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| Index (Click on Numbers) |
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Doctors Comments
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Doctors Comments - In The Doctors' Own Words |
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Dr. Stephen L. Leighton, MD
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The fact that T3 therapy
has such a huge impact on the lives of some of my patients, has a big impact
on me, so I keep treating it. Initially, I thought it was rather strange also,
until I saw the changes that were taking place. Then, investigating the logic
behind the treatment, a logic based on biochemistry and physiology, I found
it made sense . . . AND worked!
"I would think that doctors
would be a lot more interested in learning about T3 therapy for Wilson's Syndrome
especially when some of their patients who have been suffering for years recover
quickly with the treatment under the care of another physician. I find it quite
surprising when they don't seem to be. Even though the literature shows that
the traditional measures of thyroid function are clinically based,
meaning that our "normal values" are based on the clinical picture. Most physicians
seem to rely upon the numbers even when the patient in front of them is stating
unambiguously that the symptoms have not cleared up. It is not as though this
is a "secret" therapy. It doesn't rely on some "secret" formula or bizarre concoction,
but is based simply on a solid understanding of basic physiology."
Dr. Stephen L. Leighton, MD
Winston-Salem, NC
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The alternative medicine
community for some time has felt there may be better ways of using thyroid hormone.
And not being constrained by double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective studies
they go ahead and help patients using their intuition and common sense. We endocrinologists
realize that there may be better ways of using thyroid hormone and we're still
looking for those ways and we're probably going to find some answers in what
you guys have been doing all along.
Some people have symptoms
which don't quite fit into a diagnostic category. When they aren't getting diagnosed
with anything that is helping them when they go to see traditional doctors such
as myself; and when an alternative medicine doctor will come in and say, "Well
let's try some thyroid;" and when it's done skillfully; I think some patients
have benefited. I'm a board-certified endocrinologist. I'm a hard science kind
of guy. When I run into an alternative medicine doctor using alternative diagnoses
and methods, but using them with the appropriate caution and skill then I'm
generally happy with their care.
I have patients in common
with an alternative medicine doctor in town. The main thing that I've seen working
with this doctor is the skillful manner in which T3 is used so that the patients
do not get hyperthyroid symptoms. When some careless doctors think they can
fix the world's problems of tiredness, sleepiness, depression, achiness and
obesity by using T3, they tend to use it carelessly. They end up with patients
with insomnia, anxiety, palpitations, and shakiness. Yes, maybe they feel a
little less tired but they're also feeling funny in a different way. They're
getting over-stimulated. The doctor I enjoy working with doesn't do that. Even
though this doctor's way of looking at thyroid is more empiric [based more on
experience than studies] than mine, I have always liked working with this doctor
because I don't see sick, thyrotoxic patients coming into my office. And the
patients say that they have an improvement in many of the things one would expect
to improve with T3.
Endocrinologist
Anchorage, AK
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Dr. Stephen L. Leighton, MD
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Over the last 8 years, since
the first person came to me asking for assistance in working through this protocol,
I have been repeatedly impressed that this therapy worked where multiple other
attempts, from anti-depressants to standard thyroid replacement therapy, have
not. The strongest rationale for doing this can be found in these points:
1) It is simple. This is not a complex process. It takes a little time to educate
the patient in the process of tapering up, identifying the plateau dose, self-monitoring,
and then tapering back off. The rest is logical and intuitive.
2) It is safe. We are using a hormone identical to active human T3. The dosages
are well within a safe range and can be monitored easily.
3) It is inexpensive. A full course of treatment, a single 6 - 7 week cycle,
costs only about $100. This is far below the cost of therapy for most other
chronic conditions.
4) If it doesn't work, little is lost . . . AND, it might reveal the next step
to be taken.
I have seen some 500+ patients, all self-referred, for this condition in the
last 8 years. The strongest testimony to the efficacy of this treatment is that
I have never advertised or promoted this, patients have found their way to my
office solely based on the recommendations of others that have been treated
successfully. Once the stream of patients began, it has never stopped.
Around 85 to 90% of the
patients that I treat for Wilson's Syndrome respond to the treatment, to some
degree. Of those about 50 percent seem to recover fully with only one cycle
of T3 therapy and are able to wean off and be done. Of the other 50 percent
about half respond temporarily, but the symptoms recur rapidly, apparently because
of the continued personal stress or lifestyle instability. For the remainder
of those who respond, we find that for some the response is only a partial response
and reveals that there is something else involved (ie yeast overgrowth, etc.)
for which the Wilson's Temperature Syndrome is actually an adaptive response. By
eliminating the WTS component, the underlying problem is more evident, leading
to further investigation.
Dr. Stephen L. Leighton, MD
Winston-Salem, NC
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