Thyroid Disorders:

If you have a hard time getting up in the morning, you need coffee, Coke, Pepsi, or 5-hour Energy to rev yourself up in the morning (or to pep up during the day)… if you’re struggling to cope with stress… if you feel tired for no good reason… if your sex drive has decreased… your hands are cold... your skin and hair are of poor quality... you may be suffering from a thyroid gland problem.  
 

In my opinion impaired thyroid function is more common, and more complex than doctors are suggesting. It is one of several common and under-diagnosed causes of chronic fatigue, pain and a host of other symptoms.  

Your thyroid gland is essential for proper metabolism and body weight.  Its normal function is also critical for chronic pain conditions. One may receive a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or have multiple joint and muscle pains, yet a thyroid imbalance may be a big part of the problem.  It is unfortunately a problem that may go undiagnosed.  The following are possible symptoms of thyroid malfunction:

• Low energy
• Problems with skin, hair and nails
• Fatigue
• Cold hands or feet 
• Constipation
• Low sex drive
• Irregular menstrual periods or infertility 
• Memory problems
• Fluid retention
• Thin or absent outer eyebrows
• Low body temperature

When your thyroid gland is underactive (hypothyroid), it does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Your diet and overall health lifestyle play an important role in proper thyroid function. Unfortunately, many physicians merely prescribe drugs such as Synthroid to handle thyroid problems. What’s worse is that many doctors only consider you to have a thyroid problem if your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is outside of the so-called normal range. 

In my opinion, many accepted medical standards for healthy or normal are pitifully outdated and inaccurate. Besides, they change them constantly. I believe in treatment that is based on the patient, beyond the mere results of blood tests.
 

Your thyroid gland is located in the front part of your neck. It is part of your endocrine system—your hormone producer. Hormones work with all other hormones throughout your body. Since all hormones interact together, a troubled thyroid gland can affect you in many ways. You can feel lousy all over if your thyroid is shot. Many a person diagnosed with fibromyalgia has an underlying thyroid problem, and/or an adrenal gland malfunction. Your thyroid gland must produce balanced levels of two hormones, called T3 and T4. Their balance can be thrown off by many things. Nutrition can be a factor for many folks. 

Some people are badly affected by a diet high in the wheat protein, gluten, as well as soy. Foods such as dark greens, nuts, sea vegetables, carrots and coconut oil may be very helpful. It is very important to drink pure water and get plenty of sunshine. Other factors that interfere with thyroid function include environmental toxins, stress, allergies and infections.  

Although I don’t always agree with other physician's approach to diagnosing and treating people with thyroid problems; I do recommend certain standard lab tests as a starting point. The tests include:

• High-sensitivity Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) 
• Total T4 (Thyroxine)
• Total T3 (Triiodothyronine)
• Free T4
• Free T3
• T3 Uptake
• Reverse T3
• Autoimmune Test: Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Antibodies
• Autoimmune Test: Anti-thyroglobulin Antibodies

You should always have options of how you want to handle your health. I do not prescribe medications. I am not an endocrinologist, nor do I directly treat the thyroid gland. I provide various wellness-based treatments and advice—to support better thyroid and total body health. If there’s reason to consider prescription thyroid medication, I recommend seeing a medical doctor who will consider bio-identical hormones such as Armour Thyroid, and not just Synthroid (levothyroxine). You should research these medications on your own as well. Some people do better on Synthroid, but some do better on Armour.

In my practice I advocate a complementary and holistic approach. I do NOT suggest or take any involvement in the prescription or removal of medications of any kind. Medications are an issue for you to only discuss with your prescribing physician, if applicable. If you feel you may be suffering from low thyroid function, make sure you find a doctor who understands this condition.