Looking for a thyroid doctor

[pat927]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, desperately seeking advice and would really appreciate any help you could give me.

I'm 28, male, hypothyroid with secondary hypogonadism, possibly with adrenal fatigue too. Here's my lab numbers:

Free T3: 3.3 pg/mL (2.0-4.4)
Free T4: 1.0 ng/dL (0.6-1.2)
Total T3: 99 ng/dL (72-170)
Total T4: 7.3 ug/dL (4.7-13.3)
RT3: 223 pg/mL (90-350)
TSH: 3.08 uIU/mL (0.34-4.82)

Ferritin: 197 ng/mL (30-400)
B-12: 546 pg/mL (243-894)
Cortisol 24H: 35 mcg (3.5-45)
Progesterone: 1.0 ng/mL (0.0-0.6)
DHEA-S: 359 mcg/dL (85-690)
ACTH: 85 pg/mL (10-60)
Vitamin D: 26 ng/mL (30-100)

Total T: 197 ng/dL (280-1000)
Estradiol: 14 pg/mL (0-56)

Instead of treating thyroid first, I took androgel to treat low T, which has turned out to be a big mistake. After half a year on gel my own T production has shut down and my thyroid has become suppressed, making me even more fatigued and stressed than before. Looking back, maybe it would have been a better choice to treat thyroid first and see how T responded. Now my thyroid and testosterone levels are both dangerously low, as supplementing with T is not working well at all. I'm living every day seriously fatigued and barely able to function at all. I'm desperate to find a good doctor to begin some sort of thyroid treatment but so far I've been unable to find any.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

Pssst...the vitamin D...WAY too low. Talk to the doc about that, it has a lot to do with all of your other problems. Many have the same symptoms FROM low D and once it is brought up to 'par' the other things are treatable. best of luck.

[pat927]

Yeah, I know it's really low... supplementing with D3 for a year hasn't helped alleviate any of these problems at all. I think low thyroid is probably at the root of everything. Right now I'm still unable to find a doctor who knows how to properly treat low thyroid.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction in finding the right doctor. Thanks guys.

[GME]

Where do you live?

[pat927]

I live in Ohio, it's really hard to find any good thyroid doctors here. Traveling long-distance won't be a problem, I'd be willing to fly out to see a good doc.

[GME]

I see a doctor at one of the Holtorf Medical Clinic offices. There is one in Southern CA and one in the bay area. I have heard they are opening other offices across the country, but I'm not sure where.

They will do phone visits after your initial consultation. They have a ton of info on their website.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

And one in Columbus, look under 'Bodylogic doctors in Ohio'. Oh, and in Cleveland now, too, I just heard. Certain states don't allow phone consultation between patient and doctor and in those states it's usually a phone consult between the thyroid doc and YOUR PCP though (so that can still keep costs down and help).

[inatic]

my then 22yo son was just like you and doc said he had some hormone steal going on and put him on thyroid meds for the reason you stated, he didnt want to surpress natural production.
His T levels shot up!

[peggyshe]

Dr. Henry Lindner in Tunkhannock, PA is an excellent doctor. Check out his website at Hormone Restoration I have been seeing him for four years and am much improved.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

peggyshe...if I may....ask you..how much replacement thyroid hormone does Dr. Lindner give? As in: does this doctor prescribe Armour thyroid, or another natural hormone (prescription, not just precursors and iodine?)OR does this doctor prescribe synthetic T3?

I know a LOT of women in PA and so far most of them are having to travel extensively to other states because the doctorsin PA are only rx'ing T4 (only) and will not Rx. Cytomel or natural thyroid which they are in need of.

One of the women is very near the area where Dr. Lindner is...but wants to know from someone who has seen him...will he Rx. the above and NOT compounded? thanks in advance.

[peggyshe]

Dr. Lindner prescribes Armour Thyroid and T3. He will prescribe HC if needed for adrenals. He also recommends compounded hormone creams and there is a great pharmacy in the area that mails prescriptions very quickly. Recently, I wrote to him about a book I'd seen by Paul Robinson. He was able
to get off HC for adrenals by timing the use of his T3. Anyway, the doctor said he knew of the protocol and recommended getting the book if I wanted to try it. So I find he is open to suggestions.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

thank you Peggy, I'll send your comments on to my friends in that area.

[GardenGirl639]

I recommend Dr. Jennifer Wojtowicz in Hudson, Oh and Streetsboro, Oh.

I found her online. She prescribes Armour. She also takes insurance.

[Shancopp]

Dr. Kadambi Ft. Wayne, IN Very big on BHRT and optimal levels vs. "normal" levels. He goes by symptoms, not lab results.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

Dr. K in Ft. Wayne was my first thyroid doc. And the very BEST!@

[megansmom39]

Go to the endo floor at your local hospital ask 10 nurses not patients but nurses if they had to see an endo dr who would it be. They'll give you one name more often and that's the one you go to.