I had my thyroid checked out, received a Rx for Armour Thyroid, and now my blood levels are in a good range. I can feel the difference in my body temp, but my nails still break, and I still can't lose weight.

I've had thyroid disease for 4, almost 5 years now and I still can't lose weight. It's very frustrating.

Hey doc, how about adressing the problem for those of us who have the opposite effect? Mine was going crazy and with medication to 'slow it down', it did exactly that.
First year in the winter time I almost froze to death because my body couldn't adjust. Second year we 'adjusted' the dosage and it was better.
Am now off of it but am left with the problem it left behind. Weight gain that is almost impossible to get off.
How do you adjust the thyroid back to where it keeps you 'normal' without pushing it back into overdrive?

I have to wonder what role thyroid is playing in my health or lack there of. I had heart surgery for Mitral Valve repair a couple years ago and now have a steady high heart rate. My thyroid levels have dropped over the years and I am on 25mcg of generic synthroid. I feel it needs to be majorly increased. I would like to get the thyroid readings back to the level thy were when I lest remember feeling well but the doctors say increasing thyroid would increase my heart rate even more and they dont want that...as it is I am looking at an new utrasound procedure to try and zap my heart rate back down. I have no energy...I work and sleep....thats about it. If I sit I sleep. No amount of sleep makes me feel more energized. I would like to increase my thyroid levels and see if it effects the heart rate. I feel like I need to convince the doctors to try increasing the tyroid and wee what it does to the heart rate...if it gets even higher we can discontinue the increased med levels but if it doesnt effect the heart than just maybe it will make me feel better. Hopefully Ultrametabolism which I just purchased will help also. I am interested in looking at options other than Sythroid too. Thanks for sharing your research with so many of us.

I have 11 out of the 15 symptoms - the most frustrating is an inability to lose weight no matter what I do - I can gain it at the drop of a hat though! I recently changed doctors, and my new doctor asked if I'd ever had my thyroid checked - I didn't know. She was going to review my records when she received them to see - I haven't heard back from her, so I don't know if it's ever been checked. After reading this, I feel fairly convinced that my thyroid my is not functioning properly.

I've spent years abusing my body and metabolism with fad diets, OTC diet pills and other "quick fixes" - I guess it's no wonder my body has decided to rebel. I'm determined to get healthy and get the excess weight off. I really need to lose 25-30 pounds and while that may not seem like a huge amount to some people, when you can't lose even 5 pounds, some days it seems insurmountable!

I have all the symptoms you list in addition to always having cold hands and feet. My thyroid has been tested several times and it shows nothing wrong. I have been able to lose weight for short periods if I cut my calories down to about 500-800 per day but after a few months it is starting to come back no matter what I eat or how I cut back.Any suggestions?

I'm exrtremely active and work out 5 time a week. I eat very healthy despite the one greasy breakfast I allow myself on the weekend. In the past year I have gained weight and I don't understand where it's coming from. In just the past couple of months I have noticed a lot of hair loss as well as exhaustaion in the morning as well as a few other symptoms on your list. I've been reding a lot about thyroid problems and would like to get mine checked but I don't have a 'general' doctor. What specific type of doctor should I go see to get my thyroid checked?

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid, but exhibited all the symptoms of hypothyroid--weight gain and the rest. After a few months of Tapazole, my thyroid levels are back to normal, but the rest of me isn't--I still exhibit symptoms of hypothyroid. My endocrinologist is also encouraging me to zap my thyroid with radiation since I'm of child-bearing age and pregnancy can re-trigger a hyperthyroid. This, however, will almost certainly make me permanently hypo, and I will have to be on Synthroid for the rest of my life. Not thrilled with that prospect.

I have the majority of the symptoms outlined in your article. I also have PCOS which shares some of the same symptoms. Everytime I have my thyroid checked, it's "within normal range." I have recently started seeing a nutritionist, for 9 weeks, and have lost 21 pounds, which is amazing for me. I'm taking supplements and a multivitiamin as well as following an eating plan very similar to yours outlined in your book. My nutritionist has referred me to a holisic gyn due to hormone, PCOS, problems, they have just ordered a saliva test as well as testing several things through bloodwork, one being T3, T4. I am hoping something gives and we can find the culprit to many of my symptoms as well. It's been great losing the weight and I still have 20 to go, but it seems I've hit a plateau and have a fear I won't lose anymore.
Thank you for sharing your expertise. I am a RN and know there is a "pill" for most anything, but really enjoy the more natural approach to healing the body.
Again, thank you.

I have to second the post from Debra. I've had my thyroid checked and it turns out it's fine. I've ALWAYS been overweight, and since age 30 have dieted myself right into a whole! Lost 120 pounds (and my hair and nails) only to gain it all back (except the hair) in less than 7 months! Rallied again in 2 years, did crash diet for 10 months and lost another 80 pounds...only to regain. You get the picture. I'm now 41 and had lap-band surgery done a year ago to help with portion control. It's helped me to get 60 pounds off, but now I'm reduced to 800 calories a day intake and am no longer losing. I'm stuck and still weigh 240 pounds! I need a hip replacement due to it collapsing 2 years ago, and can't have a replacement till my BMI is 35 or under. Starting to look like I'll never make it. Even if I could lose more, I'm increasingly afraid I'll never be able to maintain it. Not sure where to go from here. My PCP acts like it's me still overeating, but I am NOT. And I steer clear of all processed foods. Knowing how bad they are for you I gave them up 4 years ago. Need some insight...

I was put on thyroid meds this past winter. I still have the symptoms and have gained some weight. I think I feel hungrier now than before. I get very irritable and dizzy when I don't eat. I feel that way even after eating certain foods. When I asked my doctor why I don't have more energy since going on the thyroid medicine she said I just wasn't motivated. All I know is that I am tired, have mental fog, trouble staying on task and don't know where to begin as far as diet is concerned. I have two older children - 1 eats no gluten or dairy - the other is a meat eater - husband has fatty liver and eats all types of foods. Could use some suggestions......please...

I definitely think that for many women there is a connection between proper thyroid regulation and weight loss/maintenance. I have mild hypothyroidism and have taken synthroid supplementation for 19 years. About five years ago my internist also suggested cytomel. I began it as well not really focusing on its effects until several months later I noticed that I had lost five pounds and had more energy. Adequate thyroid supplementation is also strongly correlated with preventing depression, in my experience and depression can really interfere with trying to lose/maintain weight! I can confirm that hypothyroidism is underdiagnosed and that many physicians are reluctant to prescribe thyroid supplementation because it suppresses the natural function of the thryoid and is difficult to get right. I would be interested in others' experience with soy protein (which I have minimized after reading Hyman) and broccoli(which I eat a lot of and don't want to give up). Also, how to get enough selenium.

My doctor put me on cytomel and it made my T-3 too high but I lost 5lbs like nothing. Then we reduced it to almost nothing and added synthroid a small dose and the T-3 was still too high so I stopped taking it and just take the synthroid. I am going to get it checked again to see were my levels are at. Now I have days with no energy and have a hard time keeping the weight off that I have lost and I go to the gym for 1 1/2 hrs 3 times a week.

I am like Debra, I have all the symptons and all tests come back as normal.
I eat more fruit and vegies than meat watch my salt intake and still have to eat under 8oo calories in order to loose weight.
My mother and her sister both had goiters removed and I have what the doctor called a syst or hot spot in my thyroid. So how do I get a normal reading?

I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 25 years ago, and had to drag myself from doctor to doctor before I was correctly diagnosed. I have been on synthroid ever since. I believe that my thyroid was damaged by some radiation treatments I had while in college to treat acute dermatitis, and the left side of my throid is less active than the right. I have had to use increasing doses of synthroid over the years just to be able to get out of bed in the morning, and I have a constant battle with my doctors who insist that I am taking too much. This is the "tyrany of the test", as I call it. I have read that before there was a test that patients took approximately 1/3 more synthroid than they do today, because the dose was set according to how the patient felt. I have never even been offered any cytomel, but have been told that according to the test my body is converting C4 to C3. I have told my doctors that if I have to become a bed ridden invalid, sleeping 14 or more hours a day to satisify their test that I would rather be dead. What's the point of living if there is no quality of life? Even though the docs insist that I am taking too much synthroid, I still have many of the symptoms listed which indicates to me that I am not taking too much but too little though the doctors choose to ignore this. It is very hard to find a doctor who will listen to what I say and work with me, the person, rather than focus solely on "the test". I suppose this is at least partly practising defensive medicine; the test is ALWAYS right according to the docs. On a slightly different subject, a few years ago I was told that I MUST take HRT. Doctor after doctor told me that without HRT I was putting myself at risk for heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and worst of all, that I was going to lose my mind if I didn't take HRT! I tried, I really did; Primarin, Estrace, Ogen, 2 kinds of patches and finally estradiol injections. I never felt worse in my life.
Finally I just stopped. The next ob/gyn I saw said I had astronomically high estrogen levels and systemic yeast as a result of my HRT treatment. Of course now, doctors have done an abrupt turnaround as to the effect of HRT on women's health. The point of all this is that medicine is constantly evolving and that yesterday's mandatory treatment can sometimes be found on today's trash heap.

After having my thyroid removed at 17, Synthroid alone did not help me lose the about 25 pounds I gained post-surgery. I would eat 1000 calories a day and just maintain my weight. But, 4 years later, after cutting out toxins in my environment (like flouridated toothpaste) and in my diet (like peanut butter(!)), using supplements like ashwaganda and selenium, and maintaining a healthy, low-calorie diet, the excess weight fell off. I am sure that all of this finally allowed the synthroid to work and for me to go back to a healthy weight.

I always complained about my difficulty to loose weight even though I have been very athletic most of my life. I've seen an internist since I was 25 or so and have been on cholesterol medication since I was 31 (genetic issue, I finally caved in to medication), have never been pregnant and started taking Synthroid about 5 years ago. After seeing an endocrinologist, I found out that my thyroid had been attacking itself. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimune disorder. I was told that my thyroid was no longer shaped like a butterfly. The shape was what the Dr. called irregular. I had no idea what role my thyroid played in my overall health until I sat down with the Dr. after my tests.

I'm still not able to loose weight without taking drastic measures, but overall I'm doing well. Positive God attitude. The endocrinologist suggested that my underperforming thyroid could also have been the culprit that prevented me from getting pregnant. I have not been on any kind of birth control since I was 29. These are my experiences. I hope it helps someone.

My question is with regard to holistic medicine. Has anyone had any positive experiences with natural medicine? The answer has got to be in prevention. It seems we all only seem to be informed after the fact. We need a revamping of the FDA and medical industries. Somehow something's just not right when so many are affected by so many different diseases and disorders. With our food being treated with so many chemicals, sugar and processing, it's just not simple anymore. Really are we better off or are we all deceived?

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 14 years ago and was put on .075mg Syntheroid. My doctor recently upped the dose to .088mg, but I am and always have felt sluggish, bloated, and depressed. In the last year I have gained 20 lbs, but am told my Thyroid levels are where they should be. What else can I do?

My thyroid tests always came back low normal. Even though I had all the hypothyroid symptoms, no endocrinologist would do anything for me. I found some information (from God) and was led to a website (wilson's temperature, but it is somewhat controversial, as most alternative med stuff is, but it is about women with low thyroid symptoms that test out normal) that showed a number of women who had the same issues that I did! Mostly, they say that the T3 is in reverse mode from stress, childbirth, an accident, abuse or some major issue. What woman does not have major stress?

I was led to one doctor who treated me with T3, dosing up and then down on the med, until you find where the dose that finally regulates the symptom. Then I was led to another doctor and was treated with progesterone, cortisol and T3 and finally settled into Armour thyroid. I weaned myself off the progesterone and cortisol, and still have no pms symptoms, even though I am 47.

I am no longer cold, fatigued, sluggish or anxious. Most womem I know are on antidepressants and anxiety meds but I have been able to avoid this. I rarely get sick and did not catch any of the respiratory illnesses that everyone had this winter.
My only issue is the weight, like most of you mention. However I still eat too many carbs, which is my biggest issue.

With yoga, a whey protein drink for breakfast, 10 glasses of scheduled and counted water a day, fish oil and numerous other nutrients, my weight stays the same, fluctuating 5 pounds up or down.
I am trying to increase my cardio and get on the ultra metabolism diet to help with the weight loss.

I do agree that the diet has a lot to do with our issues. If anyone has read Dr. Lee's book on peri-menopause or menopause, you can see so much of the food contains hormones, antibiotics or partial estrogen,which can lead to weight gain, toxicity in the body, especially the liver, which makes it harder to lose weight, and stresses the thyroid.

There is so much info out there, everyone needs to do their own research, research that research and decide what plan is best for them.

It's important to remember that in some states, generic thyroid medication can be switched at the pharmacy from one generic brand to another without your knowledge. It's legal, but realize that the two different generics don't have to be "rated" to each other, and has the potential to throw your TSH levels off from one month to another. Better bet is to go with a branded medication. Some branded meds are often less than a copayment.

I'm 50, my resting metabolic rate is 738. Complete thyroid tests always show everything is in low but normal range. I have many of the hypothyroid symptoms. My Dr. started me on low dose Armour thyroid. I eat under 700 cal/day-organic fruits & vegetables -rarely any carbs and sometimes juice fast. I exercise everyday-weights, cardio the whole bit. I've been working with a Dr. for over a year now and MY WEIGHT HASN'T CHANGED. It is so frustrating and I'm hungry. I am absolutely at my wits end but I see others have the same problem. What to do?

I am 53 and was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and had my thyroid removed last week. Right now my doctor has me taking cytomel and most days I feel very energized but have had one or two days where I felt like a rag doll. No energy at all. The doctor said that happens to some people after surgery. I'm hoping that's what it is and not something that is going to happen often because I no longer have a thyroid.
The question is how did I get this? There is no cancer in my family and the answer to the question the doctor asked..had I ever been exposed to radiation? is no. I also had PCOS 25 years ago and had surgery for that and noticed from some of the thyroid boards that some people with thyroid cancer also have or have had PCOS. I also had a colon polyp removed last year. Seems like I have things growing throughout my body.
Do you recommend the same supplements for persons without a thyroid as for those with low thyroid function? I bought your book and plan to follow your advice and see how it goes.

I have had a thyroid condition since I was 28 years old. I have been taking Synthroid since then and I am 51 years old. I am 100 LBS + overwieght and have a lot of trouble losing weight. I have swollen ankles, fatigue, hair loss and several other symptoms. Making the connection with Dr Hyman has opened my eyes to the correct way of eating for my health.

I have steadily gained about 40 lbs. over the past nine years. I am 35 and have two children. I have 12 of the symptoms listed. Some I have experienced since I was a teenager, some have just become problematic in the last 5 years or so. I have just recently started "dieting" because I am sick of buying larger clothes. I have not lost a significant amount of weight and feel hungry and more irritable than usual. The weight that I have lost can be attributed to fluid retention. I am tired of being tired. I had my thyroid checked and was told by the PA, "It is as normal as normal gets! And I should know because I am hypothyroid." My question is what is "normal"? Normal is usually based on an average, and we know that average does not represent everyone. The PA put me on a combination of two antidepressants which constipated me more and made me bloat. She insisted that I was depressed and my thryroid was fine. I stopped the medication after a couple of weeks. Did it not dawn on her that I could be "depressed" because I was tired of feeling awful all of the time? Anyway, I felt so put off, like she didn't understand and didn't want to understand. She had the attitude that my symptoms were all in my head and that was very insulting. I am hoping that reading Ultrametabolism and employing Dr. Hyman's suggestions will help. It also helps to read these posts and see that I am not alone in this struggle. My best to everyone :-)

My dentist says I have a significant mercury build up in my thyroid and brainstem. Now that I have removed the amalgam fillings he recommends chelation therapy for the mercury removal. I haven't done it due to cost and a certified practitioner. What do you think?

I have read all the posts and see how few calories everyone is eating. That scares me. Since reading Ultrametabolism I realized that I was undereating and my body was starving. I increased my intake per the formula in the book and have lost weight on a steady basis. I also feel better overall.

I am a recovered anorexic and bulemic so my body goes into starvation mode very quickly. I am concerned that you are starving your body of nutrients with so few calories.

I tried eating more calories (before Ultramet. book was out) of good food and exercising daily and nothing changed. The only way I have ever lost weight is to stop eating. If I cut back slowly on calories, my body just seems to adjust and no weight loss is realized. So I don't dare eat much. Does the Ultrametabolism way really work?

In the Ultrametabolism book it addresses the "fat skinny person". I find that fascinating because we are programmed to read the scale and determine our self-worth by the "magic number" preset in our brains. Healthy eating is the key, no number on the scale can replace nourishing your body instead of robbing it of vital nutrition.

I have done both and, believe me, you may think you are doing yourself a favor by not eating. I have suffered multiple surgeries and complications for starving in my early years of adulthood. I wish I had spent the money on healthy food and lifestyle instead of medical bills. I was at my "ideal" weight, but now realize I was 40 pounds underweight. I was trying so hard to fit society's image that I damaged my internal organs. Call me "fat" if you want because I wear a size 12-14. My body build is that of a medium man and there is no way I can physically get into a smaller size. I got down to a 10 when I was anorexic. Scales and clothes sizes do not always tell the true story. It took me many years to understand this and to accept this fact. My 2 daughters have a much healthier body image than I ever did because I taught them beauty is within and happiness can't be found on a weight scale.

I really am not some fanatic. I enjoy a lot of good food, but not wheat or sugar. There is some great tasting, nutritious food out there if you just think outside the "box" (pardon the processed food pun). I hate seeing anyone suffer what I have. I saddens me.

I bought the book a couple weeks ago...just now got around to read it.

Boy...I maxed out on the subdue stress test.

Like others I have tried to increase my calorie intake, and that didn't do nothing for me at all. I do know that I am borderline low tyroid, meaning my doctor won't give me a stronger syndroid medicine because I am right there at the border, low but not low enough. Sucks!!!

Anyway, so I dare don't eat more then usual. I would blow up like a balloon. I did stop eating processed foods, and didn't really lose weight, but noticed that I do feel better.

I was diagnosed with Graves Disease about 20 years ago. About 5 years ago my thyroid was ablated and I was put on synthroid. This was after years of close to normal numbers on the thyroid tests. I still have many problems like weight gain and fatigue. I am talking with my doc about changing to the Armour thyroid. Has anyone made that change? Feeling better, losing weight? I spent so many years feeling so bad, I'm a litte leary of making this change. Thanks for any info on the Armour Thyroid.

I am the third generation of thyroid dysfunction however, my grandmother and my mother both had goiters. I had my thyroid checked every year (I thought it was done properly), medical only felt of my throat. That was it. The first symptom showed up when I was 23. It was palpatations, of course I had no idea what it was. The heart specialist chocked it up to too much caffine(I only drank one maybe two a day), but ok.
I was already working out/weight training so even though I went from 130 lbs to 150 lbs in 2 weeks, I also went down 2 sizes. A few months after this, I start losing weight like crazy, going down to a loose size 7. I'm 5' 8" by the way. I thought this was great. I am one of those people who looks in the mirror and sees the same person no matter what size I am. I was in the Navy, so my chief(boss) pulled me aside and told me in no uncertain terms that I was to quit losing weight. I was shocked, I couldn't figure out why until I saw a picture. My face looked like someone sucked all the meat out and only left my cheek bones.
About when I hit 27-28 I started getting uncontrollably irritable at the drop of a hat and gaining weight steadily(a friend even asked if I was pregnant). I didn't worry, I never had problems losing or gaining weight before.
By 32 I started gaining weight and size(10-12% body fat within 6 months). I thought there must be a mistake. Then I tried in ernest to lose weight and it just kept going up, the harder I tried the worse it got. At the time I didn't realize it but I was slowly losing energy, the ability to make decisions, to remember things. I was stationed in and am a native Californian, but I was absolutely miserable in the heat(I live in WA now).
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 40(3 years ago) and could barely function, sleep, and had no appetite but still kept gaining weight, after I put a couple of symptoms together on the internet and took the information to medical and insisted they do something, anything. They confirmed a inflammed thyroid, further tests showed Hypothyroidism. I realized that all of your listed symptoms plus a few more were not normal, including fibromyalgia and myofacio (sp) something pain.
They started me on Synthroid and I immediately lost 20 of my 220 lbs and then nothing. I hover 2-3 lbs on either side of 200 no matter what I eat or don't eat. I also stopped absorbing iron and have to take supplements twice a day to keep from being anemic. Each new doctor or endocrinologist can't decide on dosage or diagnosis. The tests say I have too much synthroid but I feel like a lead balloon when they put me on lower dosage. I grudgingly agreed to 100mg for the last few months. I feel about 75% normal and that has only been since starting a regimen of supplements (Selenium, Vit E, B-50, Cod Liver Oil, Ginko Biloba, Vit C, Magnesium, Chromium Picolonate, Zinc, Flaxseed Oil, Omega 3, Potassium, L-Lysine), and the availability of fresh fruits and veggies. At last diagnosis the DR said I have Hashimotos. I am still trying to figure out a diet. I only found out about the book today so I haven't bought it yet. This is the first book to address thyroid problems in detail and I am very hopeful. Finally I will know what I should be eating, besides loads of fiber.
I hope this experience helps anyone who suspects a thyroid problem and INSISTS on tests and confirmation from thier Doctor or get a new Doctor.

I had thyroid cancer about 8 years ago. The doctor removed my thyroid, lymph glands, and 2 para-thyroid glands on the right side of my neck. I also had to ingest radioactive iodine. I have all of the symptoms listed. Although, I am approaching 50 years of age, I don't know how many symptoms I have that could be menopausal. My weight problem only consisits of about 8-10 lbs but I am miserable with fluid retention and bloating. How can you eat all the right foods and exercise all the right ways and weigh yourself in the morning and feel good and the next morning you weigh again and have put on 5-6 lbs. and feel awful. This has been going on for close to 8 years. I am not so sure my doctor has the "smarts" to get me on the right track with the right medication and the right amount. I live in a small town and the "good" doctors are all 2 hours away. Do you have any advice for me? What is this Armour Thyroid? Is Cytomel by perscription only?

I started Ultrametabolism about 10 weeks ago after literally years of being not able to lose weight despite my ongoing attempts. I had lost 120 lbs in about a year’s time but hit a plateau and after a few months started gaining the weight back. I was still eating what I thought was a clean diet and exercising (sometimes to excess). I went to several doctors all trying to get me to take diet pills some recommending I have my stomach stapled, still others that I stop lifting weights but NONE trying to find the reason why I gained weight to begin with. Ultrametabolism has literally been a life saver for me. I have recommended this book to many people. For me, it’s not a diet but a lifestyle and one I am passing on to my children. If anyone is interested a friend of mine and me started a support group to, well support each other, share recipes, etc. If you’d like to join us you can find us at http://groups.msn.com/ultrametabolismsupport/_whatsnew.msnw. Good luck to everyone and thank you Dr. Hyman!

I was diagnosed with low thyroid 20 years ago, I've been on synthroid ever since. I've suffered from vulvar eczema for 26 years. I believe it may be related. No one has been able to help since. I spend endless nights awake, scratching until I want to scream. Has anyone ever had any success with this. My weight has been constantly up and down, more on the up. In the past two years, following some of the basic principles of the UltraMetabolism I have managed to lose 20 lbs, but still have 10 more to lose and have plateaued for months now. I am 48 years old. I ordered the book and am hoping that it will help me get my life back in order.

Curious what Dr. Hyman thinks about Smart Water?

Also wish you'd send out e-mail blasts which announce when you're going to be on national t.v. Heard about The View - I would have turned on the telly and been mentally supportive!

Thank you!

I was diagnosed with a disfunctional thyroid gland four years ago.And has since had trouble with my weight. I have been taking thyroxin since I was diagnosed and I have a checkup every year. Last year I suddenly began to gain more weight than usually . And a checkup showed that my thyroik gland was getting more disfunctional. So now I am taking a bigger dosage of thyroxin.
But I still must always be on a diet because of my weight. I am 60 years old. Height 5,7 and weight 148lbs. I am often very irritated, has a trouble to remember things, dry skin, broken nails, fatigue, tired, get inflammations and viruses (like Herpes on my butt) repeatidly, flu, depression and recently my hair is getting thinner. It´s so bad that I´m almost bald on the area over my ears. And I had to go to a hairdresser to have some 'hair' fastened to the few hairs that was left over my ears.I keep a stricht diet for myself.
I eat rye bread, cottage cheese, green salat, vegetable ,like tomatoes, bananas, pine nuts, fish such as haddoc, herring and cod, chichen, eggs, olive oil, yougurt, skimmed milk sometimes a leg of lamb an d etc. I aldso take one capsule of Omega 3 forte per day and vitamins and minerals too. But my hair is still falling off and I always keep forgetting things I have to do.
Could you possibly help me?
sincerly
Svava Strandberg

I've gained the weight (70 lbs.), been on and off the thyroid meds. Dieted and lost weight, killed the metabolism and gained it back (the weight). Have many nodules. Being tested. Why did it take so long to get help? I read the book, intend to throw out the peanut butter and use a gluten free diet and try to get healthy again. I'll do this by putting myself first. I can't take care of others if I am not well. All of my life has been spent putting others first. My children, my mother and my husband. It's time. Wish me luck!

re sluggish thyroid: my internist has repeatedly checked my thyroid levels thru blood work and keeps telling me that I am borderline. In my lat 20s I was on thyroid meds and at 5'3" never weighed more than 117#. At the time of my 3rd pregancy I was taken off the medication but kept my weight down at about 130-135. Just about the time I started having symptoms of FM (about 5 yrs ago) my weight has escalated tremendously. I have all but 2 of the symptoms you listed (I don't believe I'm depressed-altho do occasionally have slight mood swings). I must add that I am soon to become 72 yrs young. I get very frustrated when I can't keep up the pace of going and doing as I please. Aside from the prescription meds I take I also take a multi vitamin, Red Rice Yeast along with other cholesterol meds,COQ10 and only take C when I feel a cold coming on. I'd appreciate some feed back. Thank you

I saw Mark on PBS and made a contribution for the whole shebang (nutrigenomics lectures, dvd, detox box and Ultramet). I also went to see him lecture in NYC and bought the book for a couple other people. With the package from WLIW was The Detox Box. I got all the necessary items together to begin that program and did so yesterday. I have a thyroid problem which occurred after an infection the first year of my marriage in 1999. Before that I was fit and active. I started to gain weight and began the thyroid meds as I thought there was no other solution (is there?) - it helped with the sluggishness and anyway long story short - I ended up here needing to find a way to lose weight naturally (is that possible?). For anyone still reading this stuff I started the detox yesterday. It's easy to follow except for a slight headache from giving up coffee at the last possible second. I only drank one really strong cup a day but I'm feeling it slightly. The psyliium husk is the hardest to down but I'm applying the hold your nose AND close your eyes tactic and it's working. Mark includes a c.d. of yoga poses - his voice is really soothing but it would be better if it were a DVD! I guess "they" don't want us to see the suited up Doc in his yoga gear!! :) Anyway, it was really too much food I would say but I'm not skipping because I want to see if this will work for they "thyroidies." I have purposely avoided dieting over the years more concerned about the up and down aspects of weight loss. The doctor always gave me a clean bill of health (so annoying when you need to lose 50 lbs!). Anyway, I intend to post about my progress here because I was looking for someone in my shoes who did it - I guess it will be me... I'm planning on doing the detox for 14 days. I have lots of support (as I've asked for it) and my husband is out of town for the month! I did face some skeptics - everyone wants to give an opinion - but I am really good at ignoring people so! I see my endocronoligist next month - he is an accomplished guy but is really old school. I hope to show him some major progress as well as myself. Day Two Detox Box!

I had my Thyroid checked and it is Over active, but it isn't high enough to put me on any medication. I'm overweight, and have Poly cystic ovarian syndrome. I didn't see any information in Ultrametabolism on hyperthyroidism. I hope that you will give me some information on that. Thanks!

In reading Dr. Hyman's thoughts on the health crisis is makes me sick to think what has happened to this country. We're allowing multi billionaires to kill us. We buy food that isn't healthy, we drive cars that use the most expensive fuel and yet millions are hungry and sick with no help in sight. I don't think our founding fathers and great president's like the Roosevelts's and Truman's would have allowed this. This country got what it deserved when it elected the Bush's. By the way has anyone noticed that Bush is from Texas which is the big oil state!

Get your message out loud and clear! You're completely right about about what you're saying. We treat symptoms, don't try to prevent disease, and enrich the economy on illness. What does it take to change doctors' attitudes.

A friend was eating Smart Start, a breakfast cereal(candy). I said, read the ingredients. This is a stupid start. He was amazed to see High Fructose.... as one of the main ingredients, along with some other unpronouncable ingredients.

Ensure is equally as bad. A vitamin pill would do better without the other ingredients.

Keep telling us!! We need to hear this.

Thank you,
gloria cohen

I wanted to comment on Dr. Hyman's thoughts on the health care system and how the FDA and pharmaceutical companies are fixed on keeping society sick and in the doctors office. I also have to say that these agencies knowing the dangers of these products are not completely at fault. We as consumers play a part as well. We are responsible for knowing better. We can choose not to buy packaged foods and choose more healthier foods...whole foods..and we can also exercise without having someone tells us we ought to b/c of failing health. Why must a doctor have to tell a person to start making lifestyle changes b/f obesity, heart disease, diabetes, or stroke sets in. It is absolutely unthinkable to wait until a life threatening illness manifests itself b/f a person begins to wake-up to the fact that what they have been eating may not be so good for sustaining health....and to Bob's comment on Bush...To blame the Bush's for the health condition of this country is about as foolish as one can be. This epidemic has been around a whole lot longer than they have been around, so don't try and point the finger at a individual you have know idea of except of what you read or see...if you really pay any attention he is by far health conscience and active than most Americans!

I totally agree on the lack of health in our nation, having studied nutritional research for 45 years, I say if you can't pronounce it or spell it, don't eat it. And our food supply is not all, the pesticides we use, the chemicals we use in our homes, even in the building of them are all causing huge health problems. Dr. Doris Rapp, an M.D. certified in Environmental medicine, wrote a book entitled Our Toxic World, that will really open your eyes.
One thing people are not aware of, and can do their own Internet research to check out, is chem trails. You will be shocked and angered.by what you discover and how it affects your health...
One comment on Al Gore's movie, in regard to global warming he tells only partial facts, i.e., the Aral Sea has not dried up due to global warming, it actually shrank 75% because the former Soviet Union diverted the rivers that once fed it. Also here's an interesting quote from U.S. Senator Tim Wirth, D-Colo, "We've got to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing--in terms of economic policy and environmental policy."
I agree with doing the right thing, but let's do it for the right reason, the truth, not distorted or half-truths.
Respectfully submitted,
S. E.

Dear Doctor,
You commented highly on Algore's movie, I certainly hope you'll do some research on this bit of fiction before you reference it again. It wasn't too long ago that the naysayers were trying to scare us with 2 (two) coming ICE AGES. Recall?
Aren't we a bit egotistical to think we can destroy God's work in a couple of hundred years?
Seems Algore will do anything to keep his nutty ideas afloat.
Please do not try to insult our intelligence in this manner.

Education in what's causing the problems related to obesity is going to solve this issue. We need it at the grade, high school and college levels. The kids can communicate this to parents and the kids will be the next voters (and legislators). Dr.Hyman, you might consider training people to give seminars at these locations to pass the message on.

Please read this article from an MIT scientist before you beleive anything AL Gore says
Thank you R. Golde
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008597

I agree with much of Dr. Hyman's criticisms regarding unhealthy diets but I was very surprised that missing on his list of solutions was eliminating or decreasing the consumption of animal fat. I can't think of a more dangerous practice for human beings than consuming the dead bodies of animals. Changing to a plant-based diet should be number one on the list.
Sincerely,
Sharleen Leahey

YOU'VE LOST MY RESPECT BY USING AL GORE'S MOVIE AS A MODEL. WE WON'T BE BUYING YOUR BOOKS OR READING YOUR PROPAGANDA

I was sorry (and shocked) when I read your email about Al Gore's movie and global warming. You need to focus on medical not political agendas. It really makes me question the advise you are providing.