The early response to my first newsletter was very gratifying. About 1000 people signed up in the first month.

Second, is more difficult to avoid if your doctor does not put "Do not substitute" on your thyroid hormone script. Even if he or she writes for the brand name such as Synthroid, the pharmacist can substitute any generic thyroid hormone for the brand name. This results in receiving a generic for the brand. In order to insure you get the brand ordered by your doctor, ask him or her to write, "Do Not Substitute" on the script. This will help you stay on the exact thyroid hormone the Doctor ordered for you. Just imagine getting 12 different generics in a year with different absorption and varying blood levels. My scripts read "Do Not Substitute" "Void if Substituted", and I initial that area on the script. If they give you a generic substitute, they are not following the script.

Good luck, having a pharmacist acting as a thyroidologist. Also note that Synthroid will have Synthroid, not Flint on each pill from now on. This makes it easier for patients to be sure they are getting what the doctor ordered.

1. www.thyroid.org American Thyroid Association **** Site

THERE ARE NO ADS on Thyroid.org

This site is where you look for a thyroidologist near you. It also has many helpful sections and position papers on different subjects, such as potassium iodide for thyroid protection from radiation from a dirty bomb or nuclear accident, and Wilson's Syndrome, a non-existent disease. It has articles on many thyroid diseases as well. The books they list are the best thyroid patient books available.

2. www.the-thyroid-society.org ** Site

Again, we have a good site that has no ads, and has information for thyroid patients. The director is an Endocrinologist. He has a thyroid book, but donates the money to the society. It does joint press releases with American thyroid Association about topics of interest such as Triac supplement dangers.

3. www.thyroidabout.com. What is wrong with the Mary Shomon Thyroid Show?
(Worst top ten site/ Avoid if possible)

The first thing you see is a pop up ad for Sponsored links for sale, then a banner ad for getting criminal records from publicdata.com Then ads for weight watchers, and Migraine relief. Mary is touted as your guide to 100's of sites, but alas, few are related to thyroid. She is your guide to sponsored sites and sites that have nothing to do with thyroid disease. There are links to a real important thyroid topics, BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING, DORM LIFE, Dell COMPUTERS, and MORE. The More is more of the same non-thyroid related ads. The classified page, is more ads for weight loss, chronic fatigue, and other non-thyroid issues. The spotlight section is about thyroid.

20 secrets to thyroid health by the Mary Shomon

1. Choose a top thyroid Doctor. There are very few thyroidologists on her list. Also she plugs, up front, the Docs that use Armour or Thyrolar. She has no shame plugging her book on the same page as the so called thyroid docs. Some are real thyroidologists, but most are not. It is better to go to thyroid.org to get a thyroidologist near you.

2. Another plug for holistic medicine. There is no evidence that there are therapies that are specific for thyroid conditions.

3. Second opinions: We all agree they are needed.

4. She pushes one of her sponsors for home thyroid testing.

5. Best thyroid books. Not one book recommended by the American Thyroid Association, but once again she has the nerve to list her book first, and books from sponsors.

6. Find the best thyroid drug for you. Mary does another ad, this time for a book authored by a GP on Thyroid Power.

7. Get Copies of own records: we agree!

8. Alternative thyroid Therapy: ?? 15 sites that have nothing to do with thyroid disease are listed.

9. Well, Mary finally talks about "THYROID" weight loss. Yes, she has a Thyroid weight loss center site. There are many causes of obesity, but someone forgot to tell her, that thyroid is rarely one of them. There is no specific thyroid diet, and 99% of this section is not related remotely to thyroid disease or treatment.

11. Do not follow the thyroid blood tests as a guide to thyroid health. Dr. Mary, tells you to distrust your doctors blood test results. Mary, you are a patient, not an expert in thyroidology. The T4,T3, and TSH testing, done by a specialty lab is the best way to ensure you are getting the best treatment. Thyroid Hormone does not fix non- specific symptoms, that may persist after complete replacement of T4, and T3 hormones.

12. Thyroid drug page is 90% ads for her newsletter. She does it again, with pop up ads, and more ADS.

13. Get Support: We agree, but check out the support group to be sure it is not a front for more commercial sales.

14. Understand Your thyroid. Thyroid 101 is taught by your Teacher, Mary Shomon. She will give you the basics. She will teach you what sponsors to visit, what books to buy to help you become an informed consumer of her sponsors products. She has more sign up spots for her newsletter, and then more sponsored sites.

15. Fight back if your Doc wants to treat you with Radioiodine for Graves' disease. With no science, involved she wants you to believe that the number one therapy for Graves' disease in the U.S.A. Is to be avoided. She wants you to read another book that pushes Herb therapy.

16. Get a flu shot. That is a good idea, but what does a flu shot have to with thyroid health?

17. Boost your thyroid metabolism. I do not think you can boost the thyroid with the list of things Mary recommends. Herbs, vitamins, and supplements won't get the job done, but Synthroid, or another thyroid hormone will. Also, you do not want to boost it above normal, because it will be bad for your general health, i.e., Bones, heart, and other organs.

18. Thyroid Exercise Program ? Should we use our thumbs to move the thyroid gland around in your neck! There is no such thing as thyroid exercise program. She is trying to tie it in to weight loss.

19. Thyroid Nutrition. She tells us to believe a nutritionist who is recommending Seaweed for thyroid patients. Seaweed is one of the things to avoid, if you have serious thyroid problems. It can cause nodules, goiter, hypothyroid, and even hyperthyroidism. AVOID KELP!

20. Laugh: Laughing is good. Do not visit Mary Shomon's sites for serious answers to thyroid questions, but just for a few laughs.

Who is Mary Shomon, and what is wrong with her sites ?

She is a thyroid patient not a Doctor, and has a college degree, not an M.D. She favors alternative medicines, and has used her position as webmaster to put out her party line that includes self serving books, herbs, etc. Maximum sponsored ads, annoying pop up, and banner ads with every click of the mouse. There are good things on the site, but they are hard to find in all the hype. This is the worst site, not because of the content, but because it comes up in the top ten, if you search for thyroid sites, and therefore, gets too much exposure.

Dr.Guttler's Thyroid Newsletter in October will deal with the rest of the top ten thyroid sites. Until next time, Be careful where you surf for your thyroid related information.