Chelation Therapy?

[Miss Ludie]

We've been married over 3 decades going on 4 now.

Over the years we've both gotten heavier-me a gain of about 60# but he has put on nearly 100#. He is exhausted all the time, and in particular he is COLD all the time-winter, summer,spring and fall COLD!

We have an excellent internist who dx him with metabolic syndrome, he also has gerd, a cataract and open angle glaucoma.

Now the good part, his fruitcake sister has convinced him to go see a "doctor" specializing in nutrition and chelation. Over the phone she diagnosed him as hypothyroid and offered to share her Armour Thyroid as she only takes it when she thinks she needs it.

Friends, I need some ammunition here. I was told to shut up, i'm a know-it-all, and I am mean. Oh and he forbade me to speak to our internist.

I love this guy more than life itself but I don't know what to do. Help?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

would think that the hypothyroid would be a good guess....the TSH levels that are acceptable have been lowered though the word hasnt spread too far,lol. nutrition counseling would be good, as well.....the chelation therapy,hmm havent a clue what that would do for him......or why...and of course he shouldnt be sharing her meds and she should be taking them as prescribed.....

[judyblueeyes]

Try "Quackwatch.com".

[Miss Ludie]

I checked quackwatch. I agree there. And what does it mean when you said the TSH has been lowered?

I've tried to get an appt w/ an endicrinologist but they apparantly are so busy they can choose who they see and so far we are not among the chosen.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

What are the new numbers for TSH? I hadn't heard of a change.

[ERNurse752, RN]

I think the Armour thyroid is a dessicated form of thyroid...so basically not as potent as, say, Synthroid, but I'm not sure exactly how it works.

I've heard of the chelation thing for these purposes - mostly in context of being quackery and potentially dangerous.

[dschueler]

I had friends who did chelation and it actually was recommended by their internist. You really have to research the doc doing it and how it works, how much they want you to do it, etc....

I have heard good outcomes, but the duck is quacking in the back of my ear!!

:)

Deb

[TrudyRN]

I know of some patients who have had excellent results with chelation, one of them being a nun so I trust that she is sensible and truthful.

I hope some good comes of all this.