Rating: 
Summary: Best book on Thyroid function for layman
Review: A family history of thyroid imbalance had me checking thyroid from early twenties to cope with infertility, depression, et al. I've watched my thyroid values climb and plummet throughout the past 15 years. When thyroid values 'normal' by establishment I was given antidepressant (TSH value was 3.0+). It didn't change symptoms. At 40 years, my TSH value walked out of 'norm' and I was given thyroid hormone. I hadn't felt so well since I was 25!
This book includes many charts and values of tests, how to interpret results of tests, diet for optimum health, etc. His book was a great help in understanding my condition. Depression cleared, memory restored, fatigue gone since on thyroid hormone.
I'm at the airport posting this review and looking forward to my long flight now that I have this book. Halfway through I simply cannot put it down. Just like my delicious cup of s o y f e e. It's a coffee substitute that's been helping me ween off caffeine since my doctor mentioned it. Made from soy it even lowered my cholesterol. Look for it online at www.s o y c o f f ee.com. Oh, gotta run or I'll miss my flight!.
Dr. Arem's information enabled me to become a participant in my healthcare--not a sickly compliant. Thank you Dr. Arem!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent book
Review: 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bit about the subject, I am surprised by how many doctors I have spoken to, or read articles written by, that are very out of date in their knowledge of hypothyroidism.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.
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Summary: THIS BOOK SAVED MY LIFE!
Review: Buy this book as soon as you are diagnosed with a thyroid disorder and read it cover to cover while you are seeking treatment. Even if you are not sure whether you have the disease, it will explain the symptoms so that you can decide whether or not to seek medical diagnosis. Many doctors don't think to look for thyroid disorders, and so it is up to you, the patient, to suggest that they test you. Once they have diagnosed the disorder, they can give you medication, but may not tell you what to expect or how to deal with it.
When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I could hardly function from day to day. The doctor convinced me that by taking a pill I would fully recover in 4-6 weeks. WRONG. The imbalance sent me into a spiral of health problems, anxiety, depression, weight loss, and appetite changes. I almost dropped out of school. I withdrew from friends and family. Even after my blood levels had returned to normal, I lived in a fog of pain and stress and confusion. I was too tired to turn pages in a book. I'm a PhD candidate and I couldn't even complete a sentence!
This book helped me take control of my life from diagnosis to recovery. It listed both the physical AND emotional symptoms that the doctors hadn't bothered to discuss. It told me which blood tests to request, and how to interpret the results. It suggested treatments and allowed me to understand my dosage scale. And MOST IMPORTANTLY it informed me of the complexity of recovery. No one had bothered to tell me that my symptoms might not resolve simultaneously with my blood levels. No one told me that the imbalance may have additional effects for which I may need supplemental medication (for instance, I required anti-depressants). Dr. Arem not only suggests medicinal treatments for these effects but also physical and psychological treatments to help people cope with the disease and aid their improvement. This book told me EVERYTHING the doctors didn't and allowed me to take control of my recovery. Thyroid disorders affect your body AND your mind, and you need to treat yourself holistically. For the first time in almost five months, I am happy and healthy in both body and spirit. But the doctors could not have done it for me. I had to be informed and take control. THIS BOOK SAVED MY LIFE!
Rating:
Summary: A breath of fresh air
Review: 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.
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Summary: This book changed my life!
Review: I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in Sept 2002 and put on T4. Over the next 10 months I was still depressed, gaining weight, unable to remember anything, sleeping constantly, screwing up at work, snapping at my friends, declining social invitations. My doctor put me on Prozac and I saw a therapist briefly, but even though I felt slightly better, I felt like something was just not right with my body. When I read this book I folded down the corner of every page that I could relate to and by the time I was done more than half of the book was dog-eared! I immediately made an appt with my doctor and cited the book, begging her to try T3. Finally she agreed and within *ONE WEEK* I felt like my old self. Three months later I still feel great. If any of this sounds familiar to you, don't suffer anymore -- read this book and get on the road to feeling normal again!
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Summary: The thyroid solution
Review: I was recently diagnosed with a thyroid nodule. I then purchased the Thyroid Solution. When my thyroid was removed and found to be hurthle cell carcinoma, I was able to better understand what my Dr explained to me. This book was wonderful and extremely helpful. Now I wish I could find out more about Hurthle cell carcinoma. CMMitchell
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Summary: A Must Read for Hypothyroid Patients & their Physicians
Review: I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroid disease. This is the most informative book I have read. I highly recommend this book written for patients and then to provide to their primary care physicians. I wished I had read this book years ago and would not have suffered as long as I did. Five Stars and thank you Dr. Amen.
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Summary: Very good book!!
Review: Im 27 yrs old and was diagnoised with Hypothyroidism about 2 yrs ago and was seeing a regular Doctor and i wasnt getting better. I started to see a thyroid specialist and he reccommened this book and im glad he did!! Lots of information i didnt know and i needed to know. Great book to have so u can understand the changes your going through and so can your loved ones!
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Summary: This is the thyroid book you'll re-read
Review: It is evident from the glowing recommendations that there is not much to add to how valuable The Thyroid Solution has been to patients suffering from thyroid disease. Dr. Ridha is a doctor at Baylor Medical Center, and has plenty of background in treating those who have been undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with thyroid problems. It is recognized that many people suffer needlessly from hypo- or hyperthyroidism because their internists or family practitioners are unfamiliar with endocrinology and the symptoms that present themselves. This book helps those who wonder whether they are being properly treated and supplies information in order that they can go to the right doctor. Many doctors don't like it when their patients become educated...tough. As shown by the other recommendations, obviously lives have been changed for the better. That is the yardstick by which we should measure what the medical truth is. My family has a history of hypothyroidism. Both my grandmother and my older sister have had their thyroids removed. My younger sister was diagnosed with a cancerous bulge on her thyroid at age 3, and they were wrong, but the lump was removed along with part of her thyroid. She consequently had problems becoming pregnant. I've been hypothyroid for years. My internist was checking my peripheral neuropathy for things like MS and other neurodegenerative diseases of the muscles. Nothing came back positive. Yet, when I'd asked him to consider whether I was receiving adequate thyroid hormone, he refused to consider it. I've been lucky to have him test for changes in my thyroid once a year. The book says a known thyroid problem should be checked every 4-6 weeks, especially when the thyroid levels change. So I've been suffering with peripheral neuropathy and some other problems for over two years; I also have spent much of the last seven years anemic, in spite of removal of my uterus and subsequent iron supplementation. My sister led me to this book...she was positive I was not being treated right for hypothyroidism. After reading the book, I am inclined to believe the book and my sister. I have the familial background, the anemia, the deafness, the pins and needles, and too many other symptoms to count. So I have a referral to a known endocrinologist who is listed as a caring and listening doctor. It's atrocious that physicians can dismiss the intelligence of women, and the ability of them to know their own body. I am tired of such patronizing attitudes, and hope that this doctor will assist me in restoring me to better health. I don't have time for this, and since I have an MS from med school in Neuroscience, I have more then enough background to know when my doctor is missing important signals. I highly recommend this book to anyone who suspects he or she may have a problem with their thyroid. If necessary, drag the book into the other doctors and force them to pay attention. If they don't, find another doctor. Karen L. Sadler, Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh
Rating:
Summary: Helpful for symptoms of depression etc.
Review: The Thyroid Solution is a great resource. I purchased it after my test results came back "normal". It was helpful to know that you can have a sub-clinical case, even when tests are normal. Dr. Arem provides patient examples throughout the book which are also helpful. Part I deals with general information on hypo and hyperthyroidism. I especially was interested in the chapters "Depression, Anxiety, and Mood Swings" and " Thyroid Hormone as an Antidepressant". Part II deals with the emotional and physical interactions. He has several small "questionnaires" to take to weed out other possible syndromes such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Hypoglycemia and Fibromyalgia. Part III has 3 chapters on Woman's thyroid problems; PMS, menopause, infertility, miscarriage and postpartum depression. Part IV goes into diagnosing and treating thyroid disorders. One chapter is an in depth discussion about thyroid tests and treatment options. He does discuss the "controversial" natural hormone with T4 and T3. This part also discusses thyroid eye disease and cancer. The last chapter is eight steps to promote a better understanding of thyroid, mind, and mood. Dr. Arem's Thyroid Solution is a comprehensive resource on thyroid disorders and the resulting symptoms.
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