Thousands of (mostly) women have gone to a doc because they don't feel like themselves only to leave frustrated and sick to death of hearing, "This is what happens at your age", or "It's all in your head, nothing's wrong."
They—maybe you—have said things like:
I'm gaining weight, I'm cold all the time, my hair is getting thin, my sleep is awful, I'm in a fog. To be fair to the docs who hear these kinds of complaints, the cause could be one of many problems. Depending on your age they may get chalked up to peri-menopause though feeling cold is not on that menu.
Too much iron, low B12, certain medications, toxins, and viruses can also be to blame. But we're here to talk about the one problem that captures all of those symptoms to a T and adds many more: Hypothyroidism.
If you've Googled your symptoms Hypothyroidism may have come up more than once.
Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.
One woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.
Naturally you'd want to find out if in fact your thyroid is healthy or in need of support. If you've had the above mentioned kind of doc visit and still feel like crapola, you are not alone. Help is here.
If you haven't yet gone to a doc because you don't know what to expect or what to ask for, this Shortie is for you.
And if you don't want to listen--it's only 14 minutes long--there's always a transcript and the resources below are great places to get all the information you need to understand the various forms of thyroid disease, how to get help, and what to ask your doctor for if you don't have someone who is fluent in thyroid restoration.
Dr. Chris Kresser for information on all things functional medicine but specific to this post, he has a great ebook on why people get thyroid disease, what stresses out the thyroid, testing, meds, herbs, etc.
Mary Shomon is a lay person but decades long thyroid health advocate and coach for those struggling with hypothyroidism. She has books, runs classes, and offers coaching including reading thyroid labs. I interviewed her for this podcast. Find it here.
Izabella Wentz specializes in Hashimotos thyroiditis which is the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism. She recommends lifestyle, natural foods and supplements for healing and dealing with Hashi’s.
Dr. Richard Shames, as mentioned above, is a thyroid expert who offers virtual consultations after testing. He was the first doc I consulted after interviewing him for a summit and I’m forever grateful for his insights and recommendations. You might want to start with his book, Thyroid Mind Power, The Proven Cure of Hormone-Related Depression and Memory Loss.
Finally, Stop The Thyroid Madness, Janie Bowthorpe’s website. In her words, the INFORMATIONAL MOTHERSHIP WEBSITE OF REPORTED PATIENT EXPERIENCES, OBSERVATIONS, AND WISDOM GAINED WORLDWIDE!
It’s a haven for those who can’t get treated satisfactorily or who need ammo to take to a doc in what else might be a better drug or dose for them. You feel heard here and will get answers.
And if you'd like to have a conversation about any of this grab a spot on my calendar. There is no charge. You can tell me what you are experiencing, what you've tried, and I'll point you in the right direction. If you need help with recommended lifestyle changes, start with a call as well.
