Before I left work, I realized I didn't have any long-cooking food at home for the snow day, so I went to the supermarket. That was amazing. There was almost no produce! So I didn't get any of that, but I did get some pork shoulder, which was most of my plan. So that's good.

Yay flea! Yay sumi! Yay Jilli! Boo Plei's brother! My brother is very strange but also sweet. My most recent communique from him was an email with a link to an article full of tips that would help me trick Will into having fun at Disney World.

I went to the doctor today, my primary care physician, to ask about an increase in my thyroid meds. My numbers are getting worse, but are technically "normal." I am pretty symptomatic with tons of fatigue and my hair falling out and being very puffy. (I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, tending towards hypothyroidism.) This is the doctor who diagnosed me, on the strength of my making noise and showing up with journal articles in hand about the prophylactic treatment of euthyroid Hashimoto's patients. (Because early on, the only thing wrong according to my labs was that I had antibodies. In what world is your body attacking itself not-that-bad?)

Anyway, she has repeatedly asked me if I wanted to see a specialist, and I told her no because based on my experience in the past they'll tell me to eat better and send me on my way, and the best they can do is what she's already doing - listening to me about my symptoms and prescribing me meds.

But today... today she asked, "Are you sure this dosage increase is safe? What if the T3 is doing something to your body but not causing symptoms? Would you know?" I almost started crying and yelling at the same time, but instead calmly convinced her that we could try this out and I'll pay close attention to how I feel and if I start to feel wrong I'll see her again.

But I'm pretty sure she feels out of her depth and will tell me next time that she's got to send me to an endocrinologist.

Still, crisis averted. For now.

I asked for a thyroid test the last time, and have never heard back. I'd better follow up and get more proactive. My hair has been thinning for months, and I've felt tired. Doc was wondering if it was a result of major life change or not. My mother had thyroid issues.

Connie, it was the antibody test that diagnosed me - everything else was coming up as normal. So be sure to ask for antithyroid antibodies, as well as the TSH they'd normally give you. And if you feel extra proactive, ask for Free T3 and Free T4, and if you're feeling even more proactive, get Reverse T3, too. I've never had that one done.

For the time being, though, having a doctor who trusts you to know your body is pretty great. So many doctors are strictly CYA and won't do anything they're not a hundred percent comfortable with.

That said, I'm sorry your thyroid is misbehaving.

I've been asking my doctor for a thyroid test and/or to try low-dose thyroid meds, and he just won't do it. My last two thyroid tests (years ago) came back solidly normal, and he's satisfied with that. I'm not. I have all the symptoms of low thyroid, have had for years. I don't understand why we can't do a thorough test and then just fucking try it? He was quite willing to prescribe me several different meds for my moderately high blood pressure, that had horrible side effects and I finally took it upon myself to quit them. Now I'm controlling the blood pressure with diet and exercise and doing fine. If he's willing to screw around with my body testing those drugs, why not the thyroid? I'm exhausted with trying to find a doctor who will listen to me. I like this doctor personally, but I'm rather dissatisfied with him as a doctor.

Especially since he already knows that autoimmune system disorders run in my family, and at least two people in my immediate family have thyroid problems. Isn't that enough?

If this doctor gives more pushback, I may bring out the "You delayed running the test that diagnosed cancer for 2 years" card.

Especially since he already knows that autoimmune system disorders run in my family, and at least two people in my immediate family have thyroid problems. Isn't that enough?

Enough to get a new doctor. if you have the option at all, and he's being intractable, take your business/care elsewhere. You ultimately have to be the judge of your own needs, not someone you see a couple times a year.

Half of my face is still numb from all the dental work I had today. It's weird trying to drink a smoothie with only half your tongue. It was both the upper left and lower, so I had a speech impediment there for awhile.

I have a job interview tomorrow morning, so a few crossed fingers wouldn't go amiss. ;)

Interview~ma, SA!

Also, doctor~ma for folks; here's hoping they 1) listen and 2) prescribe the right stuff.

Connie, are you kidding, I'd be playing that card every time I saw him.

This doctor is the first PCP I've seen since I moved to VA. I saw an endocrinologist, who was satisfied with the results of the test and wouldn't pursue the idea any further. Which, I GET it, the test results are normal, so they don't want to risk overtreating and giving me something I don't need. But they also aren't interested in pursuing the Why of Why do I have all these symptoms, then?

This doctor, almost the first visit, suggested a diet drug to help me lose weight. I resisted it on general principles and finally decided to try it. I did lose about 14 pounds and that's great, but the weight loss stopped and the side effects didn't, so I took myself off of it. Although I do like him personally, the fact that he went straight to a diet drug, without even checking my cholesterol or anything else, is bothersome. The fact that he was glad to try one horrible BP med after another (five total) to treat moderately high BP, and a couple other drugs to control the side effects of the BP drugs, until I had a handful of pills to take every day but actually felt worse than ever, but he won't give me a low-dose thyroid drug, also bothers me.

Well, writing all that out makes it a lot more clear that I should try to find another doctor, even though the thought of it almost makes me want to cry.