Natter 73: Chuck Norris only wishes he could Natter
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
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.
Zen, it may help you to know that there are doctor reviews on yelp these days. Good luck finding someone who will work with you.
Interview~ma, SA!
the fact that he went straight to a diet drug, without even checking my cholesterol or anything else, is bothersome.
That is an enormous red flag for me. Oh Zen, I totally feel your feelings on this--I've been to half a dozen new medical personnel in the last six months alone, and it is really nervy and vulnerable trying to find someone who will fit.
I encourage you to use [link] and [link] (for the reviews rather than the booking) as resources to help you make your decisions. I've also found Google reviews to be helpful too, though Yelp are not. And I would always ask people who they would see and would they recommend. It's not easy, but I've been happier with every doctor I've specifically researched and chosen that any random physician I've had.
Thanks -t. :)
it may help you to know that there are doctor reviews on yelp these days.
There certainly are, but I've found the reviews to be pretty unhelpful. Yelp is filled with many individuals who prefer to review the folks and businesses they disliked rather than helpful reviews. Angie's List is another option.
Thank you, SA, and interview ~ma to you!
The other male doctor at this practice is an old guy I saw once, who basically patted me on my pretty little head and told me my sore throat was "probably just a scratch" and sent me home. I had thrush. Which went undiagnosed and untreated for two more weeks until I could see my regular doctor. When I told an intake nurse that I was unhappy with Dr. Old-Man Beard, she nodded in sympathy (they can't say "he's a jerk" but they can nod it) and then hinted that I might want to see the female doctor who's part of that practice. I believe I'll try that before I go searching elsewhere.
having a doctor who trusts you to know your body is pretty great.
She's been amazing. She said to me early on after I was diagnosed, "I treat you, not the numbers." Just beautiful. But now I think she's getting uncomfortable and is moving into CYA territory. Today she said that she trusts me and she knows I've done a lot of research, so she's willing to try this dosage. But the vibe I got from her was very "Please go see an endocrinologist. Please." So I will do the research to find one who will listen to me and hope that this scrip works for a year or more before I have to actually do that.
There's a dreadful... not exactly irony... that the time when you have the least energy and resilience is when you most need to rally to fight.
Zenkitty, time for a new doctor. Also, get Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary J. Shomon and read her suggestions for testing. If it's autoimmune, the default test they do might not catch it until things have gotten very bad. It took me 10 years to get diagnosed. A doctor who is ignoring family history for thyroid stuff is bad news. Thyroid family history is a huge red flag.
I reviewed my lab tests and my numbers have gotten worse since September, so it's nice to know this isn't all in my head, even if the numbers are "normal."
Interview~ma for SA!
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?"
Kiba, when I was taking Cytomel (T3) the doctor ordered blood draws every three months to monitor the levels. And the first time I filled the prescription, the pharmacist asked if there was a plan in place to retest regularly.
Zen (and anyong else struggling with thyroid symptoms but not getting responsive answers from your doctors) one thing to ask your doctor is about her or his understanding of the difference between the clinical range and optimal levels. Being symptomatic and NEAR the borders of the clinical range IS signifcant. Also in the last decade or two there has been a shift in the definition of thyroid clinical ranges among specialists. Some labs were slow to adopt the new range, and your guess is as good as mine as to how many GPs keep their knowledge in this area up to date.
one thing to ask your doctor is about her or his understanding of the difference between the clinical range and optimal levels.
This is how I phrase it - I tell her that I recognize that the numbers are normal, but I don't believe they are optimal. I have a target of the top half of the range for T4 and the top quarter for T3. I'm slightly below half for T4 and slightly above half for T3 right now.
My doctor today was all, "You're really the only person I have on Cytomel..." I draw two or three months after a new prescription, and then if things look good, six months after that, but three if I'm feeling extra symptomatic. I might stick with three for now just to be sure I'm being responsive. I've actually felt like I needed a dosage increase for about a year now - it's just a conversation I hate having, so I always end up waiting until I'm heavily symptomatic.
I have such sympathy for your all--my brother is going through the newly-diagnosed-thyroid med rollercoaster and he just feels horrid all the time. It's a bitch of a condition to effectively manage.
