I Feel like My Thyroid Is Off, but My Doctor Says…
One of the very most common issues that has brought patients to my office over the years is their belief that they have problems/symptoms related to their thyroid glands. They will tell me that for some period of time they have been experiencing at least several clinical symptoms widely known to be related to these glands, including, but not necessarily limited to:
- Weight gain/difficulty losing or maintaining weight
- Fatigue/lack of energy
- Loss/shedding/thinning of hair
- Change in the texture of nails or hair
- Poor sleep
- Diminished concentration or memory/brain fog
- Irregular or slowed heartbeat/palpitations
- Menstrual irregularity
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Swelling/ pressure in the lower anterior neck
- Depression
- Weak/depleted Immune system
Typically, they have already asked their primary care docs to check their thyroid, and, lo and behold, they are told that their tests came back “normal”. Perhaps they have gone on to inquire with an endocrinologist, but the answer is often the same: no problem found. However, that said, they don’t feel “normal”. And that is often when these folks come to seek the advice of a functional medical doctor.
There are SO many aspects to thyroid function and efficacy that need to be addressed when someone is experiencing “hypothyroid symptoms”. For whatever reason, unclear to me, the in-depth investigation of the thyroid often falls into province of functional physicians such as myself.
For many physicians, thyroid lab testing consists solely of a TSH test (thyroid stimulation hormone that emanates from the pituitary gland). If this number is elevated or depressed, it will trigger a response with medication. The functional “cutoff” at the high end for a “good” TSH vs. a not-so-good TSH is not the same as the traditional/lab cutoff. This is one of many distinctions in the traditional as opposed to the holistic approach to establishing thyroid status.
Some traditional physicians will also check “T4”, the precursor to the active thyroid hormone in the body known as “T3”. A decent T4 level does not insure adequate ACTIVE T3 levels, as sufficient and accurate conversion is by no means guaranteed. Therefore, it is critical to check not only for actual T3 levels, but also for levels of improperly manufactured and hence ineffectual T3 (known as “reverse T3”).
Other considerations in a thorough evaluation would include:
- Is there adequate iodine in the body to support thyroid function?
- Are toxic elements sitting in the body where iodine belongs?
- Are other nutrient levels that support thyroid function optimal?
- Is thyroid hormone being well-received in the body’s tissues?
- Is autoimmune disease interfering with thyroid function?
- (A big one!) Are the adrenals that partner with the thyroid glands in good shape, doing their part in working with the thyroid to produce “good thyroid” results or not?
- Is the overall metabolic rate optimal?
In testing comprehensively and uncovering the answers to these questions, we are in a much better position to understand why one may indeed be experiencing thyroid-like symptoms, even though their most basic tests are coming out seemingly “normal”. Once we discover exactly where the issues lie, it is not difficult to treat and correct the problem or problems at hand and alleviate symptoms, restoring a patient back to a more robust level of health. As they say on TV: “The more you know….”.
Since completing her mentorship working side-by-side with Dr. Robert Atkins (“The Atkins Diet”), Robin Ellen Leder, M.D. has been practicing functional/integrative medicine in her own Hackensack office, A Better Alternative Medical Center, for over 30 years. Based on her years of experience and extensive coursework in the field, she has successfully treated thousands of patients for such conditional as thyroid and adrenal dysfunction, weight issues, psychological disorders, chronic gut conditions, autoimmune disease, psychiatric/emotional concerns, blood sugar dysregulation, arthritis, etc. She offers detailed physical exams, innovative testing, nutritional programs, IV therapy, psychological counselling and chelation therapy for proactive heart health and for the elimination of heavy toxic metals, For more information, see ad on page 3, or call her office at 201-525-1155.
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