... so could not tell me what the total cost was.
gabkad, can an ND write a script for thyroid meds in Canada? Nature-Throid costs me $27.32 or so for 120 one grain pills, a 30 day supply, so similar, roughly, to your friend in cost. PR
The first thing my friend noticed was her sinuses cleared...... I've told her to take 1/2 for 1 week and increase to 1 tablet the second week. So even a 1/2 tablet had this effect on her. The doctor just prescribed to take 1 tablet from day one. I'm kind of leery of just adding so much T3 (9mcg per tablet) so suddenly.
All doctors seem to have the attitude that if its not working its the patient's fault!!
Great to hear you are on the mend and taking control!
If you're in Britain you should put your experience on 'Patient Opinion' website so that others can see there are good alternatives to remaining ill. Link here: patientopinion.org.uk/
If there is likely to be a FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE DOC in Britain I would love a PM of that website URL please (it's been cut, I think).
Tnmom has already posted on this subject, and I replied giving a couple of links. Here it is again :
Oh, I love that! We have USA, Canada, and the rest of the world! lol Well, I live in the rest of the world, and there ain't much out there. However, by being more specific - i.e. not looking at the Functional Medecine Directory - I found a naturopath in the next town to me - about five minutes away!!! As soon as I'm driving again, I will make an appt!
For all of the rest of you who live in the rest of the world, try this for the UK, Australia and New Zealand:
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
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