Do you struggle with carpal tunnel, poor dream recall, low motivation, anxiety (especially social anxiety), weird reactions to magnesium and glutamine, or histamine and/or oxalate issues? I can help! I think I’ve cracked the code here. There could be a few reasons behind these strange symptoms, but a common one is deficiency in one of the B vitamins – specifically, B6! B6 is responsible for some 140 different processes in the body! It helps us make neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is responsible for our mood, and plays an important role in gut health as well. Supplementing can help wi ..read more

I’ve come to understand that Hashimoto’s can look very different from person to person. No two people will present with the exact same list of symptoms, and some people have more mild versions, while others can be completely debilitated. I have witnessed people with uncontrolled Hashimoto’s and overt hypothyroidism who can work an 80 hour week, run a household, become elite body builders, and/or run marathons, while others can barely drag themselves out of bed in the morning and have to go on disability due to debilitating symptoms, even while taking thyroid meds! I have seen thyroid patients ..read more

Have you ever heard of castor oil? It has been used throughout history and is prized for its many healing properties. The Egyptians first used the oil as lamp fuel before discovering all its potential health benefits! Applied topically to the skin, castor oil can reduce joint pain, muscle pain, and inflammation. [1] It can even support digestion and liver detoxification. [2] Castor oil packs have also been used to treat constipation. [3] By supporting the lymphatic system and stimulating the liver, kidney, gut, and gallbladder, castor oil packs can encourage gut motility and soften the stool ..read more

I’ve been a girly girl for most of my life. From a young age, I loved dressing up in fancy outfits and carrying around a purse, and I would always find my way into my mom’s and aunt’s “treasures and jewelry”. When my family moved to the United States when I was nine, my proudest possession was my first real Barbie doll (they were hard to get in Poland), and I got my first “kid” make-up set at age ten — complete with pink lipstick and neon blue and purple eyeshadows! By the time I was in my mid-twenties, I had cabinets full of makeup, perfumes, lotions, hair styling products, and every other t ..read more

Every now and then, I get a message from someone who says, “Help! I don’t know what to do! My TSH is low, but so are my levels of T4 and T3 thyroid hormones! Does this mean that I need more or less thyroid medication?” If you understand thyroid physiology, you know that this is a very unusual situation. This is because in the presence of low levels of T4 and T3 thyroid hormones, the pituitary begins to secrete more TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) in an effort to get the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone. Thus, in “normal” thyroid physiology, whenever there is a low level of T4 a ..read more

Before my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, I was sleeping under two blankets while living in southern California, and wearing sweaters and scarves to my office, while everyone else showed up in short sleeves. I would also complain to my husband that our house was too cold, only to find that the thermostat was set at 73 degrees Fahrenheit! Cold intolerance is a common symptom many of us have… The thyroid gland has been called a thermostat for our body, as it helps to regulate heat. People with hypothyroidism are prone to having low body temperatures and cold intolerance. It’s one of those symptoms that ..read more

Wow… do the years just fly by! I can’t believe that it’s been over 10 years since I started the thyroidpharmacist.com blog in 2013, and now 2023 is almost over. Around this time of year, I tend to be very introspective. I was visiting with my family and my mom commented about how quiet I have been… but I love this time of year… the end of the year is always a perfect opportunity to reflect, let go of the past, dream, and plan for the future. For me, the New Year is always a great time to shed the old me, and start fresh! As we head into New Year’s Eve, I wanted to send a quick note to wish y ..read more

As a pharmacist, product safety and superiority is very important to me. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that many supplements are not only ineffective, but some are even downright unsafe. When I was navigating my own health challenges, I was very skeptical about using supplements. This is because I had learned about various adulterants found in supplements, how some supplement manufacturers don’t actually put the products that are on the label in the bottle, or that the dosages listed on the label may be completely different from what’s in the products. The truth is that most supplement companie ..read more

Got reflux? I had reflux, too. It started with a chronic cough, pain, burning, and choking sensation. I tried every over-the-counter product possible. I saw my primary care doctor, an allergist, a gastroenterologist, and an ear, nose, and throat doctor. I even had a barium swallow test where I swallowed a nasty, chalky substance, and the test revealed I had a sliding hiatal hernia with spontaneous reflux. I drank gallons of milk trying to soothe the burn. I drank bottles of Mylanta, and always had a bottle of Tums nearby. I tried Nexium, Prilosec, Aciphex,&n ..read more

One of my favorite things to do is to be super prepared (just ask my husband!). This translates to having lots of first aid kits and a fully stocked medicine cabinet (or two). Last October, my son started catching all of the preschool bugs (and bringing them home). I wasn’t quite prepared for preschool bugs, so not only did my little one keep getting sick, but then I kept getting sick from caring for him during those times! I made a resolution to be more prepared this year, so this past September, I made a calendar appointment for myself to restock my medicine cabinet in preparation for kind ..read more