By: Robin Berzin MD
Sometimes it can be awkward to explain to your doctor that you’re tired all the time, that your stomach keeps hurting, that you have problems losing weight. After all, those don’t always feel like “real” illnesses. But these symptoms are trying to tell you something. And sometimes they’re trying to tell you that something is truly wrong.
Thyroid cancer and hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), Graves disease and Hashtimotos thyroiditis, autoimmune diseases of the thyroid, are all on the rise.
While there is absolutely a genetic predisposition to thyroid disease, particularly Hashimotos, we also know that few things in the body are purely genetic. There is always an environmental and lifestyle component or trigger.
There are plenty of outside factors that can disrupt your thyroid. These include BPA in plastic bottles, pesticide exposure, soy isoflavones, nutrient deficiencies and high levels of stress.
At Parsley Health we diagnose thyroid disease that has been missed every day. How? Because we look for it in way other doctors don’t.
We routinely test a complete thyroid panel on every patient. This includes tests that look for antibodies to the thyroid that indicate autoimmune activity against it.
One of our members is a man who had been suffering from weight gain, depression and fatigue. His doctors put him on antidepressants and told him his problem was testosterone. No one ever thought to test his thyroid. When we began testing him we discovered he had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. We were then able to heal his glands with diet changes and supplements. You can read more of his story here.
Another patient had had recurrent miscarriages. Her doctor had ignored her symptoms of muscle pain and fatigue because her TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone, was “normal.” However at Parsley Health we know from European research that our range for “normal” in the US is wrong. It’s too broad, especially is someone is symptomatic.
We treated her with a natural form of thyroid hormone support, and our patient got pregnant right away. She is now the mother to a happy healthy baby boy!
Here are the common signs your thyroid is struggling. Don’t let your doctor dismiss you.
- Constipation and hard stools
- Weight gain
- Fatigue even with a good night’s sleep
- Dry skin and hair
- Evenly distributed hair loss
- Muscle cramps and pain
- Depression and low mood
- Infertility and miscarriage
Originally published at www.parsleyhealth.com on December 9, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com