Q. I

Have tried all the diets, gone to all the fancy fat...

March 23, 1995|By Dr. Allan Bruckheim.

Q. I have tried all the diets, gone to all the fancy fat parlors and step-danced until I am weary and worn. I just can't lose an ounce. Why do I put myself through such torture? I am a nice person the way I am. Now a co-worker tells me it is my inactive thyroid. Can it be true? How would I know? What would I do?

A. You are probably pretty healthy, if you have been following all the advice about diet and exercise you seem to have been exposed to. Sure, I believe there are some people who can't meet with the social demand for Twiggy figures and bony frames. If their blood fats are low, their cardiac and pulmonary reserves are high and they are full of energy and feel great, they are already where we should all be and can be reassured.

I don't know if your thyroid is not functioning up to par, but here are the things to watch out for. Doctors use the word, SLUGGISH, to remember all the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). The letters stand for: Sleepiness or fatigue; Loss of memory; Unusually dry skin; Goiter or enlarged thyroid; Gradual personality changes or depression; Increase in weight, bloating or puffiness; Sensitivity to cold; Hair loss or sparse hair growth.

These are present when the hypothyroidism is well established, but early signs are harder to detect. A thyroid stimulating hormone test may be the first step in making the diagnosis. Frankly, with all your energy, you don't sound like a typical case, but you might want to check with your own "nice" doctor for the final word.

Q. I know you sometimes help in settling wagers between friends. My friend takes the position that there is such a thing as a "Double Whammy," a blood-chilling stare that can bring bad luck to those who are the targets. I don't think so, because I have looked for this in many books. Is there anything like this in medical literature? Even if you find nothing, please put this in your column so I can win my bet.

A. I am afraid I have bad news for you, for I have found something that proves the Double Whammy does exist.

In my neighborhood, a Double Whammy is put on someone by pointing at them with index fingers of each hand and staring intensely as that person tries to put the eight ball in the side pocket. When the player fails, it proves the true effect of the whammy.

In medical literature, the Double Whammy was described by Dr. H. Ferrer in 1928 in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, when he described a patient's ability to voluntarily propel and retract the eyeballs. This was accomplished by contracting two muscles that control eye movement (the superior and inferior obliques) while relaxing all the rectus muscles that move the eyeball and help hold it in the socket. This resulted in the eyeball popping forward, creating an awesome effect that could cause anyone to become distracted and lose concentration. Even after many years of providing whammies, the eyes suffered no ill effects.

I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW: It's more than just supposition, it's fact, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Mental illnesses are among the most common conditions affecting the health of our citizens, with as many as one in five suffering a diagnosable mental problem within any six-month period. The good news is that with proper attention, careful diagnosis, professional treatment and proper prescription medications, 90 percent of these individuals will improve or recover.

There are many classes of medications available for the wide variety of mental illnesses, and their effectiveness depends upon proper use. Many of your letters to me request more information about these medications and I have found a perfect source of dependable and authoritative information. It is contained in the publication, "Psychiatric Medications," provided by the American Psychiatric Association. The various classes of medications are described and their actions explained.

You will be surprised at the number and types that are in current use for conditions that range from anxiety to psychoses. In addition there is a bibliography and a listing of other valuable resources for additional information and help.

For your free copy, send your request with a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to: American Psychiatric Association, Division of Public Affairs, Dept. FD95, 1400 K St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005.

