TSH levels may improve, but the patient’s condition can worsen, as Hashimoto’s is progressive and their immune system will likely continue to attack the thyroid (if the underlying root cause of the condition is left unaddressed). Once on this prescription-only path, a patient will likely have limited follow-ups that are focused primarily on the medication’s effectiveness at improving their TSH levels. Thyroid medications are expected to address a patient’s symptoms, and patients are often told that they should begin feeling better in a few weeks. Please check out my article on thyroid medication options to learn more.)ģ. (As a pharmacist, I take appropriate medication use seriously. This is because some people’s bodies don’t adequately convert T4 to T3, so they may need a combination T4/T3 medication for optimal support. (Furthermore, I’ve found that many clients respond better to non-T4-centric hormone medications. These measure the levels of thyroid hormone in the pituitary gland, but not in the rest of the body. However, patients are frequently not dosed on medication appropriately because outdated and cookie-cutter lab reference ranges are used. If thyroid levels are deemed “abnormal,” levothyroxine (T4) is the thyroid hormone of choice prescribed to most people with Hashimoto’s. If your thyroid labs appear “normal,” you’re likely going to be told that there is nothing you can do, other than wait until the thyroid is destroyed to the point that you will need thyroid medications.Ģ. There are five stages of disease progression in developing Hashimoto’s, and TSH doesn’t usually test as abnormal until stage 4! TSH often tests as abnormal only after a lot of damage to the thyroid has already been done. The issue with this for someone with Hashimoto’s is that it is not a “preventative” test, and a person with Hashimoto’s may appear to have normal TSH levels and be told they are fine… for years.
Functional doctor near me series#
The standard of care approach to Hashimoto’s, practiced by most conventional doctors and endocrinologists, is focused on testing for low levels of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) if a patient presents with a series of known thyroid symptoms. Here are the typical recommendations made for those with Hashimoto’s:ġ. The conventional approach to treating Hashimoto’s focuses on looking at one particular organ or function (the thyroid), versus looking at the body as an integrated whole.
Functional doctor near me how to#
In this article, I’d like to offer some information about the conventional approach to thyroid care, versus a Root Cause approach, and how to find a doctor who can help you meet your wellness goals. Such doctors only prescribe one type of thyroid hormone, don’t dose the thyroid hormones correctly, and leave their patients feeling miserable!
The sad reality is that many patients are often disappointed after meeting with conventional doctors, who tell them that there is nothing that can be done about the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. That said, one of the questions I hear the most from my readers is: “What type of doctor should I see for Hashimoto’s?” Even if you are extremely knowledgeable about Hashimoto’s, it helps to have an objective individual to bounce ideas off of, help you identify potential triggers of your condition, and resolve them. I recommend that everyone with Hashimoto’s consult with a healthcare professional. While there may not be one magic pill out there, finding the doctor who is right for you, can change the course of your health journey and put you on the path toward healing. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could find the one doctor who could give us a magic pill to make all of our problems go away? We would lose weight, grow our hair back, have energy again…