I have had SO many women dismissed from their western medicine providers when coming into my office with symptoms of fatigue, inability to manage weight, body temperature dysregulation, poor sleep, change in mood, hair loss/brittle nails/skin changes, bowel changes and more.
These ladies have two tests done if lucky (TSH and T4) which usually come back normal. These labs are not telling us the whole story of the thyroid or the women.
Labs appear normal and the woman is typically told she is depressed, anxious, or another psychological condition and should probably be treated with antidepressants.
It often takes women years of symptoms and tests before getting properly diagnosed.
If women were listened to from the beginning and adequate tests were performed, the patient has the ability to heal with diet and supplementation. When we get to thyroid treatment too late, that’s when long term medications are needed.
Find a provider that will draw a baseline of labs: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO antibodies and Thyroglobulin antibodies. Have them check Vitamin d levels. Have them check EBV igM/iGg x3 (via labcorp) as well.
This is important. We can’t guess what is happening in your body, but we can BELIEVE you. If you say you’re having symptoms even after labs look normal, then we aren’t checking the right labs… Further investigation must be done.
Here’s a great article that sparked my blog post: Aviva Romm, MD “Why Hypothyroidism is a Feminist issue”
In Health,
Stephanie Grutz, ARNP, FNP-C
Thehealthypractitioner