Solved: The Riddle of Illness

I read this book and was amazed at the wealth of information. I have been to many Doctors who told me I was normal. Now I know after reading this book, that I've had many of the symptoms of Hypothyrodism for years and could not find a Doctor who was educated on the subject. Since reading this book, I found a Doctor who is schooled in alternative care and was open to read this book. He has been treating me and I feel like a new person. I gave him a copy of this book and he is using it with his patients now. I am forever grateful for this book.

Solved: The Riddle of Illness (Third Edition), by StephenLanger,M.D. and James Scheer highligh the authors' tremendousknowledge of nutritional medicine, and the relationship betweenthyroid disease and many conditions, such as arthritis, obesity,depression, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, sexual problems, and muchmore. Dr. Langer, who is consistently ranked very highly by themany patients who frequently recommend him in my Thyroid Top DoctorsDirectory, and his colleague Jim Scheer -- a renowned author offifteen books on nutrition and health, and more than a thousandmagazine articles -- have updated this new edition to provide acomprehensive holistic/nutritional approach to understanding thyroiddisease. Dr. Langer is one of the innovative practitioners whotruly recognizes the issues surrounding hypothyroidism -- fromdiagnosis, to treatment, to the underlying autoimmune challenges. Heis one of only a handful of practitioners around the country who Ifeel truly understand thyroid disease, and are in a position to beable to help thyroid patients.The book addresses difficulties indiagnosis, and various factors an astute practitioner should take intoaccount -- besides just TSH results -- to make a thyroiddiagnosis.Once diagnosed with hypothyroidism, far too many doctorsstill tell you there's nothing you can do except take your thyroidhormone to be well. But this book discusses ways to help enhancewellness by providing the proper nutrition the thyroidneeds. Approaches recommended in the book may help with thedeficiencies underlying a condition, not to mention the symptoms thatfrequently don't resolve despite conventional treatments.A veryuseful part of this book is the final chapter, "For DoctorsOnly." If you have an open- minded physician willing to be apartner with you in your wellness, giving her or him a copy of thischapter could be particularly useful. Says the book, "...abroad and serious blind spot exists today in physical diagnosis, onethat needs immediate recognition. ...Awareness of widespreadhypothyroidism and the three-way approach to its accurate diagnosiswill enable you to do one two things: rule it out entirely or getproper treatment for it. This condition is too important to go ignoredand untreated."This book broke new ground back when the firstedition was published, and this third edition is still challengingdoctors and patients to take a closer look at the relationship betweenhypothyroidism and disease, and the foundation of nutrition as itaffects the thyroid and overall wellness. It's a required book on anythyroid patient's bookshelf, not to mention required reading for thedoctors who treat us. Mary Shomon, Editor, The Thyroid DiseaseWebsite and Newsletter...and author of "Living Well WithHypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need toKnow."

After months of crippling fatigue, severe depression, rapid weight gain, swelling of the legs, and hair loss, I had hoped at least one of my many specialists would have considered the obvious: hypothyroidism (I even had thyroid anitbodies which they insisted was "normal"). By some grace of God, I happened to move to the same town where Dr. Langer practices, and found a great advocate in him. He has put me on the right track with dessicated thyroid and already I feel better than I have ever felt in my life. It makes me almost cry to think what my life would have been like had I not discovered this great book and exceptional doctor. Trust your instincts...if you don't feel well, you probably aren't well. Insist that your MD pursues your symptoms until they are gone. By the way, I still refer back to this book on a regular basis.

Eye-opening study of hypothyroidism. Author never gets too scientific for a layman to understand. Of course, all the lab tests which are ordered by the MD's come back with the notation that the person tested is not hypothroid. How can a test that everyone passes be a test? Well worth the time to read. Tells you a simple, non-invasive test you can do yourself. I will highly reccommend this book.

A friend suggested I read the book because all my complaints point to Hypothyroidism. My rheumatologist did a complete blood work up on my Thyroid and everything came back normal. A few months later I complained to my regular doctor and he did blood work and it too came back normal...my symptoms prove otherwise!!I am beginning to doubt the doctors who have told me I have CFIDS and FMS and I should leave things as such. I think there is so much more they are overlooking. My normally thick and healthy wavy hair is coming out in clumps and it could beard a man at the end of the week with what I find in the drain, my pillow, in between my fingers when I scratch my dry and itchy scalp and in my hair brush!!Whenever I read the list of symptoms that are common with hypothyroidism, most, if not all of them are applicable to me. If your doctors don't listen to you the first time, take this book with you and stick it in his/her face. Let them know that it is possible to have a thyroid problem, even if the conventional ways of proving it, are saying you don't!! I am doing that and am hoping to finally get to the bottom of this medical riddle!!!!I plan to take this book with me when I see the doctor next week and hopefully it will open his eyes to what is really plaguing me.