Customer Reviews

The Thyroid Solution: A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Thyroid Solution provides a comprehensive description of the cognitive effects of thyroid disease. It is an excellent source of information for anyone with this disease as well as health care providers. T3, the biologically active form of thyroid hormone, is a brain chemical just like noradrenaline and dopamine. It is essential to the optimal function of your brain. I know what a difference it makes because as soon as I switched from T4 to the natural form of thyroid hormone (which contains T3 & T4) I immediately experienced the benefits. In my opinion there is no comparison between the two hormones.
I found this book very informative and purchased copies for several of my health care providers who either were unfamiliar with or had overlooked the numerous symptoms of hypothyroidism that I exhibited. Dr Ridha provides a great deal of information on both hyper and hypo thyroidism. But don't stop with this book, also make sure you read Dr Broda Barnes "Hypothyroidism the Unsuspected Illness" for a complete overview of the possible effects of low thyroid function. These two book are indispensible for anyone with thyroid disease or just interested in the effects of thyroid hormone in the body.

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bit about the subject, I am surprised by how many doctors I have spoken to, or read articles written by, that are very out of date in their knowledge of hypothyroidism.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.

Dr. Ridha Arem's book The Thyroid Solution is the first book by someone of his stature in medicine to truly address this issue adequately. It's a wonderfully important book to anyone who suspects they have a thyroid disorder. Dr. Arem says certain things that needed to be said by someone with his background and qualifications, for instance: 1) the way TSH values are read may not be correct in cases of early hypothyroidism, 2) a TSH of over 2 (not over 5.5) may be questionable, 3) thyroid problems are commonly linked with depression and, 4) many people with hypothyroidism need added active thyroid (T3) to feel well. Dr. Arem is not the only endocrinologist aware of this information about the use of active thyroid. But he was brave enough to say it first in popular print.

Dr. Arem contacted me two years before publication to endorse his book because I had written on a similar theme about thyroid and depression and the use of active thyroid in my book, Listening to Your Hormones. I didn't know who he was at the time but found out later that he had impeccable credentials-a thyroid specialist at Bailor School of Medicine, trained in Paris and London, truly a leading thyroid expert in the U.S.A. I have met him subsequently twice and heard him speak (excellent content), and found him to be a very kind and compassionate man.

When I read his book, what really impressed me, apart from the techinical information, was how discerning he was about the way women are treated in medicine. He really grasped and expressed this in a way I wouldn't have thought possible by a male physician.

I do not agree with him on the use of Premarin (he gives estradiol with it) for menopause. I subscribe to the theory that women are better to have hormones that match their physiology, not a horse's. Premarin has very little human estrogen in it.

Also, this book is about thyroid pretty much on its own, but that's not anything unusual. It's just that thyroid fits into the huge hormonal signaling system and it's not isolated. But a clear definition of thyroid's part was badly needed. As for some of the other hormones, that's another book to write.

I am happy to recommend this book to every woman I meet.

I came across this book quite by accident, and how grateful I am! After years of frustrating doctor visits, and bouts with thyroid disease and thyroid cancer, I feel I have finally been given solid answers to some rather important questions---questions that have been dismissed repeatedly by many physicians. Thyroid patients are aware of the often rocky path to accurate diagnosis and treatment. This path requires an informed and empowered consumer of medicine. Dr. Arem seems to understand this and encourages patients to advocate for themselves. His attention to the pervasive emotional aspects of thyroid disease is refreshing and helpful. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he had included information about how these problems can affect interpersonal relationships. This book is simply an excellent resource for the thyroid patient and his/her loved ones.

This book was refreshing becuase it covers not just the clinical basic side of thyroid disease, but the emotional mental side as well. I recommend this to so many people as a must read for thyroid patients. Even if it just helps you to realize you are not alone, and that you deserve quality care. :)

Ridha Arem is an an endocrinologist and a specialist on the thyroid.

This book details problems of the thyroid, which can range from depression to the desire to compulsively eat carbohydrates.

Brief case histories are presented typically in which thyroid problems were the real culprit underlying some other set of symptoms, such as depression.

There is also more detailed medical discussion than one typically gets in a book meant for a lay audience. But Arem is a specialist here with years in the hopper, and he doesn't talk down to his audience.

With respect to hypothyroidism (not enough thyroid) Arem considers the normal range of TSH (what's usually tested for) as considerably too broad. He also points out that the TSH test doesn't show that the hormone is converted properly from T4 to the active T3. Thus, the standard test can be misleading.

Arem also recommends on occasion supplementing synthetic T4 with T3 and provides his own protocol for doing so.

My only criticism of this book is one that applies to most "single substance" books. After a while it appears that almost all problems are related to whatever it is. But this book is actually quite restrained here as opposed to what's typical.

This book is cuts above the norm. Arem provides a reasoned, knowledgeable, if somewhat cutting edge, view of the thyroid and how its malfunction can so affect us. It has served me well personally. Nearly anyone would do well to read this excellent book.

WOW! all the answers are here, all the reasons and the puzzling behaviour and weird things your body does with this disease is explained in this book,"why am so tired?!!" "why do I want to sleep all the time?" "I exercise and eat like a bird and I am SO fat"
THEN you get the answers, I took the book to my Doc and we started on a plan of action.
Excellent book ,very informative.

This is one of the very best resources for the thyroid patient, or anyone involved with a patient. Covers not only general physical side of thyroid disease, but emotional and mental as well... not many books do this, and the thyroid can definately take it's toll on a person's mental state and sense of identity. I have found this book to be such an amazing resource, and an interesting way to find out the way other people are being treated for thyroid diseases.... I without a doubt give it five stars and recommend it to every thyroid patient I know.

As a 19 year old suffering for two years with depression, anxiety, weight loss, memory loss, hair loss,suicide attempts, Dr. visit after doctor visit, and much more,my mother was in Barnes and Noble one day, looking through cookbooks and found Dr. Arems book in the middle of them all. She opened it up (knowing that the Dr's had "ruled out" thyroid problems for two years straight) and began reading his book. She broke down in tears, because almost every single story in his book sounded just like me. A month later I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, Hypothyroidism. The battle still goes on, but with God as my healer, Dr. Arem's book, and him as my personal Thyroid Specialist, I have begun to conquer this terrifying, life changing disease. Two years of my life went down the drain, because even after *27* blood tests, specifically for my thyroid, the Dr's were DETERMINED I didn't have a thyroid disease. They were sure that wasn't why I was suffering. As Dr. Arem's book clearly explains, it is very possible for this to happen. The chapter entitled, "Your Not Making it Up" is my favorite. After gaining over 50 pounds in three months, right before I left for college, I find that chapter very comforting. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is suffering from thyroid problems, and their spouses, friends,and loved ones.The disease not only effects the patients, but their relationships as well. A definate must have...I recommend it for everyone!

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!!