From the article: Five Things Thyroid Patients Should Never Say to the Doctor
We've all heard recommendations about how to communicate positively and proactively with our physicians. Many thyroid patients have, however, learned the hard way that there are things you should never say to a doctor. Have you ever said anything to a doctor that you regretted? Have you learned to avoid saying or talking about certain things that help you have a more productive relationship with your doctor? Share your advice with other thyroid patients now, and read good advice from patients who've learned important lessons. Share Your Story
"It's All In Your Head"
- At a consultation with a local well known specialist physician, I told him that I had found that Eltroxin was making me feel really depressed and unwell. He went off on a tangent about how, "in his 16 years of medicine he had had no problems with patients on Eltroxin....it was all in my head!!" I, then, went on to tell him that a homeopath had taken me off Eltroxin and prescribed something else (which did not work), but that I immediately felt better off the Eltroxin, and that was when I realised that the tiny white tablet was affecting me so badly. At the mention of a 'homeopath' the doctor's face went red and he almost frothed at the mouth! It took him almost three minutes to calm down. He slamed all homeopaths vehemently. The ego of the man was so huge! A small town specialist who thought he was God. Regardless to say, he never saw me again for dust. Although I was desperate for some caring knowledgeable help. There are so many small minded doctors like this one around.
- —Guest Pat Hemphill
Roller Coaster Ride For Me
- Three years I was hauled to the emergency room because my heart rate was in the 160's. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidsm (along with Graves). My endocrinologist was nice enough, but didn't explain things to me. She would talk to me like you would talk to a 10 year old, actually. When I asked questions they weren't directly answered, just a version of something I could be looking for. Well, after the initial treatment didnt work we irradiated it and got started on Synthroid. After a month or so ago, my hormone levels bottomed out and I started noticing I felt really anxious all the time, I was losing some weight that I had struggled to lose over the course of the treatment. I asked me endocrinologist about the anxiety and nervie feelings. I asked if I could be over-medicated, possibly. Her immediate answer to this was no! To her it had to do with family history of anxiety and depression. I got a new endocrinologist who was willing to listen to my concerns about my medicine. Guess who was over-medicated? My weight stills fluctuates and so does my dose, but I'll get there.
- —brylun77
Sadly, Article Highlights Non-Compassion
- Sadly, this article, meant to help patients highlights lack of compassion from endocrinologists. Any endocrinologist described above I would run away from! In fact, most endocrinologists I know SUCK at their job by undertreating patients and not taking their hypocratic oath seriously. Case in Point: My 5 year old daughter was diagnosed with hypothyroid 5 years ago. My daughter seemed to haved mixed symptoms of hyper and hypo. The endocrinologist said that was impossible. So, I took her to see a second endocrinologist who actually did antibody testing on her. Turns out she has Hashimoto AND Graves, but the Hashi's is stronger - she is hypo now. Treatment with Synthroid and Cytomel lag behind her symptoms. They refused to raise her dose, instead lecturing her weight. Her bone age was 2 years ahead of her real age 'because of her weight'. We have tried everything to help her lose weight. I took her to a D.O. who treats kids for everything. We switched tol bioidentical T4/T3 and adjusted the dose. A amazing improvement! In 8 weeks she lost 9 pounds and her color is back!
- —Guest Valetudinarian
You Feel Good - Tests Say Different
- I am taking 90 mgs of Armour thyroid and feeling the best I have felt in 2 years. Yipee! I got a call from my doctor after my TSH test and was told I had to go to 60 mg due to my test results!
- —Guest norma
"Get Out Of My Room"
- I had just had major surgery the day before when a female member of the endocrinology staff of the hospital came to see me at the request of my surgeon. As we talked, she began to criticize the doctor who had been handling my thyroid / adrenal issues for the previous four years, telling me that he did not have hospital priviledges. She was nasty. I was so taken aback by her attitude, I wish that I would've had presence of mind enough to tell her to leave my room. The endocrinologist department head did have an adrenal test done while I was inpatient and it did show that indeed, I did have some serious adrenal insufficiency and that the doctor I was seeing was treating me correctly.
- —Guest Karen
What Patients Should Not Say to Doctors
- What about what doctors should not say to their patients? When I was having panic attacks, I was told by my doctor, "I have sick patients to see." When I was losing my hair, I was told to stop using chemicals on it. When I was gaining weight, I was told to stop overeating even though I'm a vegan who eats only nuts and seeds and vegetables, fruit and the like. When I was losing skin pigment, I was told to stay out of the sun. When I was dragging around tired to the core, I was told to exercise. When I was getting migraines, I was told it had nothing to do with my thyroid. Finally, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and put on 88 mg of synthroid which has not changed much with the exception of losing some of the tiredness. Do doctors hate patients? What is the problem here? Why don't they try to help? My fear is when I'm seriously ill and close to death, these same doctors will tell me to "get a life."
- —Guest Charlotte
Poor Suggestions
- In my opinion, these suggestions were not even worth reading. If my doctor can't deal with me getting emotional about the fact that I do not even have enough energy to play with my children, then there is something wrong with my doctor and I need to find another one. I should not, will not, become little more than a machine who keeps track of things in a "scientific" manner in order to be heard. Humans are spirit/soul, physical creatures, not just physical beings and any GOOD doctor recognizes such things. People should not be labeled as being "emotional". Of course you are going to be emotional when your health is poor.
- —Guest Nancy
Thyroid
- I was radiated for a pituitary tumor in 2002. It killed the tumor and the pituitary. Eventually the thyroid levels dropped and I was put on levoxyl. They have also added prednisone since the adrenal glans are affected by the pituitary. I am losing lots of hair, am usually cold and tired all the time. My doctor is great. I can ask all the questions I want. My comment is more to look at other causes for your loss of thyroid function. Be a detective and advocate for your health. My doctor told me after doing blood work that my hair loss is from low testosterone (I am female) and other low hormones that are produced by the adrenal gland. Probably nothing I can change so I do what I can.
- —Guest Pattie
Describes Dr. Bornstein: NYC to a "T"
- Or, you may be running into one of the more disdainful practitioners whose answer to your concerns is to tell you you're stressed, depressed, PMSing, hormonal, lazy, not taking your medical properly, or that you need to "get off the couch." These are just a few of the many signs you need a new thyroid doctor.
- —Guest guest
Knowledge and Awareness
- I'm diagnosed of hyperthyroidism. After doing research and going thorough thyroid tests and cellular tests, I feel that having the proper and right information about your diagnoses will help you a lot. The only way to be aware is have an access to the right information. So, know your illness, consult your doctor and follow the doctor's protocol. Totally avoid what are foods to be avoided. Check your lifestyle! I was lucky enough that I was exposed to TSH and cellular testing and was prescribed by my attending physician with a RAW FOOD supplements. They really work because now I feel better and have a monitored TSH check regularly. I'm really getting better!
- —Guest joan silvestre
No More Doctor's Nasty Immature Comments
- Hi! l have a hyperactive thyroid with goiters and am I toxic. Mind you, l had to demand a thyroid function test from 2 doctors who were very nasty and told me that l was the patient and they the doctors. My results finally came back an geeeeeee, l was told l had a toxic thyroid and was sent for fine needle aspiration and ultra sounds. l suffered allergic reactions to all the medication l was given and was told to just go and have surgery. My conversation with the doctor went sort of like this: ME: "Geeeeeeee, but if l have surgery don't l have to take medication for the rest of my life?" DOCTOR: "YES". ME: "Wow, but l'm allergic to all of the medications so how can l have surgery?" Then, I was yelled at and had a referral to a surgeon thrown at me. I made the mistake of asking about Chinese herbal medicine as a friend advised me to look into it. The doctor went nuts and said l was an idiot and that, "Chinese Medicine is rubbish!" l said it is thousands of years old, but he told me to go to the surgeon and not come back. Wonderful people-handling skills. So, it's Chinese medicine for me, and I am not toxic anymore. WOW!
- —Guest Wendy
Folicular Neoplasm
- A follicular neoplasm cannot be distinguished by a fine needle aspiration. So, if a thyroid nodule is of follicular origin, chances of it being cancer are 30%. Your doctors did whats right. I had a similar nodule and it was blown off after fine needle aspiration as follicular and most likely benign. I now have thyroid cancer in my rib cage. Follicular cancer in thyroid is worse to treat, than papillary. Your surgeon did not answer you for that reason.
- —Guest ilona
Finally, I Had to Take Control.
- I finally had to take control of my own health after 11 years of doctors telling me every thing I went to them for was all in my head or just dismissed. From intense itchy ears, getting sick,my heart rate going up too high when I exercised, weight gain of 60 pounds when I had to stop exercisingto 2 and a half pages of symptoms that slowly acquired. I ended up with Fibromyalgia, funny though Fibromyalgia symptoms and Hypothyroid symptoms are the exact same symptoms! HOW CAN THIS BE? If The doctors did the correct tests instead of the TSH ONLY test they would have seen I had a T4 to T3 conversion problems. It was ONLY because I DEMANDED the Free T testing did it finally sow. Until that day, I became my own advocate. I kept trusting them, which led me to become unable to work and become bedridden for almost 2 years with complete exhaustion. My knees got so bad I couldn’t walk within a short time. Pretty much, all of a sudden, I needed a cane or stay in bed. I had heavy led arms and I was a total mess. After becoming sick and being so tired of being sick and tired I did my own research!
- —Guest Renee
Yeah, I DO Give Up
- I had my thyroid removed and have been on Levoxyl since 2003. I have since been diagnosed with UCTD and LDS and also Lichen sclerosis. I was on 137 dosage of Levoxyl, but doctor said the numbers came back and dropped it to 125. I had it rechecked after two months and she dropped it again to 112. Even at 125 I was feeling absolutely miserable, gaining weight and losing my hair again. Just horrible! I asked if I could please go back on 137 because I felt so much better then. The answer was no, but she did change it back to 125. Pretty soon I will have NO hair and I won't be able to move. So, YEAH I GIVE UP!!!!!
- —Guest Pam W
Saddened Too
- Wow, I was really saddened by some of these suggestions. Particularly the one about not talking honestly and openly. I can talk to my current doctor honestly and openly and if that weren't the case I'd switch doctors. I remember the first doctor I saw about all the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. She sent me to the checkout desk and on the bottom of my slip she wrote in big letters and underlined CHRONIC DEPRESSION. Needless to say, that was the last appointment with her. I'm finally with a doctor who listens to me, probes deeper with questions (e.g. I can't lose weight. Are you exercising? How much?) and then proceeds accordingly. We all need to be advocates for our health and quit putting doctors up on a pedestal.
- —Guest_Becky
1-15 of 46Next
