A Patient Revolution Against Decades of Inferior Treatment

A real eye opener. I have now convinced my doctor to put me on dessicated thyroid. First I have to get my adrenals working right; so, I have to read another book on that, but I do believe I will start feeling better on this regimen. Unbelievable physicians are not taught this information in medical school. I am having to tell my doctor what laboratory tests I need, and what medication I need. On a positive note, I have found a couple naturopaths in my area that seem to be more familiar with thyroid problems. I would suggest people skip their regular physicians and start by going to a naturopath who has experience with thyroid and adrenal problems. It will save you a lot of work.

Without this book I shudder to think where I would still be! I contracted a hospital-acquired antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection in July of 2007. Before the infection I had always been extremely healthy. But the infection left me very weak. While recovering my body began to ache, and then I felt suddenly very depressed and started having daily panic attacks. My doctor measured my TSH and total T3. My TSH was normal (of course!) but my total T3 was 2 points below normal. She said it was so close to normal that they wouldn't treat it and that I shouldn't worry about it, that my thyroid was "fine". Several months later my thyroid had swollen and looked like a golf ball in my throat. This time I was referred to an endocrinologist who told me my Free T3 was normal (2.34!!!) and my TSH was also normal, goiters were very common, and that my thyroid was, again, "fine". Next, a physical medicine doctor dx me with fibromyalgia. I was told there was no known cause and no cure, that the best I could hope for was pain, anxiety & sleep medications. So I was put on Zoloft, Ativan, Ambien & Lyrica. By this time I had found the STTM website and was convinced my doctors were wrong. First I tried to convince them to give me thyroid medication, but no luck. I realized I had to find a new doctor, but finding one who would take the right tests and prescribe NDT wasn't easy. Doctors are very convinced they're right about thyroid disease, but they are most certainly WRONG! I finally found a doctor who dx me as hypothyroid and gave me T3. ALL MY PAIN WENT AWAY!!! I was so happy I cried, because at times I hadn't wanted to live, that's how terrible & relentless the pain can be. But for me it came too late as the undiagnosed Hashimoto's had turned my previously benign nodules into papillary thyroid cancer. For 3 glorious months I had no pain, but after the thyroidectomy it was like starting over at square one. All the pain came back when they put me on T4-only Synthroid. The doctor who'd previously given me T3 didn't feel qualified to handle my medical needs anymore since I'd had the surgery in Oct 2010, so it took me until January of 2012 to get an Rx for NDT. By that time I was so anemic that it took another year before I was balanced enough that I was out of pain again. But as I sit here with no fibromyalgia pain, I'm so thankful I found STTM. And although I'm still working on resolving the hypo-aquired sleep apnea, I shudder to think that I would have spent the rest of my life like that: Depressed, exhausted, in horrible pain, and hopeless, really. I only wish I could tell others with the diagnoses of fibromyalgia so they could get better too, and I try to every chance I get. I'm so thankful for STTM which has helped me and so many others like me! It's been like a miracle for me!

then after two weeks, the reformulated version blew out my sinuses and I had to go on C-pap and spent $2,000 on two sleep studies to clear out the allergy for three months. Then I tried naturthoid and nothing happened.

However, it is only one type of treatment that should not dismiss the other. While there is only synthetic and NDT to contend with, medication needs to be titrated and reevaluated from time to time by a skilled practitioner with experience. Hormone balancing is complex and hormones can change even when you are at a correct dosage. Sometimes medication can work and then stop working.

Janie is a great NDT advocate as she found relief in this form of medication and I like her fiest for the low thyroid patient who has been treated like a lab value (which is my experience). I think her NDT vigilance paints a much too rosy picture of NDT. My new doctors office had patients coming in saying that too had bad to serious allergic reactions to Armour after the reformulation. This important fact was not published in her book. This book is more anecdotal and based on a personal experience. If you really need help addressing hormone balancing there are other books easy to read written by health care professionals, such as Dr. Shames.

I loved, loved this book. Finally there's information on thyroid disease that I can read for myself and helps me make my own decisions about my treatment. Had a partial thyroidectomy 12 years ago and my doctor is still telling me "you're fine...your numbers are fine....maybe you're depressed....you know you're getting older....maybe if you lost some weight" and on and on.
Now I have a game plan about what I want to do about my thyroid disease and an appointment with a doctor who uses natural dessicated thyroid in her practice.
The future looks a lot brighter now than it did before I found this book.
Take charge of your treatment. If you have thyroid disease and still feel awful, GET THIS BOOK.

Good information to be armed with when visiting the doctor. The only advice I will give is that we remember that this book is advice on where the problems COULD be and how to talk with your doctor. After speaking with mine, I now take supplements to support my thyroid and adrenals as she knew a lot of this information already.

Bowthorpe has done her homework as it relates to nutrition, supplements, and how exactly to break it to your doctor when you are not getting the correct treatment you need. If you're a new hypothyroid patient or have been struggling with the condition for years, this book gives you a newfound hope as it relates to your health. Enjoy!

did not know what to expect when I first purchased this book. Since reading it I have learned that is full of information for one with thyroid problems, and therefore I highly recommend this book for someone wanting to better understand their thyroid problem and solutions to fix it with natural desiccated thyroid

This book was a joy to read. The information contained in this book gave me the missing pieces to my thyroid health puzzle. What I liked most is that the text flowed from one point to the next in a very understandable way. This is because there is such a human aspect to this book. It is about personal human experience, and the honoring of this, not just facts and figures. The author is a pioneer and trailblazer and I'm so grateful she forged the way ahead of me.

Very informative the only reason I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 is that there aren't really specifics dosages for the supplements recommended. I also feel there should be more related to specific food recommendations that help heal the autoimmune side of hashimotos. Overall a good starting point for a new diagnosee.

thanks to this book and many postings on the store and the STTM website I am feeling like I am going to recover my life.....much more to go and I have come so far and I feel my life was saved by this book. Thanks

very good very inforative you need this book if you have thyroid or adrienal problems. You do not get a lot of this info elsewhere. Like they do not tell you that a good portion of soy will make you feel sleepy if you have thyroid issues at the doctors office or AMA sites
This book cares and the MD sites do not. It has alot more good information. Don't let yur tiredness from your illness keep you from reading this book.

It is the most revealing book on hypothyroidsim that I have read so far. I am trying to learn how to treat my hypothyroidsim so that I can live a more satisfying life. It is so difficult when the physician is not interested in improving the life of the inflicted.

This is an excellent book; really helped me figure out what was wrong with me and what to do when my doctor did nothing. It even includes templates to use in finding a new doctor (wish I had had this before I switched!). At first I found it really overwhelming: especially since I was dealing with brain-fog and couldn't think. But take your time and just read and re-read it and you'll get it. I even did a short phone consultation with the author and she gave me some good advice on what to do while I'm waiting to see my new doctor.

The author of this excellent book was on the verge of applying for Social Security Disability due to her hypothyroidism. Happily, thanks to the internet she found the solution and wrote this book to illuminate the rest of us. This is one of the most comprehensive books on the topic, but I would also recommend reading the following books (that she also suggests for further reading) :

- Dr Barnes Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness
- Dr Brownstein Iodine: Why you need it, Why you can't live without it
- Dr Starr Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic

You will have to do your homework, yes. But remember it is your own health that is at stake. Probably, your doctor is currently receiving a "course" - all expenses paid by Big Pharma - in Hawaii. He doesn't bother how you are feeling, and will continue to give you recipes for Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothyroxine and other T4-only thyroxine drugs, while monitoring your TSH.

I am also a victim of this medical malpractice. Thanks to the information in this and the other books I mentioned, I began to solve my problems with iodine supplements (Iodoral 180 tabs). This is the preferred treatment recommended by Dr Brownstein, and I will see where it gets me, before eventually considering other options. I already feel better, have more energy, sleep better and am less irritable in just two weeks time.

It sure may seem that this hypothyroidism epidemic (no less than 40 % of the population following Dr Barnes) is "madness" to us - the people, but for Big Pharma, this has carefully been planned. If you understand that hypothyroidism is linked to high cholesterol, gastritis, depression, Alzheimer's and heart attacks, you will readily understand that for Big Pharma, this is excellent news. They need the people to be chronically ill, so they can sell their "blockbusters", like Lipitor, Zocor, Omeprazol, Prozac, and all kind of other patented pills...

On top of that, if you believe your doctor and the FDA, they will tell you there is no cure for cancer. Also in this case it applies that if you do your homework, you will find out that this is a lie. There is a cure for cancer and it is called vitamin B17. Just like iodine, it is a cheap remedy, that can't be patented, and is considered "dangerous" by the FDA. However, two doctors have treated 4.400 patients with this nutritional therapy :

- Dr Richardson Laetrile Case Histories: The Richardson Cancer Clinic Experience
- Dr Binzel Alive and Well: One Doctor's Experience With Nutrition in the Treatment of Cancer Patients

When putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, it becomes clear that Big Pharma and its subsidiary in Washington, the FDA, want the people to be chronically ill, so they can do big business. The hoax with the synthetic thyroid medication and the TSH-monitoring began in the '70s, at the same time that vitamin B17 was under attack. This is no coincidence. Powerful people and business interests are behind this. You can find some important references to this in World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B17.

Thanks to the internet we can finally come in touch with other patients and understand what is going on and treat ourselves. Thank you, Janie Bowthorpe, for this important book. Keep up the good work !

If you have or think you have Hypothyroid, this is the book to read. Janie doesn't mince words, she tells it like it is, and what's more there is guidance on why certain things happen, and great ideas that you can use to get healthy.

This is a must read for anyone struggling with thyroid problems, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, or other thyroid related diseases like Hashimotos or Graves. A wealth of knowledge that has helped me exponentially on my journey back to wellness after dealing with thyroid cancer and radiation.

This book is the author's personal rant, with some good information included. In places you have to guess what Ms. Bowthorpe means, because of poor word choice or typos. This book needs an editor--the presentation should be more coherent than a series of overlapping harangues. I did like the symptom checklists for the health conditions covered by the book.

LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION AND SOUND REASONING. I HAD THYROID PROBLEMS AND NOT GOOD ANSWERS. RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. EACHE PERSON IS DIFFERENT, GETTING ALL THE INFO AND THEN MAKE A PLAN. THIS IS WHAT I FELT THE BOOK DID FOR ME. THANKS DV

This book has given me so much information on thyroid issues. I have learned so much after many years on thyroid meds. Tests to have done to how you should take the meds......need to read if you have thyroid issues!!!!!

Easy to understand and follow book that explains in lay man's terms why we still feel crappy and symptomatic despite our many lab tests and prescription thyroid meds. Most doctors are not trained to help us feel better they are trained to reach optimum lab values and most of those are useless and worthless. This book is my new bible for helping myself feel better and manage the symptoms of under active thyroid! I am so grateful that there is help out there for people like me who are tired of putting life on hold while we search for adequate relief! I strongly recommend this to anyone who even suspects they have a thyroid problem, despite what your doctors have said about it!

I found this book to be very illuminating. I was caught in conflict between an MD and a Chiropractor in how to treat my symptoms for hypothyroidism. This book helped me to understand so much and gave me the confidence to go with the alternative approach outside of traditional medicine.

And by all means find the website (Google it), and then join the associated mailing list so you can find a "good doc" who actually understands something about thyroid OR will work with you from YOUR new knowledge of the issue and your actual symptoms, not thoroughly misunderstood blood tests. The commonly relied-upon TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) blood test is all but meaningless. It's a pituitary hormone anyway! You can be severely hypothyroid and still have a "within normal range" TSH value. Hypothyroidism is an epidemic in this country -- get this book so you can help yourself or someone you love.

This book changed my life and my health status. I've had a thyroid condition since I was 12, which was 62 yrs ago for me. And all my life I've been battling doctors in a vain attempt to get my symptoms treated rather than merely have the most minimal lab test interpreted. Not to mention the constant fight to be prescribed natural dessicated thyroid medication rather than synthetics. This book not only gave me all the info I needed to empower myself as a patient, but it gave me the courage to become my own activist and advocate, in a way I never imagined. Suddenly I had a voice in a doctors office. I learned to not settle for the ignorance, apathy and avoidance of my symptoms by most doctors. I learned how to guide, monitor and manage my thyroid condition myself, and use doctors as assistants or collaborators. That might sound radical...but radical it has to be, I discovered. I also love that this book turned me on to the whole world of patient-to-patient activism. I never knew about all the extraordinary wisdom and insight and info gathering being created by patients talking to patients. This author and her book really did change my life. And my health. To me, it's a bible. To own and to share.

And by all means find the website (Google it), and then join the associated mailing list so you can find a "good doc" who actually understands something about thyroid OR will work with you from YOUR new knowledge of the issue and your actual symptoms, not thoroughly misunderstood blood tests. The commonly relied-upon TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) blood test is all but meaningless. It's a pituitary hormone anyway! You can be severely hypothyroid and still have a "within normal range" TSH value. Hypothyroidism is an epidemic in this country -- get this book so you can help yourself or someone you love.

This book changed my life and my health status. I've had a thyroid condition since I was 12, which was 62 yrs ago for me. And all my life I've been battling doctors in a vain attempt to get my symptoms treated rather than merely have the most minimal lab test interpreted. Not to mention the constant fight to be prescribed natural dessicated thyroid medication rather than synthetics. This book not only gave me all the info I needed to empower myself as a patient, but it gave me the courage to become my own activist and advocate, in a way I never imagined. Suddenly I had a voice in a doctors office. I learned to not settle for the ignorance, apathy and avoidance of my symptoms by most doctors. I learned how to guide, monitor and manage my thyroid condition myself, and use doctors as assistants or collaborators. That might sound radical...but radical it has to be, I discovered. I also love that this book turned me on to the whole world of patient-to-patient activism. I never knew about all the extraordinary wisdom and insight and info gathering being created by patients talking to patients. This author and her book really did change my life. And my health. To me, it's a bible. To own and to share.

Learned a lot about the importance of iron, but found the protocol confusing. This list of possible mistakes thyroid patients can make on the STTM protocol seems to grow longer every passing year. After struggling to follow the complicated directions for 9 months, I gave up and went back to my previous routine of Levoxyl plus 1/4 grain Armour. What a relief to get back to something simple & predictable.

This is an easy to understand, Layman's version of how to 'come to grips' with the complex issues of Thyroid.
I love that there are excellent explanations of the 'foods' that impact on the endocrine system. This book includes great information on the use of appropriate supplements. Healthy Fats and Minerals are essential to balancing a beneficial Gut!

This book is extremely detailed and goes into the particulars not only of diagnosis but also of various treatment protocols. It's much more technically detailed than I'd expected, but I kept it because I've learned a great deal. It enables me to evaluate treatments by my doctors with some base of knowledge. Even if I don't wish to go into a complex protocol, I feel armed to defend myself against poor treatment or medication. In fact, by reading this book just partially I've discovered why I never felt as good on the levothyroxine (Synthroid) as when I used the dessicated thyroid; it also explained my weight loss after returning to dessicated thyroid, which had mystified me when it happened. And,it pointed out that I needed other tests than the one my doctor relied on. This alone makes my purchase of this book a good decision.

After I had completed 11 months of painstaking rehab from prescription drugs I thought most of my health problems would resolve themselves.

This was 'wishful thinking' indeed. Getting free from sleeping pills and anti-depressants unravelled the real reason I had suffered with chronic insomnia, hypertension and depression for twenty five years. HYPOTHROIDISM! I was also diagnosed with ADRENAL FATIGUE after learning how to get properly tested by reading, "Stop the Thyroid Madness," by Janie Bowthorpe.

As a former patient herself, Janie learned the hard way about how to rid herself of the debilitating symptoms of thyroid disease. I am extremely grateful that she had the desire to write about her experiences because I hate to think where I'd be today without making the wonderful progress I have to date.

This book helped me in so many ways. It is extremely informative in relation to thyroid disease and adrenal insufficiency. My much studied copy is now dog-eared and well worn as it contains step by step instructions on how to seek the appropriate treatment for both diseases.

Finally after years of illness associated with these diseases I am looking forward to the future with enthusiasm and energy. Both of which had been denied to me due to lack of a correct diagnosis.

The medical profession are stuck in a time warp of using outdated tests for diagnosing thyroid problems and this is why thousands of patients continue to suffer.

Patients and doctors world wide need the benefit of Janie's well researched and long experienced wisdom concerning the above conditions and I am happy to say this book has changed my life for the better in so any ways.

I truly appreciate this book and the doctor recommendations on the website. I was going to an endocrinologist recommended in my area, but I found a local GP who is wonderful.

The test border numbers for blood pressures, diabetes, and cholesterol have been consistently moved downward to catch these diseases earlier, but this has never been done with the numbers for thyroid conditions - and untreated hypothyroid can cause extensive organ damage, including to the heart as well as midline obesity and all the myriad problem THAT brings with it, including early death.

I have been fed up over the years with doctors who have had the "healer" squeezed right out of them in their pharmaceutically-financed educations. My doctor, who actually listens and thinks, rather than just looking up numbers in a list or book, prescribed Armour for me based on SYMPTOMS (what a novel idea! - if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck - it might just be a duck!). He even commented that many doctors treat by test numbers instead of symptoms, and that people are not all the same and that symptoms and quality of life matter (how did I get so lucky?).

I avoid medications as much as possible, and take VERY few for my age (68). I believe whole-heartedly in wholistic approaches and taking synthetic T4 only, or separately adding synthetic T3 only, rather than taking a natural dessicated thyroid containing naturally balanced components that you don't get with the synthetics. There is a synergy in everything we consume - calcium doesn't absorb properly without magnesium, for example. All the thyroid components interact together to function properly, which is no doubt why ALL symptoms are not addressed with synthetics, but are addressed with dessicated thyroid. I started on Armour about 4 weeks ago, but I started very slow, 1/4 grain for 2 weeks, than 1/2, now 3/4, which is still very low, but already I'm feeling better. Some symptoms have improved: I can concentrate better, I don't feel as extremely fatigued or so apathetic - I have actually started going to an exercise program "Silver Sneakers" for retirees.

It breaks my heart to think I could have been here 15 years ago (and been spared the years of suffering and physical damage) if I had had a decent doctor, or the information provided in this book. This author has done much more research on these issues than most doctors are willing to do and also speaks from years of experience. I've read comments (from defensive medical people) that say the author's advice is "dangerous" (treating oneself when the medical community fails one), but I couldn't disagree more (and my doctor also), because going to lazy doctors and leaving hypothyroid UN-treated for 15 years is FAR more dangerous to your health and life than taking matters into your own hands after researching and informing yourself. Of course, finding a supportive doctor is the best alternative, but leaving hypothyroid UN-treated is the worst alternative for your health and life.

I would recommend beginning VERY slowly, as this avoids any heart palpitations as your body adjusts. I know they go away, but I prefer to allow my body to adjust very slowly, so they don't happen at all. I am so grateful for this book. The medical community often treats the rest of us as though we were imbeciles and should regard them as final authorities. I just cannot do that, I have to understand what is going on before I can acquiesce to a treatment. I skipped the last 3 years of high school, and began at USC when I was 14 years old, and graduated with honors in computer science. I actually retired early because I was so fatigued and my concentration was flagging. If I had had a REAL healer doctor, I would have worked years longer and might yet be working. My previous doctors (except one in Atlanta, 20 years ago) have been less intelligent than I am and too arrogant to listen to a patient's research or opinions. My current doctor answers all my questions, listens to me, and freely shares his knowledge, as well as respects mine. If he doesn't know something, he isn't afraid to say so and then finds the information. I trust and respect him and I am grateful to have been given the courage to search until I found him. I have a flyer from AARP that says to be "an old cuss" patient and insist on the care you deserve. But I haven't had to do that. In fact, I feel so much better going into his office with his great staff, that my blood pressure has dropped from 180/90 to 124/71. I think my BP measured high because I was so frustrated and angry every time I went into my prior doctors' offices, with their "officious" staff and arrogant attitudes.

I am grateful for this book - it has helped me make my life worth living again. Thank you.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Now I know why I never felt right after my thyroid was removed 19 years ago. Just found out my adrenal glands are stressed out. Looking forward to recovering my health. Have bought extra copies for family and I am giving my primary care doctor a copy.

This book has the best information that I have found to date on treating thyroid problems. After almost thirty years of suffering, I have learned what
tests I needed and what to do to improve my health. Thanks Janie!

This book has helped in my journey from Graves to Hashimotos Thyroiditis! I am still on my journey and I guess I always will be! Finally taking Armour Thyroid….still not quite right but a LOT better than synthroid!!!! thanks for all your help!!

Was disappointed with this book. I am already an avid fan and user of porcine thyroid (vs synthetics). For me, as for the reader and many of the contributors to the book, this is the only type my body utilizes well.

I'm certain the book is chock full of some great advice and guidelines. However, I found the writer's style of writing and delivery very difficult to understand/follow. And repetitive. And biased toward ONLY natural. And with a good deal of animosity and frustration leveled at conventional medicine (which I sympathize with but find gets in the way of the message). Did I mention repetitive?

I was hoping for a clear, concise presentation of the information (similar to Dr. John Lee's books on natural hormone replacement). However, and maybe it's me--I just got bogged down and anxious as I tried to follow this book, make notes for future use, etc. I finally gave up.

If there is a sample of this book available, I highly recommend that before purchasing. I have now, after more research, ordered a different book written in the 70's entitled: Hypothyroidism: the Unsuspected Illness. I'm hoping this will be an easier read on a very complicated subject.

This book has saved my life. I am finally regaining energy. I am also growing some new hair which I think is from the information in this book. I am 71 and basically healthy in all other ways. It is amazing how much information she has gathered together from so many other people's experiences. And then she has sourced her information so we can confirm it, if we have doubts. Marvelous book.