Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) [Paperback]

Mary J. Shomon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Living Well (Collins) | Publication Date: September 27, 2005

From patient advocate and author of Living Well with Hypothyroidism Mary J. Shomon, here is a holistic roadmap for diagnosis, treatment and recovery for the millions of people suffering from Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism.

There are an estimated 3 million-plus Americans suffering from Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism, and patient advocate Mary J. Shomon will guide them through the diagnosis and the wide-ranging treatments available. Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism are the result of the thyroid gland being overactive. This gland controls the body's metabolism, so people afflicted with the disorder can suffer from symptoms such as significant weight loss, fatigue, muscular weakness, and rapid heartbeat, among others. In addition to conventional treatments, this resource uniquely highlights holistic treatments, and through case studies and testimonials from patients and doctors, presents an honest look at the lifestyles and choices of people living with these conditions.

Shomon presents the reader with a comprehensive resource that spans from diagnosis to treatment to life after treatment. She goes beyond the conventional advice of other books, utilizing patient anecdotes and, as a fellow thyroid disease patient, her own experience. Her extensive network of experts—from conventional physicians to alternative practitioners—allows for a wide range of treatment options. In addition, a comprehensive Appendix serves as a fantastic resource for patients seeking treatment and additional advice.

The first edition of Living Well With Hypothyroidism (2/2000) started with a first printing of 7,500 copies and has now sold over 100,000 in the US. Shomon's The Thyroid Diet hit the New York Times extended bestseller list.

Mary Shomon has been praised by doctors around the country for her medical knowledge and sensitivity to patients' needs.

Barbara Bush brought attention to the plight of Graves' disease patients, announcing that she was suffering from it when she was First Lady.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Shomon excels at comprehensiveness, covering all the decisions that a patient has to make when dealing with thyroid conditions.” (Library Journal )

About the Author

Diagnosed with a thyroid disease in 1995, Mary J. Shomon has transformed her health challenges into a mission as an internationally known patient advocate. She is the founder and editor in chief of several thyroid, autoimmune, and nutrition newsletters, as well as the Internet’s most popular thyroid disease website, www.thyroid-info.com. She lives in Kensington, Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 427 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; 1 edition (September 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060730196
• ISBN-13: 978-0060730192
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm Mary Shomon, and I'm a patient advocate, author, communications consultant, wife and mother. I've tried to transform my own struggle with thyroid disease into an advocacy campaign on behalf of patients with chronic diseases such as thyroid disease, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, among others.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis in 1995, and now research and write about these conditions and their impact on health and weight. Since early 1997, I have served as founder and Guide for the award-winning About.com Thyroid website, and as editor of my popular patient thyroid news report, Sticking Out Our Necks.

In my patient advocacy role, I try yto bring much-needed attention to underdiagnosed and often overlooked health issues. My desire to cut through medical jargon and deliver information to my fellow patients in a form they can understand resulted in my first health-related book, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You . . . That You Need to Know, which was first published in 2000 by HarperCollins, and has gone to more than 20 printings before a 2nd Revised Edition was published in 2005. The book was a Prevention Book Club Selection, and Amazon Top-Selling health book, and its popularity launched a new series of consumer health books for publisher HarperCollins.

I am also author of the New York Times best-selling book The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss. (2004) "Thyroid Diet" was also a semi-finalist for the prestigious Quills Awards in 2005.

I am also author of Living Well With Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism" (2005) Living Well With Autoimmune Disease"(2003) Living Well With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia," (2004) and the The Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Success" (2005). My newsletter for thyroid patients, "Sticking Out Our Necks," was founded in 1997, and has become a popular resource for patients in both its email and print form.

I have served as the Guide for the popular About.com Thyroid site -- now part of the New York Times Company -- launching the site in early 1997, and managing the site and working as its sole researcher/writer since that time. That site, Thyroid.about.com, along with my advocacy site Thyroid-info.com, are the Internet's most popular and visited sites dedicated to thyroid disease.

I've been featured in hundreds of television, radio, newspaper, magazine and web interviews, including appearances on ABC World News Tonight and CBS Radio Networks, and interviews in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Ladies Home Journal, Health, Cooking Light, Elle Magazine, Woman's World, and the Los Angeles Times, to name just a few.

In my decade of consumer advocacy, I have never hesitated to take a stand on behalf of patients, and my independence from drug companies and medical/patient organizations that are funded by the pharmaceutical industry has allowed me to maintain an unbiased, truly patient-first advocacy effort.

In the past, my experience focused on grassroots outreach, and developing consumer marketing and public information campaigns while working in the social outreach, advertising and public relations industry -- designing campaigns for clients as diverse as furniture retailer IKEA, the World Bank, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Before I began writing in the health area, I also published several humor books. I co-authored the humor book, Scratching the Net: Web Sites for Cats published by Andrews McMeel in 1998, and wrote the Washington, DC bestseller, The Single Woman's Guide to the Available Men of Washington, published in 1993.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative, but..., March 27, 2007

By 

RML (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)

I found an error in this book which makes me a little nervous about it's editing if not the entire content. On one page it specifically says that bugleweed is NOT indicated for hyperthyroidism when in fact it is one of the FEW alternative remedies that works for hyper's versus hypo's. I bought this book because of the lack of coverage for people with hyperactive thyroid so this was very annoying.

Other than that, most of this info is available on the internet free of charge.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Promises, promises....., August 3, 2006

By 

Mary Martin "Opiniated Reader" (Albany NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)

Same old information that is available everywhere, and a lot more on HypOthyroidism than I expected to encounter. The title seems to promise some hints for the often troublesome aspects of the disease, perhaps information the author might have gleaned from patients who had learned to cope. Unfortunately this promise is not fulfilled. I learned nothing new, and most of the areas of interest to me did not offer any solutions to "living well." A waste of $.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for Graves Disease, January 15, 2006

By 

S. McClen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)

A very well researched and up to date guide for Graves diesase. Also includes what happens after treatment - which is rarely if ever discussed in other books. If you or a loved one has been diagnosised with Graves, this is the book you need.