Changing Course

As I mentioned in my last post, after doing much research, I have switched my therapy to T3 only, as I believe that the years of severe stress resulting in adrenal fatigue have also given me an RT3 problem, which I am attempting to reverse with a 3-5 month trial of T3 therapy, after which I will go back to Armour. It wasn't really a difficult decision, but it took a lot of research and deep thought in order to make the necessary change. I am still in my iodine experiment, but I anticipate re-introducing iodine to my regimen. I still wish I had a good doctor to help me out in this most difficult maze, but the medical profession is just not up to speed here and way too much influenced by the pharmaceutical companies and their reps. I no longer trust most doctors; I just got sicker and sicker and more and more miserable. Since I have been charting my own course I have finally started on the road to wellness. My story and the story of so many who are subclinically hypothyroid and/or have Hashi's is a condemnation of our medical system, which is woefully behind the true cutting edge of thyroid therapy and is mired in barbaric surgical practices that remove thyroid glands, when much safer alternatives exist to deal with nodules, both hot and cold. The only reason to remove a thyroid gland is cancer. Goiters and nodules can be dealt with on a much safer and far less life changing way. To remove the thyroid gland is to remove the body's thermostat and regulator of metabolism. Barbaric indeed, especially when these can be successfully dealt with WITHOUT surgery, if doctors wouldn't be in such a hurry to do the easy thing and more willing to look at other options, while taking more time, in the long run are much more successful at giving lives back. Surgery, while successful in the short term and easy for physicians and surgeons, leaves the patient with a whole new set of problems, which most doctors just do not deal with correctly. Barbaric and sad. So many lives lived in misery with their misery dismissed by their doctors. A sad commentary on our medical system.

Still in my iodine experiment and I have changed my protocol even more. I have switched from Armour to T3 only plus my HC to see if it will make any difference in how I am feeling, healthwise. I am also looking into Gilbert's Syndrome to see if this is part of my health puzzle. I am still sleeping very poorly and life is difficult, although not quite as difficult as it was two years ago. I still have a ways to go and still wanting to find a doctor that will be a partner with me in my health and won't fight me on tests that are needed. I would love to get some baselines on my female hormones now that I am post-meno, but the doc thought that since they would all be low as I am post meno it wouldn't be necessary! Gads, what is the problem with just getting a baseline to know how to proceed!?! So tired of fighting for what I need. It would be so nice to have a good doc, but they are far and few and about as scarce as hen's teeth to find one that isn't out to push drugs for every little thing! Most docs nowadays are just legal drug pushers. Yuck! Give me a good doc that will get to the bottom of an illness and treat the illness, not just a doc that wants to throw drugs at symptoms; one that is willing to look OUTSIDE the box and learn a thing or two. Patients can learn from docs, yes, but docs can sure learn a lot from patients if they would only choose to listen now and then and not dismiss symptoms.

I should mention that I am still in my iodine experiment also. Still not taking any extra iodine; whatever is in my excellent multi, but no iodoral right now. I am going to do this for at least six months and then re-assess the situation.

Because I am not progressing as I had hoped and am still dealing with a lot of fatigue and sleep issues, plus brain fog, I am going to try some T3 to see if RT3 is affecting me because of the long time I have been ill. I am my own science experiment, LOL. I do know that I am much better than I have been for many, many years, so my progress is ever upwards, although it seems to be stalled right now. I have been researching RT3 (Reverse T3) issues and feel in my gut that a temporary trial of T3 might be a good thing. Well, we will see what we will see. I look forward to this trial. I have had a lot of ups and downs, but I feel that I am on the right track. The adrenal fatigue is so much better; I am gradually ramping down on the HC and am on a much smaller dose now; close to 12-15 mgs per day, if that. Sometimes I forget a dose, which tells me that I am finally healing from the years of terrible stress. Hooray!