CELEBRITY HEALTH WATCH

Oprah Winfrey: Thyroid Problems

The popular talk-show host recently revealed that she's been suffering from a thyroid condition, an underdiagnosed problem that affects as many as 27 million Americans.

By Shara Bose | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Nov 23, 2007 | Updated: 5:07 p.m. ET Nov 23, 2007

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Discuss

Posted By: dodacrazy @ 01/19/2008 11:53:36 PM

Comment: How much crap can you believe from Oprah when she makes statements thats not true all along her and her magizene of stories of lies has plotted to destory the health channel just to get her own time and place for her own show.Ya she is rich but who really cares when she uses it to her own benifit with writers that are prositutes and drug dealers.It was nice to have the backing of AMA but the media sold out to the highest dollar just like if you was on a donors list for a vitial part to live and it was your turn please do not bank on it because money talks even in life or death situtions right Oprah
Posted By: fllife @ 12/09/2007 8:42:57 AM

Comment: I hope more people (including those in the medical field) realize this is a worldwide problem. I went from doctor to doctor before finally getting diagnosed. Most of the doctors I went to said everything was in my head. And when I would say to test me for thyroid, one doctor said to stop diagnosing myself. Of course I never went to him again. But most doctors DO NOT listen, and I hope with this Oprah news, They START LISTENING to us, not ignore us.
Posted By: weneedtostop.com @ 12/05/2007 6:34:15 PM

Comment: I think Oprah's revelation wil bring more attention to this condition, similar to what we saw when Mrs. Bush announced she had Grave's disease. Prior to her announcement, not many people knew about the medical condition.
Posted By: coljac @ 11/27/2007 6:22:31 PM

Comment: Thank you for realizing the need to bring more information out about thyroid disease. Had I known more about ithe thyroid and the problems that can arrise from it maybe I wouldn't have went through some of the problems I did before I found out I had Graves Disease 6years ago. I only hope you have made enough of an impact so that more women will get their's checked.
Posted By: DrDave02740 @ 11/27/2007 5:00:50 PM

Comment: That tiny little "organ" that can cause so many problems. I have often wondered, it seems to affect those who have been playing the "weight loss game", i.e., different diets, drugs, etc. for a while. Is there any link to this? Several of my clients who have insisted on engaging in such "weight loss" agendas have also suffered from thyroid conditions. Yet, those who have gone the route I suggest, - gradual and graduated nutritional changes and exercise programs over an extended period of time - have had no such problems, while their body fat reduction while maintaining or gaining lean muscle has been achieved. Albiet, over a longer time frame than most could handle, but they have changed their "habit-patterns" and thus maintained their results. Most of these folks, for both groups, are all within the age ranges of 40 -55. All the best, Dr Dave Robinson, fat2trim.com
Posted By: susan miller @ 11/25/2007 1:34:10 PM

Comment: it is not that simple, just taking hormone replacement therapy....the key is monitoring to find the right dose on an individual basisd as everyone is different and so are there so called normal range. and this is where these doctors dont do their job....once balanced out and correct for that person on the right thyroid replacement, which is very very important a person can live a normal healthy life.......i did....i am very rare though and was e very sick for several years and no one coulds diagnose me..any and all tests came back abnormal.....which would make since as the thyroid effects the whole body......i almost died..until i found dr, herbert s. kupperman......a diagnostic genius and known all over the world.....people came in from all over the world too, to be diagnosed and treated by him.....my thyroid levels t3 t4 t3 by ria..t4 by ria...free t4 free t3, were in the so called normal range....but it was my tsh that was elevated....which in part diagnosed my condition of hypometabolisum other wise known as refetoff syndrone....i do not utilize my thyroid hormone at the tissue level as effectively as i should..i do not convert the t4 into t3 by my liver....i am a cytomel patient i take t3 supplements and i went down to my normal weight...hair grew back beautiful...skin and nails returned to normal.....i was hungry and could eat...not a trace of fluid retension..and more. you can live a normal life if you are diagnosed properly and on the right hormones.any dr. who is any body has dr. kuppermans book that he wrote called human endocrinology on their desk....your levels can be in the so called normal range
border low or even high and you are well. these levels on the other hand can make me very ill.....its very individualized.....sorry about oprah but just because she is oprah she is not god. there are to many people out there in need of serious help that she ignores for sure..thankyou.
Posted By: shadow11 @ 11/24/2007 7:56:05 PM

Comment: I am one that has had thyroid problems for many years, My siblings and 2 daughters are affected by this auto immune desease. Mine changes from time to time and so I need to lower or increase my dosage of synthroid. It sure can be a problem it gives you the ups and downs in your physical condition.
Posted By: janmerrick @ 11/24/2007 2:48:13 PM

Comment: Mary Shomon's book is very helpful for everyone with hypothyroidism. As you will learn, this is NOT a one size fits all condition. Most pharmaceutical companies, however, want your doctor to think it is and prescribe the same drug to everyone. Overworked doctors don't have time to learn about this field so usually know very little about it and just tell you what was told them. (Instead they become much more knowledgeable about another endocrine condition, diabetes.) I have hypothyroidism and learned that we do NOT have to put up with weight gain, memory loss, poor energy, poor sleep or any other common symptom. There are several good books and a growing number of knowledgeable physicians throughout the country. Yes this means taking responsibility for our health, but it is worth it. I have my life back. And found a wonderful new doctor in the process. You can be as fortunate.
Posted By: newsjunkie66 @ 11/24/2007 1:13:03 PM

Comment: I am one of the many millions diagnosed w/hypothyroidism several years ago. Compounding the problem is that I have been taking depression medication for over 25 years, and about 2 years after I was diagnosed w/hypothyroid, my depression is now manifesting as BI-POLAR, which only complicates the proper meds for thyroid and bi-polar disorder. Because I am over 65, I think the bi-polar is just now bursting out, although I suspect it has been lying beneath the depression for a long time as I look back at the roller coaster swings in mood I have had. I don't think thyroid problems get enough attention from research and drug companies because it's not the disease of the week, and there's not a lot of money to be made in looking for combatting this disease, but hopefully now that Oprah has put it out there, some organizations will start researching the nasty problems that complicate thyroid meds working with other meds such as depression/bi-polar treatments, which are very closely tied together, according to research (precious little, I might add) on the internet - you don't know whether the thyroid is ramping up the bi-polar or the reverse, both of which make it a difficult set of problems to deal with - I have been on 4 differnet bi-polar meds in 4 weeks, gone from hypo to hyper thyroid in a 2-month period, and I STILL DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT COMBO OF DRUGS TO FIGHT BOTH diseases. Not only that, but how do I know what taking all these combos of drugs is doing to my system/brain chemistry, and general lack of well being I live with from episode to episode? And the episodes are coming more frequently as i age, and with more intensity - a very nasty business. It's not cancer or any of the life-threatening diseases that get so much funding and research, but it is nevertheless a debilitating chronic illness that leaves one feeling hopeless about a drug or set of drugs that will somehow normalize your life!! I just hope that now it is discussed, probed, and that Oprah will keep this on everyone's radar screen and maybe, just maybe it will get more attention and bring us some solutions - those of us who are struggling to find the right drugs to combat it and live a stable life without the physical and mental roller coaster symptoms I have been going through for many many months. I'm getting afraid to try ANY new meds because of all the side effects and lack of progress - the drugs I'm being given just aren't working to cover
the chronic problems I live with.
Posted By: True Pathfinder @ 11/24/2007 10:27:44 AM

Comment: Oprah Winfrey is a legend of recent times. She has made thousands of people very happy through her shows. I am sad to know that she is having hypothyroidism. I am happy that she has all the resources to get the best treatment. One of the things she must do is that she must keep getting her thyroid hormones level checked regularly and get the thyroxine dose adjusted. She must take her medicine REGULARLY. She must also take the necessary complimentary medicine like oral calcium etc. I am sure she is consulting the best doctors in US. I pray to God that she gets better, feel healthy and strong and live long while she keeps making people happy through her shows. There are millions of people who care for her.
Posted By: kuckster @ 11/23/2007 5:51:11 PM

Comment: And even though you are diagnosed and taking the recommended medications, it doesnt mean that you will lose the weight or even stop gaining weight. I am one of those and my doctors have told me that meds dont work for everyone with hypothyroidism.
Posted By: kuckster @ 11/23/2007 5:47:23 PM

Comment: And even tho you are diagnosed and treated, that doesnt mean the weight comes off. I am one of those and i have been to several doctors who tell me that treating my hypothyroidism doesnt mean i will lose the weight. And he/she is right, i keep gaining even tho i am on my meds.