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Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You… That You Need to Know
Review
As many as one in eight women have a thyroid condition. In Living Well with Hypothyroidism, Mary Shomon outlines the most common of these–too little thyroid hormones in the body. Weight gain, depression, fatigue, and what patients call “brain fog, Brillo hair, and prune skin” result. Because the symptoms of hypothyroidism mimic so many other conditions–chronic fatigue, PMS, clinical depression–it can be very tricky to diagnose, especially since patients with HMO…
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5:33 am on November 19th, 2009
Mary Shomon’s book is the first I have read (out of a LOT of books) that tells the whole truth about hypothyroidism, as experienced by a patient who has been there. I wish that every doctor that treats thyroid patients could be made to read this! So many doctors seem to think that hypo is a simple, easily treated disease, and it isn’t. They also tend to focus on individual symptoms without looking for the overall CAUSE. If I had had this book years ago it would have saved me several years of suffering and being told there was nothing wrong with me. Mary’s list of symptoms is very thorough, her book is easy to read and understand, and it tells the real truth. I especially like the way she pays attention to the emotional impact of this disease and the depression that often accompanies it. Her weblinks are very helpful in finding out more information. This book is EXCELLENT, and a great resource. It can literally change people’s lives. I could barely put it down once I started reading. I can’t recommend it enough, especially for newly diagnosed patients or those who SUSPECT they are hypo but haven’t been able to find a doctor to test them. Mary’s list of symptoms is great to take to your doctor to help them see the overall picture, and her compassion and understanding are very comforting and empowering for patients. She makes sense out of what to most of us is a very confusing disease. If you only buy one book on this subject, make it this one!
7:49 am on November 19th, 2009
This is far and away THE best book on hypothyroidism on the market: thoroughly researched, chock-full of useful information, and highly reassuring. Ms. Shomon knows her subject from several angles (as a patient, as a medical writer, and as proprietress of an outstanding web site on the topic), and she’s done a great job of organizing and presenting the information clearly and without unnecessary medical-speak. I don’t feel she is “anti-doctor”: I was one of the millions of hypothyroid people whose symptoms were dismissed by a series of doctors with “get some exercise and go on a diet,” until I finally lucked into one who routinely had all his new patients get a COMPLETE blood work-up. It’s not that doctors don’t know about hypothyroidism, but their prejudices against fat people blind them to what, in many cases, is the obvious explanation for someone’s lack of energy, puffiness, and inexplicable weight gain. Granted, there’s still a lot that is unknown about the genesis of the problem and how best to treat it, but I think that doctors’ bias is often the deciding factor in whether the problem is even recognized! If someone suspects that they’re hypothyroid, the best thing they can do is to become informed about their condition and become a more assertive patient — and this book gives you plenty of ammunition, as well as moral support. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
8:01 am on November 19th, 2009
I first heard of Mary Shomon through her excellent web site on hypothyroidism. Once I discovered that she had written this book, I promptly ordered it and read it from cover to cover. This book literally saved my life. Throughout my life, I have been ultrasensitive to hormonal changes and have suffered from a pituitary tumor. After my daughter was born, I was not the same person. My post-partum depression lasted a year and was coupled with other physical symptoms I could not explain. My primary care doctor was sympathetic and ran bunches of tests but they yielded nothing. Meanwhile, I got sicker and sicker with no hope in sight. Then I found and read this book. All of my symptoms were listed as hypothyroid symptoms. I had numerous risk factors for thyroid disease. I even found my specialist through this book and Mary’s web site.
This book is a total eye-opener. Mary is a passionate advocate for patients everywhere who have lost hope. Her writing is clear and concise and explains complex information in a simple way. Not many writers can do that. In fact, this book is so good that I have recommended it to numerous friends of mine who also have thyroid problems. Even hyperthyroid patients should read it because they could end up hypothyroid.
Read it and then read it again. All medical books should have Mary Shomon at the helm. The world would be a much better place for it.