Overcoming Thyroid Disorders by Dr. David Brownstein

I just finished reading Overcoming Thyroid Disorders by Dr. David Brownstein. It has some very good information in it if you are one of the thousands who just don't feel good on the synthetic thyroid medication your doctor has you on now.

There are chapters on: hypothyroidism, Poor T4 Converters & Thyroid Hormone Resistance, Thyroid Replacement Options, Hyperthyroidism and Autoimmune Disorders, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Adrenal and Gonadal Hormones and their Relationship to the Thyroid, Diet, Detoxification, Coagulation Disorders, Iodine and the Thyroid Gland, and the Glycemic Index.

I came across some information that I made note of to research a little, such as Dr. Broda O. Barnes (researcher in field of thyroid/endocrine imbalances). There is a foundation named for him that I am going to research as well. Dr. Barnes said in the 1960's that two things would change forever with diagnosing and treating hypothyroidism and that was the use of the blood test to diagnose (instead of using symptoms as well) and the use of the synthetic thyroid hormone (such as Synthroid).

I am wondering, after reading this book, if my low T3 numbers was due to an inability to convert the T4 (from the Synthroid I was on for seven years) to T3 properly. My new doctor has kept me on that same Syncrap dosage I've been on forever but he's also added 120 mg compounded armour thyroid daily as well.  I wonder if he's trying to override a resistance to conversion.  My labs next month will tell I guess.

Another thing I learned from this book is that Synthroid has lactose in it.  I'm lactose intolerant! Also in Synthroid according to Dr. Brownstein is cornstarch and dyes including aluminum lake.

Aspartame:  According to this book, aspartame is metabolized into formaldehyde.  He believes aspartame may contribute to autoimmune thyroid problems.

I don't have fibromyalgia (though the last endocrinologist tried to tell me I did before he even examined me) but Dr. Brownstein's book addresses fibromyalgia as well. He believes it is impossible to improve fibromyalgia if the thyroid gland is messed up.  He said he's found 80% of patients with fibromyalgia have hypothyroidism (and many are undiagnosed because of the failure to get the correct tests and read the labs correctly).