Medical skepticism
However, I am struggling with hypothyroidism. My doctors keep claiming that my results are “normal.” The last time I heard that, I argued with an endocrinologists pointing out that the “normal” results were above the range of the organization he is a member of (AACE). He increased my dosage by 50%! Obviously, something wasn’t normal – if he just wanted a placebo effect, which a lot of endocrinologists seem to claim, he could’ve increased my dosage by a token amount. Going from 75 mcg to 112 mcg is not a token increase – that’s a 50% increase (tablets are available in 88 mcg and 100 mcg, so that wasn’t the issue). There’s a lot of information out there, including information gathered by self-proclaimed patient advocate Mary Shomon. Some of the doctors on her site are listed as less than credible at Quakwatch. Mary has also been active in the controversy around Dr. Hotze. The AACE sent a letter to CBS after Hotze was featured there claiming that hypothyroidism is much more prevalent than the medical community lets on. So, is Mary Shomon’s information credible? She’s helping a supposed “quack.” The AACE is partially founded by the maker of one of the top drugs prescribed for hypothyroidism. Dr. Hotze was promoting alternative care. Is AACE just worried about their funding? Are they really independent?
And through all of that, I am getting tired, sluggish. Yet my numbers are “normal” again. This time, they didn’t even give me the results of the tests, so I don’t even know if their normal is the AACE normal. What’s a skeptic got to do? Questions arise about everything: the experts might not be as independent as they should be and the advocates might be peddling snake oil but can I really trust the judgment on that from an organization that has a financial interest in the other drug? Or is this just the same argument that sustains homeopathy? Confused, I am stuck with symptoms that my doctor dismisses.
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I used to think this, too, but there’s absolutely nothing in homeopathic meds that could possibly treat anything. It is so diluted that there’s nothing left other than the molecules of whatever the original something was in (i.e., water). I do think most homeopathic treatments are cheap enough to be worth the placebo effect… (Unfortunately, the article I was referring to isn’t available online yet.)
Rachel,
I know many people think homeopathy is useless, but it has worked for me for many things: hormonal imbalances, colds, depression. I trust my own experience.