From the article: 10 Signs That You Need a New Doctor
As thyroid patients, how do we know when it's time for a new thyroid doctor? What were the signs that made it clear that it's time for find a new practitioner to care for a thyroid condition? Was it a series of events, or one "final straw" that decided it?
Here, thyroid patients share their own experiences about the moment when they knew it was time to get a new doctor.
Share Your Story
Who Takes Synthroid Levothyroxine OO.O75
- I have been reading the blogs. It seems anyone I speak to, even my neightbor, is on Synthroid Levothyroxine 00.075, violet colour. All have the same symptoms as me; hair falling out or breakage, bloated stomach, tired all the time, weight gain, dry skn, weak nails, burning eyes, and leg problems. C.A.R.M. published an article on Eltoxin. It was faulty. Your blood came out fine but the pill actually wasn't working right. If people complained of symptoms they pulled it. I wonder if Levothyroxineis is faulty too as so many people have the same symptoms.
- —Guest MOUSEY1973
Slow but Steady
- I started a healthy lifestyle and lost over 110 lbs. in 1 yr. I started feeling tired all the time & started to lose weight very slowly. Some weeks I'd gain weight even though I was following the same diet & exercising more. After 4 months of feeling constantly tired and unable to handle my emotions, I read an article about thyroid problems. I booked an appointment with my parents' GP. Without telling him about the article, I told him all my symptoms. He immediately sent me for blood work, ultrasound & EGC. He told me right away I could be hypothyroid. I was diagnose with a multinodule goiter & he made an appointment with a local internist. After waiting almost 3 months for an appointment, the internist told me he didn't feel anything and that the synthoid must have shrunk the lumps. He sent me for another ultrasound two and half months later. I just got the results and it turns out he was wrong. All three lumps are still there now I have to go for a fine needle aspiration in Jan.
- —Guest Laur
Struggling in Florida
- I am a 42 year old with Hashimoto's disease, hyperthyroidism, asthma, osteo arthritis, and patella dysplasia - all of which I have been told to LIVE with for the rest of my life. I wish there was more to relieve the side effects. From Aug. 2008 thru March 2009 I suffered with urticaria-chronic hives-until the dermatologist convinced the endocrinologist to switch my Syntheroid to Levoxyl after 2 skin biopsies. Within a week I was hive free! My doctor attributes a lot of my complaints to getting older and the endocrinologist says the thyroid levels are under control and my goiter is monitored every 3-6 months. I still suffer from the effects of the Hashimoto's: low sex drive, dry scaly skin, depression, hair falling out a lot, weight gain, joint pain, swollen hands & feet, and general tiredness. I am on 2 asthma medications and the thyroid pill every day. I wish there was someone who would work with the WHOLE person and not bits and pieces or "specialties".
- —Guest Wendy Paquette
Doctor Cut my Thyroid as a Child
- When I saw a new thyroid doctor, she said I don't think you have a problem. She sent me for an ultrasound. I found out I only have the right side of my thyroid. I freaked. I never had surgery on it but I did on my neck at 17 months old. Who knew? Only the doctor who did this too me. I am living a life of hell. A thyroid quack of a doctor told me I need to get over this. I gained 60 lbs. I have been boot camping, cardio, L A Weight Loss. She said it's all in my head & my diet. I am allergic to everything. I eat salad and 4 oz. of chicken or beef. She is rude, ignorant, and does not listen. She said my levels are normal. She wants to send me to a weight loss clinic. She must get a kickback. I don't see the point in going to her after only 2nd times. I'm gaining weight, feel like crap, am tired, my hair's falling out, I've more allergies, more skin problems.I'm back on birth control pills. I had no problem then. It must have the hormone I needed.
- —Guest mousey1973
Doctos Are a Joke
- I recently found out I had several surgeries as a child. I got the records from their hospital but needed my old records from my doctor. I finally got to see a thyroid doctor and she said, "I don't even think you have a thyroid problem." I have been battling with this from 2006. I went off of my birth control pills in 2003. I started to get sick with pneumonia, infections, etc. I then became extremely exhausted in 2005 and 2006. I was tested for hypothyroidism twice without a diagnosis. My problems were then blamed on menopause. I saw the gynocologist who said I was almost at the end of menopause in 2006. I never even knew I was going through it. I slept through it. He did a TSH test. It was 6.19. I went on Eltroxin 00.05 mg. It did nothing.
- —Guest mousey1973
Success without an Endocrinologist
- I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put on Armour by an OB/GYN. I started to feel much better. When I started to feel great she cut my dosage. My TSH went below 1.0. My allergist suggested I see an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist said all the right things, but my next appointment was with a physician's assistant (PA) who held me hostage to the TSH. I did research and realized that when I dropped into depression, it was because of the hypothyroidism. I asked for an increase in dose but the PA said no. I told them they were 'fired!' I then switched my treatment to my doctor who is a an osteopath. He was willing to treat based on free T3 & free T4 & ignore the TSH. Then I went hyper due to adrenal problems. He wasn't willing to deal with my adrenal issues. I went back to the OB/GYN & educated her on adrenal insufficiency & the fact that TSH isn't valuable for fine-tuning Armour. She agreed to treat based on FT3, FT4 & my symptoms. Refuse to be held hostage to a TSH value!
- —Guest PeachesII
My Journey
- I have a 20 year history of hypothyroidism. I am only 36. I had my new general practitioner run routine blood work since I knew my levels were off as I was not well. I had all the classic symptoms, and my goiter felt like it was choking me! He said my results were normal. They were not, I pushed to have a scan done and a consult with an endocrinologist. The scan indicated 2 new growths. I consulted 2 endocrinologist. The first was very lazy about his treatment. He ordered an ultrasound then I never heard from him again! The second is now my endocrinologist, Dr. Bain at Mt. Sinai in Toronto. He is aggressive with tests and treatment options, and he is truly amazing. I have the top otolarynologist in Canada doing my surgery thanks to Dr. Bain, and I could not be more thrilled. I am having a total thyroidectomy in 8 weeks, and I will never have to worry about thyroid cancer again. I am looking forward to breathing again to! Good luck to everyone out there! Blessings, Jodie
- —Guest jodie
Endocrinologist Suggests Psychiatrist
- My husband's endocrinologist swept into the room at each visit, sat at his computer, and pronounced my husband's labs were normal. My husband said he still didn't feel well after taking thyroxine for about a year. The endocrinologist said he should see a psychiatrist because the blood work was normal. At the final visit, my husband mentioned his chiropractor had made him feel better in a couple months than from having seen the endocrinologist for over a year. The endocrinologist was not happy about that but he never seemed to listen to what my husband was saying month after month. When my husband mentioned Armour as an alternative, the endocrinologist said it was outdated, and it could give him mad cow disease. He also said he would have trouble finding any other endocrinologist in the city who would prescribe it. The straw that broke the camel's back was when, on the way out the door, the endocrinologist said, "When you're ready to come back to science, you know where to find me."
- —Guest Val
Time for a new Thyroid Doctor
- I knew it was too late. I suffered as I did many years prior to being diagnosed. This particular doctor was quite headstrong, going strictly by the lab tests. I knew according to my history with Grave's disease what levels where suitable for me. I went to him after being on the same dosage (75 mcg.)for 19 years. I complained and complained until he increased my dosage to 88 mcg. I felt better then went back to not feeling up to par months later but didn't know why. I went through a lot of stressful events, couldn't hold a job, etc. Finally, I admitted myself to the mental hospital and that's where the prolactin showed high levels. I stayed there for a week and was referred to an endocrinologist. I am now taking a dosage of 112 mcg and am feeling awesome. This doctor is young, vibrant, has great listening skills, and is a God send. The so-called lab range is totally incorrect and is causing a significant amount of people great harm and danger to their health and well-being.
- —Guest Debra Banks
There's Nothing Wrong with You
- After seeing my 3rd doctor in 6 months at the HMO (they keep leaving), I went in for my routine blood test and check in with my doctor. She told me my TSH levels were now stabilized and she did not want to see me for 6 more months. I complained about still being exhausted, sleeping for 14 hours at a times, then getting up only to nap and lay on the couch each day. I told her I was eating healthy and exercising 4-5 times a week for about an hour each time. My hair is still falling out, and I am cold in Phoenix in the middle of the summer. She told me there was nothing wrong with me. My "normal" thyroid would not cause me to be tired. She told me that I should drink caffeine (coffee, tea, soda) to wake up. I told her that was not healthy and I would not do it. She then laughed at me and told me I should feel lucky because many Americans have trouble sleeping and I do not. To top it off, should would not take me off generic medicine. She said all of the research I had done was wrong!!
- —Guest clankp22
Overdosed on Synthroid
- I was put on Synthroid in December 2008 with every symptom possible of hypothyroid due to part removal with nodule 20 years ago. Even though my levels were normal, two months later my doctor put the dose up and I overdosed three times due to her telling me I needed to get back on medicine. I got a new doctor who said I was menopausal. The next doctor said I should have never been on medicine. It took me 5 months to recover from being severely ill and hyperthyroid. Now I will decide for myself when to go for more blood work to see if I'm hypothyroid again as I have had every symptom of both and will never let another doctor decide how I feel!!
- —Guest cheryl
2 Out of 4 Endocrinologists Not Bad
- The first doctor's partner and "Marilyn Monroe" receptionist would always be cursing and yelling at each other in front of patients. This went on at every appointment I had. After 7 years and 2 different endocrinologists, I realized that I never had a biopsy of my nodules performed. I went to a third endocrinologist and gave him MY terms. He agreed and we started from scratch. I went off thyroid medicine, and 24 hours after the biopsy, I got a call saying my nodule was papillary thyroid cancer. That was 2 years ago and we're still chasing the cancer in me. I'm still with my fourth endocrinologist and he can't figure out what's wrong with me but that's not his fault. I'm seeing a specialist in Philadelphia in January (that's the 1st appointment available).
- —triedthattoo
My Doctor Was Killing Me!
- I went to an endocrinologist. I felt worse. He decided to increase my Nature-throid from 1 grain to 2 grains. What did I know? He gave me bi-est and 200 mgs.progesterone without taking blood tests. He sent me home and said to come back in six weeks. Something was wrong. I started to feel like I wanted to kill someone or just go crazy. I went to my new doctor (an endocrinologist because many did not want to treat me as a family doctor). The new doctor was also very knowledgeable and has his own hormone clinic. He tested me and found that I was over medicated and that I am not hyperthyroid so now I am worse. He nearly feel off the chair when I showed him the progesterone cream. This should never have happened. I am so sick and I am literally going crazy with anxiety, I can't sleep. I never had any problems before. I can hardly function. I was given anti-anxiety medication in order to cope. I am worse off than before. Remember Dr. Hartanowicz in Brick NJ. Stay away!
- —Rosewood513
The Worst Endocrinologist Ever
- Nearly 10 years ago, I went to a new doctor and he took some blood for lab work. My thyroid levels came back out of whack. He sent me to the only endocrinologist in a 3-county area. She said I was hyperthyroid and asked, amazed, "Why haven't you noticed the symptoms?" When I said I noticed the huge symptom of my hair falling out, she dismissed that. She wanted to zap my thyroid with radiation, but I told her that after what I'd read online, I was opting for surgery. She got very angry and told me not to read things about hyperthyroidism online. She recommended that I buy some crappy book that I read and then threw away. Six months later when I was paying my co-pay for an appointment, I asked her to prescribe Nature-throid. She was horrified I asked. I noticed on the receptionist's computer screen that the doctor had tagged me as a "difficult patient." I got a new doctor, and I've been on Nature-throid ever since. I feel so much better than I did on Synthroid.
- —Guest Karen
Sick of Doctor's Lack of Knowledge
- I have been suffering with a terrible pain in my throat. The pain is so bad that I cannot breath in cool air, and at night I have to cover my face to get a good night's sleep without coughing. One day, I decided to up the dose of my thyroid medication. My eyebrows are growing back and the pain, while still there, is less than it has been. Yet every doctor says I am on a mega dose and wants to reduce the amount of thyroid medication. My thyroid was removed when I was 34 and I have Hashimoto's disease which I am sure has eaten the remaining 1/3 of my thyroid left after surgery. I am sick of being tired and having this terrible pain. Because of all this,doctors are saying I have Bulbar Palsy and possibly ALS. Some of these doctors need to go to a mental institution.
- —Guest MaryT
1-15 of 102Next
