In the preceding chapters I have tried to lay the foundation to prepare the reader for what follows -- symptoms, treatments, and significance of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. The present chapter deals with the symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. We have talked previously about how it is better to treat the underlying problem rather than just the symptoms. When the underlying problem is treated, not only do the symptoms respond more completely, but they frequently remain corrected even after therapy has been discontinued. An effort has been made to prepare the reader for that which is very difficult to imagine. I am continually amazed by its ramifications. There are many days in which I will see several patients that I would feel comfortable putting in the "miracle" category. Miraculous because their severe and debilitating symptoms, some of which have been treated by some of the best doctors in the world for years without much success, have resolved quickly and easily with proper thyroid hormone treatment. Of course, many of the symptoms in this chapter are normal for anyone to have at times, but they are especially problematic when they are inappropriate and persist.

There are at least two things that are difficult to imagine about the unprecedented impact and significance of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.

1. How can one problem cause so many complaints? It is because it affects such a fundamental process upon which so many other functions are dependent (like removing the one card from the bottom of a card house that cannot be removed without the whole house of cards collapsing).
2. How can so many different symptoms respond so completely to normalization of body temperatures? Because in so many cases the treatment is addressing the problem rather than the symptoms.

We have also mentioned previously why Wilson's Temperature Syndrome should be considered first in addressing many of the associated symptoms for several reasons: Very few, if any, non life-threatening conditions can affect a process so fundamental so as to easily explain so many different symptoms; it is extremely common; it is easily recognized; it is easily treated; response to treatment is rapid; the medicine is found in nature and is not foreign to the body; and there is a chance for "cure". The symptoms listed in this chapter all have certain things in common. They have all been seen to follow the typical pattern of presentation and response of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Namely, they each have been seen to come on together with several or many of the other symptoms listed. They many times occur after a major mental, physical, or emotional stress. They have each been seen to be correlated in many cases with a low body temperature pattern. They have each been seen to respond together with other presenting symptoms upon normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. And finally, they each have been seen to, in certain cases, remain persistently improved even after the WT3 protocol has been gradually weaned.

I feel that the WT3 protocol is not only a treatment for many of these symptoms is also the best available treatment in many cases, for many of the symptoms (when persistent and inappropriate), including fatigue, migraines, PMS, decreased memory, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The WT3 protocol for Wilson's Temperature Syndrome is not a panacea or "cure-all" and I don't mean to imply for a moment that it is. But there is no reason that it should be overlooked any longer. Time will tell if Wilson's Temperature Syndrome accounts for more cases than other causes of migraines, PMS, fatigue, depression, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, time will tell also if the WT3 protocol proves to be more effective than other treatments in more cases of migraines, PMS, fatigue, decreased memory, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The following are descriptions of the most common pervasive effects of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome:
 

Decreased bowel motility secondary to WTS can result in the backing up of stomach acids. This can lead to heartburn, esophageal acid reflux, and even ulcers. As mentioned previously, this acid indigestion and predisposition for reflux and ulcers often responds quite easily to the WT3 protocol, even when not well controlled by other medicines.
 

Not uncommonly, Wilson's Temperature Syndrome sufferers relate the development and/or worsening of allergy symptoms such as stuffy nose, sinus drainage, hay fever, etc., to a major stress. When the allergies come on together with other signs and symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, it is more likely that they are related, particularly when they become worse after a significant mental, physical, or emotional stress. As will be discussed later, other allergic type responses can also be associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome such as asthma, itchiness, and hives. I suspect that body temperature changes can affect histamine physiology, possibly by causing enzymatic changes that result in an over production of histamine or resulting in decreased breakdown of histamine by the body. The symptoms of allergy, asthma, itching, and hives also seem to be related to the balance of fluids in the body (the degree of fluid retention and degree of fluid fluctuations). Interestingly, histamine among other things mediates changes in fluid balance to a certain degree in certain areas. It may be that histamine and body temperature patterns play a role in the symptoms of allergies, asthma, itching, and hives to the extent that they influence fluid balance in certain areas of the body.

It may be that with lower body temperature patterns, the blood vessels of the sinuses dilate resulting in increased transudate (which is fluid that seeps from the blood vessels into the tissues), thereby resulting in tissue swelling, congestion, and increased sinus drainage. Regardless of the mechanism, it is clear that allergies can be related to low body temperature patterns and can follow the behavior of other symptoms related to Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Allergy manifestations can present together with other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome especially after a significant stress, and can resolve even completely (together with the other presenting symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome) upon normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol.
 

Panic attacks are acute episodes of anxiety. They can be accompanied by overwhelming feeling of fear and dread. They can be associated with palpitations, breaking out in sweats, and even chest pains. Panic attack sufferers commonly say that they sometimes feel as if they are going to die during some of their attacks. Panic attacks are one of the most interesting manifestations of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. They are somewhat the way one feels when one awakens thinking that there might be a burglar in the room. When faced with such a threat, feelings of fear and dread are appropriate and the surge of adrenaline is useful in helping one prepare to react to threatening situations. This is what is sometimes referred to as the "fight or flight" response. This response can be quite inappropriate, however, when it takes place with very little or no provocation. Common settings in which WTS sufferers will find themselves having pain attacks include shopping (especially in grocery stores, for some reason), driving over bridges, driving in heavy traffic, or flying in an airplane.

Wilson's Temperature Syndrome is characterized by the body being stuck in conservation mode wherein it feels its resources are being threatened even when such feelings may be inappropriate. In a similar way, panic attacks are characterized by the body responding dramatically to inappropriately small challenges. All of us know what it feels like to panic, however, most of us would agree that such feelings would be inappropriate if they occurred out of the blue with little or no provocation.

The "fight or flight" response is mediated by adrenaline produced in the adrenal gland, which causes an increase of blood supply to the extremities and muscles, increased heart rate, enlarging of the air passageways, etc. The adrenal gland is stimulated to release adrenaline during threatening circumstances. The adrenal gland secretes adrenaline also during normal maintenance of proper blood pressure levels. When the blood pressure is detected by the body as being too low, a signal will be sent to the adrenal gland to secrete adrenaline to increase the pulse rate and help bring the blood pressure back up to normal levels.

One characteristic of WTS sufferers is that they commonly have low blood pressure and "relaxed" blood vessels. Because of the decreased vascular tone, these patients have a more difficult time maintaining normal blood pressure. They frequently can get lightheaded when they stand up too fast because of their body's inability to maintain adequate blood supply to the brain. It seems then, that the blood pressure of such patients bounces around just above the threshold, below which a compensatory burst of adrenaline would be secreted by the adrenal gland to prevent fainting. So in essence, these patients may normally be on the verge of a compensatory burst of adrenaline. I feel this helps explain why the slightest provocation can trigger a burst of adrenaline that can bring on palpitations, sweating, fear, and panic. At any rate, panic attacks can frequently be easily eliminated with proper thyroid hormone treatment.
 

These symptoms seem to be related to the fluid retention, either obvious or microscopic and could be related to Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. These symptoms seem to come and go in a pattern that is similar, with regard to body temperature patterns and body temperature fluctuations to that of WTS symptoms related to fluid retention. Fluid retention or swelling plays a role in inflammation. It is well known that inflammation can be painful and that it can impair wound healing and recovery from injuries. For this reason, anti-inflammatory medicines are frequently prescribed to decrease inflammation in order to decrease the pain and to aid in healing. Worsened inflammation can be a disturbing manifestation of a low body temperature pattern. For example, perhaps a person accidentally injuries his back at work and the stress of the back injury, being laid up in the hospital, and being out of work causes a drop in body temperature patterns resulting in the development of the symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. The patient's back problems, consequently, may not resolve or respond as well as those of other patients. His convalescence and recuperation compared to other patients might be prolonged and disappointing.

WS sufferers commonly have muscular and joint aches that respond well to proper thyroid hormone treatment. The arthritis associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome frequently follows patterns of presentation, persistence, and resolution of other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. For example, the arthritis and muscular aches might be more severe in the morning upon awakening, better during the day, and worse again in the evening, and correspond with improvement and worsening of other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome with temperature changes.
 

As mentioned previously, asthma may be due to changes in histamine physiology. Regardless of the mechanism, asthma has been seen to follow the pattern of presentation of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms and frequently responds well to proper liothyronine treatment. Many patients that I have seen who have been less than adequately controlled on even several asthma medicines at a time, have been able to wean off their asthma medicine, while enjoying resolution of their asthma symptoms with normalization of their body temperature patterns If the asthma symptoms, come on later in life (as opposed to childhood asthma) especially after a major physical, mental, or emotional stress, together with other classic symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and low body temperature patterns, then it is quite possible that the patient's asthma will respond to proper T3 therapy.
 

Some patients and their spouses have noticed changes in the smell of the patient's breath with onset of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. The change in breath odor was noticeable since the patients had not previously had problems with their breath. Halitosis or bad breath is well known to be exacerbated by bacterial growth in the mouth and because of other internal changes. It may be that MED secondary to WTS may impair the body's ability to retard the growth of bacteria or development of plaque in the mouth or to prevent other internal changes that can result in breath problems. There have been some patients who have even noticed significantly increased tooth decay with the noticeable change occurring with the onset of WTS symptoms.
 

When the tone of the vessels becomes more relaxed, blood vessels can be more easily ruptured. Bruises are areas in the skin where blood vessels have been ruptured with the blood seeping into the surrounding tissue. This can result in soreness and discoloration of the skin that are familiar to all of us. Bruises are cleared by special "clean-up" cells of the body. The function of these cells, like the function of virtually all cells, is dependent upon the proper functioning of enzymes. Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction can, therefore, explain a phenomenon that is sometimes seen in Wilson's Temperature Syndrome patients.

I remember one patient who pointed to bruises on her leg and said that "I have had this bruise for six months, this bruise for one year, and this bruise for two years." I was astonished and could barely believe that she could have a bruise that could last for two years. However, it seemed to be a difficult thing to invent and she seemed quite sincere about it. And it didn't sound too hard to imagine since there are some people who have difficulty healing scratches that many remain open for as long as six months, or may take even longer to heal. At any rate, as you may have guessed, her bruises resolved within one month of her body temperature patterns being normalized with proper thyroid supplementation. Thus, Wilson's Temperature Syndrome sufferers bruise more easily, more frequently, and those bruises can last longer than is appropriate.
 

Canker sores are certainly not the most common symptom of WTS . However, it has been seen that canker sores can be influenced by Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. One patient noticed that she began having canker sores develop inside her mouth just prior to her menstrual cycle ever since she began developing other symptoms of WTS , following a major stress in her life. With normalization of body temperature patterns, her symptoms of PMS, her symptoms of WTS , and even her tendency to develop canker sores premenstrually all resolved.
 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the numbness and tingling experienced in the hands, fingers, occasionally with shooting pains up the arm that result from the impingement of nerves that pass through a narrow tunnel at the base of the hand. The numbness and tingling frequently follow the distribution of the nerves that pass through the tunnel. It can involve the pinky and ring finger as well as the pinky side of the hand; or it can affect the thumb, index and middle finger.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is frequently seen in people who have a job that requires constant repetition of certain hand movements, but CTS has also been long associated with DTSF. As mentioned previously, the tissue swelling that results from fluid retention caused by DTSF can cause pinched nerve syndromes, especially in areas where the swelling occurs at a site where there is only a limited amount of space. When tissue swelling occurs within the closed spaced of the Carpal Tunnel, then the nerves that pass through the tunnel can become pinched resulting in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
 

Cholesterol has long been associated with decreased thyroid system function. In fact, prior to thyroid hormone blood testing, cholesterol was sometimes used as a test for decreased thyroid system function. Some doctors used to say, "Well, you have high cholesterol, therefore, you have a slow metabolism." Doctors don't often make that same conclusion now, but it is often still true. In fact, in the literature that accompanies many of the medicines used in lowering blood cholesterol levels, it is pointed out that the medicine should not be prescribed until hypothyroidism (one cause of DTSF) is ruled out. It is well known that thyroid system function should be one of the first things evaluated in a patient with persistently elevated blood cholesterol levels, especially those that do not respond well to dietary changes. Unfortunately, it is again assumed that DTSF can be satisfactorily ruled out based solely on thyroid hormone blood tests, even in the face of classic signs, symptoms, and presentation of DTSF.

I remember a classic WTS sufferer who had cholesterol levels in the low 300's (normal is below 200) in spite of being treated with several different cholesterol lowering drugs and in spite of strict dietary changes. With normalization of his body temperature pattern with the WT3 protocol, his symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome resolved and within 1 1/2 months, his blood cholesterol levels had dropped below 200 for the first time in years, in spite of having not taken his cholesterol lowering drug during that I 1/2 month period.

Most Americans are aware of the importance of blood cholesterol levels, thanks to the media. In the last sixty years there is evidence that the average blood cholesterol levels and heart disease in Americans are increasing. These increases have baffled scientists who have been unable to attribute the increases to any observable changes in dietary, environmental, or health trends. However, these increases are easy to understand when one realizes that due to our improved medical technology more and more people who would be susceptible to developing Wilson's Temperature Syndrome are living into adulthood. And, of course, our world is continually becoming more and more stressful. It is easy to imagine then, that more and more people are developing decreased thyroid system function as a result of developing Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. This could easily account for the increases in average blood cholesterol levels and increased heart disease. Of course, not every person who has elevated blood cholesterol levels is suffering from Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. But obviously, body temperature patterns and other characteristics of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome deserve special consideration in patients who have stubbornly elevated blood cholesterol levels.

It seems that substances such as T3 and T4, which are found in every person's body, would be preferable to cholesterol lowering agents which are "not found in nature," especially if they better address the underlying problem, are more effective, and especially if they can be used to bring about a persistent correction of the underlying imbalance that would eliminate the need for a person to remain on medicine for the rest of his life. Wilson's Temperature Syndrome explains what many people already know, and that is that their elevated blood cholesterol levels depend on more than just what they eat since their diet contains as little cholesterol as is possible, while their cholesterol levels remain elevated.
 

WS patients often experience cold hands and feet. At first glance this does not seem to be a very disturbing complaint. However, it can be quite troublesome at times. It can be the cause of a great deal of self-consciousness or embarrassment. Several patients that I have seen have stated that they are actually embarrassed and self-conscious to shake people's hands because of how frequently people will exclaim about the coldness of their hands. People will sometimes tease them and make comments about them having a cold heart, being an ice cube or glacier, or being dead. These comments, and others can be a great source of embarrassment and self-consciousness. Cold feet seem to be most often disturbing in relation to sleeping with one's mate. Patient's spouses will often complain about the coldness of the patient's feet in spite of many blankets and covers. The coldness sometimes literally jolts the patient's spouse. Patients themselves often find it very disturbing that their feet feel extremely cold in spite of being dressed warmly, wearing socks, and doing whatever they can to keep their feet warm.

One of the most severe incidents of this type of complaint that I have seen was in patient who had been diagnosed as having Raynaud's Phenomenon. Raynaud's Phenomenon is a condition characterized by vasoconstriction or vessel tightening in response to exposure to cold. It can cause impaired circulation for a period of time resulting in skin color changes. The patient that I had seen, upon exposure to cold, would experience her hands turning blue. The discoloration would sometimes extend thorough her forearms and even halfway up her upper arm. There often would be quite a line of distinction between the color of her normal skin and the bluish discoloration of the affected skin, looking almost as if she was wearing a long blue stocking glove extending up past her elbow. This cold sensation, of course, was quite uncomfortable and disconcerting. It was recommended that she change her occupation, which was that of a surgical assistant. Because she was an operating room assistant, the cold conditions of the operating rooms aggravated her condition. However, with proper thyroid treatment, her tendency to develop cold hands and to experience the blue discoloration of her arms resolved and it was not necessary for her to change her occupation. In fact, the patient was a scuba diver, and whenever she entered significantly cold water, she would experience this disturbing complaint, but now when she puts her hands in cold water, she no longer develops the symptoms that had been previously associated with Raynaud's Phenomenon.
 

Constipation is an extremely common associated symptom. Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction caused by low body temperature patterns can result in the slowing down of the gastrointestinal tract. This may lead to less frequent bowel movements, constipation, bloating, gas, abdominal cramping, irritable bowel syndrome/spastic colon, and indeed diarrhea. So decreased bowel motility can lead to constipation or maldigestion of food, and gaseous bloating leading to spastic contraction of the colon and diarrhea. As mentioned previously, these symptoms can respond remarkably well to proper liothyronine treatment, even when many other approaches have failed.
 

Occasionally, patients notice with the onset of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome becoming more "clumsy or klutzy." They sometimes notice that they have begun to drop things more easily, run into things more easily or temporarily lose their balance while walking. These abnormalities have been seen to resolve with the symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (just as they came on with the symptoms of WTS ) with the WT3 protocol.
 

The depression associated with WTS will frequently respond to antidepressants, sometimes for only two or three months, sometimes longer, and, at times, not at all. Interestingly, there have been many studies about T3 being used to enhance the effects of antidepressants - sometimes converting non-responders to a particular antidepressant into responders. It is my feeling that many of these patients' depression would have responded to the WT3 protocol alone. The correction was probably due to the T3 itself and not necessarily because of the enhancement of the antidepressants' effects. Thus, the correlation between thyroid hormone (T4 and T3) and depression has been long known. I have seen many patients with intractable (difficult to treat) depression, having unsatisfactory results to years of antidepressant therapy, who have responded within weeks to proper liothyronine therapy.

One such patient that I have treated developed significant depression approximately 25 years ago. Since then it has plagued, shaped, and colored her entire life. It contributed to her getting a divorce and it became so severe and debilitating at one point almost 20 years ago, that it caused her to feel constrained to give up custody of her children, thinking that they might be better cared for by someone else. The various antidepressants with which she has been treated over the years did help some, but did not provide her with satisfactory improvement. The complete resolution that came within two weeks of weaning her antidepressant medication and beginning the WT3 protocol, was bittersweet. Of course, she was extremely pleased to feel normal again and to be able to see clearly that the symptom had a large physical component that predictably correlated with body temperature patterns. But at the same time, she came to the realization that 25 years of her life had been spent suffering from a debilitating, unrecognized, and easily treated condition. It was poignant to see her realize that once 25 years have been spent, they are spent. It's great that she feels better now, yet it is sad that it has taken 25 years. Such cases also make one wonder: Do hard times cause depression and a drop in body temperature patterns? Or, do hard times cause low temperature patterns which can result in depression?

The depressions that come on premenstrually and after the birth of a child (post-partum) deserve special mention. Although the depression associated with PMS can be transient, it can also be quite severe. Several days or more per month taken over many years of a person's life, can add up to a lot of serious depression. Learning to cope with this periodic depression can sometimes be more difficult, since patients may tend to "drop their guard."

It is easy to understand a period of depression that occurs post-partum (frequently called baby blues), because the stress of childbirth is the number one cause of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. It is normal for the body to leave the conservation mode and enter into the productivity mode once again. Commonly, this process may take approximately three months which is usually the amount of time it takes for post-partum depression to resolve. Unfortunately, it sometimes doesn't resolve. After the birth of a baby, the patient's body temperature can drop, causing severe depression immediately after the birth of the child. With proper liothyronine treatment, this troublesome symptom can often be easily remedied.
 

WS sufferers sometimes notice drying of their eyes, with their tears becoming more "gummy," which can result in blurred vision. The blurred vision may be associated with drying of the outer layers of the cornea. In some cases, the blurred vision seems to come and go with the patient's level of fluid retention. This suggests that the blurred vision may be caused by a degree of fluid retention within the eyeball causing temporary changes in the shape of the eye. The blurred vision associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome sometimes comes and goes, and is not always persistent. A patient's vision strength can also change and may come and go as well.

One patient that I can remember in particular, developed Wilson's Temperature Syndrome quite a few years previously after a severe stress. Over the ensuing years, not only did the other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome worsen but she noticed that the prescriptions for her glasses needed to be made stronger and stronger because her eyes were weakening more quickly than they had in previous years. With normalization of body temperature patterns, not only did the other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome improve, but she found that she was able to return to the previous prescriptions for her eyesight.

Quite frequently, patients find that they can't read the fine print on some days while they can on others. They may need glasses or someone else to read the fine print, whereas on other days they might be able to read the print easily. Interestingly, these vision changes do not seem to be improved even after rubbing of the eyes to clear it. So it is probably not related to the tears.
 

Dry hair is a common complaint and can include the hair shafts breaking off at the ends. As mentioned in a previous chapter, hair manageability and luster can begin to return within two weeks of beginning proper thyroid hormone therapy, suggesting that the condition of the hair is greatly dependent on the oils secreted by the scalp and not just the composition of the hair shafts themselves. These patients frequently experience hair loss to some degree, especially from the head, but they can lose hair from sites all over the body. Thinning of the lateral one-third of the eye brows is a classic sign of decreased thyroid system function. Patients may also lose their eye lashes, leg hair, and even pubic hair. Most patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome that experience hair loss notice generalized hair loss, especially from the top of their head, near their hair line, and on the sides of the head also (at the temples). Their hair may become so thin that one can often see their scalp. It is usually first noticed as hair on the pillow in the morning or clogging the shower drain. Everyone knows that losing some hair from day to day is normal. But they often notice a significant increase in the amount of hair being lost each day, especially when it comes out seemingly by the handfuls as one passes one's fingers through one's hair. One such patient had noticed a 50% decrease in the amount of hair present on her head. This thinning of her hair had been persistent for several years. With proper liothyronine treatment, the 50% loss of hair was restored, giving her back her full head of hair.

Patients also notice that with the onset of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, their hair may not hold a perm as well as it used to. They may find that the perm will only hold for a couple of weeks, when previously it would hold for several months. Sometimes their hair will not take a perm at all. Interestingly, most hair dressers are already quite aware of the correlation between decreased thyroid system function and the patient's ability to maintain a hair permanent.
 

Dry skin is a classic symptom of DTSF in general, and Wilson's Temperature Syndrome in specific. Skin may become dry, coarse, and scaly. The skin may become so dry that a patient may be able to write one's name by gently scraping one's fingernail across the skin. Interestingly, the skin on either side of the nose and underlying the eyebrows (overlying the sinuses) is quite susceptible to being dry. Of course, the sinuses are where air passes through the head on the way to the interior of the body. And the areas over the sinuses can, therefore, be slightly cooler than other sites of the body. The skin over the sinuses frequently can become dry because its enzymes might then not function as well, leaving the maintenance level of the skin less than ideal. Similarly, the areas over the elbows, knees, backs of the hands, knuckles, fingers, feet, heels, soles of the feet are frequent areas where dry skin will be found. These areas also tend to be cooler in relation to the rest of the body because of their position in the extremities away from the core of the body, and also because they overlie bone (there is a decreased volume of blood flow to these areas). The dry skin can be widespread, however.

I recently saw a man in his late 50's who developed a skin rash over his entire body. His skin was essentially flaking off from his head to his toes. The skin was so dry on his face that it caused his mouth to be drawn tight and his eye lids to curl, appearing to make it difficult for him to close his eyes. The skin on his head, arms, legs, and all over his body was so dry and flaky that he would "snow" wherever he walked or sat. His skin flaking was so severe that when he would stand up and leave, part of him would stay. He had been to dermatologists who could find no good explanation for his condition, but upon careful history, it was apparent that his condition began after he began having a lot of financial difficulty in his business six to eight months previously. His skin became so irritated and scaly that some of his tissue fluids would actually seep to the surface of his body. The fluid would evaporate quickly, causing him to lose a great deal of body fluids and causing him to feel extremely cold. Within a few months of treatment, the skin on his mouth and face had completely returned to normal, and there was tremendous improvement on his arms, legs, and chest. He literally looked like a different person. The patient feels his skin is actually better now than previous to his stress, and he feels that his skin has not looked as healthy and youthful for the last fifteen years. He no longer leaves his skin at the places he visits, when before his skin seemed to be literally falling apart. We sometimes take for granted how important the skin is, its vital importance can best be seen when it does not function properly. Needless to say, the patient is quite happy, and for me it has been one of the most amazing cases with which I have ever been involved.
 

Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (WS) sufferers will frequently be tired all day and paradoxically have trouble sleeping at night. Their energy levels can, however, fluctuate with body temperature changes. For example, some patients relate that they are more tired in the morning, but once they get started moving around, their fatigue sometimes subsides. However, their fatigue sometimes returns in the late afternoon when their body temperatures normally decrease again (remember the symptoms may also correlate with body temperature patterns that are too high or too unsteady). Characteristically, patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can usually muster their resources for a period of time (sometimes they can't), but find that their resources are easily exhausted. This can be compared to other sources of fatigue that sometimes cannot be overcome for a time, even if the patient wants to.

Sometimes WTS sufferers are able to function all day at work but will collapse as soon as they get home, being worthless (as the patients say) for the rest of the day. They may be able to gather themselves up enough to work all day and evening three days in a row only to "crash and burn" for the following several days (sometimes not even getting out of bed). I remember one patient who would go to bed some Friday nights, sleep through Saturday and wake up Sunday evening for a few hours, with her husband watching the kids during such weekends.

These situations are consistent with the notion that these patients are stuck in conservation mode wherein their bodies are attempting to conserve resources for fear that their available resources may be insufficient to meet the presenting challenges. So resources are available to meet some of the presenting challenges, but seem to be easily depleted. Their fatigue isn't always constant and might seem to subside in the midst of accomplishing an important task, but once the task is done, frequently they will become significantly more fatigued. In the most severe situations, they may have a hard time working at all, or even making it to work.

Many times, WTS sufferers will sleep ten or twelve hours during the night, and still will wake up not feeling rested. It's the kind of fatigue wherein they feel they do not have sufficient resources to deal with their current life situation. They simply feel overwhelmed by ordinary life. Sometimes the fronts they put on at work or at home no longer disguise their disability. Some WTS sufferers may have good days and bad days which seem to be well correlated with body temperature pattern changes (such as just prior to the period).

To help non-sufferers imagine what the fatigue might feel like, one might compare it to the fatigue associated with having the flu. When a person gets the flu, they may also develop a fever. Elevated body temperatures can cause Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction, and can result in fatigue and a diminished level of functioning throughout the body. Just imagine how you'd feel if you'd lost almost everything. Most of us would feel quite challenged, overwhelmed, and even fatigued under such circumstances for good reason. However, these are the sorts of feelings that WTS sufferers sometimes have persistently, even when there is no good reason (making them inappropriate).
 

Fluid retention or edema is a serious and significant problem in and of itself. But abnormalities in how the body handles tissue fluids and vascular fluids can greatly affect the body's overall function and cause a great number of other symptoms as well. The following symptoms have been seen to be related to fluid retention in that they often worsen when the fluid retention worsens and they tend to resolve when the fluid retention resolves with normalization of body temperature patterns: migraine headaches, numbness and tingling of the hands, panic attacks, palpitations, lightheadedness/dizziness, sweating, musculoskeletal aches and pains, and others.

The fluid retention is commonly seen in the hands of patients who often find it difficult to take their rings off and who will frequently not be able to wear their rings until their fluid retention dissipates. Their feet and ankles may also swell, and may even extend above the knees. The patient may develop pitting edema. It is referred to as pitting edema because when one presses a finger against the lower part of the leg, it leaves a "pit" or dent at the spot where the finger was pressing. There are people who have several different sizes of shoes that will fit them according to the amount of swelling they have on a particular day. In some cases, I have seen the fluid retention to be so severe that such a patient might scratch a leg against a piece of furniture and although it may not bleed, they sometimes notice tissue fluid collecting along the scratch such that it may even drain down the outside of the leg. It sounds incredible, but seeing is believing.

Periorbital edema, which is fluid retention around the eyes, is a classic sign of decreased thyroid system function. DTSF patients can have thick tongues giving them difficulty in forming words.

The severity of the fluid retention correlates very well with the body temperature patterns. The fluid retention is most severe when the body temperature is too low, too high, or unsteady, which is characteristic of all the other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Increased fluid retention often correlates with increased body temperature fluctuations. Likewise, as body temperature patterns become more and more steady over a period of days, the fluid retention usually improves.

I believe that abnormal body temperature patterns (especially low temperatures) cause the muscular tone of the vessels to decrease, making blood vessels more leaky, which results in tissue fluid retention. Proper thyroid hormone treatment can be used to normalize the temperature patterns, causing them to be closer to 98.6 and causing them to be more steady. When this is accomplished, it improves vascular tone of the blood vessels in the body causing them to be less leaky and enabling them to more effectively prevent too much fluid from leaking into the tissues and to more effectively carry tissue fluid back into circulation. I believe that this one aspect of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome itself, has profound physiological consequences when one considers how it can influence so many other symptoms.
 

Many of us have noticed the "blotches" of flushing that sometimes appear on the neck and upper chest of someone who is in a very nervous situation (like speaking in front of a group of people). Flushing of the neck and chest is a classic symptom of DTSF, and patients with WTS can be far more prone to such episodes than are others. Occasionally, the flushing can be severe with a clearly defined area of persistent discoloration as seen in one patient who said it felt as if she was "on fire". Her flushing responded very well (90%) although not completely to the WT3 protocol.
 

Only those who have had inappropriate or unusual food cravings can appreciate fully that they do, in fact, exist. The food cravings associated with pregnancy are legendary: ice cream and pickles, and other bizarre combinations. Food cravings have also been seen to be related to WTS , especially just prior to the menstrual cycle. This seems to be a symptom of PMS. But as we have mentioned previously, PMS can frequently be corrected with the WT3 protocol. It may be that rapid changes in body temperature occurring premenstrually cause Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction and blood sugar fluctuations. Unstable blood sugar levels may lead to sweet cravings and taking in of sweets may satisfy the cravings temporarily. However, the body often over compensates to the sugar ingested which can lead to a subsequent rapid drop in the blood sugar level (BSL) causing the BSL to be unstable. In the conservation mode, to better balance the ratio between the body's perceived increased challenges and decreased resources, the body can decrease the amount of energy that is used and can seek to increase the amount of energy taken in. This may also lead the body to crave foods. This also explains the common observation that the body often craves more high-energy foods like chocolate which contain both sugar and caffeine. This increase in appetite and increased drive to obtain high energy foods can be quite overwhelming or dramatic. These cravings are often viewed as personal weaknesses. They seem to be personal weaknesses the way it is weak for a person under water to crave air. Of course, the body can live without sweets or chocolate, but not without air. It only sometimes seems to "think" that it will when it is inappropriately stuck in conservation mode (leading to a perception by the body of having critically low resources). It is not extremely uncommon that patients who have a history of never even liking chocolate previous to developing Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and who have never ever been sweet eaters, find themselves craving chocolate prior to their menstrual cycles and/or at other times. They may find themselves eating an entire box of cookies or an entire chocolate cake, even though they don't really like chocolate. These cravings represent a definite change from before to after developing WTS.
 

Some patients may also notice that they develop an incompatibility with certain foods such as wheat, milk and dairy products. They may find that they can no longer eat certain foods without diarrhea, gas bloating, or indigestion. One such patient had a long-standing history of lactose intolerance that was managed fairly well with certain enzyme supplements (to digest the lactose) in her diet. With proper thyroid therapy, her intolerance to lactose and dairy products resolved in conjunction with resolution of her other Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms. Apparently, the elevation in her body temperature pattern caused the return of the enzymatic function that had been impaired and was preventing her from digesting lactose. Many patients have found that with normalization of their body temperature patterns they can once again eat, without difficulty, foods that used to cause them diarrhea, gas, bloating, or indigestion. It is noteworthy that food intolerances have sometimes been thought of in terms of allergies and it has been seen that allergies can sometime be related to WTS.
 

Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can contribute to allergy, stress, and migraine headaches. The most debilitating of these are migraine headaches. I feel that the migraine headaches associated with WTS are related to fluid retention. This fluid retention is probably secondary to the vessels in the body becoming leaky because of decreased vascular tone, and changes that occur in the vessel walls when the body temperature patterns are abnormal. As these vessels become more leaky, fluid escapes from the vessels causing fluid retention in various parts of the body, even the brain. When this fluid retention occurs in a closed space, it can cause problems. If it occurs in the carpal tunnels of the hands, it can cause a pinching of the nerves know as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. When it occurs in a narrow passageway of the spine where there is only so much room for the nerves to pass, then it can also cause a pinched nerve syndrome. When a drop in body temperature patterns results in the vessels of the brain becoming more leaky, migraine and other forms of headaches may result. Characteristically migraine headaches sometimes come on after a warning know as an aura. An aura is a small group of characteristic symptoms that migraine patients will frequently have prior to the onset of their migraine headaches. Some patients will notice a peculiar odor or notice characteristic vision changes, such as wavy lines, or some other neurological manifestations, that hint that a migraine may be about to occur. After the aura, the headache pain may begin, frequently having a throbbing nature in the beginning and sometimes progressing to a more constant type of pain. In some cases of severe migraine, the headache may progress to cause nausea and vomiting, difficulty with bright lights bothering the eyes, and even temporary numbness or paralysis of various parts of the body.

One can easily see how these characteristics of a migraine headache can be explained by leaky vessels and fluid retention. As the dilated vessels and fluid retention begin to exert pressure on the brain tissues at the beginning of the headache, it is not hard to imagine that this pressure might be manifested to a patient through some kind of "aura." As the fluid retention continues and the swelling brain begins to reach its confines (limited by the bony skull), it is easy to see how the swollen brain's pulsations ( resulting from intermittent surges of blood from the heart) could cause the brain to begin to "bang" against its confines, causing pain of a throbbing nature. If the swelling were to continue, one could see how the brain tissue could more fully occupy the available space within the skull causing it to press more steadily against its confines resulting in a pain of a more constant nature. The pressure exerted on the brain's tissues could cause malfunctioning directly or possibly by inhibiting blood supply. This could explain neurological manifestations such as numbness and tingling or temporary paralysis. So any treatment that can diminish the resulting dilated and leaky vessels can help in the treatment of these migraine headaches. This explains why ergotamines can sometimes ward off migraine headaches since they are vasoconstrictors and can constrict the dilated vessels possibly making them less leaky and thereby helping to ward off the migraine headaches before they have fully progressed. Interestingly, ergotamine therapy is usually ineffective once the migraine has taken hold, possibly because by that time too much fluid retention has already taken place.

Beta-blockers, a type of blood pressure medicine, are frequently used long-term to decrease the frequency and severity of migraine headaches, possibly by reducing the body's tendency towards higher blood pressures (of course, the greater the pressure, the greater the force working to push fluid out of the vessels and into the tissues). I remember one migraine patient that I treated who described herself as a "migraine headache experiment." She had suffered from migraines for over thirty years, and over that period of time, every new migraine treatment was given to her as it became available. Her migraine headaches were reduced by some of the therapies, but they were never satisfactorily controlled and they caused her a great deal of disability (having severe headaches almost on a daily basis). As is characteristic with the migraines associated with Wilson's Syndrome, they worsened during stressful periods in her life. Within only a few short weeks of the WT3 protocol, her migraine headaches had improved dramatically. In fact, they were all but eliminated. She has been able to go months without any migraines, rather than just days. Of course, she was astonished and I, myself, continue to be amazed.

It is difficult for me to remember a case where the patient's migraines did not improve tremendously, if not completely, with the WT3 protocol and normalization of body temperature patterns. Apparently, normalization of body temperature patterns restores proper muscular tone in the blood vessels of the body, and can thereby eliminate the migraine headache condition. Although thyroid hormone therapy can't correct all body temperature abnormalities, or all migraines, I certainly am of the opinion that proper thyroid hormone treatment is the most widely effective treatment for migraine headaches currently available. I am even beginning to wonder if abnormal body temperature patterns (especially low) are not the cause of migraine headaches.
 

WS sufferers frequently have temperature sensation abnormalities. They will not tolerate temperature extremes very well and often feel extremely uncomfortable in heat, and/or under air conditioning that is a little too cold. Some patients may sweat extremely easily, while others may not sweat at all. Some patients may be convinced that their body temperature runs above normal since they feel hot all the time and sweat easily. These patients are often extremely surprised to find that their body temperature patterns run consistently below normal.

These temperature discomforts can lead to conflicts. I refer to these conflicts as "thermostat wars." These thermostat wars take place every day around the country, on the job and at home. I am aware of them because I am frequently told of them by patients. One employee will need sweaters to stand the temperatures that are maintained in the office by coworkers, or a person may need to have a fan to keep cool in an office that is seemingly too hot. Frequently, a husband will turn the thermostat down with the wife turning the thermostat up and vice versa. These wars often carry over into the bedding department also, where spouses may fight over what covers are to be used, with one complaining of freezing while the other is complaining of sweating.

I remember a story of one husband who would complain of being practically scalded each time he went in to use the shower after his wife (who was a WTS sufferer). These body temperature sensation abnormalities and intolerance to temperature extremes and sweating abnormalities frequently resolve with normalization of body temperature patterns with proper thyroid hormone treatment.
 

MED secondary to low body temperature pattern, secondary to DTSF, secondary to Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, can result in decreased bowel motility. This can result in constipation and increased "straining at the stool." Straining at the stool, in turn, can lead to increased pressure in the veins surrounding the rectum and anus leading to a bulging of those veins known as hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be extremely uncomfortable and bothersome to say the least. Treatment is frequently directed at the symptoms of hemorrhoidal swelling, hard stools, and straining; through the use of creams, ointments, stool softeners, and dietary changes. When Wilson's Temperature Syndrome is the underlying cause, the situation can often be far better handled with the WT3 protocol. With proper therapy, there is a normalization of body temperature patterns which eliminates the MED that is causing the decreased bowel motility resulting in more regular bowel habits, decreased straining at the stool, and thus a decreased tendency for developing hemorrhoids. The condition of these patients hemorrhoids can often be returned very close to normal, leaving them in better shape than they have been in years.
 

Hives have been related to Wilson's Temperature Syndrome in that they have been seen to come on and resolve together with other symptoms in a pattern characteristic of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. The hives can be precipitated at times of stress, changes in the balance of body fluids, and after a shower. Hives characteristically result from changes in histamine physiology. To the extent that hives, allergies, asthma, itchiness have been seen to sometimes be related in the context of Wilson's Syndrome, I am led to suspect that changes in body temperature patterns can affect histamine physiology.
 

Hypoglycemia is the condition of having low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include shakiness, headaches, breaking out in a sweat, and possibly even lightheadedness or anxiousness when going too long without eating. Interestingly, these symptoms are also similar to those associated with low blood pressure. They can be resolved by eating less simple sugars and more proteins in an attempt to maintain more constant blood sugar levels. That these inappropriate symptoms are sometimes only controlled when the hypoglycemic diet is adhered to closely, supports the idea that the hypoglycemic diet often addresses the symptoms and not the problem. If the diet addressed the problem, then one would expect the inappropriate symptoms to remain improved even after more normal dietary patterns were resumed. One would expect that the patient would be able to be free of hypoglycemic symptoms similar to the way other people are free of these symptoms under similar conditions. Hypoglycemic symptoms have been seen to resolve even persistently through proper administration weaning of T3 therapy.
 

The body fights infection with the immune system. Low body temperature patterns resulting in MED can adversely affect the function of the immune system leading patients to have frequent upper respiratory tract infections as well as recurrent urinary tract infections. WTS sufferers can have recurrent ear infections, wound infections, fungal infections, and even yeast infections. Antibiotics are commonly required to treat these infections. Sometimes such infections respond less than optimally to antibiotics. Such a predicament might be more worrisome in more serious infections such as severe abdominal infections and bone infections (osteomyelitis) which are more difficult to treat.

When patients' physical resources are already greatly impaired because of trauma or surgery, Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction (resulting in less immune system function) can make it more difficult to fight the infection. This can result in longer hospital stays and even less favorable outcomes.

Some Wilson's Temperature Syndrome patients have been seen to have frequent vaginal yeast infections that have cleared up with normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. Some patients have been diagnosed with having a systemic (throughout the body) candida yeast infection. Their candida yeast titers (levels) measured in the blood have been seen to persist even after being treated with nystatin by their doctors. Nystatin is an antifungal medicine used in the treatment of candida yeast infections. In some cases, the candida yeast titers have been seen to drop to zero upon normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. It seems that candida yeast grows in the body more easily in patients who have low body temperature patterns. This may be due to decreased ability of the body to fight the yeast infection because of decreased immune system function, or it might be because the yeast organism finds low body temperatures to be more hospitable for growth than normal body temperature patterns. But, in any case, patients are quite happy when their recurrent yeast infections and urinary tract infections resolve, and they are quite happy when they are able to go through the winter months without having colds and sore throats.
 

Thyroid gland function is well known to be one of the first things checked in a patient with a history of infertility. Unfortunately, normal thyroid gland function does not always correlate with normal thyroid system function. If DTSF can be present even when thyroid blood tests are normal (and it can), then it is easy to understand how infertility can be aggravated by Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. One unfortunate patient had finally been able to conceive for the first time, after years of trying, when she was started on thyroid hormone supplementation. Sadly, she miscarried shortly after she switched doctors, and her new OB/GYN doctor discontinued her thyroid medication because he felt that it was not necessary based on her blood tests. Of course, her miscarriage may have had nothing to do with stopping the thyroid medication, but the patient understandably suspected such. With proper thyroid hormone supplementation her symptoms of DTSF once again resolved and she was able to conceive again. This time her thyroid hormone supplementation was maintained throughout her pregnancy and, of course, she was delighted when she gave birth to her first baby.
 

As mentioned previously, patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome commonly have trouble sleeping at night even though they can be very tired and sleepy during the day. The fatigue noted during the day makes the insomnia related to WTS all the more disturbing.

Narcolepsy is the tendency some people have for falling asleep at inappropriate times, whether they like it or not. Several patients that I have seen have gotten into fender-benders because of falling asleep at the wheel. One patient burned her hand when she awakened to find the food she was cooking on the stove had started a fire. In one interesting case, the patient actually fell asleep while she was walking for exercise. As odd as it sounds, she had actually awakened to find herself having taken a couple of steps and veering off her path. She sat down, resting her chest on her legs, and slept for ten or twelve minutes before completing her walk. Such complaints can respond quickly and dramatically to proper thyroid hormone treatment, restoring normal sleep-wake cycles, helping people to sleep at night soundly and to awaken rested so they can face the day without fatigue.
 

Abnormalities of the menstrual cycle have long been associated with DTSF. In fact, thyroid function is recommended as one of the first things to be checked in a patient with irregular menses. Unfortunately, DTSF is often incorrectly ruled out merely on the basis of thyroid hormone blood tests being within the "normal range," even in the face of classic signs, symptoms, and presentation of DTSF. Low body temperature patterns often result in frequent and heavy periods, but may result in light or skipped periods, as well as other abnormalities. Heavy menstrual cramping is also commonly associated with low body temperature patterns. Again, irregular periods can be seen to follow a pattern of onset, persistence, and resolution characteristic of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms and can respond very well to the WT3 protocol.
 

We discussed previously how Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can result in a patient being inappropriately left in "conservation mode." The body may be left in a mode which leads it to feel that it does not have enough resources to address presenting challenges. This explains why WTS sufferers often feel as if they are "at the end of their rope". This sensation of being overwhelmed can lead WTS sufferers to be profoundly irritable, which is recognized as being clearly inappropriate to themselves and to those around them. Many feel that the symptom of irritability is one of the most devastating aspects of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.

WS sufferers may suffer from mood swings. Mood swings can cause a night and day change in a person's temperament in a period of a day, hours, or even minutes. One minute a person might be having a very good day and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, without any particularly good reason, the patient might plunge into a significantly bad, irritable, or depressed mood. Later, these bad moods may resolve as quickly as they appeared. Patients frequently describe it as an "emotional roller coaster." This phenomenon often disappears completely when body temperature patterns have been normalized with proper T3 therapy.
 

The itching associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can be quite severe, annoying, and even maddening. It may be worse after a shower, associated with dry skin, worse in the evening or in the morning (when body temperatures are usually lower), and associated with the other patterns and characteristics of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Sometimes the itchiness is so severe that it leads people to scratch enough to break the skin with their nails, thereby developing sores. The scratching can also prevent wounds from healing.
 

The lightheadedness that is sometimes associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, and sometimes resolves with normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol, seems to be related to body fluid balance and blood pressure and/or blood sugar changes associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.
 

Low blood pressure can cause lightheadedness, clamminess, anxiety, and others. Low blood pressure symptoms can frequently be made worse when a patient stands very rapidly. Normally, changes take place in the vascular system that enable a person to maintain their blood pressure when changing from a lying or sitting position to a standing position. When these vascular changes are not as responsive as they should be, or when the body has difficulty maintaining normal blood pressure because of low body temperature patterns, or because of decreased blood volumes (due to blood loss, shock, or dehydration), then one might have difficulty in maintaining a normal blood pressure. The WT3 protocol has been seen to alleviate these symptoms of intermittently low blood pressure. It is my feeling that MED leads to decreased vascular tone and decreased vascular responsiveness leading to more difficulty in maintaining adequate blood pressure. It's a little like using a pair of vice-grips or adjustable pliers that are set at the wrong setting to exert pressure on a particular pipe. If the pliers are set too "loose" even though one may be able to squeeze the handles all the way together, the "jaws" may still be positioned so far apart that they cannot exert the proper pressure upon the pipe to accomplish what is necessary.
 

Many times patients state that they feel as if they are in a mental fog. They describe having short-term memory problems of the sort where they will walk from one room to another and forget why they are there. During their conversations they may begin a sentence and forget their point halfway through. They may hear an interesting news story and wait anxiously for the opportunity to relate the exciting news break to their spouse, only to find that they are able to remember so few of the details that they may not even be able to communicate the gist of the story. They may have short term memory problems at work and may even forget temporarily the last names of people with whom they have worked closely for years. They frequently have difficulty studying for exams, finding themselves reading the same page over and over and over again six or seven times, still not being able to remember what they have read. Some patients will pick up old novels they have read before and will realize they have already read it only after reading three quarters of the way through the book. They frequently have difficulty concentrating on tasks at work and find that their minds wander easily. With the WT3 protocol, the mental fog can be lifted enabling people to remember what they are saying, what they are doing, and what they are reading. Proper therapy can even help WTS sufferers in their studies.

When a patient has difficulty remembering things or paying attention as an adult, it may be said they have a short term memory problem or decreased concentration. When such symptoms are found in children, especially when coupled with other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome such as irritability, such patients are sometimes said to have attention deficient disorder (ADD), be "hyperactive", or be learning disabled.

Learning that the tendency for developing Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can be hereditary, a patient who had been responding very well to the WT3 protocol, brought her son in to be evaluated as well. It was found that he was frequently quite tired and had trouble concentrating at school and was having difficulty with his studies. Multiple body temperature readings demonstrated that his average body temperature ran consistently below normal, around 97.8 degrees. In many ways he was similar to the way his mother was prior to treatment. Somewhere along the line he had been diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder (he was approximately 12 years old). With normalization of his body temperature pattern with the WT3 protocol, his fatigue resolved and he found his classes more interesting. In fact, shortly after he had started therapy, he brought home a decidedly uncharacteristic A+ on one of his assignments. Both mother and son could see an unequivocal improvement in his school performance.
 

As discussed in previous chapters, there can be a good physiological reason WTS sufferers frequently feel as if they do not have enough resources to adequately address the challenges that face them. Molehills often seem to be mountains. We all know what it feels like to have days when we just don't feel like doing much, whether because of illness or discouragement or other reasons. These same feelings often are very exaggerated in patients with WTS . Their overwhelmed feelings, and lack of ambition or motivation are often quite inappropriate in relation to their current living situation (with there being no apparent reason or explanation).

This one symptom accounts for a scenario repeated time and time again every day throughout this country to which most of are completely oblivious. There are seemingly able-bodied people, who for no apparent reason ( and not because they want to), will spend hours during the day, days on end, for even weeks and months virtually doing nothing more than sleeping or sitting in a chair. It is hard to imagine the impact this one symptom can have in the quality of life and productivity in the lives of these individuals and, therefore, in our society. I have seen, first hand, working with some of these patients the toll it takes in terms of their careers, days off from work, lost business opportunities, failed businesses, and the costs to employers.
 

Sprains and strains of tendons, ligaments, and muscles might persist inappropriately in WTS sufferers. For example, shoulder strains may take too long to heal in weight lifters. Calf muscle strains may recur too frequently, too easily, and last too long in an aerobics instructor. When the fluid retention is in the joints of the chest around the breast bone or in the tissues of the chest, it can cause significant chest pains. These chest pains can mimic myocardial infarction or heart attack. A few patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome develop severe crushing chest pains for which they are rushed to the hospital. EKG and all other tests show no significant cardiac abnormalities. These patients' chest pains may continue intermittently. After cardiac stress tests and other of the most reliable predictive tests available rule out cardiac abnormalities, the patients are left to find some other explanation for their chest pains. Occasionally, these chest pains can follow patterns of onset and resolution consistent with other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.

WS sufferers who have inappropriately nagging musculoskeletal problems, frequently find their musculoskeletal systems return to more appropriate levels of functioning with correction of their Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.
 

Patients with WTS often notice that their nails are brittle, peeling, splitting, pitting, ridged, soft, or not growing as well as compared to prior to the onset of WTS . They can also be more susceptible to fungal infections of the nails and skin infections around the nails.
 

Chloasma is a mask-like area of pigmentation of the skin on the face that can frequently be associated with pregnancy (sometimes referred to as a "pregnancy mask") and birth control pills. Chloasma is known to be related to hormonal changes. Chloasma is a darkening of the pigmentation of the skin sometimes resembling "blotches," a collection of freckles, or can even resemble someone who has gotten a suntan that has partly peeled. The discoloration is commonly seen on the forehead, above the upper lip (like a "mustache"), and over the cheeks.

When chloasma persists after the birth of a child or after birth control pills have been discontinued or after other such events, it can frequently be difficult to correct and is not generally considered to be "curable." Amazingly, the chloasma of some patients has been seen to fade considerably (even up to 90 - 95%) upon normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. This is especially true in cases where the patient's chloasma followed typical pattern of presentation of a Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptom.

In the beginning of this book, we discussed how body temperature can affect the color of a Siamese cat's fur. I remember one patient who found that her hair began changing in color from brown to white with the onset of her Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms. She, her hairdresser, and I, myself, were able to observe her hair color returning more to its original color as her symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome resolved with proper liothyronine treatment. This may give credence to stories that are sometimes told about people's hair turning white after being terrified, or after a severe physical stress such as a heart attack. There are fables about people's hair turning white after "seeing a ghost." There may be some basis for this popular saying about terror causing a person's hair to turn white.

Poliosis is the medical term for premature graying of the hair. Poliosis has been seen in the past to be a possible effect of severe hypothyroidism. (Emergency Medicine Reports, Volume II, Number 23, 11/5/90). Since WTS is a cause of DTSF, one can see some basis for the common comment that stressful times can give people "a few gray hairs." Some people notice that their hair can become more gray at stressful times and less gray when the stress has passed. Their hair can sometimes be observed to go back and forth between more and less gray several times in their lives.

Another interesting phenomenon that has been observed to follow the pattern of presentation and resolution of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms, is that of the skin under a person's rings becoming black. Some patients may find the skin under their wedding band becomes black in spite of wearing 18 or 24 karat gold. Some patients find that white gold will not cause the phenomenon, while yellow gold will. The interesting thing is that the blackening of the skin sometimes comes and goes with other symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome, occurring only for a period of time prior to the monthly menstrual cycle and then disappearing again after the menstrual cycle. In one memorable case the patient's symptom of "black finger" resolved and did not occur premenstrually, or at any time, once her body temperature patterns were normalized with proper thyroid therapy. Her "black finger" resolved together with her other symptoms of PMS and Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.
 

We all are familiar with the increased fatigue and sleepiness that sometimes settle in after a large meal. Post-prandial means after a meal. With a meal, the body "changes gears" in order to digest the food. It accomplishes this by changes that take place in the nervous system. The body decreases what is called the sympathetic nervous system tone and increases the parasympathetic tone, which results in the shunting of more blood away from the skeletal muscles and towards the digestive tract. The sympathetic nervous system is sometimes thought of as the "fight or flight" side of the nervous system that is involved in more active pursuits. The para-sympathetic nervous system is sometimes remembered as the sleep/feed/breed side of the nervous system and is useful in more relaxed pursuits. It is normal to feel more relaxed or drowsy after a meal because of the increased para-sympathetic tone of the nervous system. However, in Wilson's Temperature Syndrome sufferers, the post-prandial response can be very inappropriately exaggerated. This may lead WTS sufferers to practically "collapse," "pass out," or be "useless" after a meal such as lunch. This exaggerated response has been seen to resolve in many cases with normalization of body temperature patterns with proper T3 therapy.
 

Premenstrual Syndrome is an extremely fascinating aspect of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. In may ways, the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), are remarkably similar to the symptoms of DTSF and may include lightheadedness, dizziness, gas bloating, weight gain, fluid retention, headache, depression, irritability, fatigue, constipation, increased bruising, muscular aches, and others. It is also well known that PMS symptoms follow a menstrual pattern, typically being more severe right before a woman's menstrual cycle begins. However, I have seen some cases where the patients' symptoms are aggravated just after their period with their symptoms being exactly like the symptoms of PMS except happening "post"-menstrual. So there are some people who have PMS after their period or-"Postmenstrual Syndrome." This can easily be explained within the framework of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. It is well known that a woman's body temperature will change during her menstrual cycle, commonly spiking (rising sharply) at ovulation and often averaging highest prior to or at the beginning of a woman's period. The temperature typically will decrease gradually during the menses and may even reach a low point after the period is over.

As discussed previously, the symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome are preeminently symptoms of Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction that are caused by aberrations in enzyme temperature. Temperature changes that can affect enzyme function can include temperatures that are too low, too high, or too unsteady. Rapidly changing body temperatures can cause enzyme dysfunction because of a too rapid change of enzyme shape/configuration that does not allow proper enzyme function. Premenstrual symptoms can easily be explained by enzyme dysfunction brought on by abnormal body temperature patterns (too low, too high, or especially unsteady/changing rapidly). This can also explain why some women have similar symptoms at the time of ovulation (there are still those who do not believe that some women who can tell fairly well when they ovulate), and post menstrually. Women trying to get pregnant will frequently take advantage of these well known menstrual cycle related body temperature changes by taking daily temperatures, in an attempt to identify the time of ovulation by the mid-cycle body temperature "spike".

Incidentally, this can explain what one might call "reverse PMS." There are patients who will feel the symptoms of MED, being tired, depressed, bloated, irritable, etc. for most of the month, but notice that just prior to their menstrual cycle, they may enjoy two days out of the month when they feel much improved before feeling worse again. It may be that the patients' MED symptoms are resulting from persistently low body temperature patterns that improve briefly just prior to the period as the female hormone system raises the body temperature. This causes the patients' body temperature patterns to more closely approach normal for a brief period of time, helping them to enjoy improvement in their symptoms of MED. When patient's symptoms of MED come and go giving them good days and bad days, patients can frequently see that their body temperature patterns are closer to normal on their good days as compared to their bad days.

Of course, menstrual cycles are female hormone related. And certainly, body temperature patterns change in a predictable and reproducible way during the menstrual cycle. It stands to reason, therefore, that female hormones may have an influence on body temperature patterns. Thyroid hormones also affect body temperature patterns, and body temperature patterns correlate well with symptoms of MED. So it follows that body temperature patterns depend, to a degree, on the relative influences of the female thyroid system (a

cyclic influence) and the thyroid system (a more constant influence). It seems that the more steady thyroid hormone influence on body temperature pattern, normally dilutes the more cyclic influence of the female hormone system, preventing the body temperature pattern from being so aberrant that it result in the symptoms of MED. However, when the thyroid system influence decreases because of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, more of the cyclic influence of the female hormone system can be "unmarked" leading to symptoms of MED that can worsen and improve in a pattern that correlates with the menstrual cycle (Premenstrual Syndrome).

When PMS is caused by Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, the MED symptoms that seem to follow a female hormone influence can often be completely resolved with the WT3 protocol. By restoring the more stabilizing influence of the thyroid system to normal levels, one may dilute the cyclic influence of the female hormone system once again ("masking" it), thereby, eliminating the symptoms of PMS. (See following diagram)

This explains why female hormone therapy can sometimes be used to improve the symptoms of PMS (by altering the female hormone influence). It is difficult, however, to diminish the cyclic influence of the female hormone influence using female hormones because it is difficult to predict when that influence is on the way up and when it is on the way down. If the female hormones are added at the wrong time, the additional influence may add on to a "peak" rather than filling in a "valley" which can make the situation worse.

For this reason, female hormones frequently fail to eliminate the symptoms of PMS completely. And the PMS symptoms do not commonly remain persistently improved after female hormone therapy has been discontinued. This suggests that the female hormone therapy may not be addressing the underlying problem.

I sometimes use the following analogy to explain the use of female hormones and thyroid hormones in addressing the problem of PMS: If you needed something that was on a shelf that was too high to reach, you could either lower the shelf or get a stepladder (two solutions to the same problem). In that same way, both thyroid and female hormones can be used to affect the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome. The most appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause of the symptoms. If the symptoms of PMS appear in combination with other symptoms of WTS and they appear in a group, especially worsening after a major stress, then it is more likely that all the symptoms are related, and it is more likely that they are related to an impairment in the conversion of T4 to T3 resulting in aberrant body temperature patterns. Patients with Premenstrual Syndrome related to Wilson's Temperature Syndrome often find that when they are properly treated with liothyronine, that their symptoms can be alleviated greatly and often completely. Again, when careful history is taken, one may find that a patients' PMS symptoms appeared initially or became especially worse after a major stress such as childbirth or divorce. I have treated many patients who have continued to be troubled by severe and even disabling PMS in spite of having received other treatments for years. Many times with proper T3 treatment normalizing their body temperature pattern, the patients will find that for the first time in years their period can sneak up on them (and their clothes) without the first PMS symptom or warning. Needless to say, these patients and their families are quite happy when the PMS resolves.
 

Psoriasis is characterized by silvery, scaly patches of skin found commonly on the elbows, knees, and knuckles of the hands. The cause of psoriasis, as yet, is not known and it is frequently difficult to treat. It is interesting that the pattern of distribution of psoriasis is similar to the pattern of distribution of dry skin that can be associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. These areas of the body are characterized by having lower temperatures than other areas of the body. I have seen in some cases, that the psoriasis can improve considerably with normalization of body temperature patterns with proper T3 therapy. However, this symptom does not respond as predictably and reproducibly as many of the other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.
 

Another corresponding or accompanying complaint is a feeling of overall low self-esteem, and the feeling of being out of control which can lead to, among other things, anorexia and bulimia. Patients sometimes find themselves functioning at obviously inadequate levels. They often feel as if they cannot control their emotions, their reactions, or their thoughts. They find it difficult to find the motivation to accomplish even simple tasks. Yet, when they notice these shortcomings and they cannot, by looking at themselves in the mirror, see anything wrong, they can begin to have diminished self-esteem. They sometimes have an overwhelming feeling of not being in control of their lives. All these feelings are very understandable when one considers the physiological process underlying Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and the consequent decrease in available resources to cope with the normal tasks of daily living. Occasionally, these feelings can be coupled with an increased tendency toward inappropriate weight gain. This can lead to feelings of guilt and self-disgust. Such a situation may lead a person to resort to eating-disorder behavior such as anorexia and/or bulimia.

One such patient I recall was a 26-year-old woman complaining of classic signs and symptoms of Wilson's Syndrome. She admitted to a four-year history of bulimia that had ended one year prior to seeing me. With treatment her symptoms quickly resolved. Only after her symptoms of WTS had resolved was she able to admit that she had not quit her bulimic behavior a year previously, but was still actively bulimic with episodes of vomiting even up to nine times a day up until the time that I began treating her. As her level of resources, and balance of variables affecting her weight were normalized, she noticed that her inappropriate feelings of being overwhelmed and having a lack of resources lifted. Her improvement has persisted even though the WT3 protocol has since been weaned. She stated that since the thyroid treatment had restored her to feeling "normal" again, she has found that she no longer has the tendency for bulimic behavior. Interestingly, the patient's weight was not significantly different after treatment as compared to before.

Another patient I had treated had a long standing history of anorexia. With treatment and resolution of her other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, her feelings about herself and her priorities changed over a period of months. Her anorexia tendencies have resolved. She is now so appreciative of feeling happy, healthy, strong, and functional, that she is not preoccupied about her weight. Prior to treatment, she was eating virtually nothing and it was only after treatment that she began eating three meals a day in a more normal meal pattern. To the astonishment of her children, she would even share meals with them at the table, which is something the children had not seen in years. They weren't accustomed to their mother sitting down for dinner in front of a plate of food and eating dinner with them. They were extremely excited at this development.

With such dramatic responses, in some cases, to proper recognition and treatment of WTS and DTSF, one can see that some of the psychological, social, and mental disorders that people many times assume are in people's minds, frequently have an extremely significant physiological component.
 

These patients frequently suffer from a diminished interest in sex, or decreased enjoyment of sex. As far as survival goes, it is certainly a luxury function. It is necessary for propagation and continuation of the species, but is not critical for the day to day survival in the way that food and water are. Being a luxury or expendable function, it is one of the first things to go when one goes into conservation mode. In other words, with the onset of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, decreased libido is a very common finding. It can also be one of the last things to return in the course of proper thyroid therapy. Nevertheless, sometimes the change in sex drive or returning of the sex drive with treatment can be dramatic. Some patients comment that they have forgotten over the years what it felt like to have a normal sex drive and helps them to remember what it was like to be young, and it helps them to have more empathy for the younger generation and the issues and circumstances which they face.

I remember one patient who had such a dramatic increase in her sex drive with normalization of her body temperature patterns, that she was, as she says, literally "beside herself," especially since her lover was to be out of town for another week. Of course, this is an extreme but many patients relate that their husbands (and husbands relate personally) are quite happy about being "attacked" by their wives for the first time in a long time.

Another patient had been having uncomfortable, if not painful intercourse for months. She was only 26 years old, but after the death of a pet for which she cared deeply (her dog), she developed a constellation of symptoms consistent with WTS together with sexual intercourse becoming more and more uncomfortable, even painful. This disturbing complaint did not respond well to treatment by her gynecologist. When the patient was referred to me from her gynecologist, it was suspected that she might have been suffering from Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Two weeks after therapy was initiated, all of her symptoms had resolved completely, without exception, and she and her husband were both very pleased about her first sexual encounter without pain in many months (possibly years).

Anhedonia is a decreased or complete lack of the capacity to enjoy life, causing people to be unable to even find enjoyment in the things they used to find interesting.

For example, a once avid golfer who may go through a surgery or the death of a loved one or some other significant stress, may develop a constellation of symptoms characteristic of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. He might be so fatigued, depressed, and tired that he may no longer have any desire or interest in golf, even though he once found it extremely enjoyable. This lack of interest in a formerly favorite pastime might persist even after the emotional trauma or physical trauma has passed. All other things in his life remain the same. He may have a great family life, a great marriage, great children, great job, and satisfaction in the other aspects of his life. However, his huge lack of interest in his favorite pastime may persist, even though he is physically capable. When the body temperature patterns were normalized in one such patient, his interest returned together with the resolution of other of his typical symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.
 

It is well known that the function of the thyroid system is very critical in the normal growth and development of people. When babies are first born, one of the first things checked is thyroid function. This is to prevent complications that would arise with deficient thyroid system function, primarily mental and growth retardation. We have already discussed the interaction between the thyroid hormone and female hormone systems. One of the first things checked in patients with PMS, infertility, or irregular periods is thyroid system status. How a person's body develops sexually certainly has a lot to do with the influence of available sex hormones. It is easy to understand how the thyroid system might be an important consideration in patients who are experiencing delayed growth and/or delayed secondary sexual characteristic development such as the growth of pubic and axillary hair, facial hair in men, genital development, and breast development. One memorable patient I was treating had come from a family with a hereditary predisposition for Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (her mother's WTS also responded well to the WT3 protocol). This 18-year-old young woman had one menstrual cycle when she was in the 8th grade and had not had another on her own since. She had difficulty gaining weight, was extremely fatigued, had significant hair loss, and several other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. At the age of 14, because of very little sexual differentiation or development, she was started on female hormones and did enjoy gaining a little bit more weight in the hips and upper legs. She was able to have periods with the regulation of these female hormones, but still was not developing physical sexual characteristics in a way that she and others would consider normal. At the age of 18 years old, she was started on the WT3 protocol. Her WTS symptoms improved over a period of 6 to 8 months or more. Finally, when her symptoms of fatigue, hair loss, and other WTS symptoms were 80 to 90% resolved, she was able to wean off the female hormones. Later with further adjustment of her WT3 protocol, she was able to have a period on her own again for the first time in 10 years. It had been the only other time in her life that she had a menstrual cycle on her own without the aid of female hormones. She was also quite pleased to notice, that at the age of 18, she began to enjoy the development of physical sexual changes. Her skin became less pale with a thickening of subcutaneous (under the skin) tissue, which resulted in a softening of her features causing them to appear more feminine and womanly. Also at the age of 18 her breasts began developing. Her menstrual cycles were irregular at first, then were coming every 2 weeks, then every 3 weeks, and now she enjoys a normal monthly menstrual cycle. These improvements have persisted, even though the WT3 protocol has been weaned to extremely minimal levels.

Hers is a good case to demonstrate how some people's growth and development can be greatly affected by thyroid system function and that impairment in this function can be commonly overlooked. It can be easily treated and have an untold influence on the lives of these patients. Her case is among the most notable because of the enormous impact that I feel that proper thyroid treatment has had on her life.
 

The body fights infection through the immune system. The immune system relies heavily on the action of enzymes for its function. Because of MED, the function of the immune system can decrease leading to more frequent, more severe, and longer lasting skin infections. Of course, acne is a well known symptom of DTSF. Acne is frequently a disease of adolescence and early teen years and is usually outgrown. When a person develops acne later in life after a major stress together with other symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, presenting in a way that is characteristic of other WTS symptoms, and when it resolves with the WT3 protocol, it is easy to see how acne can be related to WTS . WTS patients frequently say with regard to their acne problems: "I'm too old for this." Of course, WTS can occur at any age, and body temperature patterns should be considered in any patient who is complaining of acne. Acne is frequently treated with antibiotics such as tetracycline, long term. One WTS sufferer had been less than perfectly controlled on four years of daily tetracycline therapy for her acne. With the WT3 protocol her acne resolved and she was able to wean off the tetracycline enjoying a persistent improvement in her acne even without tetracycline therapy.
 

With Wilson's Temperature Syndrome there is a very good physiological reason for feelings of being overwhelmed and of not having the levels of resources, energy, or enjoyment of life that many of us take for granted. Many times these patients turn to caffeine consumption for energy and an increased feeling of well-being. They will often pick up cigarettes as a habit because the nicotine seems to provide them with just a little more energy. Chocolate is a commonly used substance especially prior to the menstrual cycle. These patients also sometimes turn to alcohol and drug use. Inappropriate weight gain is common after one quits smoking, as many smokers are well aware. Many times patients will return to cigarette smoking, even after having successfully quit the habit, because of their weight gain. With proper thyroid treatment, some WTS sufferers have noticed being less susceptible to substance abuse such as smoking, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol.
 

Some of the more fascinating complaints associated with WTS are a variety of complaints involving the throat and swallowing. Upon careful questioning, patients will often admit to abnormal throat sensations. Their complaints are variously described but are consistent with the other symptoms of WTS in that they follow patterns of onset and resolution consistent with WTS symptoms. Sometimes they complain of the sensation of there being a "lump in their throat" or feeling as if somebody is pushing in on their throat with a pointed finger. Many times they cannot stand to have anything resting snugly around their neck. They are often bothered by tight collars, turtle necks, snugly-fitting jewelry, another person's hand, or even the thought of anything resting against their neck. I call this "collar intolerance." It is a very interesting complaint, considering it can be present even without any visible or palpable ("feelable") abnormality of the patient's neck. And, the complaint can resolve with proper thyroid treatment even without any discernible change of the patient's neck being detected by the patient or doctor. It is difficult to explain why this symptom occurs, but I suspect it may be due to changes in pharyngeal (throat and swallowing) muscle tone resulting from MED. I feel that the decreased muscle tone leaves the patient's neck feeling more vulnerable.

Patients do also occasionally complain of difficulty swallowing that follows typical presentation and resolution patterns of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms. One such patient had so much difficulty swallowing that she had the misfortune one day of having a lump of mashed potatoes get stuck in her throat. Since she could not swallow it, it was necessary for her to poke a hole through the center of the mashed potatoes with her pinky finger in order to have a passage through which to breathe. This difficulty swallowing was present despite of the lack of any obvious swelling or inflammation of her thyroid gland (which, of course, is a small butterfly shaped gland at the base of the neck below the "Adam's apple"). Yet her swallowing difficulties responded well to the WT3 protocol.

Many times such patients will undergo intensive ear, nose, and throat evaluations in search of some explanation for their complaints, with all test appearing to be within the normal range. Patients are frequently concerned about having a "tumor", or some kind of cancer growing in their neck to explain the sensation of having a "lump" in their throat. Of course, these examinations, evaluations, and tests to rule out cancer are always advisable. However, it is interesting that no tumor growth, lump or any other anatomical abnormality can be seen with even the most sophisticated scanners, and yet, the odd sensation will frequently resolve with normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. Occasionally, patients will also complain of pains radiating or shooting up their neck towards their ears and may sometimes have ear pain as well.
 

Interestingly, WTS sufferers sometimes notice that they no longer sweat - at all. Other patients describe having the onset of excessive sweating, to the point of pouring like a faucet. In some cases, where the patient has essentially suffered form Wilson's Temperature Syndrome since birth, treatment can resolve the symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome while helping the patient to sweat, even if they have never (according to them) sweat before. Most of the patients welcome this change. Frequently, excessive sweating resolves as well, especially if it follows the typical pattern and presentation of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome symptoms. I believe that the excessive sweating may be due to increased amounts of adrenaline secondary to the body's compensation to persistently low blood pressure, resulting from low body temperature patterns. Patients often describe their sweating to be continual, but frequently it will be made worse upon standing rapidly, which is consistent with low blood pressure problems. They may experience profuse sweating which they will frequently be able to correlate with a sensation of lightheadedness or dizziness when the sweating is at its worst. The body compensates for low blood pressure by gearing up the nervous system (and thereby the sweat glands) to prevent the body from fainting. This process can result in not only sweating, but also increased heart rate, lightheadedness, and even palpitations.

One common manifestation consistent with WTS is night sweats. WTS sufferers will frequently notice that they might be awakened out of a sleep dripping wet. Often, they will also notice their heart to be pounding at the same time. These patients may also notice dizziness when they stand up to get out of bed while they are having a night sweat. It is felt these night sweats, heart poundings, and dizziness are probably due to low blood pressure, low blood sugar (because they improve sometimes with a nighttime snack), or both. If patients suffer from low blood pressure secondary to MED, secondary to low body temperature patterns, it would be understandable how the symptoms might be worse at night, since the body temperature patterns are usually lowest while a person is sleeping.
 

Many patients suffering from WTS notice a disturbing ringing in their ears that often correlates closely with the pattern of onset and resolution of the symptom of fluid retention. Many times they will go to several doctors and get many sophisticated tests on their hearing and inner ear with the tests showing no apparent abnormality. They are left without any predictive diagnosis or any effective treatment. This symptom can be very disabling at times and very annoying. Some patients complain that the ringing in their ears is essentially driving them nuts. This ringing of the ears is sometimes, but not always, associated with dizziness as well. But tinnitus has been seen to come on with other symptoms of WTS after a stress and resolve with the other symptoms upon normalization of body temperature patterns with proper thyroid treatment.
 

The issue of weight is an important one. Doctors are continually advising patients of the importance of maintaining a normal weight. And, in our society, all manner of praise, reward, criticism, and disrespect are ascribed to people according to their weight. How people are seen by themselves and others can sometimes be greatly influenced by the issue of weight. Health and life insurance premium tables are often determined in part upon height and weight charts. Apparently, it is felt that abnormal weight can increase the chances of one having adverse medical conditions and can decrease life expectancy. Excessive weight has been seen to aggravate certain breathing and heart problems, and can contribute to the onset and interfere with the treatment of diabetes.

It is well known that decreased thyroid system function can lead to inappropriate weight gain. With decreased levels of active thyroid hormone at the site of the cells, the resulting decrease in the body's metabolism can lead to an increase in one's weight, even if there is no change in a person's diet, exercise, or life style patterns.

This inappropriate weight gain is easy to understand in light of DTSF. No doctor is surprised by a patient's inappropriate weight gain when it is accompanied by fluid retention, fatigue, depression, migraines, dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, decreased memory, constipation, cold intolerance, and thyroid hormone blood tests that are outside the "normal range." In such cases, physicians might feel a great urgency in correcting the patient's thyroid hormone deficiency and tell the patient, "No wonder you gained so much weight so quickly and so easily."

It is very odd that many of the same doctors react much differently when the thyroid blood tests are found to be in the "normal range." Even when the patient is suffering from even more dramatic inappropriate weight gain coupled with even more severe fluid retention, fatigue, depression, dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, constipation, heat and cold intolerance, and decreased memory. The doctor might completely dismiss the possibility of DTSF based solely upon the "normal" results of some currently available thyroid hormone blood tests. It seems very odd in situations such as these that physicians seem to reach such definite conclusions based on a few currently available thyroid hormone blood tests. Many physicians seem to act as tests directly measure or directly reflect (predictably and reproducibly) the interaction of the thyroid hormone at the thyroid hormone receptor in every cell of the body, which, of course, is not necessarily the case. Currently, the thyroid hormone blood tests available can be useful in showing that there probably is a problem that could cause DTSF. They are not, however, useful in determining that there definitely is not a problem present that could result in DTSF. This distinction is made when one considers the percentage of false negatives, false positives, true negatives, and true positives of a given test as discussed in chapter 4.

To illustrate the point, one may easily conclude as one approaches a pay telephone with a severed receiver cord that the phone is probably out of order. However, just because the receiver cord is intact does not necessarily mean that the phone is not out of order. Likewise, just because a patient has no problem that is immediately obvious with currently available tests does not necessarily mean that the patient has no problem. Hence the old medical adage: "Treat the patient not the blood tests." This adage discourages doctors from being too closed-minded and discourages us from being lead to faulty conclusions by blowing the significance of tests out of proportion to their obvious limitations.

For the sake of discussion, let us say that almost all physicians are familiar with the signs and symptoms characteristic of DTSF. Let us also say that they are familiar with some of the causes of DTSF (such as hypopituitarism and hypothyroidism). Many physicians, however, seem to have overlooked the most common cause of DTSF (Wilson's Temperature Syndrome) and aren't yet well familiar with it.

Of course, not everyone who feels that they are gaining too much weight in relation to their diet and exercise level is suffering from DTSF. But DTSF is more than enough to explain why someone may have difficulty with their weight. Easy weight gain has long been associated with DTSF, but the most common cause of DTSF (Wilson's Temperature Syndrome) is often overlooked. It is easy for most doctors to understand how a patient could gain weight on 800 calories when the patient is suffering from DTSF. It seems odd then how some physicians can boldly declare that it is impossible for a particular patient to be able to gain weight on 500 to 800 calories based solely on the results of a few far-less-than conclusive blood tests.

It is well known that different people have different caloric requirements to maintain their health and body weight. Some sources suggest the average woman needs approximately 1700 calories per day and the average man approximately 2300 calories per day. Of course, a person's caloric requirements can change under various conditions. Under starvation conditions or during fasting, the amount of calories utilized can decrease because of the body's compensation to the conditions. To some extent, this is accomplished through the compensatory decrease in T4 to T3 thyroid hormone conversion. This was well demonstrated by a study done by A.G. Vagenakis (University of Massachusetts Medical School, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism; 41, 191) who showed that under fasting conditions the level of T3 in certain patients dropped by 50% as their levels of RT3 increased by 50%. Also, a decrease in the amount of calories burned per day during fasting conditions, and persistently even after fasting conditions ended, has been documented. (Adaptation of Energy Metabolism of Overweight Women to Low-energy Intake, Studied with Whole Body Calorimeters, American Journal Clinical Nutrition 1986; 44:585-595.)

The amount of calories burned per day can vary tremendously. How this is possible can be understood by considering the difference in energy required to make a car, as compared to the energy required to drive a car. To make a car one needs to dig up ore that can be refined into metal, one needs to drill oil wells to have the oil necessary to lubricate the cars, one would need to get the vinyl and other materials to make the car's upholstery. One would have to design and make molds to fabricate certain parts, hire the necessary labor to put the parts together, build the factories necessary to make the car, obtain the rubber for the tires, and assemble the parts into the proper order so that the car functions. All these activities take a huge amount of energy to accomplish. The energy required to drive and operate the car is far less. Once there is sufficient gasoline in the gas tank, one must sit behind the wheel, turn the ignition key, put the car in gear, press the gas pedal, and use the steering wheel to direct the car. So one can operate a car, traveling all over the country, on a similar amount of energy required to make, for example, just the transmission. In the same way the vast majority of the energy used in the affairs of the human body are used in producing and maintaining the molecules, cells, and tissues of the body. In other words, the energy to make hair, skin, and teeth is a great deal more than the energy necessary to brush hair, brush teeth, and wash the skin. To make heart muscle, skeletal muscle, and bones takes a great deal more energy than is necessary to walk around the house or through the mall. To make and maintain babies, ear drums, eye balls, throats, etc. takes a great deal more energy than does exercising in a spa for two hours every other day or week. A great deal of energy is also necessary to make memories, good moods, ideas and emotion. The body can greatly adjust or change the amount of energy that it uses by affecting how much energy is used at any given time in the production and maintenance of tissues.

Under periods of stress, the body can decrease the maintenance of tissues to conserve energy that instead may be necessary for operation of the body. It can do this by impairing the conversion of T4 to T3, thereby dropping the body temperature. When the body temperature drops, the function of the enzymes that are most susceptible to temperature changes can be impaired. It is interesting that the body chooses the most expendable tissues to sacrifice under periods of stress to ensure the survival of the organism. For this reason these patients will first complain of dry skin, decreased hair growth, brittle hair, hair loss, peeling and splitting fingernails, thin eyebrows, decreased sex drive, etc., as opposed to functions more vital for survival, such as vision, hearing, heart and muscle function, etc. Under severe conditions (fasting for days, weeks, and even months at a time), the body's maintenance of tissues can decrease to a very low level, enabling a person to survive even on 300 to 500 calories per day. When times are better and when the stress is relieved, the body's metabolism returns to normal leading to regeneration and renewed maintenance of the tissues that have been neglected.

Some tissues can maintain their function quite well for long periods of time, even after their maintenance has been drastically reduced (for example much of the protection afforded by the skin can be attributed to layers upon layers of cells that have actually already died, which makes those layers less dependent on maintenance of living cells for considerable lengths of time, even weeks, while still providing function). The unfortunate thing is that sometimes after the stress has passed, the metabolism does not come back up and does not regenerate the tissues as well as it should, resulting in a persistence of the classic symptoms of DTSF. This can explain the phenomenon that has been observed many times in many places all over the country. Many times I have seen patients who have tried to convince others that their weight problem was not caused by them eating too much. To get to the bottom of the matter, many of these patients have been hospitalized, with their doctors giving the nursing and hospital staff strict instructions to observe the patient and to monitor everything that enters the room and every bite that enters the patient's mouth. Under strict conditions of observation, some of these patients have been observed to take in less than 500 calories per day, and have actually gained weight. This scenario has left many a doctor scratching his head, yet none of these doctors would have difficulty understanding this phenomenon if it was associated with a cause of DTSF that could be detected with available blood tests.

As strange as it may seem, the overlooking of one small point (which is no great leap in reasoning) has caused this phenomenon to remain such a mystery: Thyroid hormone blood tests are not adequate to detect every cause of DTSF or to fully assess the functioning of the thyroid system. It is difficult to understand how this point has been overlooked by so many for so long, especially since the presentation of decreased thyroid system function is so reproducible and recognizable. It is hard to understand how it can be concluded that a patient with a very typical and classic presentation of DTSF, necessarily has normal thyroid system function based only on the far less than predictive and reproducible information afforded by thyroid blood tests. It's like concluding that "even though this bird looks like a duck, has webbed feet like a duck, floats like a duck, paddles like a duck has a bill like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it cannot be a duck, because I have taken one of its feathers and it looks to me like some of the feathers that I have removed from these turkeys." "I can't accept the possibility of this bird being a duck just because it has all the characteristics of a duck, but I can accept the impossibility of this bird being a duck solely because it has one similarity to a turkey."

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to gain weight on less than 500 calories a day. It is also possible, as many people can attest and as more and more people are coming to realize, that one can actually sometimes gain weight by decreasing one's caloric intake. As discussed previously, when a person diets, their body can respond with a compensatory lowering of the metabolic rate. For example, if a person is eating 1400 calories per day and maintaining his or her weight, it stands to reason that the amount of calories burned is equal to the amount of calories taken in so that there is no change in the person's weight. However, if that person chooses to try to lose some weight by cutting his caloric intake to 1100 calories, he or she is likely to lose weight. But, in some cases the body can respond to that decrease in caloric intake by slowing down the metabolic rate and can sometimes even over compensate. So the body might cut the caloric expenditure down to say 900 calories per day by decreasing the amount of energy devoted to tissue (hair, skin, etc.) maintenance, in order to cope with the condition of fasting. In this way, a 200 calorie per day excess can be realized enabling a person to actually gain weight under dieting conditions.

Persistent impairment in the conversion of T4 to T3 can also explain the common phenomenon observed in patients who lose weight by dieting, only to gain it back and then some. Because the caloric deprivation might incite the body to further compensate and enter further into the conservation mode, causing further impairment in the conversion of T4 to T3, setting the metabolic rate at an even lower level than previously. This can also explain why many patients who undergo a diet notice a worsening of their symptoms of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, with these symptoms frequently remaining persistently worse even after the diet is over. For example, they may find their skin becomes more dry during the diet and remains dryer even after the diet is over. Their dry skin problem may persist together with a rebounding of their weight. The well observed phenomenon of gaining back weight lost during a diet after the diet has been discontinued is sometimes referred to as "Yo-Yo Syndrome."

Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can also explain the frustration that some people experience when they are doing everything that is accepted as being correct while the weight still doesn't come off, and their symptoms still do not improve. They have read every book, they have tried every exercise program, they have read every diet, they have tried every diet-following them to the letter strictly without variance - and still have not been able to achieve a normal weight. If they have been able to get to a normal weight, they are frequently unable to maintain it, and frequently suffer continually from the symptoms of MED. Indeed, some of their symptoms may worsen in spite of their best efforts. This can all be explained by T4 to T3 conversion impairment.

Patients are sometimes accused of "cheating" on their diets by their doctors (apparently because their doctors are unaware that it is possible for some patients to gain weight on 500 to 800 calories per day. It is often concluded that there is no possible way that patients could be adhering strictly enough to their diet, because if they were, they would be losing weight. However, patients with DTSF and low body temperature patterns can sometimes gain weight on less than 500 calories per day, and will sometimes respond poorly to protein sparing modified fasting liquid diets and even to stomach stapling. One patient I treated had undergone a stomach stapling procedure and her stomach was so small that she was unable to hold down more than three or four ounces at a time and she had the misfortune of vomiting up to eleven times a day. Through the course of a day it was physically impossible for her to retain in her stomach more than 400 calories/day, yet she was gaining weight in spite of it. Many patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome that are treated with protein sparing modifying fasting diets have found that they are able to lose weight with the liquid diet. However, their symptoms of MED often worsen while the diet is in progress. And, once the diet is over, their symptoms of MED often remain persistently worse and they have a tendency to gain all their weight back and then some. This is understandable since it may prompt the patient to enter more deeply into conservation mode and the more deeply one is in conservation mode, the more likely one is to get stuck in that position, causing an aggravation of one's Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.

I'm not saying that every person who has trouble losing weight is suffering from Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. I am merely pointing out that DTSF has long been known to be more than enough explanation for a person's inappropriate weight gain. Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and its treatment is not the answer underlying all people's weight problems, just as dieting, exercise, liquid diets, stomach stapling, or other approaches aren't the solution to all people's weight problems. The issue of weight is a multifaceted one since people's weight can be affected by many different variables. It can be affected by female hormones, adrenal hormones, thyroid hormones, dieting (including caloric intake and composition of food ingested), exercise, stress levels, psychological attitudes, surface area to volume ratio, and other variables. For this reason, no one approach can be used to help all people, in all circumstances, maintain an appropriate weight. There never will be one approach that works for everyone. The approach that works best will depend on the underlying problem.

Certainly, a change in diet helps some people to maintain a normal weight. However, there are others who may make the exact same change and gain weight. Some people are able to use exercise to get in shape, and maintain a normal weight. However, there are those who can exercise several hours a day, seven days a week and still be unable to control their weight. The resolving of one's psychological issues surrounding food may help a person to overcome his weight problem, whereas the resolving of such issues in another may be inadequate to address the problem. It is well known that the weight problems of many have been eliminated once their underlying hormonal imbalance was corrected. DTSF does not, in and of itself, account for the weight problems of all people; but it does represent one more obstacle that can hinder the maintaining of a normal weight, thus, a person's weight problem can be an extremely complicated one. In addressing the problem, the best that one can do is to favorably influence each variable that can affect the person's weight as maximally as possible (do the best you can with what you have). Of course, the best approach will depend most on the underlying problem. Unfortunately, the underlying problem is sometimes difficult to determine (because many of the processes that influence a person's weight involve some of the most fundamental levels of organization of the body - as discussed previously).

I would like to point out more fully the importance of a certain variable discussed previously, especially as it pertains to the issue of weight: surface area/volume ratio. Of course, the body's weight depends on the amount of calories taken up by the body and how many calories go out of the body. Calories "go in" by the body absorbing and processing nutrients from the digestive tract, and calories "go out" by being used in maintaining body tissues, providing for body functions, providing for body movement and activity, and by the amount of heat that passes from the body to the atmosphere. We have discussed previously the importance of the surface area to volume ratio. We have pointed out that the shape that holds heat the best is a ball because it has the smallest surface area to volume ratio. So the less one looks like a ball and the more one looks like a stick, the easier it is to dissipate calories. And if it didn't make a significant difference, then people wouldn't tend to ball up or curl up in cold weather.

The body maintains its temperature within a very narrow range. It must be that the body has some special means or system to accomplish this exceedingly non-random event. This system can be thought of as a "thermostat" for the body. When body temperature tends to drop too low, then energy absorbed by the body through food stuffs are utilized to bring it back up. When the temperature goes too high, less "fuel is added to the fire" and certain other mechanisms are implemented to increase the amount of heat that passes out of the body. As everyone knows, in the winter time a better insulated home maintains heat better and requires less fuel to maintain a comfortable temperature then do poorly insulated home. Since a ball is the shape that holds its heat the best, the more a person is shaped like a ball, the better they retain body heat (all other factors being equal). If a person retains their body heat better than another (being well insulated in a sense) then less energy or calories will be required to maintain a given body temperature. Although people's sizes and shapes vary tremendously, as do their abilities to retain and dissipate calories, their body temperatures don't. There is an extremely small amount of variation in body temperature from one person to the next, with most people running very close to 23 1/2 degrees above room temperature, and with a 1.4 degree elevation (giving a fever of 100 degrees F) being recognized as such a significant indicator of illness that one would be excused from work.

With houses, conserving fuel is usually the goal, but some people and their doctors feel that they are storing too much fuel (fat). And, in some cases, it is apparent that they are storing it inappropriately under conditions that would ordinarily provide for the maintenance of normal weight. The thermostat of a house keeps it at a certain temperature. When the temperature begins to drop, it turns on the heater to maintain the certain temperature. If it begins to go too high, the thermostat decreases the amount of heat produced, to again maintain the temperature. The "thermostat" system of the body works in a similar way to maintain a precise temperature range. How well a body can get rid of excess stored fuel depends, in part, on how well that body can get rid of the heat (calories) generated by its consumption. To the extent the heat is retained in the body, the body temperature tends to rise. But as the temperature tends to rise, the body responds by decreasing fuel consumption and heat production to maintain the precise temperature range. Thus, since the more ball-shaped people retain heat better (are better insulated) than the more stick-shaped people, they tend to dissipate fewer calories before their temperatures rise to the point that their thermostats decrease fuel consumption. More stick-shaped people, like more poorly insulated homes, do not retain heat as well and require more fuel consumption and heat production to maintain the same temperature as the better insulated. So just being more ball-shaped can be viewed as a considerable disadvantage in being able to dissipate calories in order to maintain a normal weight.

Theoretically, a person might also be able to increase their surface area to volume ratio, to an extent, by sitting with their arms outstretched over the back of the couch more often than sitting with their arms and legs folded. So, too, it would be advisable to dress with lighter clothing that exposes more of the body's surface area.

The principle of surface area to volume ratio explains some unusual situations. For example, a given person might weigh 145 pounds and have no difficulty maintaining 145 pounds at his current level of dieting, exercising, and life style activities. This person may for a time change his eating habits, exercise levels, or lifestyle to the extent that he gains 40 pounds to weigh 185 pounds. Then, that person may resume his previous regimen of diet, exercise, and lifestyle fully expecting to be able to return to 145 pounds, and be dismayed to find that he or she finds it close to impossible to lose even 5 pounds.

For many people this frustrating reality seemingly defies reason. However, more has changed in the meantime than just the person's diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits. The person has gained 40 pounds and has become less stick-shaped and more ball-shaped which can sometimes, in and of itself, change the balance of variables. The WT3 protocol can bring a person's body out of the inappropriate conservation mode in certain cases. Under these circumstances, one can observe an interesting phenomenon which can be explained by the influence of the surface area to volume ratio. A patient with classic WTS who also happens to be overweight, might respond completely to the WT3 protocol except that he may still not lose a pound of weight without a change in diet or exercise (even though the excess weight came on with the onset of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome without a change in diet or exercise). However, the patient might begin an aggressive diet and exercise regimen and manage to lose 10 or 20 pounds, grow wearisome of the regimen, and go back to his or her old (prior to developing Wilson's Temperature Syndrome) habits. The patient may find that the weight continues to gradually come off until s/he is once again at their pre-Wilson's Temperature Syndrome weight. I am convinced that the explanation for this phenomenon rests in the fact that once the patient's Wilson's Temperature Syndrome was resolved, the patient might not have automatically returned to a normal weight because of the surface area to volume ratio changes that had changed the balance of variables that were dictating the patient's weight. However, once the patient was able to get the ball rolling by losing 10 or 20 pounds, and thereby returning the surface area to volume ratio back to more normal levels (I call this "breaking the surface area/volume barrier"), the balance of variables was able to be restored to the extent that the patient could then return to the original weight with the original diet and exercise habits.

It is interesting that even pioneer settlers noticed that during the wintertime they seemed to be able to maintain more body warmth by eating more meat. This may help explain why some patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (in conservation mode) seem to be able to return to a normal weight more easily through the use of hypoglycemic diets (which include more meats/protein and less carbohydrates). The increased protein may help them to, among other things, more easily maintain more normal body temperature patterns to help prevent the body from fighting itself so much every step of the way.

In summary, the principle of the body's surface area to volume ratio is an extremely important factor that can have a huge impact on a person's ability to gain, lose, or maintain one's weight. The surface area/volume ratio should always be kept in mind when addressing or attempting to understand a person's weight problems.

We know that the body can be encouraged to enter or remain in the productivity mode through diet and exercise. However, sometimes diet and exercise alone are not sufficient to normalize body temperature patterns and to eliminate the symptoms of MED. To say that the symptoms of MED can be caused by low body temperature patterns, does not mean that everyone who has a low body temperature pattern has DTSF or MED. Nor does it mean that everybody who had any or all of the symptoms of MED, may not be having those symptoms from some other cause. To say that exercising can increase a person's metabolism doesn't mean that exercising is able to increase everybody's metabolism. To say that certain dietary changes can improve a person's metabolism doesn't mean that any particular diet can increase everybody's metabolism. All that is meant is that a low body temperature and Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and DTSF are more than enough to explain symptoms of MED which may respond to proper liothyronine treatment.

Possibly the saddest twist of fate that I see in some patients is when a spouse will begin to criticize a Wilson's Temperature Syndrome sufferer for even small excesses of weight. As these criticisms become sharper, the patient may make every effort to diet and exercise. Under the conditions of stress and fasting, the patient's body may enter more deeply into the conservation mode, contributing to disappointing weight normalization. When the diet is over, such patients may frequently gain their weight back and then some, leading to more criticism (even ultimatums), more dieting, more frustration, and more weight gain.

Of course, if a person's DTSF is being caused by Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, the last thing that such a person needs is significantly increased emotional stress or pressure. Through harsh criticism, the spouse can prevent the outcome that he or she is demanding should be achieved. Sometimes when a couple does divorce, the additional stress can further aggravate the patient's Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, contributing to further weight problems. By the end of the process, an inappropriately critical spouse can cause almost irreversible damage to the patient's metabolism, making it sometimes impossible to normalize body temperature patterns and to be able to return to normal weight, with proper diet and exercise, without proper thyroid hormone treatment of the patient's underlying cause of DTSF (Wilson's Temperature Syndrome).

In severe cases, correction of the problem can prove to be difficult (especially due to surface area to volume ratio considerations), even with proper thyroid hormone treatment. It is sad that the inappropriate and demeaning criticisms, projections, and predictions of others can sometimes come true in the lives of good people. It is amazing, also, to see the literal physical damage that people can cause one another through verbal, emotional, mental, and social interaction.
 

Since low body temperature patterns can result in Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction and enzymes are quite important in the process of maintaining and repairing bodily tissues, it is not hard to imagine how patients with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome find that they do not heal as well after surgery as others. In fact, in some cases, patients have found their wounds heal so poorly that they have required opening up and surgical revision. WTS sufferers frequently notice that scratches and sores frequently take a long time to heal.

In the case of serious or life-threatening wounds, the patient's survival may depend on his body's ability to heal. In cases of severe physical stress, such as severe trauma and life-threatening wounds, a person's body might be encouraged to enter into the conservation mode, which might result in lower body temperature patterns causing Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction and a decrease in a patient's wound healing ability.

An interesting study, done by Dr. Silberman at the University of California (Surg. Gynecol. Obste. 166:223-28,1988), was performed on 73 patients in the surgical and medical intensive care units at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. The levels of all the different thyroid hormones were measured to see if any pattern could be seen in the outcomes of the patients. When all of the values were stratified and indexed, it was found that the patients with lower T3 levels and elevated RT3 levels, were significantly more likely to die, as were those with low T4 and high T3 uptake tests. Impaired T4 to T3 conversion typically results in less T4 being shunted towards T3 and more T4 being shunted towards RT3. This could explain the study's findings. The researchers were quoted in Family Practice News Magazine (Nov. 1988), as saying that alterations in peripheral conversion of T4 appear to be responsible for the abnormal thyroid (results) that have been observed in patients with a wide variety of non-thyroid illnesses.

Another interesting study done by a Japanese doctor (Shigematsu, H.) published in October 1988 (Nippon Geka Gakkai Zashi, 89 (10): 1587-93) involved dogs in cardiogenic shock. Needless to say, these dogs were facing a great physical stress. Some of the dogs were administered T3, some RT3, and some no thyroid medicine. Many more of the dogs that were administered T3 survived as compared with the large number of dogs administered RT3 that died. This study suggests that RT3 can further impair the function of the body's metabolism and that the WT3 protocol can mean the difference between life and death. Interestingly, critically ill patients often look like they are suffering from DTSF. They often have bloating, fatigue, and decreased concentration and mentation, among other things.

Believe it or not, the preceding list of symptoms and findings associated with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome is not exhaustive. It does, however, represent some of the most common manifestations of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome seen in the normal course of practice. Considering that the function of the thyroid system can affect virtually every cell, every process, and every function of the body, it is easy to understand how DTSF resulting from Wilson's Temperature Syndrome can have such far reaching effects on the human body. There are many more details and considerations involving Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (for example, how it interfaces with many other health problems and many other aspects of life) which cannot be fully addressed in this one book. Rather, it is the purpose and scope of this book to provide enough information to help one imagine, to help one consider, to help one look for, and to help one understand the significance, impact, and importance of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. It is the purpose of this book to help us to no longer overlook this condition, and to help us look for and try to track down all of its almost infinite implications and ramifications. This information opens up a whole new field. The information in this book opens many new avenues shedding new light on how we might approach and manage many of the health problems addressed by medicine today. The ramifications are innumerable as we look at each facet of the field of medicine from a new perspective, rethinking our attitudes towards, assumptions about, and approaches to many of today's medical problems in the context of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. It is hoped that there is enough information in this book to persuade one to realize that it is possible that such a condition can exist, does exist, and should be considered and treated. Especially when one considers how common, how debilitating, how costly (in terms of quality of life and productivity both individually and as a society), how easily recognized, how far-reaching (with many implications and ramifications), and how easily treated it is.