The Functional Approach to Hypothyroidism. Has anyone read this book by Kenneth Blanchard? No mention of Hashimoto's!

[crimple]

My Husband bought a copy and I started reading last night, short book. He clearly doesn't subscribe to the fixation with TSH test, good. He uses T3 alongside T4, good.

My issues are around his dosing ratio for T4, T3. Of course his research and patient treatment is conducted on US patients with US meds.

The one glaring omission in the book would appear to be no mention of Hashimoto's!!(I was reading late at night, maybe I missed something!) I therefore feel that for those with Hashi's the dosing ratio he recommends is irrelevant. Anyone else have a view?

[Missy789]

Hello, I have also read this book and am currently trying this way of dosing. I have been struggling to regulate my thyroid dosage for 2.5 years. I was on T4 only for approximately 7 years not knowing there were other options out there ( I trusted my doctor) I personally have not done well AT ALL on higher amounts of T3 but I know I won't do my best on T4 only either. I have experienced the great benefits of T3, but it has never lasted more than a few hours to a couple of days, but I know that there is something there to keep striving and trying for. I have tried T4 only, NDT only, NDT and T4, and T4 with larger amounts of T3 all the while struggling with horrible ups and downs from the T3 and all the while since I started this journey to try to get a better T3 level I feel like I have done nothing but screw my body up worse than I was on T4 only. Finally after starting this small compounded slow release t3 I definitely feel more even throughout the day. I just switched to Tirosint back in March and I am still trying to find my good dose on that too which makes this a little more challenging yet at this point. I also just lowered my T3 dose from 5mcg of regular T3 (cytomel) down to the 2.5 mcg of compounded slow release T3 two weeks ago. I am looking to get my TSH to around 1-1.5 as long as I can maintain a good solid T4 dose and take just the amount of T3 I need to feel well. I am far from feeling "fixed" and completely well but I finally feel like I am maybe getting close to getting to some kind of normal again. I am currently taking 150 Tirosint along with the 2.5 compounded slow release T3 and feeling much more at peace in my body, still working on it and I think I may have to cut back the T4 a little but I am waiting a few more weeks to do labs and to see if things level out even more yet. It seems the more T4 I take the less T3 I can handle but also at the same time more T3 never feels good either. I have fingers crossed that this works. Dr. Blanchards book and protocol for dosing is not widely talked about on the thyroid forums and FB pages but the few people that I have read about and have been in contact with who have followed this way of dosing say it is the only thing that worked for them. It is a very logical way of dosing if you think about it. You are merely trying to mimic what your real thyroid would be producing. Dr Blanchard passed away last April and the Dr whom he was mentoring has a tribute page on her website which includes a link to another tribute page where many of his patients expressed their gratitude for him helping them. You may find some of the comments helpful and reassuring. Here is the link if you want to take a look newtonintegrative.com/in-tr... Also, another blog that I stumble upon in searching for information regarding this protocol is very interesting and this person has helped me out as well. chronicfatiguediagnosis.com/ I have nothing else to lose at this point. I either cut out all T3 since my body just can't handle much, not even 5 mcg (at least not in the regular pills) and go back to straight T4 again or I try this as one last attempt. Good luck to you If this ends up working for me I am going to post it EVERYWHERE for more people to try.

[rjb112 in reply to Missy789]

Missy789 Excellent post. Thanks

[Hidden in reply to Missy789]

Very good indepth description of how my own recovery is going only you described it better. I'm better but not there yet. I don't have Hashi's (may have originally) but my thyroid is completely atrophied fro neck radiation years ago due to another problem and I have no antibodies. I've reached the point, I think, where neither the T3 or the T4 is quite right. But when I try to tweak just a little I feel like I've taken a step backward. Thanks for your insight. Take care. irina

[Timsywhimsy in reply to Missy789]

Did this protocol work for you? I’m like you....tried it all and now thinking about this micro dosing t3 stuff.