Dr. Boydston's Neuro Endocrine Immune Blog

Synthroid To Treat Hashimotos? What Happened To Logic In Healthcare?

I get the opportunity to consult with Hashimoto's from all over the world, and whether they are from Australia, England, Hong Kong, or the United States, the standard treatment protocol for Hashimoto's stays pretty consistent.

I bet you can guess what the treatment is. Your right... give some sort of thyroid replacement until the TSH moves below 1.0 and then consider the case 'properly managed.'

What about the fact that the immune system is slowly destroying your thyroid gland? Shouldn't that be addressed?

Some patients are falsely led to believe that Synthroid and other forms of replacement hormone actually treat the Hashimoto's immune process. This couldn't be further from the truth. Synthroid does nothing to slow down the immune attack on the thyroid gland, which is why thyroid replacement-only treatment is completely inadequate for Hashimoto's.

Now there are actually some practitioners who believe that giving high does of synthroid will suppress the natural production of the thyroid and since the gland is not producing hormones (because the medication suppressed it) then the immune system won't attack the gland anymore.

Here is where you are required to apply a bit of logic. First of all the low thyroid problem started in the first place because the immune system is destroying the thyroid gland and decreasing the amount of hormone the gland is naturally producing.

The goal of treatment should be to slow down or halt the immune attack against the thyroid gland so that hormone production can approach normal output levels.

In the above scenario. where we are suppressing the thyroid gland with medication, we are making the dose of thyroid medication so high that the gland stops producing hormones naturally. Instead of slowing the immune attack we are shutting down the thyroid gland with medication, and functionally doing the same thing the autoimmune process was doing to the gland in the first place.

Where is the logic in that??

Do your doctors mention or acknowledge the immune systems role in your thyroid problem? How do they say they are addressing it? Leave your comments below.

Reversing Hashimotos - Immune Problem or Thyroid Problem?

 

In this edition of the Hashimoto's Video Article, Dr. Robert Boydston D.C., explores an important question that should guide most Hashimoto's treatment.

Since Hashimoto's is fundamentally an immune problem, it is no wonder that Hashimoto's patients struggle more than most thyroid patients. The major component of the disease is completely ignored.

To learn more about the Boydston Institute's Natural and Scientific Immune Approach to Hashimoto's Disease request a free copy of the Hashimoto's Recovery Report at http://www.drboydston.com/thyroid.html

Natural Hashimoto's Treatment - Essential Questions To Consider

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, also known as AutoimmuneThyroid, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Peple all over the world suffer from this particular type of thyroid disease. Simply defined, Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroid is the result of the bodies own immune system becoming dysfunctional and beginning to attack and destroy  your own gland.

The fundamental thing to understand from a patient perspective is that Hashimoto’s is an immune problem not a thyroid problem. The immune system is destroying the gland, and that is the reason the thyroid is producing less hormone.

The standard treatment of Hashimoto’s disease is to give a synthetic or even natural thyroid hormone replacement, and then alter the dose until the TSH drops below a certain level. At this point the condition is considered "managed well". This type of approach gives little thought to the patients symptoms, or how the patient is actually responding. As soon as the lab numbers come back “normal”, any remaining thyroid symptoms get attributed to something else.  

Let’s consider depression that is caused by decreased thyroid function. Depression is a possible symptom of hypothyroidism. So if the thyroid panel moves into the normal range, and the depression remains, you end up at a psychiatrist, or with a prescription for an antidepressant. Are you depressed or still suffering from the original thyroid symptoms? This is the problem with giving replacement thyroid hormone and ignoring the real problem.

 Let’s compare Hashimoto’s disease to a leaky bucket. If we had a bucket full of water that was slowly leaking we could take two approaches. We could try to pour water into the top as fast, or faster than the water is leaking out.  Or the second option, and obviously the wiser and better long term solution would be to repair the leak while we were keeping the bucket full.

When Hashimoto’s is treated with only a thyroid replacement hormone it’s like putting water into the top of the bucket. The immune system is destroying the gland, and producing less thyroid hormone, so we are going to dump thyroid hormone back into the blood stream, but completely ignore the leak, which is the immune attack in this case.

So if you suffer with Hashimoto’s disease, and you are faithfully taking your thyroid replacement every day, ask yourself “what about the immune attack?” How much more thyroid cells are going to be destroyed if the immune system isn’t specifically addressed?

Modulating and calming the immune system is certainly difficult. It requires the doctor to step back and look at the big picture. Immune triggers must be identified and dealt with in systematic manner. Then immune system must be ‘dissected’ and looked at from a functional perspective in terms of overall immune configuration and in terms of immune dominance. It is this approach that is required to slow and repair the leak, instead of just dumping water in the top.

It is for this reason that Hashimoto's sufferer's from all over the world seek help and apply to be members of our Institute.

You can request the Boydston Institute's Hashimoto's Thyroid Recovery Report by visiting http://www.drboydston.com/thyroid.html.

Click Here to download our free Natural Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroid Recovery Report and discover exactly how we approach Hashimoto's from an immune perspective.

Hashimoto's Hypothyroid - Thyroid Problem Or Immune Problem?

Dr. Robert Boydston, D.C., Founder of the Boydston Institute's Natural Autoimmune Thyroid Treatment, Comments:

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, also known as AutoimmuneThyroid, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States, and people all over the world suffer from this particular type of thyroid disease. Simply defined, Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroid is the result of the bodies own immune system becoming dysfunctional and beginning to attack and destroy your own gland.

The fundamental thing to understand from a patient perspective is that Hashimoto's is an immune problem not a thyroid problem. The immune system is destroying the gland, and that is the reason the thyroid is producing less hormone.

The standard treatment of Hashimoto's disease is to give a synthetic or even natural thyroid hormone replacement, and then alter the dose until the TSH drops below a certain level. At this point the condition is considered managed well. This type of approach gives little thought to the patients symptoms, or how the patient is actually responding. As soon as the lab numbers come back "normal", any remaining thyroid symptoms get attributed to something else.

Consider depression that is caused by decreased thyroid function. Depression is a possible symptom of hypothyroidism. So if the thyroid panel moves into the normal range, and the depression remains, you end up at a psychiatrist, or with a prescription for an antidepressant. Are you depressed or still suffering from the original thyroid symptoms? This is the problem with giving replacement thyroid hormone and ignoring the real problem.

Now compare Hashimoto's disease to a leaky bucket. If we had a bucket full of water that was slowly leaking we could take two approaches. We could try to pour water into the top as fast, or faster than the water is leaking out. Or the second option, and obviously the wiser and better long term solution would be to repair the leak while we were keeping the bucket full.

When Hashimoto's is treated with only a thyroid replacement hormone, it is like putting water into the top of the bucket. The immune system is destroying the gland, and producing less thyroid hormone, so we are going to dump thyroid hormone back into the blood stream, but completely ignore the leak, which is the immune attack in this case.

So if you suffer with Hashimoto's disease, and you are faithfully taking your thyroid replacement every day, ask yourself "what about the immune attack?" How much more thyroid cells are going to be destroyed if the immune system isn't specifically addressed?

Modulating and calming the immune system is certainly difficult. It requires the doctor to step back and look at the big picture. Immune triggers must be identified and dealt with in systematic manner. Then immune system must be 'dissected' and looked at from a functional perspective in terms of overall immune configuration and in terms of immune dominance. It is this approach that is required to slow and repair the leak, instead of just dumping water in the top.

If you haven't read our Hashimoto's Recovery Report, that explains how we look at autoimmune thyroid and our natural hashimoto's treatment approach, you can request a free copy by clicking on the link.

To schedule an appointment at the Boydston Institute call 559-297-9218 or click here to request your appointment online. If you are out of the area please read about our consulting services.

Hashimoto's Disease - Why Do I Always Have To Increase My Thyroid Hormone Dose?

The Boydston Institute Explains Why Most Hashimoto's Patients Have To Adjust Their Hormone Dose In The Upward Direction Over Time

According to the Endocrine Society, eight to ninety percent of all cases of hypothyroidism in the United States have an autoimmune mechanism, which leads to the actual low thyroid production. This is commonly referred to as Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroid.

The immune system is the source of the problem is these cases, which requires certain questions to be asked and answered if successful management is to occur. In this article I will answer one of the most frequently asked questions patients ask in regards to Hashimoto's and their replacement hormone dosing...

Why does the thyroid replacement hormone continually go up over time?

On the surface, Hasimoto's is treated purely as a thyroid issue. Indeed the gland is malfunctioning, but unless you look at the source or the cause of the problem then true progress in the management of this disease does not occur.

The thyroid gland is not producing adequate amounts of thyroid hormone, but only because the immune system has become dysregulated and is now recognizing the body's own thyroid gland as a foreign invader.

As time goes on the thyroid gland continually chews up and destroys more and more of the gland, leading to less and less production of hormones. This is the reason that Hashimoto's patients will commonly have their medication increased over time, reflecting the immune systems increased destruction.

This can be compared to trying to fix a leaky bucket by pouring more water in the top. The real problem is the leak in the bucket, and unless that problem is addressed the bucket will continue to leak despite the efforts to fill it back up.

It's a losing battle and simply replacing the lost thyroid hormone does not address the immune systems attack on the thyroid, the leak in the bucket.

The replacement hormone does help replace what the body is not producing but the battle between the immune system and the thyroid gland, a fight between members of the same team, continues in the background. Hormones have no impact on the immune system so unless the immune system is addressed it is a downhill battle and many patients struggle to find the proper treatment.

If you suffer with hypothyroidism and have never had your antibody levels checked, be sure to ask your doctor to run them. It is a cheap and inexpensive blood test that will determine whether or not the immune system is the culprit in your condition.

If your dosage is continually being increased with each doctors visit, ask yourself whether or not everything is being done to manage your condition and give the quality of life you deserve.

If you haven't read our Hashimoto's Recovery Report, that explains how we look at autoimmune thyroid and our natural hashimoto's treatment approach, you can request a free copy by clicking on the link.

To schedule an appointment at the Boydston Institute call 559-297-9218 or click here to request your appointment online. If you are out of the area please read about our consulting services.

Low Thyroid? The Real Reasons Doctors Don't Check Antibody Levels In Hypothryoid Patients

Logic dictates that if the most common cause of hypothyroidism is from an autoimmune mechanism, then the first test ran on all newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients would be a thyroid antibody test.

Well logic doesn't always reign supreme and in many cases Hashimoto's Autoimmune thyroid patients go undiagnosed and are just given the standard thyroid replacement treatment. I am going to explore the most likely reasons this occurs.

The first and foremost reason most thyroid patients will never have their antibody levels checked is because the conventional treatment protocol does not change based on the mechanism.

Most doctors are going to give you synthetic or natural thyroid replacement hormones, intermittently check your TSH, and call it a day. If you continue to suffer with the same symptoms as before they will be attributed to some other ailment, usually depression or anxiety, and be treated accordingly... again with another prescription.

The second reason for the failure to order antibody tests, is a branch off of the first reason. Since the treatment is not going to be dictated based off the antibody results (although it should), then running the test becomes "medical waste" in the eyes of the insurance companies.

The payment for a test that will not alter the course of treatment is in a way wasteful, but the real waste is in ignoring the underlying cause of the problem and leaving the patient to suffer. Many times patients are mocked and scorned for suggesting a test or treatment that is a bit outside of the tight little box Hashimoto's patients are placed in.

Having no alternative treatment plan for Autoimmune thyroid, and the resultant medical waste of a test ordered but that has no bearing on the patients treatment are the two main reasons many Hashimoto's patients go undiagnosed and ignored in the system.

Determining that hypothyroidism is from an immune mechanism, IS important, and should absolutely be managed in more comprehensive way, not only including some type of replacement hormone, but it should also include management of the immune systems destruction of the gland itself. A more comprehensive approach gives the patient a better chance to feel and function normally.

If you haven't read our Hashimoto's Recovery Report, that explains how we look at autoimmune thyroid and our natural hashimoto's treatment approach, you can request a free copy by clicking on the link.

To schedule an appointment at the Boydston Institute call 559-297-9218 or click here to request your appointment online. If you are out of the area please read about our consulting services.