Customer Reviews

The Thyroid Guide

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I was surprised when I got the book, because the listing says that thebook is 272 pages but it's really more like 170 pages, and doesn'thave much useful detail. The authors are apparently thyroid surgeons, and so they spend most of the book talking about thyroid surgery, and the conditions that can lead to thryroid surgery like hyperthyroidism, thyroid lumps and thyroid cancer. As someone who is hypothyroid, I was looking for more information than book's statement that "an underactive thyroid is easy to treat." They say this several times in the book, and the fact that they keep repeating this when it sure hasn't been true for me makes me think that they don't have a particular handle on what is involved in being hypothyroid after the surgery. Also, the cover talks about nutrition and self-care, but the nutrition chapter is only about 3 pages, and all it really talks about is iodine. These doctors also must not believe in alternative medicine because their section on it is 3 sentences that say that it doesn't really help anything, except maybe things like "insomnia or nervousness." This book might be good for someone who was going to have thyroid surgery, but this book didn't have much to offer for me, since I've had the surgery already, and am now dealing with being hypothyroid.

What I liked most about this book is that you don't have to be a surgeon to get value from it. For myself, I knew nothing about thyroid disease, other than to say that a very good friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with a kind of hyperthyroidism. I purchased The Thyroid Guide through Amazon.com because I was hoping to learn more about my friend's disease and maybe pass it on to her to provide her with some peace of mind. I am glad I purchased this book. The Thyroid Guide is an excellent source of information about all types of diseases affecting the thyroid. And, the information is presented in an easily accessible, unintimidating, readable way. Ditkoff and LoGerfo understand that it's not surgeons who need to read this book. So they have taken great pains to keep the technical stuff to a minimum. They have focussed on symptoms, choosing physicians, procedures, medications - the kind of information the layperson should know.

As an idividual familiar with the field, I think The Thyroid Guide is a must read for anyone faced with thyroid disease or thyroid surgery. Many people are hesitant to confront health issues that may be related to the thyroid, but this guide walks you through the steps from diagnosis to treatment. It contains all the questions a patient should ask his/her physician. It explores the different techniques used in dealing with thyroid surgery in an unbiased manner.

I feel that these two surgeons have dealt with all the issues facing patients dealing with thyroid cancer, disease, and surgery fully in writing this book.

A clear and easy to read book that takes the mystery of medical jargon away. Detailed information on all aspects of thyroid and thyroid disease and treatment options. Definitely an "everything that you wanted to know" book.