Dear Thyroid Folks,
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Ballew Kinnaman <[log in to unmask]> 206/463-2322
Discussion list owner: Allergy, Arthritis, Rubber, Thyroid
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Discussion Group http://www.Emissary.Net/thyroid/index.html
=== begin Thyroid FAQ ===
North American Slang, Jargon, Abbreviations And Acronyms
with Brief Practical Definitions {Version 2.1, 15 September 2002}
(Accepted for use in the Thyroid Discussion Group)
Copyright 2002, Emissary.Net, all rights reserved.
ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder, should one need to address
issue of hyperactivity as well, it's not ADD any longer but ADHD:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Addison's Disease = Low steroid production by the adrenal
glands (one adrenal is associated with each kidney). If
chronic or acute, Addison's can be fatal. Commonly
caused by auto immune malfunction. When someone loses
their adrenal glands through surgery or otherwise, they
require lifelong supplementation of the adrenal hormones,
just like those who lose their thyroid gland require lifelong
supplementation of thyroid hormones. Named for English
physician Thomas Addison, 1793-1860.
AMA = American Medical Association, large and powerful
group of inordinately wealthy doctors, the "Powers that Be"
in USA medical and pharmaceutical practice and research.
appt = appointment, a set time when you may see a health
care provider.
Apr = April, the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar.
Aug = August, the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar.
Armour = thyroid hormone supplemental medicine made from
dried pig thyroid glands, one grain of Armour contains 38 mcg
t4 (levo-thyroxine), plus 9 mcg of t3 (liothyronine,
triiodothyronine), plus unknown other hormones our
endocrinologists have not figured out yet. So far, you can't get
flying green eggs, or mad cow disease, from pigs, folks.
Basedow's Disease, Graves' disease; Parry's disease = toxic
goiter characterized by diffuse hyperplasia of the thyroid gland,
a form of hyperthyroidism; exophthalmos ( (ek-sof-thal,mos)
[G. ex, out, + ophthalmos, eye] Protrusion of one or both eyeballs;
can be congenital and familial, or due to pathology, such as a
retro-orbital tumor (usually unilateral) or thyroid disease (usually
bilateral) is a common, but not invariable, concomitant. {I think
that means thyroid eye disease (bulging eyeballs) can go
along with Basedow's Disease, Graves' disease and Parry's
disease, right?}
bp = blood pressure, see also hbp.
BTW = by the way (an aside, a related comment).
CAT (CT) = Abbreviation for computerized axial tomography.
Computed tomography( CT ), computerized axial tomography;
the gathering of anatomical information from a cross-sectional
plane of the body, presented as an image generated by a
computer synthesis of x-ray transmission data obtained in
many different directions through the given plane. A diagnostic
x-ray like thingie.
CBC = Complete blood count. A blood test to count your white
cells, red cells and other measures of your blood cells
including whether you have iron deficiency anemia. A CBC does
not tell you a thing about the condition of your thyroid gland.
Be sure to ask your health care provider what the results of your
CBC mean. Why not? The abbreviation CBC may NOT be
used on Thyroid to mean Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
CFIDS = Chronic Fatigue and Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
This is a fairly recent change in nomenclature for chronic fatigue
syndrome.
CFS = chronic fatigue syndrome.
Dec = December, the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian
calendar.
DHEA = dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone produced by the
adrenal glands, a steroid and can be converted to testosterone
or estrogen. DHEA levels in your blood are highest when you are
young and levels fall as you age. Did your blood test include
these things? why not? pronounced
Dee-HI-dro-pee-an-DROS-ter-own (syllables in capitals are
stressed).
Dr, Doc, doc = doctor, physician, healer, prescription writer.
In different countries this term has different meanings. In the
UK, also see, it usually means the general practitioner (GP,
also see). This is the doctor one goes to for general health
concerns (primary care physician, PCP, also see), one's first
contact with a doctor. If necessary (in the UK) one is then
referred to hospital to a consultant, in the case of thyroid
disorders usually to an endocrinologist (see endo). Also
meant to refer to some highly educated, often specialized
individuals who can be self proclaimed medical gods, and/or
some highly educated often specialized and often well paid
individuals who really care for patients like you and me.
drs = more than one dr, on Thyroid, drs may not be used to
mean "don't remember stuff" (brain fog).
dx = diagnosis, whatever the doctor thinks will make you
go away *and* pay your bill, often accompanied with a little
slip of paper authorizing you to buy a drug from a pharmacy
or chemist (see prescription).
dx'd = the way to say "diagnosed" if you didn't get the
tests and explanations you expected or even close to
the treatment you needed.
endo = endocrinologist, a medical specialist in endocrine
disorders. Typically know-it-all, interpersonally inept medical
doctor who claims to know more than other doctors (but
in the instance of hypothyroid disease typically treats
less) about human endocrine systems.
ENT = Ear, Nose and Throat doctor (a specialist), works
primarily on and inside the sides and front of your head
below your eyes and brain
ER = emergency room, usually at a hospital
FAQ = frequently asked questions and their answers
FDA = USA Food and Drug Administration - pharmacists
[with no pharmaceutical manufacturer clothing] on parade.
Feb = February, the second month of the Gregorian calendar
FM = fibromyalgia
Fri = Friday, the sixth day of the USA week
GMC = General Medical Council (sounds British, to me, are
they as useless as the FDA in the USA?)
GP = general practitioner, the doctor that you see most
often, who often cares much more for you, and communicates
better than an ordinary specialist ever will, also know as a
PCP (primary care physician)
gr = grain, a unit of measure of weight;
1 grain = 0.036 drams
1 grain = 0.002285 ounces
1 grain = 0.0648 grams (~65 mg)
gm = gram, a unit of measure of weight
1 gram = 1,000 milligrams
1 gram = 0.035 ounces
1 gram = 15.43 grains
Graves = Graves' disease, exophthalmic goiter, a form of
hyperactivity of the thyroid gland, named after Irish
Physician Robert James Graves, 1797-1853
Hashimoto's disease = struma, thyroiditis, struma
lymphomatosa, a progressive auto immune disease of
the thyroid gland, with extensive acidophilic degeneration
of its epithelial elements and replacement by lymphoid
and fibrous tissue - your immune antibodies attack your
own thyroid gland, named after Japanese surgeon,
Hakaru Hashimoto, 1881-1934
Hashi's = Hashimoto's disease
hbp = high blood pressure, hypertension
HMO = "health maintenance organization," a sick form of
USA health insurance. Also called Health Mismanagement Oafs
(not intended to disparage oafs), Hired Medical Outcasts or
Health Mutilation Ordeals. Like all insurance, once they have
your money, they do everything under the sun to avoid giving
your money back. So, what HMO really means is, "You had
better maintain your health on your own, because that HMO
really doesn't want you any where near their organization,
except for your payments, in advance, of course."
hrs = hours, a unit of measure of time, 24 of which you survive
each day of your life
hyper = hyperthyroid, includes Graves' disease, over activity
of thyroid gland, despite "normal" levels of TSH, excess of
thyroxin are produced by your thyroid gland
hypo = hypothyroid, myxedema, underactivity of the thyroid
gland, smaller than desired quantities of thyroxin is
produced by your thyroid gland
hyperinsulinism (hi,per-in,sa-lin-izm) = hyperinsulinemia; increased
levels of insulin in the blood plasma due to increased secretion of
insulin by the beta cells of the pancreatic islets; decreased
hepatic removal of insulin is a cause in some patients, although
hyperinsulinism usually is associated with insulin resistance and
is commonly found in obesity in association with varying degrees
of hyperglycemia.
I131 = a radioactive isotope of iodine, used in RAI
IR = insulin resistance,diminished effectiveness of insulin in
lowering blood sugar levels; arbitrarily defined as requiring
200 units or more of insulin per day to prevent hyperglycemia
or ketosis; usually due to insulin binding by antibodies, but
abnormalities in insulin receptors on cell surfaces also occur;
associated with obesity, ketoacidosis, infection, and certain
rare conditions.
IMHO = in my humble opinion (useless wordage)
IQ = Intelligence Quotient, a method of measurement of
intellectual ability, often derived from the results of administering
one of the standardized IQ tests (for example, Wechsler or
Stanford-Binet), or what you do at a teller machine. Many patients
want to believe their doctors have high IQs. There is more than
one type of intelligence, including athletic, divergent (creative) and
social intelligences. It appears that some doctors do not have
high social IQ's. They have a tendency to speak and yet they
seldom listen. There is no known cure - get another doctor before
bad things happen because the doctor does not listen to you.
Jan = January, the first month of the Gregorian calendar
Jun = June, the sixth month of the Gregorian calendar
Jul = July, the seventh month of the Gregorian calendar
Knd rgds = Kind regards, a complimentary closing used in
English correspondence
lab = laboratory, lab results are a piece of paper behind
which an entire flock of lazy, mis-educated doctors may
hide themselves from your presenting thyroid-related symptoms
labs = more than one lab OR more commonly used to mean
the results of various diagnostic tests, as in, "My labs are
back." Results of tests done in laboratories, a more
expensive form of laboratory, also used to talk about the
results of laboratory tests, for example, various blood
test values and their reference (expected, normal)
ranges. If you send your lab results to the group, be sure
to also let us see the reference ranges, please.
LOL = laughing out loud - something previously said is implied
to have been humorous, alternatively, "lots of laughs"
Mar = March, the third month of the Gregorian calendar
mcg = Microgram, a unit of measure of weight, one
thousanth of a milligram.
MD = doctor, physician, healer, prescription writer
meds = medicines, prescriptions
mg = milligrams, a unit of measure of weight
1 mg = 0.001 grams
1 mg = 0.015 grains
mCi = milliCurie, a unit of measurement of a radioisotope
dose, a radioactive exposure. Most frequently encountered
when discussing RAI (radioactive iodine) treatment for either
thyroid cancer or hyperthyroidism. The radioactive iodine
used is I (Iodine) 131, or I131, an isotope of iodine.
mid- = Combining form meaning middle
Mon = Monday, the second day of the USA week
MRI = magnetic resonance imaging
MVP = Mitral Valve Prolapse or MVP Syndrome - MVP is
a heart valve abnormality that causes a certain type of
murmur and lets the blood flow backward in your heart.
It is common for people who have MVP to have in addition
to the heart valve abnormality a group of symptoms that
sound a lot like symptoms of low thyroid. Sometimes, MVP
is diagnosed before thyroid treatment and when going to a
cardiologist a few years later, there's a murmur but no sign
of MVP. (I guess that's when it's a Mysteriously
Vanishing Palpitation.)
MSG = Monosodium glutamate. A white powder often used in
restaurant (especially Asian) food and/or meat tenderizers. It
"amplifies" the taste of foods by breaking down proteins. MSG
can be great for insect stings. Pour some on a sting and it really
helps take the pain away (by digesting the proteins in the venom?)
ND = Naturopathic Doctor, may not be a MD
NEJM = New England Journal of Medicine - an expensive
magazine read almost exclusively by doctors in which
doctors beat on their own chests and proclaim themselves
to be worthy of their hire, and sometimes publish new
research or highly qualified opinions about obscure, minutely
defined, "medical" topics
NIH = National Institute of Health, USA government big wigs
who are supposed to minimize the damage done by greed,
stupidity, confusion, and falsehood within the USA health
care non-system
NMR = nuclear magnetic resonance
Nov = November, the eleventh month of the Gregorian calendar
OB/GYN = Obstetrics/Gynecology or Obstetrician/Gynecologist
(baby doctor/female doctor). Most, but not all, gynecologists also
practice obstetrics.
OB = Obstetrics or obstetrician. Obstetrics is the care of
mother and baby during pregnancy, and the care of the mother
for a short period of time following pregnancy. Newborns are
handed over to a pediatrician (children's medicine specialist)
in the delivery room for assessment and (if necessary) monitoring.
Neonatologists handle the care of newborns. There are some family
medicine specialists (formerly known as"GP"s) who deliver babies
in the USA, but the huge malpractice insurance premiums have
scared most generalist doctors away from delivery rooms.
Oct = October, the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar
PCP = Primary care physician, doctor, GP, doc (also see)
PMS = Physical and emotional changes that occur before
menstruation. May include bloating, fluid retention, weight gain,
breast soreness, abdominal swelling, clumsiness, aching,
swollen hands and feet, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
constipation, headaches, skin problems, respiratory problems,
depression, irritability, anxiety, tension, mood swings, difficulty
in concentrating, lethargy. For some women, premenstrual
syndrome (PMS) is severe. Avoid salt in the last few days
before a period to reduce bloating and fluid retention. Avoid
caffeine to feel less irritable, less tense and to reduce breast
soreness. Regular exercise may help - recording your
symptoms for a few months may also help.
prn = means "as needed" in medical "chart talk," Latin
pro re na'ta means according as circumstances may require
prob or probs = problem(s) of which, with thyroid conditions, there
sometimes appears to be no end.
radioiodine ablation = RIA
RAI = radioactive iodine, a procedure in which radioactive iodine
is administered to the patient to destroy thyroid function, or may
refer to the radioactive iodine substance itself. Thyroid function
is thereafter simulated by lifetime use of thyroid hormone
replacement. (See Synthroid and Armour.) Statistically, 80% of
endos (endocrinologists) recommend this procedure for their
hyperthyroid patients. (The other 20%, ignorant iconoclasts all,
most likely do not chew Trident gum either.) Anecdotally, 95.5% of
all endos have numerous first and second degree relatives who have
had RAI and are deliriously happy and relieved, and said endos
simply cannot wait till they too become hyperthyroid so that they
can imbibe this life-sustaining elixir. Formerly, before
recommending RAI, doctors would prescribe anti-thyroid drugs or
recommend surgery. When administering RAI, doctors would first take
a careful patient history (spending upwards of an hour) and
carefully calibrate the dose of RAI. This would reduce the chances
of the patient's becoming hypothyroid. This seems to be a lost art.
It has been replaced by pompous and selective use of statistics and
scare tactics; for example, too many patients are not told that
thyroid eye disease can often worsen after RAI. (See also, thyroid
storm.) In many developed countries RAI is not the first choice of
treatment for women of child-bearing age. USA endocrinologists have
yet to come up with a completely satisfying reason for going
against the mainstream practice of taking a careful history and
offering all alternatives.
RAI is the isotope you take, RIA is the procedure.
Rgds = Regards, a complimentary closing used in
English correspondence similar to "Sincerely" or
"Sincerely Yours."
rt3 = reverse t3 - a chemical isomorph, often biologically
useless, if your t4 medication turns to rt3, your body
cannot use the rt3 and that portion of the medication
is wasted. If too much rt3 gets in the way, your t3 may
have reduced effectiveness.
rt4 = reverse t4 - a chemical isomorph, often biologically
useless.
rx, prescription = a form of implied medical treatment, a
small piece of paper allowing a specific drug or device to
be "dispensed" to you by a pharmacist or chemist. A
permission slip given to you from a powerful person
(doctor) for medicine so that you may obtain (buy) the
medication, for example, Thyroxine, from a pharmacy
Sat = Saturday, the seventh and final day of the USA week
scan (skan) = 1. Abbreviated form of scintiscan, usually
preceded by the organ or structure examined; e.g., brain
scan, bone scan, etc. 2. To survey by traversing with an
active or passive sensing device. 3. The image, record, or
data obtained by scanning, usually preceded by the
technology or device employed; e.g., CT (CAT) scan,
radio nuclide scan, etc.
script = Also, scrip. Contraction of prescription, "Rx."
Sept = September, the ninth month of the Gregorian calendar
SERC = is a brand name for Betahistine di-Hydrochloride, an
anti-vertigo drug. Betahistine is classified as a histamine
agonist (similar to histamine) and may provoke allergies in some
people. SERC is well-known in Europe and other parts of
the world because of its accepted efficacy in relieving symptoms
of Meniere's Disease (Vertigo of labyrinthine source).
Not available in USA - ask the FDA why not.
SSRI = Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor. SSRI's act on
serotonin, the neurotransmitter in the brain that helps brain cells
send and receive messages. SSRI's work by making more
serotonin available between neurons, perhaps helping transmit
messages more easily. Serotonin is believed to assist mood
states, especially depression. Serotonin is found in a number
of anti-depressants available by prescription.
subpar = below normal, below average or less than
expected. Forget about par as used in golf where below
par there means excellent
Sun = Sunday, the first day of the USA week
T3 = triiodothyronine, liothyronine, a thyroid hormone that
circulates in your bloodstream, the active form of the
most commonly observed thyroid hormone, a synthetic
version of t3 is called Cytomel, t3 is also found in both
Armour and Thyrolar (Armour and Thyrolar both also
contain t4)
T4 = thyroxine, a thyroid hormone that circulates in
your bloodstream, the inactive form of the most commonly
observed thyroid hormone, the synthetic version of
t4 is called Synthroid, Levothroid, or Thyroxine. Many
doctors are taught to believe that all one needs is t4,
because most people appear to survive on the amount of
inactive t4 that their bodies can convert to t3 in daily
life, especially if their doctor was simultaneously
trained to ignore all thyroid related symptoms, relying
only on blood levels of t4 and/or tsh. True science, however,
confirmed long ago that many people DO NOT get enough
t3 converted from the meager t4 allowed them, causing all
manner of *classical* thyroid symptoms that patients can
feel and see, but their doctors somehow cannot.
TBG = thyroid binding globulin, thyroid hormone detaches
from TBG in order to enter your cells.
temp = temperature, basal temperature, measuring the rate
at which your body is burning fuels to perform the actions
of living, (therefore, on Thyroid, "temp" may NOT be used
to mean temporary - if you mean temporary, please use the
whole word.)
Thurs = Thursday, the fifth day of the USA week
Thyroid storm = the surprise availability of large amounts of
thyroid hormone. Often there may be a history of very high
"toxic" thyroid levels, and treatment for these high levels.
Often there is some precipitating insult that influences
the thyroid--like surgery, trauma, or infection. By the time
you admit or someone notices you have increasing hyper
symptoms--increasing heartbeat, sweating, fever, diarrhea,
shortness of breath, nausea, loss of weight, extreme
nervousness, and a sudden rise in the metabolic rate etc.,
the process is well underway - coma and death may occur.
If the progress is fast enough, early symptoms may never
happen and you simply collapse. Thyroid storm _MUST_
be treated. Treatment depends on how it plays out in you
but usually includes, _AS SOON AS POSSIBLE_,
catecholamine inhibitors, propranalol (sp?). Untreated,
thyroid storm can be fatal. Many health care providers are
fearful of thyroid storm in their patients, at least partially
because thyroid storm can be difficult/tricky to treat.
thyrotropin (thy-rot,ropin, thyrotro,pin) = thyroid-stimulating
hormone; thyrotrophin; thyrotropic hormone; a glycoprotein
hormone produced by the anterior lobe of the hypophysis
(of the pituitary gland?) which stimulates the growth and
function of the thyroid gland; it also is used as a diagnostic
test to differentiate primary and secondary hypothyroidism.
TIA = thanks in advance, implies the reader is obligated
to respond, or "Transient Ischemic Attack." If you mean
"Transient Ischemic Attack," please say the whole thing.
TRH = thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
tsh = thyroid stimulating hormone. The pituitary gland
stimulates the thyroid to make, store, and release
thyroid hormone. This hormonal signal sent out by the
pituitary to control the thyroid is called TSH (thyroid
stimulating hormone)
Tues = Tuesday, the third day of the USA week
UK = United Kingdom; "Great" Britain; England, Scotland,
and Wales
URL = Uniform Resource Locator. The address of anything
on the Internet. The URL [or address] for a web page often
begins "http://www.xxxx.com..." The address of an FTP site
[File Transfer Protocol, used to download/upload files] often
begins "ftp://ftp.xxxx.com..."
w/ = with, for example, take your medication w/ water not
alcohol
w/o = without
USA = United States of America, America, ha-murica, US,
North American juggernaut of commercial greed, a bankrupt
nation state (since 1933) to bankers and various other foreign
interests
Weds = Wednesday, the fourth day of the USA week
YMMV = your mileage may vary -- based on a disclaimer
on an old U.S. automobile fuel efficiency advertisement.
yrs = years, a unit of measure of time, a concept of the
Gregorian (western) calendar, 365 consecutive days, often
measured from 01 January to 31 December, (therefore, on
Thyroid, "yrs" may NOT be used to mean yours - if you mean
yours, as in "yrs truly," please use the whole word yours)
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Hormone/Drug Contents Summary
Synthetic T4 only:
= Synthyroid
= Levothroid
Synthetic T3 only:
= Cytomel
Mammalian T4 and T3 with T1 and T2 in trace amounts
= Armour (see Armour above for details)
Synthetic T4 and Synthetic T3
= Thyrolar
The number after the "T" (in t3, t4, etc.) refers to the number
of iodine atoms contained in each man-made or naturally
produced hormone molecule.
Armour is derived from mammal (pig) thyroid tissue and thus
includes thyroxine, thiiodothyronine, and everything else in
pig thyroid tissue. We work backward to describe it as if it
were just thyroxine and thiiodothyronine, and that helps
with clinical things like specifying dosage. But it's also
important to remember that while it is a convenient practical
abstraction to say that Armour contains certain amounts of
thyroxine and thiiodothyronine and - in fact Armour is more
complex than that. Thyrolar, on the other hand, simply a
fixed [1-to-4] ratio of synthetic T3, T4, with binder and
excipients pressed into a tablet.
There are two ways to produce these thyroid hormone
supplements.
1.) Synthesize them from chemical components, or
2.) Harvest them from mammals
The results can be very different and for some patients, the
"origin" of the hormone may result in dramatically different
responses. Guess which way the pharmaceutical
companies prefer you to obtain the hormone(s) you need?
Copyright 2002, Emissary.Net, all rights reserved.
=== end ===
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