Re: MAIL ON SUNDAY - REVIEW SECTION

[Guest guest]

What puzzles me is how 12 studies could prove T3 has no benefit.

Actually Vanderpump has admitted there IS a benefit. Patients feel better. Surely that is a benefit. He has therefore admitted they just do not care how people feel. How disgraceful for a doctor to think that way.

However, if we are talking chemically. If I do not have T3 my T3 is BELOW range, if I have T3 it is within range. Is that not a chemical benefit. If I was given a placebo of T3 my T3 would still be below range because I cannot convert. It certainly makes me wonder who they chose for such studies and how they conducted them.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

LILIAN, WHY NOT PUT THIS IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. WE NEED AS

MANY SUCH LETTERS AS POSSIBLE.

LUV - SHEILA

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of Lilian

Sent: 03 July 2011 09:27

thyroid treatment

Subject: Re: MAIL ON SUNDAY - REVIEW SECTION

What puzzles me is how 12 studies could prove T3 has no

benefit.

Actually Vanderpump has admitted there IS a benefit.

Patients feel better. Surely that is a benefit. He has

therefore admitted they just do not care how people feel. How

disgraceful for a doctor to think that way.

However, if we are talking chemically. If I do not

have T3 my T3 is BELOW range, if I have T3 it is within range. Is

that not a chemical benefit. If I was given a placebo of T3

my T3 would still be below range because I cannot convert. It

certainly makes me wonder who they chose for such studies and how they

conducted them.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

I would but do not know who to address or their email address.

Lilian

LILIAN, WHY NOT PUT THIS IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. WE NEED AS MANY SUCH LETTERS AS POSSIBLE.

[Guest guest]

Well done Sheila, Brilliant news. I'll go and get the paper now Much love, Clare Clare Albinson

www.clarealbinson.co.uk

www.perfectfitforsaddles.com

thyroid treatment From: sheila@...Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2011 08:07:00 +0000Subject: MAIL ON SUNDAY - REVIEW SECTION

Dear Member

THYROID ARTICLE - TPA MEMBER'S STORY

At last, the promised article has been published in the Mail on Sunday

today. You will find this in the Review Magazine on Page 23. It starts

out with Gail's story (one of our members) and then goes on to talk

about Dr Peatfield (with some very old information that should have been

updated) and what he has to say about the lack of diagnosis and

treatment for those with symptoms. The article gets in quite a few of

the points I made thankfully but there could have been more, but we have

to be grateful for the points that have been published. Dr Mark

Vanderpump of BTA states that yes, there are approximately 5% of people

who don't get well on levothyroxine-only and that they need to find out

why t his is, but then talks about the 12 studies that show that T4/T3

doesn't work any better than T3 and that T3 is dangerous, but I have

only had this article read out over the phone to me by Marie, so don't

know of the details.

TPA gets an honourable mention.

I sincerely hope that after you have read the article, you will help our

cause by writing to the Editor of the Mail on Sunday, either online or

via snail mail and put your story across and tell him what you think

about the way you have been treated and also about TPA to help put us on

the map for those people who don't know about us and who we could help.

The article sadly did NOT mention the 1032 counterexamples already

listed in our Register who remained ill on T4 only, yet whose symptoms

were mitigated or went away completely when they started taking some

form of T3, but they did mention that over 250,000 citizens in the UK

are being left to suffer.

It's about time that members of certain thyroid associations were made

to declare their interests ....

Sheila

[Guest guest]

feedback@...

D

>

> I would but do not know who to address or their email address.

>

> Lilian

> LILIAN, WHY NOT PUT THIS IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. WE NEED AS MANY SUCH

LETTERS AS POSSIBLE.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for this, meanwhile, if the NHS look everybody's thyroid

problems well, why are there SO many articles being written about it - see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?searchPhrase=thyroid

Luv - Sheila

feedback@...

D

>

> I would but do not know who to address or their email address.

[Guest guest]

Well done Sheila -great to have some publicity on the plight and scandal of treatment for hypothyroidism sufferers. Fantastic! I know it wasn't all you wanted but it is still a very good article.

Ange

xx

-- RE: Re: MAIL ON SUNDAY - REVIEW SECTION

Thanks for this, meanwhile, if the NHS look everybody's thyroid problems well, why are there SO many articles being written about it - see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?searchPhrase=thyroid

Luv - Sheila

feedback@...D>> I would but do not know who to address or their email address.

[Guest guest]

Fantastic, Sheila. They even put TPAs website address at the end of the

article. You may get inundated with new members.

I believe Dr V mentioned in the article (who my endo wanted me to see but I

refused) has vested interest in prescribing T4. Not only is he a member of the

BTA but has written books on thyroid disease (one of which you have, Sheila). I

shall try and do some digging and see what I come up with.

Love

Jacquie

PS: It eludes me why they ALWAYS get him to respond to anything to do with the

media.

[Guest guest]

They always use Vanderpump because I understand they appointed him

BTA press officer - they really shouldn't, he gives out so much misleading and

incorrect information it is quite frightening, but then, they have a habit of

keep kicking themselves in the foot. When will they learn.

Luv - Sheila

Fantastic, Sheila. They even put TPAs website

address at the end of the article. You may get inundated with new members.

I believe Dr V mentioned in the article (who my endo wanted me to see but I

refused) has vested interest in prescribing T4. Not only is he a member of the

BTA but has written books on thyroid disease (one of which you have, Sheila). I

shall try and do some digging and see what I come up with.

Love

Jacquie

PS: It eludes me why they ALWAYS get him to respond to anything to do with the

media.

[Guest guest]

Sent mine to wrong address, I think, so have sent it again to the feedback address.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

Well done for the article, I have recommended that some of my friends read it (

the ones on t4 who are still ill after many years). Maybe I should post this a

different time, but I was wondering if I should try t3 instead of Naturethroid

for a while. Although I feel better on nt than just T4, I still have gained 5

stone and have fatique. I have low ferritin due to gyny issues, it was 31 at the

last check, I look very pale at the momement and expect it to be lower at the

next check. I have been on ferrous fummarate for years, but can't raise this

level. Wonder if T3 for a while may help. By the way I've been taking NT with

some supplements and adrenal support (but not the extra).thanks. Jan ps replying

to this thread as I am on mobile and can't post a 'new' message.

[Guest guest]

I believe he has vested interest in the slow release form of T3, This is what he has written on his website, but there is more elsewhere I sure:Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is the name given to

the clinical condition that develops when there is inadequate secretion of

thyroxine (T4) and to a lesser extent triiodothyronine (T3). Irrespective of the cause for the thyroid

underactivity the symptoms are in general the same, and their severity depends

upon the degree of thyroid failure and upon its duration.

There are many causes for thyroid

deficiency in the adult. Worldwide the

most common cause is probably lack of dietary iodine. Autoimmunity is the most common cause of

hypothyroidism in the developed world. A

significant number of people develop hypothyroidism within two to three months

after radioiodine or surgery for the correction of thyroid overactivity. This thyroid deficiency may be transient but

is likely to become permanent and the incidence increases as the years pass. Temporary

underactivity of the gland may be caused by silent thyroiditis due to release

of autoantibodies against the thyroid and is said to occur in about one in ten

women after childbirth or after a viral thyroiditis. Sometimes thyroid failure

occurs secondary to disorders that stop the pituitary gland from secreting the

thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Usually other hormones normally formed by the pituitary are also

deficient in pituitary failure or hypopituitarism. A major finding in this situation is a low or

absent level of TSH in the blood as compared with the raised level found when

the problem is confined solely to the thyroid gland.

Hypothyroidism should be looked upon as a

graded condition ranging from a slight impairment of thyroid function as shown

by a rise in the TSH level and few if any symptoms (mild thyroid failure or

subclinical hypothyroidism) progressing through a greater reduction of thyroid hormones

with more likelihood of symptoms, to complete thyroid failure that makes people

feel very ill and is often obvious to a doctor and associated with very abnormal

laboratory tests. In most instances thyroid underactivity, particularly in

Hashimoto's thyroiditis, creeps up on a person.

The changes are so imperceptibly slow in their development that for some

time they are not recognised by the person or those closest to them.

Symptoms include progressive tiredness,

feeling rundown and sluggish, feeling the cold more, women may notice that

their periods become heavier and last longer, some weight but seldom more than

a few kilograms, dry skin and thinning hair, constipation and aches and cramps

in the muscles.

Diagnosis of hypothyroidism

The abnormalities in the thyroid

function tests depend on the severity and the duration of the deficiency. In clinically obvious hypothyroidism, the T4

level is depressed below the normal range and the TSH level is very high. In

mild early cases the T4 level may still be normal and the TSH is

only marginally raised. The blood

cholesterol and fat (triglyceride) levels may also be raised in thyroid

deficiency and usually come down in response to adequate treatment. It is recommended that people found to have a

raised cholesterol have their thyroid function checked to see if there is any

evidence of undiagnosed hypothyroidism before they are treated with

cholesterol-lowering drugs. The finding

of thyroid antibodies suggests that the cause is autoimmune thyroid disease.

The

symptoms of hypothyroidism are very common, both in many other conditions and

even in states of normal health. It is therefore essential that thyroid

function is tested biochemically alongside a careful clinical assessment of the

individual patient. Clinical symptoms and/or signs alone are insufficient to

make a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. The only validated method of testing

thyroid function is on blood, which must include serum TSH and a measure of

free thyroxine (T4). There is no evidence to support the use of thyroid hormone

testing in urine, saliva, etc or the measurement of basal body temperature in

the diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction. The results of blood tests for thyroid

function can be influenced by other factors, for example in some illnesses

which do not permanently damage the thyroid gland. In this case the tests will

return to normal after the illness and thyroid hormone therapy is not needed

(and can be harmful). Laboratories use different test methods and this can give

different results. There is an international initiative for greater

harmonisation of reference ranges and of the units used in expressing results.

http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/specialties/Endocrinology-Diabetes/Documents/Hypothyroidism.pdf

Treatment

The best treatment for thyroid

deficiency is replacement therapy with levothyroxine. Although man-made, medicinal levothyroxine is

chemically identical to the natural hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. Being

a pure substance, the amount in each tablet made by a reputable pharmaceutical

company is precise and accurate. Three strengths of tablet are widely available

throughout the world: 25 micrograms (also expressed as 0.025 milligrams), 50

micrograms (0.05 milligrams) and 100 micrograms (0.1 milligrams). Levothyroxine is a stable substance and the

tablets have a long shelf life. The starting or initial dose of thyroxine that

is given will depend upon age, the duration of time that a person has been

thyroid deficient and the presence or risk of pre-existing heart disease. The

dose of thyroxine will be adjusted by the doctor according to how the person

feels and the results of the laboratory tests.

Adjustment of the dosage by 25 to 50 micrograms is unlikely to be made

more often than at intervals of a month.

There is a good deal of debate about what the aim, as regards the

results of laboratory tests, should be.

The recommended approach is a target of a TSH within the reference

range. This strategy will prevent

over-replacement and decrease possible harmful effects. Some people with thyroid deficiency feel at

their best when the TSH level is towards the bottom of the normal range or even

a little below it. The T4 level

is often above the normal range but the T3 should be normal in those

treated with thyroxine achieving a normal TSH. The total daily dose in an adult

with no functioning thyroid tissue is usually 100 to 150 micrograms. Occasionally

the dose may need to be as low as 25 micrograms, or as high as 200 micrograms

or more.

Thyroxine

does not work fast. A tablet taken, for

example, on a Monday will induce no biologically discernable effect on the body

until the following Friday. Thus the

tablets need only to be taken once per day.

As thyroxine absorption may be variable it is best taken half an hour

before breakfast on an empty stomach with water. People treated for thyroid deficiency do not

feel miraculously better overnight. The

longer someone has had thyroid deficiency, the longer it will take to feel well

again, and sometimes as long as six to nine months. It takes this length of time for the changes

in the tissues to be reversed. Once the maintenance dose has been established,

it is likely to remain stable for some time. However many factors may induce

the need for a change in the regular dosage and for this reason each person on

thyroxine should have an annual check-up with their doctor. TSH is now used to

monitor the correct dosage of thyroxine. The timing of the blood test is not

important.

Other

drugs have been used for the treatment of thyroid deficiency but have little to

support their use. Thyroid extract can be prepared from the

dried thyroid glands of animals. An

example of this is "Armour" which is a preparation that contains both T4

and T3 from desiccated pig thyroid (one grain, about 60 mg, of desiccated thyroid extract

contains about 38 micrograms of T4 and 9 micrograms of T3) and

which is advertised and can be obtained via Internet websites, but is not

listed in the British National Formulary and is not a licensed drug in the

UK. There is no evidence for favouring

the prescription of animal extracts in the treatment of hypothyroidism over the

prescription of thyroxine. Concern has been expressed about the peaks and the

troughs in T3 levels in the blood of those treated with mixed T4

and T3 preparations and the potentially harmful effects on the heart

and bones. There are also concerns about the difficulties of monitoring such

treatment due to the fluctuating levels of T3 (which are not

encountered with treatment by thyroxine alone).

Triiodothyronine (T3)

is also sometimes used, but is has no advantage over thyroxine except in the

treatment of people with thyroid cancer being prepared for isotope scans and

treatment and in the rare situation of myxoedema coma. Triiodothyronine has a quick, short duration

of action and the tablets need to be taken three times daily. If T3

is used, the correct dosage can be judged by measurement of the TSH levels in

the same way as is used for thyroxine replacement. There is currently no

evidence for there being any benefit to people with hypothyroidism of adding T3

tablets orally to thyroxine replacement is intriguing, but unconvincing. Availability of a more physiological

slow-release T3 preparation may be possible in the future, but proof

of true slow release over 24 hours to enable once a day dosing will first need

to be demonstrated. To be comparable to the physiological state, a T3

and T4 compound should mimic the amount of T4 and T3

secreted by the thyroid gland. Such a

compound, which is proven both safe and effective, and available to use, has

not yet been developed. So in the era of evidence-based medicine the available

studies have not shown any advantage of a combination of thyroxine and T3,

so in the UK the recommended management for thyroid hormone replacement

continues to be thyroxine alone.

http://www.acb.org.uk/docs/TFTguidelinefinal.pdf

http://www.british-thyroid-association.org/thyroid_statement.pdf--- In thyroid treatment , "Sheila" <sheila@...> wrote:>> They always use Vanderpump because I understand they appointed him BTA press> officer - they really shouldn't, he gives out so much misleading and> incorrect information it is quite frightening, but then, they have a habit> of keep kicking themselves in the foot. When will they learn.> > Luv - Sheila> > Fantastic, Sheila. They even put TPAs website address at the end of the> article. You may get inundated with new members. > > I believe Dr V mentioned in the article (who my endo wanted me to see but I> refused) has vested interest in prescribing T4. Not only is he a member of> the BTA but has written books on thyroid disease (one of which you have,> Sheila). I shall try and do some digging and see what I come up with.> > Love> Jacquie> PS: It eludes me why they ALWAYS get him to respond to anything to do with> the media.>

[Guest guest]

Hi Is this article on the online mail website? I wanted to print a copy out and take it to my GP to show them as it sounds exactly like me. Does anyone know the link?

Many Thanks Emma

>> They always use Vanderpump because I understand they appointed him BTA press> officer - they really shouldn't, he gives out so much misleading and> incorrect information it is quite frightening, but then, they have a habit> of keep kicking themselves in the foot. When will they learn.> > Luv - Sheila> > Fantastic, Sheila. They even put TPAs website address at the end of the> article. You may get inundated with new members. > > I believe Dr

V mentioned in the article (who my endo wanted me to see but I> refused) has vested interest in prescribing T4. Not only is he a member of> the BTA but has written books on thyroid disease (one of which you have,> Sheila). I shall try and do some digging and see what I come up with.> > Love> Jacquie> PS: It eludes me why they ALWAYS get him to respond to anything to do with> the media.>

[Guest guest]

THIS IS THE ARTICLE IN THE MAIL ON SUNDAY. THE ONLINE LINK IS http://mailonline.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx# I'M AFRAID I HAVE NOT SUBSCRIBED SO THAT IS WHAT I FOUND IN A SEARCH.>> > For all those who live outside of the UK, I have typed a copy of the> article that has appeared in the Mail on Sunday today as it is not yet> online. This has been published in the Review Section of this paper on> page 23.> > Sheila> > _______________________

> > > "FOR TWELVE YEARS I WAS A VICTIM OF "THE GREAT THYROID SCANDAL"> > > > Barbour> > > > For Gayle Coyler, the past decade has been a battle stop. Not only did> it take two years to be diagnosed with an under active thyroid-despite> suffering symptoms, including extreme weight gain,

> > > > www.tpa-uk.org.uk <http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/>>

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

Thank you to Sheila for typing out the article for those of us abroad.

I would like to raise some discussion on the price difference between

Levothyroxine and Cynomel.

In France Levothyroxine 75mcg is 2.08€ for 30 tablets and Cynomel 25mcg is

2.87€ for 30 tablets and Euthyral (100mcg T4 and 20mcg T3) is 3.21€ for 30

tablets

If the NHS buyers were efficient they should be able to match these prices.

Perhaps someone can add this in comments on the article as I don't think review

is avilable online.

thanks again,

Ian

[Guest guest]

If the quote from Vanderpump in the MoS article is correct, I think he is being

extremely disingenuous because he must be aware of the following recent research

paper:

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/94/5/1623.full

So, he seems to be ignoring the most recent evidence on the subject. You have to

wonder why? He purports to be a scientist but ignoring evidence that doesn't fit

an agenda you may have is anathema to proper science.

I'm just glad my wife wasn't treated by him after her partial thyroidectomy

because she wouldn't now be on T4/T3, which has made all the difference.

TonyC

>

> Fantastic, Sheila. They even put TPAs website address at the end of the

article. You may get inundated with new members.

>

> I believe Dr V mentioned in the article (who my endo wanted me to see but I

refused) has vested interest in prescribing T4. Not only is he a member of the

BTA but has written books on thyroid disease (one of which you have, Sheila). I

shall try and do some digging and see what I come up with.

>

> Love

> Jacquie

> PS: It eludes me why they ALWAYS get him to respond to anything to do with

the media.

>

[Guest guest]

Congrats Sheila...

How's it feel to make history ? :0)

Cheers,

JOT

[Guest guest]

The synthetic T3 cost £43.32 for 28 tablets, while T4 is £2.08.But Dr Durrant-Peatfield believes costs and ignorance cannot stand inthe way of so many thousands of being denied what they need."The truth is that T4 doesn't help many patients. It might cost the NHSunder a tenth of T3 but why even prescribe a drug that isn't effective.In the meantime, thousands of men and women are suffering without theright treatment".-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Sheila,

Again, by quoting the following figures, they're showing how the establishment fail to see beyond the end of their nose. If patients are able to regain their health, and return to work, at the cost of T3 @ £43.32, and the patient remains ill on T4 @£2.08, they're failing to highlight the extra cost including sickness benefit for days, sometimes months, off of work.

Let's not forget other expenses? The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will use new powers obtained this weekend to investigate a range of claims that doctors, nurses and NHS managers are being swayed in their drug-purchasing decisions by "excessive" wining and dining. Healthcare staff, who influence how the £12bn annual NHS drugs budget is spent, insist they are not swayed by hospitality. Pull the other one, it's got bells on?

The SFO warned this weekend that it will use powers introduced in the Bribery Act – which came into force on Friday – to investigate any claims where the entertaining of doctors, nurses and NHS managers go beyond "sensible proportionate promotional expenditure".

Bill

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU SHEILA!!!

Great stuff.

All the best

Konia

[Guest guest]

Bill - now that is a breath of fresh air, let's hope they can do something and it's not just more lip service

Jackie xOn Sun, Jul 3, 2011 at 5:48 PM, youngwill58 <follyscorner@...> wrote:

The SFO warned this weekend that it will use powers introduced in the Bribery Act – which came into force

on Friday – to investigate any claims where the entertaining of doctors, nurses and NHS managers go beyond " sensible proportionate promotional expenditure " .

Bill

[Guest guest]

I have already done this, but here is another copy in case you

didn't receive it. I typed it all out this morning in case people couldn't get

a copy because they were abroad.

Luv - Sheila

" FOR TWELVE YEARS I WAS A

VICTIM OF " THE GREAT THYROID SCANDAL "

Barbour

For Gayle Coyler, the past decade

has been a battle stop. Not only did it take two years to be diagnosed with an

under active thyroid-despite suffering symptoms, including extreme weight gain,

exhaustion, depression and joint pain - but it took nearly another 10 for her

to convince doctors that she had been prescribed the wrong medication.

" Between 2001 and 2002, I put

on nearly 5 stone, I was constantly tired and I couldn't concentrate " says

Gayle, 44, a Business Support manager. " throughout this time, I visited my

GP but I was told my symptoms were due to my weight, the stress levels from my

job, and being a single parent. The possibility of a thyroid condition was never

mentioned. By chance, a colleague had suffered the same symptoms and been

diagnosed with thyroid disease. She told me I might have the same " .

Gayle, from Whitstable, Kent booked

an appointment with her GP to ask for a test. " Despite still insisting my

problems were down to weight and stress, he agreed. A week later the test came

back positive and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism " , she says.

The thyroid is a gland located in

the neck. it produces a hormone called thyroxine (T4).The body converts this

into a hormone called triiodothyronine (T3) responsible for regulating the

body's metabolism, the rate at which it burns energy. Hypothyroidism occurs

when the thyroid cannot produce enough thyroxine or cannot convert it into T3.

The condition effects 15 in every 1000 women and 1 in 1000 men in Britain.

Gayle was prescribed synthetic

thyroxine, taken in tablet form, and told to return every 6 months for a

hormone test. Over the next two years, her dosage was trebled, but her symptoms

failed to improve.

" I tried to explain that the

medication wasn't working, but the doctor said my weight and lifestyle was

causing the problem. It was exasperating " she says.

In late 2004, Gayle moved form Kent

to Bristol and was referred to see an endocrinologist at Bristol Royal

Infirmary. " As soon as I walked through the door, he said he didn't know

why I was there " , she says. " He told me that my T4 levels were fine,

that the drugs had worked, and suggested that the problem was that I was a

'couch potato'. At the time I was senior supervisor for a team covering the

whole of South Gloucestershire and Bristol, so I was far from inactive. I left

in floods of tears feeling as if I would never get taken seriously " .

In the following years, Gayle saw

many doctors, each dismissing her concerns. In desperation, she turned to the

Internet and came across a web site run by Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield, based in

Surrey.

On his site, it explained that he

had left his job as a NHS GP in 1980 to open a private practice to offer

treatments that the NHS would not, and written a book called 'The Great Thyroid

Scandal and How to Survive It' about how synthetic thyroxine does not work for

everyone.

" I saw Barry in March last

year " . He asked for all my blood test results and for me to keep a diary

of my food intake, blood pressure and temperature when I woke for a week.

" When he saw my results, he

told me he knew exactly what the problem was. I was not converting the T4 form

of the hormone into the active t3 form, so while blood tests showed I was fine

(they only monitor T4 levels), this was far from the case. I could have cried I

was so happy. It felt it was light at the end of this long tunnel " .

In 2001, Dr Durrant-Peatfield was

suspended by the General Medical Council for his stance on thyroid disease

treatment and subsequently gave up his license to practise, meaning he could no

longer prescribe medicines. However, he recommended Gayle purchase a synthetic

T3 supplement through a web site.

" Within 2 months, I had lost

more than 2 stone and felt like a new person. Friends told me " the old

Gayle was back " - for me it was nothing short of a miracle " Since

then, Gayle, whose son Tom is 23, has finally been prescribed the T3 supplement

on the NHS after her GP attended an endocrinology conference and heard about Dr

Durrant-Peatfield's theory and how it works for many patients. " Now I can

get my medication on prescription which is unheard of, but similar to many

GP's, mine is afraid of going public, she adds.

Gayle is not alone in her plight. An

estimated 250,000 UK patients are suffering with the same condition and are

either being misdiagnosed or being prescribed incorrect medication because the

NHS testing guidelines and attitudes to synthe

However, Dr Mark Vanderpump,

consultant endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, warns;

" roughly 5% of patients do not respond to conventional T4-only therapy,

and there is active research being carried out to understand why these people

react differently to their medication.

" We must take an evidence based

approach to what works best - there have been 12 trials that show T3 makes no

difference to these patients' health. Clearly sufferers are taking T3 because

they feel desperate, but clinical evidence shows it doesn't work.

" The current version of

synthetic T3 results in dramatic peaks and troughs of hormone levels, which can

increase the risk of heart problems and bone density. As doctors, we have to

work within guidelines, from organisations such as the British Thyroid

Association and the Royal College of Physicians " .

Sheila , 73, who set up TPA 6

years ago after suffering a similar experience to Gayle, disagrees. " We

want an Enquiry into how this condition is dealt with by the NHS " she

says, " everyday, my InBox is full of Emails from people who say their GP's

are too frightened to step away from official guidelines.

" Cost differences, or lack of

evidence of the T3 drug working are cited as reasons not to change. This is

ridiculous when we have so much anecdotal evidence to the contrary. "

The synthetic T3 cost £43.32 for 28

tablets, while T4 is £2.08. But Dr Durrant-Peatfield believes costs and

ignorance cannot stand in the way of so many thousands of being denied what

they need.

" The truth is that T4 doesn't

help many patients. It might cost the NHS under a tenth of T3 but why even

prescribe a drug that isn't effective. In the meantime, thousands of men and

women are suffering without the right treatment "

www.tpa-uk.org.uk

thank you shiela for getting this done,

well done too as it must have been such hard work. I am abroad now, cant buy a

paper here in the middle east , so can you give us a copy on the forum so

people are able to see it. love janet

>

>

[Guest guest]

Congratulations Sheila - this is wonderful news. Thanks so much for your hard work on behalf of all of us.

All best, Alison

[Guest guest]

Keep watching this space Emma - it is likely that somebody will

be posting a link to the article when it goes online. I think they want to sell

as many newspapers as possible before letting such articles go free online.

Luv - Sheila

Hi Is this article on the online mail website? I wanted to

print a copy out and take it to my GP to show them as it sounds exactly like

me. Does anyone know the link?

Many Thanks Emma

[Guest guest]

>

> THANK YOU SHEILA!!!

> Great stuff.

> All the best

> Konia

>

Thank you Sheila for all your hard work,i've been looking forward to the article

in the Mail on Sunday .I don't write on here often,but whenever i've come on

and asked for advice you or have there for me.Well done and thanks.

best wishes Helen

[Guest guest]

We pay a CONSIDERATION to the 'State' in return for the OFFER of the 'State' to maintain our 'Health'. We have a plain breach of contract in our being ill and told to * & ^ & ^$ Off there is nothing wrong with you. If you take your Car into a Garage and it comes out with an INVOICE and still does not function as paid for - you may SUE or take action under the Sale of Goods/Trades Description Act!

These jackasses only react when beaten with a bigger stick - note to day the NHS ripped of by Doctors, what about the civil engineering and monsterous hospital buildings!

We are decaying to the levels of the 'Third World', at least there you pay and get what you pay for not a pile of Bovine Excretia!