Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
Hi harleychick. It's challenging but not impossible to find a doctor that treats symptoms and not just lab values. Usually you'll find these practioners in the integrative/holistic/alternative medicine realm. You could look on the Armour Thyroid homepage at their physician locator tool and see if you can find someone in your area that prescribes Armour. Usually docs who use Armour are less conservative and more open minded in their approaches - meaning they aren't married to lab values but instead look at symptoms too.
My doc uses lab values and symptoms. I was diagnosed secondary hypo and started on meds even though all my values were "in the normal range".
Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
I went through several doctors before I found one that is willing to really work with me. I found him through one of the Top Thyroid Doc sites and couldn't be happier. He is a family practitioner. At my last appointment my labs showed that I was oversupplemented. So we decided to drop the armour and go synthroid only. After 3 weeks on 100 mcg synthroid, I was starting to feel very hypo. I was out of town and had no way of getting into the office so I, on my own volition, upped my dose to 125 mcg and started to feel really good. When I got back, I made an appointment with my doc just to touch base with him and get his blessing on my dose change. He said, "hey, it's your body and you know how you feel." I could have kissed him! We agreed to stay on this dose for 4 more weeks and then retest to be sure I am in range. His philosophy is that there are so many combinations of T4 and T3 meds and it is just a matter of working togehter to find a combination that works and that makes me feel good. I think he is very sensitive because his wife suffers from thyroid issues. Interestingly, he is classically trained and in his 60's. Do some research online and ask around. They are out there. Good Luck jrose
Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
My 26 month (FOUR Dr's) hypo-throid battle has been a nothing short of RolLerCoaSteR. About a year ago I convinced my Osteopathic to TRY Armour. My TSH has been all over the map, 3.37 to .09. A few visits ago, my Doctor announced he was focus on HOW I FELT rather than the labs. I could've KISSED him.
(if I ever write about my hypo-thy journey, it'll be called ~>>) The problem with N O R M A L As I see it, the problem with normal is this:
1) don't know what normal is for YOU
2) there is OFTEN room for improvement within the normal ranges.
I was told normal when my TSH was 4.73, but had my (then) Doctor checked labs from 5 months prior, she'd of seen that was 4 X's my normal. But she didn't & I didn't know to QUESTION her, so my 3.5 months of Thy-lobe removed Hypo-H*** began
Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
You need optimal care. This is when an MD takes into account your symptoms and where you are in the normal lab range. Optimal and normal for you do not always overlap. If you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis antibodies it will be easier for you to get that treatment if you labs are still normal. I found my keeper on the Armour thyroid physician locator database. The others in town... including the Endos refused to treat me. As a result things got really bad really quickly.
Sincerely,
MG
__________________
If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.
Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
Mine does!
I just started with this new Doc & I found him through the Armour site. He didn't even wait for my first labs before starting me on Armour. He's a complete 180 from my old Doc!
He uses labs as a reference and a guideline, but goes more by physical symptoms.
Re: do dr.'s treat symptoms and not just blood results?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jelohi
Mine does!
I just started with this new Doc & I found him through the Armour site. He didn't even wait for my first labs before starting me on Armour. He's a complete 180 from my old Doc!
He uses labs as a reference and a guideline, but goes more by physical symptoms.
I am hoping my new dr. is like this. I would love to just try armour.
Dr's) hypo-throid battle has been a nothing short of RolLerCoaSteR. About a year ago I convinced my Osteopathic to TRY Armour. My TSH has been all over the map, 3.37 to .09. A few visits ago, my Doctor announced he was focus on HOW I FELT rather than the labs. I could've KISSED 
began 
