Topic of the Week
Debunking Time Limit for MMI
Topic of the Week!
How many of you have been told by your doctor that you can only be on methimazole (MMI) for 12 to 18 months then you must stop and kill or remove your thyroid? This is total bunk!!!
This is a complete and total lie started by AbbVie a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, the makers of Synthroid back in 1955!! This marketing plan included seminars of continuing education credits for doctors and lectures at medical colleges all over the world. This LIE was so well publicized that doctors are still spouting it today, 69 years later!!!
This is when removing the thyroid became the gold standard of the treatment of hyperthyroidism.
This bunk has ruined the lives of many Gravesters for over half a century!! Remember quality of life is always better with our own natural hormone.
Here is a 10 year study proving long term, low dose MMI is safe.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15879354/
Average time to get antibodies into remission is 2-4 years. It took me 5 years. We do not stop MMI until antibodies are firmly in remission for at least 6 to 12 months!!!
So why do our doctors continue to think we can only take MMI for 18 months? Four reasons:
High doses (over 15mg) long term can cause elevated liver enzymes. But, low doses typically do not. If you’re limiting iodine, low doses should control your overactive thyroid.
The above mentioned ropaganda started by the makers of Synthroid to sell more Synthroid spread 69 years ago are still being quoted today. Pharmaceutical companies are responsible for million of hours of continuing education credits for doctors. They will spin research results to their own benefit to sell more of their products even when this spin is virtually not true.
If they let you keep your thyroid intact and you choose to stop managing it properly you could have a thyroid storm which can lead to heart attack, stroke, coma and even death. Doctors don’t trust you with your own care. They’d rather remove this risk than educate you on how to avoid it.
They’ve not read the above mentioned study and there is very little continuing education provided for Graves/Hyperthyroidism with the thyroid intact.
At this time, the only sure fire way to achieve antibody remission is with long term, low dose MMI to maintain optimal (not just normal range) thyroid levels combined with the correct amount of low iodine to force thyroid levels optimal. So the next time your doctor wants to limit how long you can take MMI, show him/her this post and 10 year study and offer them a nice warm cup of shut the heck up you’re your own advocate and you’re educating yourself!!
I 
my ! Learn to your too!
