Hypothyroidism (under active thyroid gland) can go undetected for many years, because unfortunately most of the medical profession are relying totally on the ‘reference ranges’ set for the blood test results of thyroid conditions INSTEAD OF USING THEM AS AN INDICATOR ONLY. This problem is world wide!

Sir Richard Bayliss a Trustee of the British Thyroid Foundation UK states, "The reference values are made up of 95% fiducial limits of so-called healthy people".

Now let’s break this down into language we can understand. It is, ‘an assumed fixed basis of comparison of so-called healthy people’. The words ‘assumed’ and ‘so-called’ are very loose. Therefore if the starting point of the reference values is flexible so the interpretation of the blood test result must be also be flexible. This is not happening. There is too much rigidity upon interpretation!

The blood test for measuring the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) is said to be the most sensitive test and is the most commonly used blood test for measuring thyroid hormones. Does it tell us how much of the hormones are usable? REF: Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness’ by Dr Broda O Barnes and Lawrence Galton ISBN 0-690-01029-X - Publisher - Harper & Row Publishers, New York.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced from the pituitary prompts the thyroid gland to produce hormones. When the TSH is raised above the reference interval the patient is diagnosed with either ‘sub-clinical’ hypothyroidism (symptoms usually absent) or ‘overt’ hypothyroidism (symptoms usually present). According to Weetman: Definition of hypothyroidism BMJ Symptoms are not considered a criterion for sub-clinical hypothyroidism by some authorities! INTERESTING!

BLOOD TESTS THAT ARE USUALLY CARRIED OUT FOR THYROID FUNCTION TO ASCERTAIN THE LEVELS OF HORMONE IN THE BLOOD ARE SET OUT BELOW: -

TSH = THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE

FT4 = ACTUAL HORMONE

FT3 = ACTUAL HORMONE = MORE ACTIVE HORMONE

When a TSH blood test is carried out and the result is returned ‘normal’ the biochemist at the laboratory decides there is no need to carry out a T4 or T3 blood test even if it has been specifically requested by the doctor. The patient is told you do not have a thyroid condition, and that, for the patient, is the end of the matter. If the patient is still presenting with signs and symptoms it would seem prudent at this juncture to investigate further.

1 TSH levels are normal in approximately 50% of patients with hypothyroidism secondary to hypothalamic or pituitary disease.REF: Secondary thyroid disorders - Medicine International 1993 The Medicine Group (Journals) Ltd.

2 The patient may not be converting from T4 hormone to T3 hormone. REF: Dr John Lowe’s book, titled METABOLIC TREATMENT FOR FIBROMYALGIA page 277.

3 There may be low adrenal reserve.

4 The patient may have antibodies to the thyroid tissue.

5 Thyroid hormone resistance syndrome.

6 Fluorides imitate TSH and so many of the blood test results are incorrect in their value.

A patient, presenting with signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism with an FT4 of 0.1 above the lower limit will be told you are in the ‘normal range’. And a patient, with the same signs and symptoms who has an FT4 0.1 below the lower limit will be diagnosed with hypothyroidism and treated. Some presenting with signs and symptoms with TSH levels above the upper limit are told they are "borderline" and no treatment is necessary.

Within the medical profession today there are those who state "It is dangerous to give thyroxine when the thyroid biochemistry is within normal concentrations because it will have serious effects on the heart". Nobody is suggesting that thyroid medication is given out ‘willy nilly’ but if the patient is presenting with signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and T4 and or T3 concentrations are at the lower end of normal then a cautious trial of thyroid replacement therapy can do no harm, providing any heart conditions have been taken into consideration.

Studies in 1,580 inpatients and in 630 patients admitted as medical emergencies found that thyroid function tests performed as screening tests yielded abnormal results in 33% and 20% of patients respectively. In both studies, biochemical tests suggested thyroid disease incorrectly (that is they gave false positive results) in 9 cases out of ten. Thus indiscriminate use of thyroid function tests is more likely to confuse than to help. REF: BMJ 2000; 320:1332-1334 (13thMay) Thyroid function tests-time for a re-assessment. Page 9.

READ SO MUCH MORE IN THE SECOND EDITION OF

'TEARS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS'

We are all subjected to chemicals

IN THE FOOD WE EAT

IN THE AIR WE BREATHE

IN THE WATER WE DRINK.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THESE CHEMICALS AFFECT THYROID FUNCTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS.