johnlawrenceaspden

A Medical Mystery: Thyroid Hormones, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Summary: * Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia look very like Hypothyroidism. * Thyroid Patients aren't happy with either the diagnosis or treatment of Hypothyroidism. * It is possible that lots of FMS/CFS cases are 'something wrong with the thyroid system that doesn't show up on laboratory hormone level tests'. * It's possible that it's not too difficult to fix these CFS/FMS cases with thyroid hormones. * I believe that there may have been a stupendous cock-up that's hurt millions. * Less Wrong should be interested, because it could be a real example of how bad inference can cause the sciences to come to false conclusions, as well as a good practice problem for the things we really care about. Edit: I found a possible answer here: http://lesswrong.com/lw/nbm/thyroid_hormones_chronic_fatigue_and_fibromyalgia/ I do not believe it, because I do not understand it, but contemplation of it seems to be enlightening. In particular, the problem is much broader than I originally thought. A summary of the argument in the first two posts, together with links to lots of evidence in the literature: http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/nef/the_thyroid_madness_core_argument_evidence/ And this is pretty much proof, I think: http://lesswrong.com/lw/nhs/the_thyroid_madness_two_apparently_contradictory/ At this point, I think I'm as confident as I can be without some sort of formal trial (so 25% maybe?) But certainly, if you're suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia/Major Depression/Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or any of the many similar disorders which just seem to be different names for 'hypothyroidism with normal TSH', I reckon this is worth trying! I have done, and it worked for me. For about four months now... Original Post: I believe that I've come across a genuine puzzle, and I wonder if you can help me solve it. This problem is complicated, and subtle, and has confo

43Feb 14, 2016

johnlawrenceaspden

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

This was my Christmas Card from my parents this year: AI-generated and not at all terrifying. Happy New Year!

Dec 27, 202314

Experimental Fat Loss

With the end of the world nigh, and a public panic about to start, this seems an ideal time to worry about weight loss and the obesity epidemic. Coincidentally, for the first time in my life, I'm getting fat. SlimeMoldTimeMold's 'Chemical Hunger' series https://slimemoldtimemold.com/2021/07/07/a-chemical-hunger-part-i-mysteries/ seemed to draw a lot of...

Jun 1, 202323

Eliezer is still ridiculously optimistic about AI risk

All power to crypto channel Bankless for their interview with Eliezer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA1sNLL6yg4 https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Aq82XqYhgqdPdPrBA/full-transcript-eliezer-yudkowsky-on-the-bankless-podcast They actually take his arguments seriously. If I wanted to blow my life savings on some wretched crypto scam I'd certainly listen to these guys about what the best scam to fall for was. Eliezer is visibly...

Feb 27, 2023-10

The Proof of Doom

Epistemic Status: Ravings Importance: Easily the most important problem in the world. If we can escape the proof of doom, we will likely also solve all our other problems as a side effect, and all that remains will be the fundamental limits. Our new questions will be things like "How...

Mar 9, 202227

Coronavirus Transmission

What's Less Wrong's latest thinking on coronavirus transmission methods? Is this excellent article roughly right?: https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-10-28/a-room-a-bar-and-a-class-how-the-coronavirus-is-spread-through-the-air.html How worried should we be about fomite/droplet transmission in comparison?

Oct 29, 20206

The Thyroid Madness: Two Apparently Contradictory Studies. Proof?

Recap: (See also: http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/nef/the_thyroid_madness_core_argument_evidence/ and previous posts) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia all look far too much like the classical presentation of hypothyroidism for comfort, but thyroid hormone blood tests are normal. Many alternative medicine practitioners, most prominently John Lowe, and several conventional medical doctors, most prominently Kenneth Blanchard, a...

Apr 10, 201612

In Defence of Simple Ideas That Explain Everything But Are Wrong

I've been thinking, and writing, about The Impossible Question of the Thyroid for some while now. I came up with what I thought was a good stab at an answer to its majestic mystery: http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/nef/the_thyroid_madness_core_argument_evidence/ This is a very simple and obvious explanation of an awful lot of otherwise confusing...

Mar 22, 201616

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johnlawrenceaspden

johnlawrenceaspden

johnlawrenceaspden

A Medical Mystery: Thyroid Hormones, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

The Proof of Doom

Experimental Fat Loss

The Thyroid Madness : Core Argument, Evidence, Probabilities and Predictions

johnlawrenceaspden

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Experimental Fat Loss

Eliezer is still ridiculously optimistic about AI risk

The Proof of Doom

Coronavirus Transmission

The Thyroid Madness: Two Apparently Contradictory Studies. Proof?

In Defence of Simple Ideas That Explain Everything But Are Wrong

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Experimental Fat Loss

Eliezer is still ridiculously optimistic about AI risk

The Proof of Doom

Coronavirus Transmission

The Thyroid Madness: Two Apparently Contradictory Studies. Proof?

In Defence of Simple Ideas That Explain Everything But Are Wrong

A Medical Mystery: Thyroid Hormones, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

The Proof of Doom

Experimental Fat Loss

The Thyroid Madness : Core Argument, Evidence, Probabilities and Predictions