My doc turned on me!!

[Locarb4me]

I needed a refill of my Armour. I had labs done. Because my TSH was .11 she said I'm "over suppressed" and refused to continue prescribing Armour.

Now I'm back on Synthroid .75mcg which will no doubt throw me for a loop. I have been summarily referred to an endocrinologist.

I don't have the energy or time to fight this battle right now.

I feel like I was slam-dunked by someone I trusted.

[CarolynF]

Steph: Obviously, she didn't check your FreeT3 or your FreeT4, huh? My TSH was .18, but my other numbers were perfect and my doctor kept me on the 2 grains of Armour/Westhroid..Bummer..

[nonstickpam107]

That sucks. Hope you can find a more 'enlightened' physician.

Pam

[Locarb4me]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Steph: Obviously, she didn't check your FreeT3 or your FreeT4, huh? My TSH was .18, but my other numbers were perfect and my doctor kept me on the 2 grains of Armour/Westhroid..Bummer..

Yes, actually they did check Free T3 (not sure about FT4-don't think so). I don't have the slip in front of me.

With all the other junk I'm dealing with medically, I just don't have the fight in me to explain to them that for 25 years Synthroid didn't do well for me and I don't seem to convert T4 to T3 (I don't recall why....is that Hashi's doing that or a genetic thing??) I'm just hoping the endo is a good one and has a more open mind.

If not, too bad - I'll keep right on looking. I saw today that STTM is promoting a new natural thyroid. I may look into that. Pam, any opinions on it?

[This time]

Steph

[low carb dietitian]

Originally Posted by Locarb4me

I needed a refill of my Armour. I had labs done. Because my TSH was .11 she said I'm "over suppressed" and refused to continue prescribing Armour.

Now I'm back on Synthroid .75mcg which will no doubt throw me for a loop. I have been summarily referred to an endocrinologist.

I don't have the energy or time to fight this battle right now.

I feel like I was slam-dunked by someone I trusted.

Have you tried a doctor that practices complementary medicine? You should not have to fight or explain...There are supplements you can take that can help you along.

Try to find a few minutes a day where you can just relax and take some time for yourself to energize...

[nonstickpam107]

Supplements don't generally 'help' a person who has the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's. Whenever you are trying to seek info on a 'natual hormone' make sure it's not a 'supplement'...most the time those of us who have Hashimoto's and have symptoms need real hormones to 'replace' not 'supplement'. Be aware that every new supplement that has bovine thyroid extract may not even contain enough to even start to replace your hormones. It's an individual thing and an autoimmune disease process.

You need to see your FT's, not just a TSH. TSH is the very first to fall on any amount of Armour OR Cytomel! That's why you can't trust it, you need to see FT4, FT3.

Pam

[Locarb4me]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

Supplements don't generally 'help' a person who has the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's. Whenever you are trying to seek info on a 'natual hormone' make sure it's not a 'supplement'...most the time those of us who have Hashimoto's and have symptoms need real hormones to 'replace' not 'supplement'. Be aware that every new supplement that has bovine thyroid extract may not even contain enough to even start to replace your hormones. It's an individual thing and an autoimmune disease process.

You need to see your FT's, not just a TSH. TSH is the very first to fall on any amount of Armour OR Cytomel! That's why you can't trust it, you need to see FT4, FT3.

Pam

Yes, I do know that, as you have trained me very well . I'm sick to death of doctors who peek at TSH and that's all they "need to know"

I should be able to get my mitts on the actual labs and then I will put them on my spreadsheet and compare to previous results.

lowcarbdietician: Good thinking. I just got the name of a complementary physician here in our area who goes to church with a close friend. She raves about this guy (although she doesn't have many health issues). I looked at his site and figured I will likely check him out once I'm done dealing with my cancer treatments. At this point, nobody wants to touch me with a ten foot pole - the chemo and radiation supercede everything right now, I guess.

[nonstickpam107]

Yep, I went through the chemo/rad thing (and the last time not long enough ago for me!) and the thyroid really 'takes a hit' during. That will be great for you to see someone who if more 'free thinking' than your current doc. Hang in there!

Pam

[Locarb4me]

Oh brother. I'm just about back to Square One.

I saw the endocrinologist and from the looks of things, he's a TSH guy all the way. He wants me to stay on Synthroid and upped my dose to 100 mcg from 75. Labs repeat in several weeks - but just TSH

He did say he has patients on Armour but gave me the speech about inconsistencies in quality, etc. He mostly uses Armour with thyroid cancer patients.

He found 2 nodules on my thyroid gland and because my PET scan in April lit up at the thyroid he wants me to have an ultrasound. I'm trying not to be worried about that.

I guess I'll just follow his lead for now and argue with him from a good vantage point when my labs totally suck next month. He already got the idea that I do know what I'm talking about and at least, he softened up a bit as we talked and he realized I'm not just an ignorant pushover patient when it comes to my thyroid. Maybe we can work things out....maybe not.

[Leo41]

I would run from any endo who only tested TSH, but that's just me.

[Locarb4me]

Yeah, that was my first thought. But I have too much else going on right now. I'll play it out. Give him enough rope to hang himself - or not, LOL.

[CarolynF]

Yup...first things first. You need that ultrasound.. Prayers for a good report.

[Locarb4me]

Thanks, Carolyn!

[Glendora]

Originally Posted by Locarb4me

Yes, I do know that, as you have trained me very well . I'm sick to death of doctors who peek at TSH and that's all they "need to know"

I agree. Granted my starting TSH was almost 7, so out of range and warranting medication. BUT my current TSH is only in the high 2s...yet my antibodies are at 1950. Yes, almost two thousand..with a "high" in the normal range of less than five. Who found that out? My gynecologist, of all people. My PCP doesn't test for antibodies...just "the TSH" (not even T3 and T4 broken up). What if I had gone to him first, he didn't see that my own antibodies were attacking my thyroid to an absolutely outrageous rate, just that high-2 TSH number...and said, "Everything's good"?

God. This seriously frustrates me sometimes. Don't doctors want their patients to be healthy? Call me crazy but I thought that was the goal. Sorry to go overboard here, I just really, REALLY feel you on this one.

[kmartt]

I konow what you mean. I'm still struggling to find a good doc. feel like crap and my tpo antibodies were over 5000. ( yep not 500 but 5000) and that didn't phase my doc one bit. Good luck

[Locarb4me]

I woke up this morning puzzling over this, too.

What, is thyroid care the last remaining Frontier in medicine or something? Considering how overwhelmingly critical the thyroid is in controlling and regulating our body systems, you would think that all doctors would have a thorough and up to date understanding of the way it all works.

I know people on this forum and others who know more about how their thyroids should be handled than most of the doctors I've run into. It's maddening.

This new dr. pointed to last October's TSH of 3.5 and said to me "See, here you were just about perfect. What happened next?".

me: "Um...well check out the cholesterol and triglycerides panel on the next page done the same day. My morning temps were running around 97 and I felt like a slug. And chronically constipated as well. Add to that religiously adhering to a low carb diet and unable to lose any weight. In fact, gaining on strict Atkins. What do YOU think?"

He had no comment.

[CarolynF]

Steph:

You know I was thinking the exact same thing the other day..I am so blessed to have found a PA who actually "gets" the thyroid..Honestly, she is located in SE Kansas..90 miles from Tulsa/Joplin..and 120 miles from Wichita.

It's amazing how many endos don't get it...either.

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by Locarb4me

I woke up this morning puzzling over this, too.

What, is thyroid care the last remaining Frontier in medicine or something? Considering how overwhelmingly critical the thyroid is in controlling and regulating our body systems, you would think that all doctors would have a thorough and up to date understanding of the way it all works.:

Um, not exactly. But it's a WOMEN'S disease primarily, specifically Hashimoto's. I've seen doctors RUSH to treat my DH with Armour cuz his TSH was over 5, yet the same doctors would NOT treat ME with barely in range FT's and TPO's at 7500 and above. Yanno what? The docs said "Yeah, lot's of women have that".

Pam

[Locarb4me]

That sort of stinks, doesn't it Pam?

[CarolynF]

It is very similar to women and heart disease..

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by Locarb4me

That sort of stinks, doesn't it Pam?

Yep. Sucks moo juice straight from the moo.

Pam

[mcz1970]

I haven't posted much here, but when I was reading your post, your frustration really hit me. You ARE aware that doctors get kickbacks for prescribing certain drugs, right?

I googled "doctors get kickbacks from synthroid" and this is what came up:

doctors get kickbacks from synthroid - Google Search

There are some good discussions about synthroid vs armour and also others' suspicion of kickbacks.....

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by mcz1970

I haven't posted much here, but when I was reading your post, your frustration really hit me. You ARE aware that doctors get kickbacks for prescribing certain drugs, right?

I googled "doctors get kickbacks from synthroid" and this is what came up:

doctors get kickbacks from synthroid - Google Search

There are some good discussions about synthroid vs armour and also others' suspicion of kickbacks.....

I only have 27 years in thyroid study. Um, yeah, I've been aware of that since 1977. Synthroid was sued...you don't cite the lawsuit. That's important. Yeah, we know. Most of us prefer Armour, or Naturethroid, or Westhroid, but many also like a combo of levothyroxine and Cytomel.

I, personally, don't care if my doc gets a kickback for Rx'ing me my required dosage of Armour....as long as it actually contains what it promises (and that's WHY Synthroid was sued//potency).

Pam

[mcz1970]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

I only have 27 years in thyroid study. Um, yeah, I've been aware of that since 1977. Synthroid was sued...you don't cite the lawsuit. That's important. Yeah, we know. Most of us prefer Armour, or Naturethroid, or Westhroid, but many also like a combo of levothyroxine and Cytomel.

I, personally, don't care if my doc gets a kickback for Rx'ing me my required dosage of Armour....as long as it actually contains what it promises (and that's WHY Synthroid was sued//potency).

Pam

Wow. Only 27 years huh? You are right. I didn't cite a lawsuit. I just found some information that I thought would be helpful and thought that I'd post it. People do that........

[Locarb4me]

Originally Posted by mcz1970

I haven't posted much here, but when I was reading your post, your frustration really hit me. You ARE aware that doctors get kickbacks for prescribing certain drugs, right?

I googled "doctors get kickbacks from synthroid" and this is what came up:

doctors get kickbacks from synthroid - Google Search

There are some good discussions about synthroid vs armour and also others' suspicion of kickbacks.....

I'm no huge fan of Big Pharma but, I tend to doubt this. I could be wrong, and I do prefer my Armour to Synthroid (Synthroid got me where I was 2 yrs ago, 200 lbs, dreadfully unhealthy with aching joints, constant headaches, panic attacks and miserably unable to lose weight under even Kimkins). But kickbacks? I dunno about that

That said, I finally have Stop The Thyroid Madness book here to read
I'm "gettin' loaded for bear" as they say for when I see that new endo next and my TSH is 6 or something.

[Locarb4me]

I WAS losing weight. Since the weekend, eating pretty much nothing but meat and salads, I've gained 3 lbs.

I did not work this hard to lose each single freaking pound just to have Synthroid pack it back on me this fast. I am so irritated. I'm eating cleanly again today and drinking lots of water. If I'm not down a bit tomorrow, that endo is getting a call from me.

I just joined a couple Yahoo Thyroid groups that I had not known about before, so maybe I can hook up with a decent Armour doctor that I don't have to drive 2 hours to see, too.

[CarolynF]

Steph: What a bummer..I know when I was on Synthroid, I first lost, then I gained about
20 pounds back of my "good loss"..So, since I started on Westhroid, I have lost 2 pounds..
Mind you, it is coming off slowly..very slowly...

Good luck..do your research and bring the big guns..

[CheriYM]

Steph - I was reading your thread here - and totally understand your frustration w/ the doc only ordering your tsh tested . . .

Here's what I did when my doc did that - if you have your lab slip - there is usually a little box that says "Additional Tests" on there somewhere - and I just write in "Free T3" and "Free T4" and voila you get your test done. Have never had a problem with that - and if my doc ever asks - I'll just tell him that I did it!

Anyhoooo - just a thought . . .

[Locarb4me]

Originally Posted by CheriYM

Steph - I was reading your thread here - and totally understand your frustration w/ the doc only ordering your tsh tested . . .

Here's what I did when my doc did that - if you have your lab slip - there is usually a little box that says "Additional Tests" on there somewhere - and I just write in "Free T3" and "Free T4" and voila you get your test done. Have never had a problem with that - and if my doc ever asks - I'll just tell him that I did it!

Anyhoooo - just a thought . . .

Thanks for the tip. I'm asking for the whole enchilada next week when I see my regular doctor. I have printed out the entire list of tests I need from the STTM site so that nothing is overlooked. Oh and I'm not waiting for August to see the endo...in fact it's likely I'll never return to his office.

I also remembered that I took my morning sublingual dose of Armour about 2-3 hrs before the last time they drew blood. Now I know that's a big no-no.

I finally read the STTM book and learned even more than I knew before.

I swear sometimes my head wants to explode trying to balance all the stuff you read about iodine supplementation, adrenal fatigue, Natural thyroid vs synthetic stuff and now, to make things murkier I see that some people are having issues with the new formulation of Armour

My hands and feet are swelling, I'm getting achy and super-constipated already (sorry if TMI), and in a really crabby mood, too. Lordy, I do HATE Synthroid.