My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Hi everyone
Went today for my 2nd endo appt. for the hashi's and she said my bloodwork up that was done a few wks back was fine, meaning my TSH that has been a whirlwind for the past 6-8 mos is now normal at 3.4, hmmm ... I didn't respond to her when she said that, just thought ooookayyyy, one of these kinds of drs. (remember all, I am currently not on any meds, I'm the one that had a TSH of 2.7, 5.3, 5.6, 2.2, and now 3.4, who knows what it'll be in a month or so). Also, my Free T4 was in the lower 1/3 range.
Anyway, I mentioned to her that the Free T3 wasn't performed along with the other tests she requested last time and she said oh yes it was, I have it right here ... and I looked over at her sheet and I stated "that's the total T3" test, not the Free T3, and guess what???? She said "it's the same thing"!! Well, I did stay calm and throughout my visit, I kept saying that I'd appreciate the Free T3 to be drawn, that I had spoken with a lot of friends online and they have done a lot of research and show this test of the Free T3 to be very crucial in determining the results. Through her reluctance, she said she'd do it and what's crazy is when she handed me her blood lab sheet, it didn't even have a Free T3 listing ... so she wrote it in.
Also, I did want an antii-tgAB drawn too but she said there was no need because it would be high anyway ... awww geez?????
Well, I'll be going tomorrow morning to have the Free T3 drawn and she requested a fasting with it ... does it really matter if I have my coffee, toast and vitamins before I have this test?
What I feel from my visit today is .... it was a real farce!! And Midwest, from what I've read in your posts regarding certain drs., as to some endos, you're 110% right.
Please anyone give me your insight, I'm feeling very down right now, it really hurts. Thanks for listening, Marty
Last edited by SoManyFeelings; 05-08-2006 at 01:11 PM.
Reason: Title
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Marty...so sorry...3 good thyroid books for you to read...Can It Be My Thyroid by Sheldon Rubenfeld MD...Thyroid Power by Richard Shames MD...Living with Hypothyroidism by Mary Shomon...lots of good stuff to read to get a diagnosis/treatment...if you are not happy with your endo you just may consider doctor shopping...please let us know what happens when you get the results of your upcoming blood tests...
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Is there any way you can write in the Tg ab to be done also? Are you willing to pay for it if your insurance won't cover it? (You might try calling your insurance to see if it is covered. Just a thought.)
As far as the dr goes. You might try a trial and error period with this dr. Maybe you can reach a middle ground with her. If not, let the hunt for the next dr begin!
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
I went to a RE in Sept and my TSH was 6.34. He ran another test 1.5 wks later with a full panel and I was @ 4.99 TSH with elevated FT4, T3 uptake, and TgAB. He put me on .100mg Synthroid for 2 wks and I went hyper to .01 TSH. .075mg for 2 wks - TSH .03. .05mg for 2 wks, TSH .03 still. Off meds for 2 wks, TSH .22. Off another 2 wks, TSH 8.34. Then he put me on .05mg again, for 2 wks, TSH 3.15, declared normal. On .05mg for 2.5 months, still felt horrible so saw new endo. I told him all my symptoms, history, and that I wanted to conceive, and also wanted to try to get around 1.0 TSH. He mumbled that he could get me around 1.5. I found him on the AACE website which suggests the TSH range should be lower than most docs think, and that the high end of normal s/b 2.5. Cool, I thought.
He calls with the results (he also ran a ACTH test b/c of my fainting and high # of constant, prolonged colds that wiped me out like the flu - said that was normal). He said my TSH was normal @ 3.84. WTH?!? After I told him how crappy I felt @ 3.15 and after he said he could try to get me near 1.0?!? I called back (I was in shock and didn't say much) and asked what I was supposed to do, I still felt horrible, etc. The nurse asked what my symptoms were (shouldn't he have a long list?!?) - and then I found out he ONLY ran the TSH test. Sigh. I asked MAY I PLEASE TRY .075MG?!? So somehow he said OK, for 5 weeks. So far I've been on it 3 wks or so and I feel better than I did on .05mg. I didn't know the RE wasn't handling this correctly at the time, and I had high hopes for this endo after doing a lot of research. Sooo, we'll see what my results are in about 2 wks. If I don't feel great by then and have a high TSH I am seeking a new endo. I want someone who knows they need to look at all the thyroid levels and not just the TSH #. I am tempted to try an Armour doc (listed on their website) - not necessarily to try Armour but I'm thinking maybe they'll be more open-minded...I don't know...I feel like I'll try anything! I think we need to pre-screen also! GL!!!
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Oh Marty, I am much newer on this board than you but a professional at feeling crappy! I am so sorry. It is depressing. When you think you might get some help and then...not. My new ENDO says we should be between 1-2 tsh. I so hope you get a new endo.
In a way it feel like you are sick and under NO medical care. It is true. These docs need seminars or something on the new ideas about tsh levels. I spent way too long being sick because the docs wouldn't see the light.
I am sorry. Please keep your chin up. We are all here for you. Just keep trying to get yourself treated. There is no other way. We have to do it ourselves.
My prayers are with you
Deena
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Hi, and I really hope things will go better from now on. I bet your poor little heart just sank at this appointment and you walked out of there feeling worse than before and so very confused. My heart goes out to you. I just don't get how so many of these doctors don't seem to really care. I just had a bad appt. last Saturday with an Endo. I won't be back.
But you need to push this doctor aside and shop for new one. Call around and get feedback. Hopefully some offices will call back or talk to you about the doctors opinion and tests.
Keep your head up and good luck!
Last edited by StuckInIllinois; 05-08-2006 at 05:36 PM.
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Hi Marty,
Sorry you had such a frustrating appt.
You asked:
" ... does it really matter if I have my coffee, toast and vitamins before I have this test?"
IMO - no, however, a lot of docs ALWAYS say that just in case. It can't hurt. Perhaps the vitamins WOULD do something to the FT3 depending on what they contained. Certain things help the conversion of FT4 to FT3 - I think selenium does.
Take care.
__________________
"I'll make it"
Jewel TT 1/26/06 -Levothyroxine 75-88
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Thanks PinkPrincess3, hyperkim, ttc1asap, Momofboyz, StuckInIllinois, and Illmakeit ... I really appreciate all your compassion and insight, it really means alot to me ... makes me not feel alone.
Oh, just thought I'd mention that my endo now wants me to take 3 advil - 4 times a day for the next 2 weeks ... hmmm, let's see now, that's 12 advils per day ... wonder if my stomach can handle that for 2 weeks straight. (Remember last time she wanted me to take all that aspirin but it didn't agree w/me). Anyone else take this much advil? Truthfully I don't mind taking that much for a few days, just not 2 straight weeks. Oh well.
Oh hyperkim, I went back by the endo office today and she noted on the lab sheet to have the TgAB done - thanks
I'll let you all know my results as soon as I get them back, thanks so much again, bye now, Marty P.S. What's IMO mean?
Last edited by SoManyFeelings; 05-09-2006 at 03:18 PM.
Reason: What's IMO?
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Thanks again everyone ... and Sarah, thanks for letting me know what IMO means
As to taking advil, the endo is wanting to calm down the inflammation I guess ... oh yeah, what I meant to mention before is, in my first visit with her 3 wks ago she said my thyroid was enlarged due to hashi's ... then, my 2nd visit with her she said I had a very small thyroid. Ooookaaaay, well now, we can look at that in a few ways but then again, "do we really want to" LOL. As I have already seen with her is "she has no credibility in my book" and when the time comes that I start meds, I definitely don't want her to monitor my dosage, that's for sure!! And, as for me taking 12 advil a day, hmmm., NOT!! If I believed in this endo then I would, otherwise, no.
And from reading Midwest and others posts, I will also look into seeing if there are any osteopaths in this area ... I am now and have been for yrs so skeptical to all drs, whatever their specialty.
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Marty-
(((((( R U N ))))))) away..................I live in Maryland also. Sorry I did not see your post earlier. I go to Dr. Todd Brown at Hopkins and he is WONDERFUL. It took me 2 months to get in with him but well worth the wait. My last endo was also female...........Well I will leave it there but also a head of endocrinology at a hospital and I have since learned her diagnosis of my disease was scarry. I know medicine is not a perfect science but to argue and continually tell me I didn't have graves disease when to ALL here my everything was screaming "GRAVES"- Anyway I hope it is not the same endo but yours is just as scarry.
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Nikki, you're funny!! Thanks for your reply
That's wonderful you're going to Hopkins!! I was just talking to my neighbor a few days ago about Hopkins and that's the only place she goes. As to me, I'd love to go there too, I hear they have the best quality of care. And thinking of quality of care, up here in Hagerstown, it's a "nightmare", really!! I moved up here to Washington County 3 years ago from Montgomery County and from each dr. I have been to for whatever specialty here in Hagerstown has been "awful", just awful!! ... I can't think of the right word for the drs. here ... but to be quite honest, they're "terrible"! And what's funny is they all think they're the best, but yet act arrogant, and then never once has one of them dx'd me correctly ... and of course I'm always careful in not to step on any toes when I already know the diagnosis but then let them think they made the diagnosis ... isn't this just pittiful!! (From what I see from at least half of our medical profession is they're in it only for the "money" and not for the patient", that's for sure)!!
And Nikki, you're right, RUN AWAY from the drs. office ... looks like many of us here on the boards have done that too many times to count, geez, so sad how many times we have "fired" these drs. (for some reason that song "run, run, run, run away" just popped into my head but I can't think of who sings it, oh well).
I hope you're doing okay with the graves, I'm sure you've been through quite an ordeal.
Re: My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today
Hi Marty-
I am Harford county- The last endo was in Baltimore County- She was SOMETHIN - Anyway, Hopkins is the best in the world and they proved it when I went. I will not go anywhere else ever again. You have a good mothers day too!!!!
My endo isn't as credible as I thought - went to my appt. today 
TT 1/26/06 -Levothyroxine 75-88
P.S. What's IMO mean?
- Anyway, Hopkins is the best in the world and they proved it when I went. I will not go anywhere else ever again. You have a good mothers day too!!!!
