When you're being treated for hypothyroidism, every time you fill a prescription for thyroid hormone medication, it can be a roll of the dice. Will you actually get the medication your doctor prescribed? Will the pharmacy say it’s out of stock, but it’s mysteriously not out of stock at the pharmacy across the street? Will your pharmacist substitute a different brand or give you a generic without even telling you? Will your insurance even cover it? And how much will it cost? Will a prescription that cost you $15 last month run you $40 this month -- and $70 next month? In this episode, you'll hear from two experienced pharmacists who have worked in retail, online and specialty pharmacies for several decades. Dr. Jessica Nouhavandi is cofounder of online mail-order pharmacy Honeybee Health. And Chris DiLascia is president of Transition Pharmacy Services, also known as TPS, a specialty pharmacy. Dr. Jessica and Chris take us “behind the counter,” to explain what’s really going on at pharmacies when we get our thyroid prescriptions filled, how to get the specific medications we need, and how we can avoid being one of the 50% of thyroid patients who overpay for their thyroid medication.

What type of treatment should you pursue for your thyroid care? Which road should you take? One direction is conventional endocrinology. Take a deep dive with two top endocrinologists, Dr. Gladys Palomeno and Dr. Ernest Asamoah, who explain their approaches to testing, diagnosis, and treatment of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. You'll get an eye-opening look at how the endocrinology world views hypothyroidism, and what you can expect from conventional hypothyroidism care. And, be sure to check out Part Two for the integrative/naturopathic perspective on hypothyroidism.

What is it like to have debilitating thyroid symptoms that no one seems to be able to figure out? Or to tell your doctor you’re feeling exhausted, depressed, anxious, brain fogged, and gaining weight, and be told, “it’s in your head,” or “it’s normal at your age,” or "it's just your hormones, dear," or “would you like me to prescribe an antidepressant?” How about riding a non-stop merry-go-round of different thyroid medications, only to discover that you STILL have symptoms no matter what you try? And most importantly, what can you do? In this inaugural episode of the Thyroid Deep Dive, we listen to the patients. You’ll hear from actual thyroid patients from across the country, sharing their experiences: the pain of trying to get properly diagnosed, the frustrating trial and error process of treatment—and, unfortunately, how being ignored, patronized, and dismissed by doctors along the way is all too common. Despite the challenges, there are solutions! You’ll hear life-changing advice from patients on how they found the right providers and treatments, and stayed motivated in their efforts to finally get well. Their success stories will inspire you to feel well and live well as you take your own thyroid journey!

There are two very different views of how to test for, diagnose, and treat hypothyroidism. Part One featured the conventional endocrinology approach. Part Two focuses on how integrative and naturopathic physicians tackle this challenge. You'll hear from two of the nation's top holistic physicians and thyroid experts, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, and Kevin Passero, ND. These doctors, with decades of experience diagnosing and treating hypothyroid patients, share their unique insights and approaches to diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.