Customer Reviews

The Thyroid Solution: A Revolutionary Mind-Body Program That Will Help You

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

People with thyroid disease face several critical challenges:

1. Recognizing their own various and seemingly unrelated symptoms as a potential thyroid problem, and getting their doctor to recognize the symptoms as well

2. Having the thyroid tests interpreted liberally enough to catch many low-level cases of thyroid problems.

3. Getting the right dosage of the right medicine.

4. Convincing the doctor to even recognize the symptoms, and test for a thyroid problem.

5. Once diagnosed, treated, at optimal thyroid hormone blood levels, and on the right mix of thyroid drugs...figuring out what to do you do if you STILL don't feel well?

Ridha Arem's book does an excellent, fairly groundbreaking job on points 1 and 2. Unlike the other currently available patient-directed books on thyroid disease, Dr. Arem's book talks honestly and openly about symptoms such as brain fog, depression, loss of libido, weight gain, anxiety, and many others. These are symptoms that all too frequently, doctors either deny, ignore, don't recognize, or attribute to causes other than the thyroid. Arem has also researched and analyzed the relationship of thyroid disease to brain chemistry, and resulting depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders and other mental and emotional effects -- in great depth. This is a subject simply not covered in any of the current thyroid-related books available to patients. It is to Dr. Arem's credit that he has greatly added to the scientific understanding of the mind-thyroid relationship.

Dr. Arem also provides a good scientific grounding in why patients with low-level thyroid problems should be treated, with enough information that patients can show the relevant pages and references to their doctor and perhaps convince the doctor to treat them.

Where the book seems to be less pioneering is in its approach to the many millions of thyroid patients who get diagnosed, treated, are at optimal thyroid hormone blood levels, and on the right mix of thyroid drugs...who STILL don't feel well.

I hear from 500 thyroid patients a week at my thyroid disease website, and of the 10,000 patients who receive my thyroid-disease newsletter, many write to me regularly, so I hear from people in the trenches with thyroid disease every day. I know that despite the best advice of the rare doctors like Arem who understand thyroid problems, most doctors simply don't have much of an understanding of the issue. For the majority of patients, even finding a doctor who will agree to thyroid testing, much less treatment, can be Job One. It is my fervent wish that these doctors will read Arem's book, and at least open their minds to Dr. Arem's interpretations of what is a "normal" thyroid test result, or what constitutes low-level hypothyroidism and warrants treatment. Where the book leaves patients -- including me, as I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease with resulting hypothyroidism -- hanging is that there are many people who have found that much more is needed than even just the things Dr. Arem recommends as the crux of his program -- T4/T3 drugs, therapy, mind-body exercise and complex carbohydrate diet.

Dr. Arem's book acknowledges that hypothyroidism can cause infertility or miscarriage, but doesn't address how thyroid patients themselves can help to increase the likelihood of a successful and healthy pregnancy. He also skims fairly quickly over the issues of relationships between thyroid disease and women's hormonal medicine.

Given its somewhat scientific style, Dr. Arem's book should be required reading for all doctors, who could benefit from the breadth of understanding Dr. Arem has about the symptoms of thyroid disease. Given the respectable, conventional endocrinology credentials of the author -- the book could be valuable ammunition for patients who need to fight for proper diagnosis and treatment with less enlightened doctors. Being able to point to the fact that a conventional endocrinologist has written positively about these previously shunned forms of diagnosis, treatment, and hormone replacement takes them out of the realm of "alternative" or "quackery," a development that is only good for all thyroid patients in our search for the best possible lives and health.

Mary Shomon
Editor, "Sticking Out Our Necks," The Thyroid Disease News Repor

I have been living with hashimotos thyroiditis for 18 years. I have been complaining to my Dr.'s off and on for years that I felt like I had symptoms of hypothyroidism, but they kept telling me that the blood tests were normal. After recently having a baby, my thyroid went crazy, and I basically had to tell my Dr. what I thought I needed. This book helped me understand that I was right! He goes into great detail about the fact that you can have a "normal" lab value and yet still suffer from low level hypo or hyper thyroidism!! I found a new Dr and have gotten myself at the other end of the "normal" range.

In addition, those of us with thyroid disease have never been told before that high cholesterol or mild depression can be symptoms of thyroid disease! This book describes all of the bodily functions effected by the thyroid AND what other diseases those of us with thyroid disease may be at higher risk for.

I can't stress enough how much this book described my life for the past 5+ years and how much better it had made me feel- I now understand so much better why I have felt the way I have and have a plan for working on the situation.

This is the best thyroid book I have ever purchased and strongly recommend it to anyone with thyroid disease!!

Buy this book as soon as you are diagnosed with a thyroid disorder and read it cover to cover while you are seeking treatment. Even if you are not sure whether you have the disease, it will explain the symptoms so that you can decide whether or not to seek medical diagnosis. Many doctors don't think to look for thyroid disorders, and so it is up to you, the patient, to suggest that they test you. Once they have diagnosed the disorder, they can give you medication, but may not tell you what to expect or how to deal with it.
When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I could hardly function from day to day. The doctor convinced me that by taking a pill I would fully recover in 4-6 weeks. WRONG. The imbalance sent me into a spiral of health problems, anxiety, depression, weight loss, and appetite changes. I almost dropped out of school. I withdrew from friends and family. Even after my blood levels had returned to normal, I lived in a fog of pain and stress and confusion. I was too tired to turn pages in a book. I'm a PhD candidate and I couldn't even complete a sentence!
This book helped me take control of my life from diagnosis to recovery. It listed both the physical AND emotional symptoms that the doctors hadn't bothered to discuss. It told me which blood tests to request, and how to interpret the results. It suggested treatments and allowed me to understand my dosage scale. And MOST IMPORTANTLY it informed me of the complexity of recovery. No one had bothered to tell me that my symptoms might not resolve simultaneously with my blood levels. No one told me that the imbalance may have additional effects for which I may need supplemental medication (for instance, I required anti-depressants). Dr. Arem not only suggests medicinal treatments for these effects but also physical and psychological treatments to help people cope with the disease and aid their improvement. This book told me EVERYTHING the doctors didn't and allowed me to take control of my recovery. Thyroid disorders affect your body AND your mind, and you need to treat yourself holistically. For the first time in almost five months, I am happy and healthy in both body and spirit. But the doctors could not have done it for me. I had to be informed and take control. THIS BOOK SAVED MY LIFE!

I loved this book. I re-read it twice; made notes, and have informed many family members and friends with thyroid disease that this is a must read! As a patient, who had a hard time finding someone to diagnose my own hypothyroidism to begin with, it empowered me, to not give up. Even after my diagnosis fifteen years ago and subsequent Synthroid treatment, I have never felt "well". You start thinking that you must be crazy, if everyone says your hormone levels are fine...you must be fine! Finally, Dr. Arem explains why you may still not feel well after traditional Synthroid treatment, and he gives specific treatment options. Dr. Arem also addresses other diseases, that can occur in addition to thyroid disease, that are often overlooked by other physicians as "typical thyroid complaints". This book is good for people who have just been recently diagnosed with thyroid disease, as well as those of us who have been dealing with the disease for many years. And it will help to enlighten family members who live with thyroid patients.

It is evident from the glowing recommendations that there is not much to add to how valuable The Thyroid Solution has been to patients suffering from thyroid disease. Dr. Ridha is a doctor at Baylor Medical Center, and has plenty of background in treating those who have been undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with thyroid problems. It is recognized that many people suffer needlessly from hypo- or hyperthyroidism because their internists or family practitioners are unfamiliar with endocrinology and the symptoms that present themselves. This book helps those who wonder whether they are being properly treated and supplies information in order that they can go to the right doctor. Many doctors don't like it when their patients become educated...tough. As shown by the other recommendations, obviously lives have been changed for the better. That is the yardstick by which we should measure what the medical truth is.

My family has a history of hypothyroidism. Both my grandmother and my older sister have had their thyroids removed. My younger sister was diagnosed with a cancerous bulge on her thyroid at age 3, and they were wrong, but the lump was removed along with part of her thyroid. She consequently had problems becoming pregnant. I've been hypothyroid for years. My internist was checking my peripheral neuropathy for things like MS and other neurodegenerative diseases of the muscles. Nothing came back positive. Yet, when I'd asked him to consider whether I was receiving adequate thyroid hormone, he refused to consider it. I've been lucky to have him test for changes in my thyroid once a year. The book says a known thyroid problem should be checked every 4-6 weeks, especially when the thyroid levels change. So I've been suffering with peripheral neuropathy and some other problems for over two years; I also have spent much of the last seven years anemic, in spite of removal of my uterus and subsequent iron supplementation. My sister led me to this book...she was positive I was not being treated right for hypothyroidism. After reading the book, I am inclined to believe the book and my sister. I have the familial background, the anemia, the deafness, the pins and needles, and too many other symptoms to count. So I have a referral to a known endocrinologist who is listed as a caring and listening doctor.

It's atrocious that physicians can dismiss the intelligence of women, and the ability of them to know their own body. I am tired of such patronizing attitudes, and hope that this doctor will assist me in restoring me to better health. I don't have time for this, and since I have an MS from med school in Neuroscience, I have more then enough background to know when my doctor is missing important signals.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who suspects he or she may have a problem with their thyroid. If necessary, drag the book into the other doctors and force them to pay attention. If they don't, find another doctor.

Karen L. Sadler,

Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh

As a person with hypothyroidism, I have read a dozen or more books specifically on thyroid disease over the last twenty years. In addition I have read approximately forty to fifty professional journal articles relating to hypothyroidism and depression. This was for me the best single source of information that I have found dealing with thyroid disease and depression; and it contains up to date information from a practitioner in the field.

Having read quite a bit about the subject, I am surprised by how many doctors I have spoken to, or read articles written by, that are very out of date in their knowledge of hypothyroidism. Many doctors don't seem to recognize the symptoms of hypothyroidism despite its prevalence in the US population. Most doctors still treat hypothyroidism with the "gold" standard" of levothyroxine (T4) alone, despite there being evidence that a combination of triiodthyronine (T3) and levothyroxine (T4) may work better in some specific cases. For depression, Dr Arem says that he often supplements antidepressant use with cytomel (T3) rather than levothyroxine because of the connection between the distribution of norepinephrine and T3 in the brain (chapter 6). This is in concurrence with what I have been able to find through my research efforts.

The mind-body connection in hypothyroidism is a complicated one, and I thought that Dr. Arem's handling of the subject was done admirably. There is evidence that depression and hypothyroidism can in some people have genetic origins. In some instances hypothyroidism might be caused by infectious agents (viruses). Hypothyroidism might also be induced by stressful events in a person life (chapter 1). All of these are covered at a level that can be understood with perhaps some work required for persons with a light science background.

There are many other areas covered in this book that I won't mention due to lack of space. These subjects include testing procedures (TSH, TRH, T3/T4, etc), and what they mean, finding and talking with your doctor, discussing your illness with your spouse, and infertility. Additionally there is a section on nutrition, diet, and exercise, which can help in hypothyroidism.

I would recommend this book whole-heartedly to anyone with hypothyroidism, depression, or who suspects that they may have thyroid disease.

I have been on Thyroid hormones for over one half of my life and this last winter I got more and more tired and my heart was just pounding so hard. I felt achy all over and finally went the the emergency room. My TSH was 26. My family doctor, Rita Snow spent maybe 5 minutes with me and just increased my Thyroid dose and sent me home. I attempted to tell her how I couldn't sleep at night, was short of breath, gaining weight, and depressed and she just said take this new dose and some sleeping pills. I didn't understand how a low Thyroid could cause heart palpatations and PVC,s and she didn't have any time to explain it to me. When I realized I wasn't getting any answers from my doctor, I ordered this wonderful book and have studied it from cover to cover. I also have been to see an Endocrinologist who did spend the time explaining my condition to me as well as answering questions for me. He didn't treat me as someone who didn't need answers and made me feel like I was part of the treatment. I am feeling better daily and a large part of it is thanks to this great book. Read it as soon as you can if you have a thyroid disorder.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in Sept 2002 and put on T4. Over the next 10 months I was still depressed, gaining weight, unable to remember anything, sleeping constantly, screwing up at work, snapping at my friends, declining social invitations. My doctor put me on Prozac and I saw a therapist briefly, but even though I felt slightly better, I felt like something was just not right with my body. When I read this book I folded down the corner of every page that I could relate to and by the time I was done more than half of the book was dog-eared! I immediately made an appt with my doctor and cited the book, begging her to try T3. Finally she agreed and within *ONE WEEK* I felt like my old self. Three months later I still feel great. If any of this sounds familiar to you, don't suffer anymore -- read this book and get on the road to feeling normal again!

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Plummer's Disease(a form of hyperthyroidism). This is the first book that I read that really helped me learn more how to deal with this thyroid disease. What is truly amazing is that my thyroid levels are in normal ranges, yet I still have some symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This book gave me some ideas on what I could do to help myself make a mind body connection. This book also made me realize that my endocrinologist was doing a good job! I would recommend this book to anyone with a thyroid problem. I would love to personally thank Dr.Ridha Arem for writing this book!

A family history of thyroid imbalance had me checking thyroid from early twenties to cope with infertility, depression, et al. I've watched my thyroid values climb and plummet throughout the past 15 years. When thyroid values 'normal' by establishment I was given antidepressant (TSH value was 3.0+). It didn't change symptoms. At 40 years, my TSH value walked out of 'norm' and I was given thyroid hormone. I hadn't felt so well since I was 25!

This book includes many charts and values of tests, how to interpret results of tests, diet for optimum health, etc. His book was a great help in understanding my condition. Depression cleared, memory restored, fatigue gone since on thyroid hormone.

I'm at the airport posting this review and looking forward to my long flight now that I have this book. Halfway through I simply cannot put it down.[...]

Dr. Arem's information enabled me to become a participant in my healthcare--not a sickly compliant. Thank you Dr. Arem!