Hello, I’m Dr. Steven Hotze. Today I’m going to talk about some of the most common symptoms that women and men experience, and how they are related to low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism. One of the biggest frustrations that people share with me is NOT getting their doctor to listen to them and not getting properly diagnosed for low thyroid function, so I want to address this, as well.

Does this sound like YOU?

“Dr. Hotze, I have had very bad fatigue, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, poor moods, anxiety, trouble sleeping, constipation and I am so cold all the time. I also have headaches and muscle pain. I had to quit my job because I can hardly function and I need help taking care of my kids. I feel like I am falling apart. I did my research online and these are all symptoms of hypothyroidism, so I finally had some hope. I asked my doctor and he did a blood test and said I “was in the normal range” and that I was “fine.” But I didn’t FEEL fine. I left his office very disappointed and with prescriptions for sleep and anti-anxiety medications, but I knew that wasn’t the answer. Can you help me?”  – Louisa J.

Hypothyroidism is one of the main conditions we successfully treat at my wellness center, the Hotze Health & Wellness Center. We hear this complaint about conventional doctors all the time. I am happy to say that after listening to, diagnosing and treating her hypothyroidism, Louisa is doing great today! She is energetic, can sleep through the night, and able to go back to work and to be there for her kids. Her headaches and muscle pain went away and she is full of life again. I share this with you to give you hope.

I do want to stress that men can get hypothyroidism, too, not just women. Children and young adults can be affected by low thyroid function, as well. There is a reason they check a newborn baby’s thyroid – it governs their growth and development. Proper thyroid function is crucial for people at all ages throughout their entire life.

First, what is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is a condition that occurs when your thyroid gland is underactive and does not produce enough thyroid hormones for your body to grow, develop and function as it should. If your thyroid gland is making enough thyroid hormones, it is possible that those hormones are not being properly used at the cellular level, and if so, then you can still experience the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

• Loss of energy (malaise/fatigue)
• Difficulty losing weight
• Weight gain
• Fluid retention
• Enlarged tongue with teeth indentations
• Cold extremities and cold sensitivity
• Cold intolerance
• Difficulty concentrating and short-term memory loss
• Muscle pain and cramps
• Joint pain
• Tiredness after a full night’s sleep
• Recurrent and chronic infections
• Decreased mental sharpness, “brain fog”
• Hair loss
• Dry skin
• Brittle fingernails with ridging
• Low basal body temperature
• Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides
• Depression or mood swings
• Constipation
• Menstrual irregularities
• Headaches
• Enlarged thyroid gland

Why is hypothyroidism commonly misdiagnosed by conventional doctors?

 “My doctor said my blood work is normal.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve  heard that statement from my guests (we call our patients “guests”). Just because your lab tests come back in the normal range does not necessarily mean that you don’t have hypothyroidism.

This is the problem with conventional testing for hypothyroidism: Doctors only look at a single blood test, the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).

The TSH blood test is not the most accurate way to diagnose hypothyroidism. While your thyroid gland may be producing enough thyroid hormones so that the TSH blood test falls within the normal lab range, your cells may not be able to use those hormones efficiently, which is why you would still have symptoms of hypothyroidism. Most conventional doctors miss this, dismiss your symptoms as a part of getting older and prescribe prescription drugs in an attempt to mask your symptoms.

So, why does the normal laboratory range fail the patient?

The “normal laboratory range” of the TSH is an arbitrary value, defined statistically as plus or minus two standard deviations from the mean. This so-called “normal range” is as wide as the Grand Canyon and as tall as the Empire State Building. In practice, it means that approximately 90-95 percent of the population will always fall within the normal range. However, it’s assured that 90-95 percent of the population does not feel healthy, well, or full of energy.

What can you do to restore optimal thyroid function?

It’s simple – replace what is missing. Restoring optimal thyroid function with bioidentical thyroid can reverse symptoms of low thyroid function. Bioidentical compounded T3/T4 thyroid hormones contain both the active thyroid hormone (T3) and the inactive thyroid hormone (T4), which are identical to the thyroid hormones made by your body. Bioidentical hormones are customized for each person to provide a unique treatment. We compound T3/T4 at my compounding pharmacy, Physicians Preference Pharmacy International.

Complimentary E-Book Offer

In my book, Hypothyroidism, Health & Happiness, I reveal how commonly hypothyroidism is overlooked, misdiagnosed, and mistreated in women and men by conventional doctors. You will also learn about the connection between hypothyroidism and heart disease, as well as obesity. You will finally discover how to properly test and treat for hypothyroidism, and much, much more! Click Here to get my complimentary Hypothyroidism, Health & Happiness E-Book today!

I believe that you deserve a doctor and a team of professionals to coach you onto a path of health and wellness naturally, without the use of pharmaceutical drugs, so that you can enjoy a better quality of life and enjoy a life-changing health transformation. At the Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we have been transforming lives since 1989.

Contact my Wellness Consultants for a complimentary wellness consultation at 281-698-8698. It will be our privilege to serve you. Don’t wait – it’s time to get your life back!

To schedule a Free Wellness Consultation with the Hotze Health & Wellness Center – call us at 281-698-8698 or visit hotzehwc.com. Click here to take the symptom checker to find out if you could be experiencing symptoms of hormone decline.