15 WAYS TO FIND THE BEST THYROID DOCTOR · help. Typically they will only prescribe generic synthroid, test just the TSH, and not run an ultrasound. Some doctors are more willing

15 WAYS TO FIND THE BEST THYROID

DOCTOR

Each year I ask people with thyroid disease what helped them the most, and what held them back the most.

The #1 answer to both ques=ons is their doctor.

Those who connect with a good doctor say that it helps more than anything else. Those who don't have one say that it is what they need the most.

Of course, your recovery is in your hands and sor=ng out diet and lifestyle are essen=al but those are parts of the equa=on that you have more control over.

There are lots of reasons that it helps to have a good doctor on your side. Those who are on thyroid medica=on need a prescribing physician. You also need a doctor to do a physical exam of your thyroid and to order your ultrasound. In most states, you may not need a doctor to order your blood tests, but a good one can interpret them all in context.

People without a good medical team oFen struggle to figure it out on their own, and then they try to tell their doctor things like which tests to order and which medica=ons they want.

This approach never works well because most doctors fall into one of two categories. The majority are already commiIed to rigid protocols that oFen don't help. Typically they will only prescribe generic synthroid, test just the TSH, and not run an ultrasound.

Some doctors are more willing to take requests. They are happy to order any labs you ask for and prescribe whatever you think is best. Their willingness to help may sound noble, but it misguided at best and apathe=c at worst. They are more afraid of upseLng you than they are in jeopardizing your health.

Finding the right team is not easy. Each =me you visit a doctor you have to invest substan=al amounts of =me and money just to see how things work out. It is not prac=cal to just try large numbers of them in hopes of geLng it right.

When you talk to a doctor’s team, ask these ques=ons and you will be able to find the best thyroid doctor much more quickly.

1The majority of doctors think that thyroid an=bodies like an=-

thyroglobulin and an=-thyroid peroxidase are necessary to diagnose Hashimoto's disease. Many also manage Hashimoto's

disease the same as any other type of hypothyroidism.

15 WAYS TO FIND THE BEST THYROID DOCTORW

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Does your doctor understand how to diagnose Hashimoto's?

http://WWW.DRCHRISTIANSON.COM

Many people understand that high

doses of thyroid medicine can shut

down their thyroid for good. Many do

not realize that the right type and the

right dose of thyroid medicine can help their thyroid work beIer. A good

doctor does understand, and always

works hard to make sure your thyroid

can do as much as it can by itself.


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Does your doctor understand how to help your thyroid work better?

2


Most doctors assume that there is nothing that can be done to reverse thyroid disease. The best doctors understand that there is no one cause, but there can be a combina=on of factors unique to each, be they genes, allergies, infec=ons, diges=ve abnormali=es, food reac=ons, nutrient deficiencies, adrenal stressors, or hormonal factors.

They will work with you to find which are your causes and then safely help you reverse them so that your thyroid can work beIer and to prevent these underlying issues from causing any more problems.


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3Does your doctor seek to find the root causes?


Most doctors either think that diet has no role in thyroid func=on or they ascribe to the latest fad diet. There are core truths about how food interacts with thyroid hormones, and there are also dis=nct needs from one person to the next. Healthy people do best with the broadest range of foods. The best doctors can help you understand which foods work best for you and if many foods do not, they can help guide you on a path to a greater diversity of natural foods.


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4Does your doctor help you identify your best diet?


Natural desiccated thyroid can work beIer than synthe=c thyroid medica=ons, but many doctors do not understand how to use it. Since it contains T4, T3, T2, and thyroid proteins, it can help metabolism more than synthe=c thyroid and also reverse autoimmunity. However, some brands are beIer absorbed and more consistently manufactured than others. If used in the wrong doses, natural desiccated thyroid can risk cardiac health and bone density and trigger anxiety.

The best doctors are insistent on s=cking with effec=ve brands of natural desiccated thyroid, and they use it at precise levels so that you get the best metabolism and energy levels while helping your thyroid work beIer by itself.


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5Does your doctor understand the use of natural desiccated thyroid?


Thyroid hormones interact with every other hormone. These include your cor=sol, estrogen, testosterone, melatonin, DHEA, and others. Most doctors do not take these interac=ons into account and are surprised when a change in one upsets another.

The best thyroid doctors understand them all and an=cipate your needs in advance. This perspec=ve is cri=cal for those undergoing hormonal changes such as perimenopause and menopause.


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6Does your doctor understand your thyroid in the context of your other hormones?


Sadly, nearly all conven=onal and func=onal doctors neglect to do a baseline thyroid ultrasound and a thyroid exam on all pa=ents with thyroid disease. Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing cancer type among women in North America. The best thyroid doctors screen all pa=ents rou=nely and know how to adjust their care if they have nodules, calcifica=ons, or other risk factors.


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7Does your doctor automatically screen for thyroid cancer?


Most people on thyroid medica=on have to take more than they need because they consume blockers like iodine that make their body resistant to them. The best thyroid doctors help their pa=ents avoid thyroid blockers so that their thyroid has a chance to work beIer by itself.


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8Does your doctor help you avoid thyroid blockers?



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9Does your doctor do the right tests?

Most doctors do not understand how thorough tes=ng can show nuances of how the thyroid is working. Many are also constrained by insurance companies and only allowed to do the most superficial tests and not oFen enough to be helpful.

The best thyroid doctors will leave no stone unturned. Their tests will check how your brain regulates your thyroid; the thyroid's produc=on of hormones; the circula=on of hormones throughout your body; the elimina=on of thyroid hormones; your immune system's response to your thyroid; residual inflamma=on within the gland; its size, texture; blood supply; and its volume.

They will also check all of your other hormones based on your age, gender, and menstrual =ming, your adrenal func=on, your body's ability to detoxify, how you react to foods, your diges=ve flora, your burden of toxins, and much more.

Most importantly, they know how to interpret all of these findings rela=ve to your op=mal health. They are also able to safely correct any abnormali=es so that your body can regain its balance.


10If you have your blood taken at the wrong =me of day, too soon aFer taking your thyroid medica=on, or aFer taking certain supplements, the results can be meaningless. OFen doctors fail to take these factors into account when interpre=ng labs. The best doctors advise their pa=ents on how to =me their tests correctly. They also can suspect =ming factors as a reason when blood levels are unusual.


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Does your doctor make sure you do your blood tests correctly?


Many conven=onal doctors discourage supplements across the board. Many func=onal doctors have their pa=ents take far too many supplements, oFen based on the latest fads or to help symptoms. Each pill interacts with every other, and they all have to be processed by your liver. The best doctors recognize that you may need a few founda=onal nutrients long term, but most everything else should be avoided or used for a set period for a specific goal. They understand that symptoms are the result of some missed cause, not from the lack of supplements.


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11Does your doctor recommend supplements strategically?


12Many conven=onal doctors are indifferent to any findings that are not outside the normal range. Studies of people who are free of thyroid disease show that their blood levels fall in a =ghter range than most laboratories normal range. This idea is especially relevant for TSH scores. The best doctors know the dis=nc=on. They also understand that some individuals may need even narrower targets based on factors like their ultrasound findings.


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Does your doctor understand the difference between normal and optimal blood levels?


OFen people have to reach out to their medical team when they are due to follow up or get tested. The best doctors know that thyroid needs can change over =me. They plan to monitor your scores many =mes in the first year of care and at least twice each year aFerward.


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13Does your doctor understand continue to monitor your levels?


14Thyroid disease is more than the source of symptoms. When not treated adequately, it also places people at higher risk for heart disease, some cancer, diabetes, and liver disease. The best doctors may adjust medica=ons to lower risks even if symptoms seem to be well-controlled.


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Does your doctor understand the risks of too little thyroid medicine?


Many func=onal doctors ignore abnormal blood levels like a low TSH. They oFen feel that they are unable to help their pa=ents recover from fa=gue without a heavy-handed dose of thyroid medicine.

The best thyroid doctors realize that even if the person does not have any side-effects, too much thyroid medicine is dangerous. Risks are real, and they include heart aIacks, brain damage, and early death. Good doctors can also help manage the causes of thyroid resistance that make people seem only to do well when they overdose so that they can feel their best now and for decades down the road.


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15Does your doctor understand the risks of too much thyroid medicine?


Would you like another perspec=ve on your thyroid care? The doctors at Integra=ve Health would be happy to help. To find out which one is right for you - join us for our next the next live online hangout. [click here]

WHAT’S NEXT?

15 WAYS TO FIND THE BEST THYROID

DOCTOR

https://www.integrativehealthcare.com/doctors/

15 WAYS TO FIND THE BEST THYROID DOCTOR · help. Typically they will only prescribe generic synthroid, test just the TSH, and not run an ultrasound. Some doctors are more willing

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