LOW THYROID FUNCTION was the topic of a recent blog. I covered how it affects more than 30 million women and 15 million men. So why are we seeing such an epidemic of thyroid problems? Well, chronic thyroid problems can be caused by many factors …
What Causes Hypothyroidism?
One of the most important factors that leads to hypothyroidism is exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides, which act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function.
In fact, one study found that as people lost weight they released pesticides from their fat tissue.
This then interfered with their thyroid function and caused hypothyroidism. The toxins created a slow metabolism and prevented them from losing more weight.
This study highlights the importance of overall detoxification. It is quite a significant finding that shows exactly how toxins interfere with thyroid function.
Heavy metals such as mercury can also affect thyroid function. I see many people with chronic hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems because mercury interferes with normal thyroid function.
The other big factor that interferes with thyroid function is chronic stress.
There is an intimate interaction between stress hormones and thyroid function. The more stress you are under, the worse your thyroid functions.
Any approach to correcting poor thyroid function must address the effects of chronic stress and provide support to the adrenal glands.
The next major factor that affects thyroid function is chronic inflammation. The biggest source of this chronic inflammation is gluten, the protein found in wheat, barely, rye, spelt, and oats.
Gluten is a very common allergen that affects about 10 to 20 percent of the population. This reaction occurs mostly because of our damaged guts, poor diet, and stress.
I also think eating so-called Frankenfoods, such as hybridized and genetically modified grains with very strange proteins, makes us sick.
Our bodies say, “What’s this? Must be something foreign. I’d better create antibodies to this, fight it, and get rid of it.”
This chronic inflammatory response interferes with thyroid function — and contributes to the epidemic of inflammatory diseases in the developed world.
Lastly, nutritional deficiencies play a big role in thyroid dysfunction. These include deficiencies of iodine, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, and the B vitamins.
Once you have confirmed that a sluggish thyroid is contributing to your symptoms, the good news is that there are many, many, many things you can do to help correct thyroid problems.
There are so many reasons for low thyroid function, yet I have seen lots of patients with this problem who were just ignored by their doctors.
For example, one young female patient of mine had more than 30 percent body fat and was unable to change her body, no matter how hard she worked. She ate perfectly, exercised with a trainer every day — and her body still wouldn’t budge.
She also had a slightly depressed mood and other vague symptoms.
So I treated her with a low dose of Armour Thyroid, which is a natural thyroid replacement.
What happened?
Well, she not only lost 20 pounds and improved her body composition, but her mood improved and all her other symptoms went away.
How did I know she had low thyroid function?
Once I have asked about symptoms, done a physical exam, and considered all the potential causes of thyroid problems, I do the right tests.
Most doctors just check something called the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which doesn’t give a full picture of the thyroid. In fact, even the interpretation of this test is incorrect most of the time.
The newer guidelines of the American College of Endocrinology consider anybody with a TSH level over 3.0 as hypothyroid. Most doctors think that only anything over 5 or 10 is worth treating.
Unfortunately, this leaves millions suffering unnecessarily.
There are also other tests, including free T3 and free T4 and thyroid antibodies, which are essential.
I also look for associated problems such as gluten intolerance, food allergies, and heavy metals, as well as deficiencies of vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, zinc, and omega-3 fats.
There are many things to consider in a careful approach to hypothyroidism.
It is one of the most common problems I see, and treating it properly makes one of the biggest differences in my patients’ quality of life.
Unfortunately, by using the old guidelines and thinking, conventional medicine misses millions who suffer with hypothyroidism.
In fact, in one study, researchers tested everybody who walked through the gates of a county fair with conventional thyroid testing. They found that according to even conservative conventional standards, half of all the people who had hypothyroidism were undiagnosed, untreated, and suffering.
So what’s the solution?
How You Can Overcome Hypothyroidism
I encourage you to take the following steps to rebalance your thyroid:
- Make a thorough inventory of any of the symptoms that I mentioned in the previous hypothyroidism blog to see if you might suffer from hypothyroidism.
- Get the right thyroid tests including TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies.
- Check for celiac disease with a celiac panel.
- Consider heavy metal toxicity.
- Check your vitamin D level.
Once you have confirmed that a sluggish thyroid is contributing to your symptoms, the good news is that there are many, many, many things you can do to help correct thyroid problems.
I have developed a seven-step plan to address hypothyroidism:
- Treat the Underlying Causes — Identify and treat the underlying causes of hypothyroidism, like food allergies, gluten, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, and stress.
- Optimize Your Nutrition – Support your thyroid with optimal nutrition, including foods that contain iodine, zinc, omega-3 fats, selenium, and more.
- Minimize Stress – Eliminate adrenal exhaustion and minimize stress by engaging in a comprehensive stress management program.
- Exercise – Engage in thyroid stimulating exercise, which boosts thyroid function.
- Supplement – Use supplements to help enhance thyroid function, including all the nutrients needed for proper thyroid metabolism and function.
- Heat Therapy – Use saunas and heat to eliminate stored toxins, which interfere with thyroid function.
- Thyroid Hormones – Use thyroid hormone replacement therapy to help support your thyroid gland.
I believe a comprehensive approach is needed to address chronic thyroid issues and to diagnose them. Unfortunately, most of the options for healing by conventional care are quite limited and only provide a partial solution. But by following my seven-step plan you can achieve lifelong vibrant health.
Now I’d like to hear from you …
If you have low thyroid function, how was it diagnosed?
Did you face any resistance from your doctor?
Which of these steps have you tried to treat it and have they helped?
Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment.
I have had hypothyroidism since my son was born roughly 3 years ago although I suspect there were warning signs of it happening for over 12 months beforehand – I still believe to this day that a nasty bout of influenza knocked my thyroid gland out and it never bounced back completely and the birth of my son tipped the balance. Now, every time I catch a virus, my levels drop – sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently.
My most recent problem happened when I had viral stomach bug – my thyroid levels dropped horrendously and I was told to increase my dose of replacement hormone and have a subsequent blood test a few weeks afterwards. I received the results at my appointment today with my GP and they are now HIGH even though the symptoms are presenting as LOW. My GP explained that as I had taken too much levothyroxine, my thyroid had ceased to produce its own essential T3, T4 etc… which paradoxically made me LOW and HIGH at the same time.
I have now been instructed to reduce my dose by 25micrograms per mth until my thyroid gland starts to produce the right amount of its own hormone rather than the artificial one. In the meantime, I am likely to end up feeling really shabby and low until I find the right balance again. I am using seasalt and taking a seakelp supplement as well as the regular vitamins and omegas (I have opted for flax as the fish oils can have high amounts of toxic metals). I have also limited my consumption of tea/coffee to 2 cups a day.
The only bit I am really struggling with is finding something to replace soya products: I am lactose intolerant so I use soy yoghurts, I am also vegetarian and rely a lot on soya mince/pieces/sausages/tofu etc… I am not sure how to reduce something that I rely on so heavily.
Hi Josie,
Thank you for writing in about your soy concerns and thyroid. Have you considered rice, hemp, almond or coconut milk- unseetened of course? They are delicious, hypoallergenic and easy to find nowadays in most stores!
In good health,
Lizzy
I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis in 2003. Endocrinologist put me on Synthroid. Symptoms kept getting worse and the weight just piled on in spite of my impeccable diet and exercise . In 2009 I started a gluten, dairy, grain, soy, and sugar free diet. Still cant seem to get rid of the weight and the depression is setting in quite hard! Would Armour Thyroid help? My doctor does not seem to know anything about it!
Hello Kelly, thank you for your comment. This article references Armour Thyroid in the treatment of a patient under the care of Dr. Hyman. You could ask your physician about this in your case and perhaps show them the article as well. We cannot advise you over the internet whether this would be appropriate in your situation.
Best of health!
My doctor did several test: TSH, FT4 and FT3 , TPO and Antithyroidglobulin. Only the TSH was high. It was 9.6. I feel good most of the time, but my doc seemed to have a problem not only with the TSH, but the TPO. My TPO lab normal was less than 10. Mine was less than 10 at 2. He seemed to think something was wrong. He then proceeded to prescribe a synthetic T3 and T4 combo. I took it for 3 days, and my throat swelled up! I stopped taking it. What is going on?
In addition, I eat organic mostly raw foods and take good vits. I do not want to be on any prescription drugs. Winter is here, so it is hard to exercise outdoors like I enjoy in the summer. Can you help?
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in March 2011. I am only 20 and one of my biggest issues is my weight and energy level. I am currently taking 100 MCG of Levothyroxin and my doctor keeps telling me my levels are in range. However, I continue to feel tired and drained. I am still gaining weight and it feel like nobody around me understands how I feel. One of my toughest struggles is accepting the fact I have to take medicine everyday for the rest of my life. I just want to be thin and full of energy yet i feel like that is so far away and my doctor does not explain things with me. He has not told me to change the way I eat or anything. I feel defeated. I feel like i will always be overweight and exhausted. What advice could you give me?
Hello Courtney, thank you for reaching out to find other solutions for your recovery. While we cannot offer medical advice over the internet we can offer avenues for you to explore, please check out “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website for another opinion if you desire. Or if you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. You may also call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Wishing you good health!
Thank you!
Hi There,
First we recommend you get under the care of a trained functional med practitioner who can make the right diagnosis and trat your thyroid properly: http://www.functionalmedicine.org, scroll down to locate a practitioner and enter your zip code. Choose the practitioner who best suits your needs. And second, if you have low functioning thyroid (and it sounds like you do!) you might have Hashimotos which is an autoimmune process. Check out these articles for more info:
http://drhyman.com/autoimmune-disease-stop-your-body-from-attacking-itself-80/
http://drhyman.com/a-7-step-plan-to-boost-your-low-thyroid-and-metabolis-776/
In good health!
Hello i just recently had my thyroid checked out and all my numbers look like thier in the right range, the tsh3.340 and the limits are 0,450-to 4.500 . i am really confused for my doctor sent me the test results plus a precription, he says it low thyroid, i have been having thinning hair i thought it was my b/p pills, any way im not too happy for the other numbers are ok , is the tsh consider a problem???????? any help would be appreciated! sincerly Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for writiing in with your concerns about your thyroid. Dr. Hyman likes to see TSH between 1-2. A lot of functional med docs and endocrinologists currently hold the value at <3 for healthy functioning thyroid. Your doc probably made this diagnosis after seeing your lab in conjunction with your symptoms. If the med is Armour Thyroid, it might not be a bad idea to try it out and see how you feel. However, you can always try a diet to help boost your thryoid function first (and if you do the thyroid med, you should try the diet too of course! remember do not eat within 30 mins of taking the pill!). Dr Hyman gives excellent clear advice on nutrients to incorporate in your diet in this article. Reread for sure! Or you can also check out: http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/UltraThyroid
In good health!
I plan to research, test, and rule out celiac disease before trying other supplements or potential remedies, as Dr. Hyman has mentioned a number of possible causes. Here’s to your good health!
Hi;
My mother is 72 years old and she has being diagnose of producing extra calcium, so they have to operate her. There are tretment for that?.
Hi Jazmin,
Thank you for sharing your concern about your mother and hypercalcemia. Due to the complexity of hypercalcemia we cannot say over the internet what the best treatment is for her. However, if there is surgery it might be due to her parathyroid gland. The best thing to do nutrition-wise is keep her on a whole foods based diet and watch her levels of vitamin D and calcium. If you would like her to be seen in person by a function medicine provider who practices the same style of medicine as Dr. Hyman- go towww.functionalmedicine.org, scroll down to locate a provider and enter your zip code. We truly hope your mother recieves the care she needs.
In good health!
Lizzy
What is Armor Thyroid? I have been on the same meds for years and I wonder how effective it really is since I continue to have symptoms. I often wonder if meds simply lose their effectivness after a while, that perhaps there may need to be a switch to something else every couple of years? Thanks!
I am 48 years old and have had hypothyroidism since I was in high school. It took five doctors and 10 years before a specialist finally diagnosed me. He did this through a TRH test, which they no longer do. I was on Synthroid for many years until a doctor told me I had too much medicine in me and we stopped my medication. I finally got pregnant – there is six years between siblings. I was off of meds for 8 years, even though my symptoms had returned. No doctor would put me back on medicine, even with my history. A dermatologist noticed my goiter so I went to an internist. I had pinpoint nodules all over my thyroid gland and was sent to a specialist. That endocrinologist told me I was normal and prescribed me phentermine and Optifast Slim shakes so that I could “lose weight”. My symptoms were constipation, weight gain, poor, poor memory and concentration, hair loss, etc. Blood tests never show that I have a problem, or rather, they show me in the normal range. Why is is that someone with a 3 on their test can be normal but then another person who is a 1 can also be normal? Perhaps my normal is a 1 instead of a 3. I have lost faith in doctors over this problem and of course could tell a multitude of horror stories when it comes to finding someone who will listen. The biggest problem I have with doctors is: They rarely believe what I tell them.
I have symptoms but my Free T3 was 2.8 PG/ML and Free T4 was.99 within the lab ranges. Do you consider this normal? TSH was never tested.I’ve been taking Lugol’s 2% Solution and am not quite as tired if sleeping well! What else do you recommend? I’m taking supplements, but what if you have too much calcium?
I went to my physician because I am cold all the time, my temperature ranges from 96.8 to 97.4, my eyebrows are falling out, I am tired, have not energy, constipation and joint pain. We did blood tests and my TSH is 5.91, T4 is normal. He says that my problem is sleep apnea! What the hell?
I was diagnosed with hypothyroid condition at the end of my eighth pregnancy and was told it would not necessarily mean that I would have the condition forever. Four years later I am still on the synthetic hormone and my doctor has not told me anything else that I can do to help my thyroid. He is really a good doctor but I just feel as if he could be doing more by telling me about other possibilities to try besides medication. Thank you for making this website to let people like me know exactly what we are dealing with and ways we can try and fix it. I do have one question… Is it possible for that the amount of pregnancies I have had to have stressed the thyroid too much and caused this condition?
Hello,
I had got sick back in september, and felt very exhausted at the same time, I thought this can’t be right took a long time to get over the sickness, once I was over the sickness I still felt fatigue, so went got blood work done and my iron was low, now from reading your list to watch out for, my hair is thining out , I was stressed and still is, weight gain, no energy want to sleep. And is having problems going to the bathroom. I did get my thyroid test done about two weeks ago and no responses back yet, so what should I watch out for and also what other question should I ask my doctor. Thanks
My T3 is 1.91 T4 is 122.3 TSH is 0.98. What can you say about these results taken only a few days ago. I am 55 years old menopaused at 50, seem to be feeling low all the time, can’t do the usual chores that I used to do, but eating healthily, do juicing every morning, no meat. I just cant seem to figure out what I feel, but one thing is sure, there must be something wrong elzewhere. Is there something wrong with my adrenal? Do I have to check my cortisol level? What other lab tests do I have to take in order to find out whats wrong with me? Thank you very much & God bless!
I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and have been told to avoid iodine at all costs – including kelp seasoning etc. Can you tell me why you suggest supplementing with iodine and the impact/relationship to hypothyroidism? How much iodine do you recommend and can you obtain the suggested amount from foods alone? Thank you!
Hi Jody,
Thank you for your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work related to thyroid. Generally speaking about low functioning thyoid, it is usually helpful to supplement with iodine, selenium and ohter nutrients which support the thyroid gland. Iodine is a special component of both T4 and T3 and if there is insufficient amounts of this mineral than the thyoid might not function properly which is often the case. Depending on the severity of dysfunction idone may or may not be used in a patients plan. As an adult we encourage you to get at least 150 mcg/day up to 1100mcg at the absolute most. This would be found in kelp and sea veggies as you noted. However, when people have severe functioning thyroid the added iodine might irritate the thyroid and cause more trouble, exhausting and depleting it further. This is probably why you were encouraged to stay away. Howeevr, we cannot diagnose or prescribe over the internet. In order to provide you the proper care you need we hope you will seek the attention of a local qualified Functional Med practitioner soon. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/findfmphysician/index.asp and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
In good health
Lizzy
Hi Baby,
In order to provide you the proper care you need we hope you will seek the attention of a local qualified Functional Med practitioner soon. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/findfmphysician/index.asp and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
In good health
Lizzy
Hi Shannon,
Sorry to hear you have been feeling so poorly. You definetly should seek some help with a qualified practitioner, preferably one well versed in functional medicine. In order to provide you the proper care you need we hope you will seek the attention of a local qualified Functional Med practitioner soon. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/findfmphysician/index.asp and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
Meanwhile, check this program out, it should offer you a lot of information and comfort: http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/UltraThyroid
In good health,
Lizzy
Hi K,
In some women it is feasible to say that pregnancy can lead to a postpartum thyroiditis but most of the time it would only be in certain cases where the woman is predisposed to an immune condition already. There is so much you can do and we hope yo start to look at some of the tips in this article!
In good health
Lizzy
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for sharing your concerns with your thyroid fucntion. It sounds like you have an underactive thyroid but obviously we cannot diagnose over the net! Our recommendation is to start implementing the diet and lifestyle tips outlined in this article right away. If you need assistance, we can help you: http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/Coaching-Programs
You might also be interested in this program:http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/UltraThyroid
In good health
Lizzy
I have been struggling with weight gain and inability to lose it no matter how much I exercise and eat right. I do exercise a lot I was tired and had lots of stomach issues. My doctor has been great. We have fixed low vitamin d, low dhea. My iodine is still low and my cortisol and sugar is high. I have a small nodule on my thyroid. My tsh is 3.9, t4 is .8 and t3 is 25. My doctor has recommended a 15mg prescription of Armour to boost a sluggish thyroid . I am a little concerned about taking it. Can it further slow down my thyroid or stop producing naturally once I start to take the Armour? Should I just deal with the weight struggle and bit of tiredness? This is a do doctor. I did see an endocrinologist who told me I had no thyroid problems
Your pointing out that many GPs rely on just a TSH test is right on! That happened to me, but the number was so high that he did realize that I had a thyroid problem. After going through several “thyroid doctors” I’ve found one that does all the tests. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothroiditis in my mid 50′s after having gone through menopause. I still have some antibodies, but the number slowly is decreasing. I take Synthroid 88 plus 2 5mcg Cytomel in the morning and 1 tablet of the Cytomel 5mcg about 5 hours later. I also take supplements for adrenal support. Fortunately I never felt bad; my only symptom was weight gain–60 pounds. I have been told by an “expert” that thyroid disease prevents losing all the weight back down to where I was before I became hypothyroid. In fact, it is “normal” to hold on to 15 or 20 pounds. That’s about where I am right now, having lost 40 pounds. Is this information true? Must I be satisfied with a new normal?
Hi
I was told I had hypothyroidism after having my first child. I could not lose weight now matter what I tried. After about three months, my doctor ran those test for TSH T4 and sent me to a specialist who explained that before I was pregnant I was probably overactive and after my pregnancy my thyroid was under active. They put me on medication at that time .1mg of synthroid and I got check every 3 months for a couple of years. I am now on .88mg and still get checked once a year however I still have trouble losing weight. I feel it is hard enough to maintain my current weight and I do exercise and always have but it does not budge. It takes a lot of time for me to get a few pounds off and keep it off. I am glad I read your article.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 3 months ago. I had been to the doctor many times in about a year and a half span because I knew something had to be wrong. I could not find the energy to do even the easiest of things, my hair was falling out by handfuls, and I felt depressed all the time. My doctor ran about 5 thyroid tests during that period and all came back fine. He told me I had a D3 deficiency. I starting taking D3 right away. He had me taking 20,000 IUs a week to get my level up. Finally, after a year and a half he did yet another test and it came back that I had hypothyroidism. He explained then about how my levels were gradually getting worse everytime that he tested them. Aparently I had to wait until they were bad enough. I agree that many people suffer from this without having it treated by doctors because of it not being at a certain level. It seems unfair that people have to suffer with this and not get the medicine they need. Since getting my thyroid under control, I have lost 13 pounds so far and feel soooo much better. Thank you so very much for the info…. will definately know what to get the doctor to check next time… and things to do to help with it
HI Gail,
Thank you for sharing your story with thyroid matters. We are excited to hear you got a diagnosis and were able to get some appropriate help. Yes, there is more you can do. For starters, begin exercising the tips listed by Dr. Hyman in this article as they are very important to maintaining your thyroid health. Secondly, it is very important to try and eliminate gluten 100% from the diet. Medicine alone will only take you so far and diet will act as a messenger to your genes and hormones to send the appropriate message of health to your thyroid and cells so that your stress response goes down as well as hormone stabalization. Eating the appropriate types of complex carbs and in the correct portions will benefit you as well. There are supplements you might find advantagious too! Check this out: http://store.drhyman.com/Store/Show/UltraThyroid/823/The-Ultra-Thyroid-Solution
For more nutrition help, please see:http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/Coaching-Programs
In good health,
Lizzy
Hey Chris,
Thank you for sharing your story with thyroid. It sounds like your doc is doing a good job of testing and diagnosing. We suggest you try the Armour and see how it works for you!
In good health
Lizzy
I was diagnosed with hashimoto hypothyroid ten years ago. I feel great and my weight is fine. I can have digestive issues at times but most of the time I feel fine. I do geet bloated a lot. I am not sure since I was diagnosed with hashimoto hypothyroid and I feel fine if I need to go gluten free and change my diet because I was diagnosed with this disease. Is eating gluten irritating my body and that’s why I got this disease? I’m just confused.
I’ve been treated for hypothyroidism since 1997. My TSH was high. Recently I had a bad reaction to a flu shot. I have a fairly small mass in my neck since then. I had an ultrasound & biopsies which showed lymphphocytes. They said my Thyroid gland has been destroyed by my own body. I am now taking 1 1/4 grains of Armour. I had some celiac blood tests done which were negative. My sister & neices have celiac disease. I feel much better without gluten or dairy & I try to avoid sugar also but have a little bit of honey. I do have extreme allergic symptoms though. I also have a lot of gut pain & rumbling. . I’m about to purchase some glutamine powder as I think I have leaky gut. I cannot sleep at all now & take Ambien. I have DDD & extreme fatigue also. I’m going to try eating green smoothies to detox my body. Any suggestions. I feel like i’ve tried everything!
In 1984 I was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease. I started on synthroid. At the time I was within normal weight. Over the years, with multiple child births, my weight creeped up and I found myself 50 pounds over weight.
In 1995, my new doctor switched my medication to levoxyl at .150mg. I continued to be overweight.
I tried several diets and programs, but the weight stayed on. A friend suggested that I take the Alcat food insensitivity test because she said that my body was inflamed and prevented me from losing weight. My results were surprising. Many of the “healthy” foods that I ate daily I was sensitive to and they caused inflammation and chronic health problems. By simply eating the foods my body tolerated, I naturally lost 25 pounds. My doctor was surprised because my thyroid tests indicated that I also had to reduce my levoxyl strength to 112mg.
Food plays such a role in our health!
My doctor did a blood test that came back with results saying my thyroid hormone wasn’t being produced like it should at all, but then he said it’s completely healthy for some reason. But I have severe anxiety and I know that can’t be good on my thyroid and I have a weird almost eating disorder, I can’t gain weight unless I work out and eat at least 4000 colories a day and thats hard to do when I can’t eat all the time since Im usually not hungry. I am also extremely sensitive to anything I put in my body but am only allergic to penicilin. Ive been checked out for allergies at this place where I use to get accupunture and massages and the tests showed a lot of weak areas at first but after a few weaks they were strong again. I have a very strange medical history. I have severe motor tics as well which I have under control now 100%, except when Im alone in my room or somethig, and my doctor threw a fit saying it is impossible to have turrettes that bad while having complete conrol over them, it’s never been done… So as you probably guessed I changed my doctor and he’s the one who recently gave me the thyroid test saying I was dificient when it came to the thyroid hormone but it was completely healthy still. I would rather have a second opinion though because something doesn’t sound right about that.
Hi Brad,
Thank you for your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. In order to provide you the proper care you need we hope you will seek the attention of a local qualified Functional Med practitioner soon. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/findfmphysician/index.asp and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
To make an appointment at Dr. Hyman’s UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA please go to: http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/becoming-a-patient/ When you are finished reading through the material you may call the office at After you have reviewed this, please contact our office to make an appointment. By phone, (413) 637-9991; by email, office@ultrawellnesscenter.com
In good health
Lizzy
Hi Christine,
Thank you for sharing your story with hypothyroidism. Sounds like you have been through a lot! You are doing a lot of great things for yourself and we hope you feel the effects soon. Have you tried a probiotic? Ensuring that you have healthy gut flora is the foundation of good health! We have many ideas for you. For starters, check out:
1.http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/UltraMetabolism
2. http://store.drhyman.com/Store/Show/UltraThyroid/823/The-Ultra-Thyroid-Solution
If you would like a more personal nutrition consult, please go to:http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/Coaching-Programs
In good health!
Lizzy
Hello. My daughter is 14 years old. She was always on th every low end of the weight chart. After her first period,she was 12 1/2 ,she gained 50 pounds in 3 months. I have always thought something was not right, as early as 1st grade. Her pupils would dialte and she was soo skinny. I continue wanting answers to no avail. Her docter finally did blood work and her levels were at 0.00. That was six weeks ago, she wanted us to wait that time and retake the tests. Yesterday we took the tests and nothing has changed, except her Vitamin D levels were good because we started taking them. Also her blood pressure was high. Her body always looks and feels swollen. Joint pain and depression, her grades in the last year and a half have are just plain awful, because she cant concentrate. Her Dr. today called and said lets wait 4 months a try the tests again! Iam soo frusterated,I told the nurse today that I dont want to wait again, she needs to see a specialist. Am I over reacting or should I push for more? What is a low level?
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for writing and sharing your daughter’s health story. Sounds like the two of you have been through so much… With proper care it can get better. Unfortunately we cannot comment on her labs in this space…She needs to be seen by a practitioner trained in thyroid and hormone balance and we would recommend a qualified endocrinologist functional med practitioner. In order to provide you the proper care you need we hope you will seek the attention of a local qualified Functional Med practitioner soon. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/findfmphysician/index.asp and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
To make an appointment at Dr. Hyman’s UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA please go to: http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/becoming-a-patient/ When you are finished reading through the material you may call the office at After you have reviewed this, please contact our office to make an appointment. By phone, (413) 637-9991; by email, office@ultrawellnesscenter.com
It is a good idea to emply the concepts of diet and lifestyle outlined in Dr. Hyman’s 7 step plan in this article. This is the best way to regain control of her body’s natural rhythms and hormone harmony so to speak… Have you tried eliminating common food allergens, especially dairy and gluten? Often this simple (yet challenging at first, we know!) modification helps restart the engines! If you would like to have a more personalized nutrition consult please see our coaching programs: http://store.drhyman.com/Store/List/Coaching-Programs
In good health!
Lizzy