E-Book Overview
If you're one of the millions of American women suffering from PMS, irregular periods, difficulty getting pregnant, low sex drive, postpartum depression, menopausal symptoms, or many other hormonal problems, what you may not realize is that thyroid disease could be the culprit. The Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough is a holistic guide to identifying and overcoming the connection between hormonal problems and the thyroid, which goes undiagnosed in more than 30 million women in the U.S. alone. It will help you identify and diagnose thyroid problems and offer strategies to cope with the effects that thyroid conditions can have on everything from puberty to menopause, including ways to avoid the pitfalls of decreased sex drive. With information on diet and exercise, conventional and alternative therapies, and lifestyle changes that will benefit overall health, plus a risk and symptom checklist and a detailed resource section, The Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough is the most comprehensive thyroid hormone book on the market.
E-Book Content
The
THYROID HORMONE Breakthrough Overcoming Sexual and Hormonal Problems at Every Age
Mary J. Shomon
For my husband Jon, the loving, funny, and always patient guy holding my hand and riding right alongside me on my hormonal roller coaster
We are volcanoes. When we women offer our experience as our truth, as human truth, all the maps change. There are new mountains. —Ursula K. Le Guin A small group of thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has. —Margaret Mead
CONTENTS Epigraph
iii
Disclaimer vi
Introduction vii
Part I: The Thyroid Chapter 1: About the Thyroid and Thyroid Disease 3 Chapter 2: Women’s Hormones 19 Chapter 3: Diagnosing Thyroid Conditions 39 Chapter 4: Thyroid Treatment
68
Chapter 5: Thyroid Risks and Symptoms Checklist 87
Part 2: Thyroid-Related Hormone Issues Chapter 6: Puberty, Menstrual, and Sexual Problems 115 Chapter 7: Pregnancy Challenges 156 Chapter 8: Infertility and Miscarriage 193 Chapter 9: Postpartum and Breastfeeding Challenges 227 Chapter 10: Perimenopause, Menopause, and Premature Ovarian Failure 260
Part 3: Finding Solutions Chapter 11: Creating Your Own Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough 303
v
CON T EN T S
Appendix: Charting Your Fertility and Menstrual Reproductive Cycle 335 Resources 343 Bibliography 387 Index 395 Acknowledgments About the Author Other Books by Mary J. Shomon Credits Cover Copyright About the Publisher
Disclaimer This book contains advice and information relating to health care. It is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement rather than replace regular care by your doctor. It is recommended that you seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this book as of the date of publication. The publisher and the author disclaim liability for any medical outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this book.
INTRODUCTION
As women, we’ve come to expect that certain things are inevitable. As young girls, we anticipate—but at the same time dread—the first arrival of “Aunt Flo” or “my friend.” Then, for the next 30 to 40 years, we assume that premenstrual syndrome, erratic cycles, and unusually light or heavy menstrual periods are simply an unavoidable part of life. In the meantime, women’s magazines and television news programs deliver conflicting messages: you can get pregnant from a single sexual encounter, but infertility is on the rise. Teenage pregnancy rates are down, but if you’re a 45-year-old celebrity, it’s a breeze to give birth to twins. If you can’t get pregnant after trying for a yea