I am 54, and I have an underactive thyroid for which I take thyroxine. In 1989, I unfortunately allowed myself to be talked into taking HRT. The one reason that persuaded me was the protection it supposedly gave against osteoporosis.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a bone scan to see how much my bones had been protected. The results were very worrying. My bone density was below normal in both my spine and hip. I went to a lab for tests which showed up magnesium and zinc deficiencies, but an osteoporosis profile showed no lack of calcium!

You cannot imagine my disappointment when I had my second scan yesterday showing a 10 per cent drop in my spine and slightly less in my hip.

I am now told this is all due to thyroxine, which I have been taking for 20 years!

When it was found I had an underactive thyroid back in my thirties, my consultant said I would be on thyroxine for the rest of my life, but he assured me there were no side effects from this drug. It was the only drug that didn't have any! Twenty years on, the story has changed, as it normally does.

I feel it is important for patients to seek other ways of stimulating the thyroid into normal action, rather than resorting to thyroxine, and ending up with my problem. P B, Sunningdale, Berks...........

See WDDTY vol 6 no 7 for information about the inaccuracies of thyroid testing. We'll be covering natural methods of stimulating the thyroid in an upcoming issue, so please keep reading.