An upcoming book concerned with the correct treatment regime for thyroid replacement

[diogenes]

This book is due to emerge in autumn of this year and should hopefully provide a springboard for future action to correct the mistreatment of those who require combination therapy. If only the field drops its faith in achieving the reference range for TSH as a sign of appropriate treatment all should be welll.

Rethinking Hypothyroidism: Why Treatment Must Change, and What Patients Can Do

press.uchicago.edu/ucp/book...

This book will be published through Prof Bianco by the University of Chicago Press in the Fall of 2022. The book is about the treatment of hypothyroidism, its history, underlying science, and the changes that occurred over time.

Most patients respond well to daily tablets of levothyroxine, but about ten to twenty percent (some two to three million individuals in the United States) are far from living a typical life. They exhibit “foggy brain”—low energy, confusion, and poor memory. Many doctors have shrugged off their complaints, believing they are unrelated to the thyroid disease.

In this book, I offer an accessible overview of the disease’s treatment and make the case that the current approach is failing some patients. I call for alternatives to improve lives, and I equip patients and their families to advocate for other treatments.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Part One: The Crisis

1: Treatments and Controversies

2: Pharmaceutical Companies and Their Influence

3: Dogmas and Guidelines

Part Two: The Science

4: How the Thyroid Gland and Its Hormones Work

5: How T4 Transforms into T3

Part Three: The History

6: Nature’s Cures

7: Pioneering a Purer Treatment

8: Dangers of Untested Treatments

Part Four: The Patients

9: Those Left Behind

10: TSH Isn’t a Magic Bullet

11: Missing Clues and T3

12: There Is More to Hypothyroidism Than Just Low T3 Levels

Part Five: The Treatments

13: Understanding Combination Therapy

[Gingernut44]

Thanks for posting this. As with all the other papers you’ve posted recently, we just need the right people to actually read it.

[knitwitty in reply to Gingernut44]

Couldn't agree more !!

[knitwitty]

Thank you, maybe there will be light at the end of the tunnel in the future !

[SilverAvocado]

I found I was able to pre-order this for £16.73, apparently to be released in November.

I believe that pre-orders are very useful to a book like this, as it gives the publisher confidence they can sell enough copies, and tells them that in-depth books about thyroid illness have a secure market.

[Jumbelina in reply to SilverAvocado]

Good point

[RedApple Administrator in reply to SilverAvocado]

Is shipping to the UK included in the amount you've quote SilverAvocado ?

[helvella Administrator in reply to RedApple]

The publisher's site says:

Domestic Shipments from the CDC- $7.00 for 1st book, $2.00 each additional book

Foreign Shipments from the CDC - $13.00 for 1st book, $7.50 each additional book

Of course, we in the UK are foreign to the University of Chicago Press.

And the pound slipped this morning... USD 22 is £17.14 according to one online calculator.

But £16.73 is the price on Amazon. Sold by Amazon so usual delivery arrangements apply.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to helvella]

It's actually available to pre-order on Amazon for £16.73 (free delivery)

smile.amazon.co.uk/Rethinki...

[SilverAvocado in reply to RedApple]

Oops, sorry for the late reply I see you've already figured it out

This is from naughty Amazon and UK shipping is included.

[dolphin5]

Fingers crossed then!! Sadly my experience is that doctors don’t read research papers, and they read even less books!! Let’s hope that some policy-makers read it and raise the profile of the issues. 🙏🙏🙏

[RedApple Administrator in reply to dolphin5]

I certainly don't expect GPs to read things like this, but anyone calling themselves a 'specialist' i.e. Endocrinologists absolutely should be keeping themselves up to date with the current thinking and research.

[dolphin5 in reply to RedApple]

I agree, but I find it hard to be optimistic, as my endocrinologist seems reluctant to consider anything that goes against what he believes to be right.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to dolphin5]

As this book seems to be strongly aimed at patients, I hope that doesn't negate it's value within the medical fraternity 😔

'In this primer for patients, their families, and their doctors, a leading physician and scientist explains why the standard treatment for hypothyroidism fails many―and offers an empowering call for change.' smile.amazon.co.uk/Rethinki...

[birkie in reply to RedApple]

Good point RedApple👍 but as I've found out and it's been pointed out to me so many times by endos /GPS they are bound by tight nhs regulations in that they really don't care if you have symptoms, if your bloods are in the nhs golden rule then off you go😠 it's the whole nhs who need to revise this stupid in range policy.. Dont get me wrong if you feel OK and well with your range then that's good and no cause to bother your gp /endo but if symptoms persist and we feel unwell and not finding we're improving even if our bloods are in range then something should be done... Instead we see to many times gps/endos just either playing about with our medication or just dismissing us as time wasters /hypochondriacs 😠😠😠

[RedApple Administrator in reply to birkie]

I know what you're saying birkie . But I think it's beyond the scope of the NHS to sort out the thyroid treatment problems.

This is, I feel, a battle that's been going on for many years between thyroid patients and the so called 'experts' in endocrinology. NICE guidelines and NHS simply take their instructions from the 'professionals'.

The book that Diogenes is posting about is coming out of the US, indicating that the problem of proper diagnosis and treatment isn't just within the UK, it's across much of the Western World.

[birkie in reply to RedApple]

Yea I totally agree, it's just my experience with the nhs that's made me a total sceptic towards them as being the people who are soupose to be looking after us.. Then they bog themselves down with nhs guidelines and don't think of us the patients who are suffering, let's hope this book can shed some light on the matter, I will be purchasing it ASAP.. 👍👍👍👍

[LindaC in reply to dolphin5]

They can read!? 😂😜

[dolphin5 in reply to LindaC]

Who knows??? 🤪

[grauntieannie]

Thanks very much, Diogenes - have ordered it!

[MacG]

Many thanks for posting. Just pre-ordered on Amazon Smile, so TUK will benefit too!

[RexandBoone in reply to MacG]

I had no idea about Amazon Smile. Thanks, I've even more reason to shop on Amazon 😆

[MacG in reply to RexandBoone]

Yes, you can nominate TUK as your chosen charity so every time you shop a small donation is made to TUK. It’s good because you can see YOUR donation total as well as how much TUK has received from everyone who has nominated them.

[shaws Administrator]

A nice gift for all of our GPs at christmas. They will also have some spare time to read and absorb and learn!

Probably Edocrinologists too may benefit

🙂

[Polly91]

Thanks v much. Looks like an excellent book. Chapter 8 looks v interesting (if a little concerning to those who take alternatives)

[Hidden]

Thanks for posting this. I immediately bought a copy from Amazon UK on pre-order.

[Jacarilla]

Having had my thyroid removed and yet to find the right dose I swing between hypo and hyper… would this book still be relevant to me? Sorry if that’s a silly question as 6 months in I’m still learning 🙈

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Jacarilla]

Jacarilla, I suspect the book will be relevant to any thyroid patient struggling with their treatment. But, as the book is not due to be released for another 6 months yet, you have plenty of time to make a decision about purchasing. 😊

[Jacarilla in reply to RedApple]

Very true 👍 thank you 😊

[SilverAvocado in reply to Jacarilla]

Jacarilla,

I've also had my thyroid removed. The vast majority of people who have an underactive thyroid and need thyroid hormone replacement have Hashimoto's thyroid disease. This is an auto immune illness that attacks the thyroid and makes it less effective over time. So most of what you read about thyroid will be primarily aimed at that large group of patients.

But almost all of it will apply to us just the same, and the other more unusual patients such as congenital hypothyroid, central hypothyroid, etc. We all still need to adjust doses and aim to reduce symptoms and have nice looking thyroid panel blood tests just the same.

It's just worth keeping in mind that sometimes there are a few differences. You don't mention whether your thyroid was removed for cancer, Grave's disease, or something else, so I can't comment specifically. But for the vast majority of things, and definitely the big picture issues it doesn't matter too much.

[Jacarilla in reply to SilverAvocado]

I was diagnosed with cancer after a biopsy but after surgery it was found to be benign, good news and bad news as I still lost my thyroid.

[Buttercupsareyellow]

You can order as an ebook pdf as well which saves the postage. I’ve gone for that option 😉

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Buttercupsareyellow]

True 😊 But sometimes it's nice to read the 'old fashioned way' and not have to look at a screen!

[Buttercupsareyellow in reply to RedApple]

I know what you mean, although it’s a good way of sneaking another book into the house undetected 🤣

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Buttercupsareyellow]

For me, to be called a 'book' it has to be a physical thing consisting of pages bound together in a cover. Anything digital is simply a 'document'! 🤣