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Thyroid Paradox - Laura Faber
It's the largest endocrine gland in your body and it sets your bodies "idle" speed, your metabolic rate.
When the thyroid works, life is good. But when there are problems every aspect of your body can be affected.
One in every five women will develop an underactive thyroid but many doctors will miss the warning signs.
Experts believe some 13,000,000 cases of thyroid disorder go undetected.
One mid-state woman's long and painful journey toward a diagnosis.
Music is what Rhonda Hanson has always done for a living.
Except for a 10 year period where her voice was silenced and rhonda couldn't explain what was wrong.
Rhonda Hanson says: "I was losing eyebrows, skin getting really dry and I would lay around and sleep all the time and just freeze to death"
For 14 years, the 51 year old Smyrna woman dealt with symptoms that millions of people face but can't figure out.
She told several doctors she suspected her thyroid, since she had a strong family history of hypothyroidism, but no one agreed.
"I remember coming here hopeless that he was going to do just what everybody else did and what everybody else did was to just say I was depressed and stick me on Prozac."
Rhonda knew it was more... Murfreesboro endocrinologist James Rone knew it was too.
Dr. James Rone says: "Rhonda is a perfect example of this very common type of patient, where they're complaining bitterly of symptoms that are going on for a long time."
Dr. Rone's book, called "The Thyroid Paradox" speaks to the problem.
For diagnosis, doctors rely on a blood test that measures TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone in the body.
A level of 10 defines Hypothyroidism, but most cases fall in a gray area below that number.
Dr. Rone says: "This is the single best test and i dont disagree with that but i think too often we hang out hat on that one test and dont pay attention to patients symptoms"
In Rhonda Hanson's case, Dr. Rone said though her levels were normal. They were on the low end of normal.
That, coupled with her family history, he prescribed the medication called "Synthroid".
Rhonda says it has changed her life.
"I would hear songs again in my head for the first time and could complete one without much effort"
Rhonda says it was her good luck to find a doctor who didn't focus just on the numbers and who listened.
"Go ahead and trust your instincts because people will suggest all sorts of things to you and you know yourself best."
Dr. Rone believes stress is a huge reason why we're seeing so much obesity and chronic fatique in this country, caused by an under active thyroid.
Chronic stress causes the release of steroids from the adrenal glands, which interferes with the production of TSH.
If you think you have problem with your thyroid, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Thyroid Paradox - Laura Faber
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