Aa
Bad endo experience
Well my very first endo appointment did not go so well. I dont know if i was to blunt with him or what. But he seemed real hostile towards me and did not really spend much at all.Maybee 10 min. I came so preapared with tons of paper work, including a log that he didnt even want to look at.He insisted that armour is outdated an inconsistant.And forced me back on levothyroxine.50mcg. I leterally wanted to rip his head off right there in the office.No joke.Last time i took levothyroxine was for over a month and a felt so drugged up and dizzy etc. i could barely function.He said i wasent taking enough.And doubled my doseage.God, what am i getting myself into now. The only postive note was that finally im going to get my coritsol, testosterone,free's, and a bunch of other specialized blood work done to try to pinpoint more things.I just feel like i was so close on armour and if he managed the free's i would have snapped back into myself again.God, doctors do not get the armour thing do they. That some people actually do well on it. I cant even begin to explain how pissed off i was a this guy. I just met him, and literally mins into it we were arguing about armour.I felt as if he played me for some idiot who doesnt know anything about my thyroid. Which i dont know to much yet, but i know enough to have learned by trial and error. I will never go against a doctors will and im going to give him a chance.He is suppose to be one of the best endo's in northern CA. I just have experinced nothing but total grief on synthetics. And i have a non-concerned jerk off endo. Sorry, just frusrtated here people.I waited 6 months to see an endo for this.wow.
Forget seeing Endos!
Get aggressive and don't give up on finding a good doc. Even a PA. They can Rx without constraint when they have a good working relationship with their boss physician. Goodness, I'd think one could find natural/alternative Rx'ing Dr's, PA's, NP's in California. Don't give up! Fight for yourself!
JJ
Get aggressive and don't give up on finding a good doc. Even a PA. They can Rx without constraint when they have a good working relationship with their boss physician. Goodness, I'd think one could find natural/alternative Rx'ing Dr's, PA's, NP's in California. Don't give up! Fight for yourself!
JJ
Just be thankful you CAN go see other docs! And PLEASE do go see someone else. I'm stuck in the military system and am NOT allowed to pursue other options because the doc I see right now does not see "a problem". They call me "normal". I am in the ER with the most severe anxiety attack I've ever had in my life and all I was doing was sitting on my couch, listening to music, trying to sleep at 3am! My TSH value... 1.5! Yeah...dead center "normal" to an MD! To me...practically death. I walked into the ER with a pulse of 120!!!! And the docs had the nerve to tell me I didn't know how to count my pulse and that I was wrong! Well they hooked me up to their fancy pants machinery and guess what??? My pulse was between 131 and 120 for over 2 hours! They dosed me so heavy on motrin, tylenol and other things to just get it to drop. It only went down to 110. To which they replied, "You should feel a lot better now." Yeah considering my regular pulse is typically no higher than 60...I feel LOADS better. Now you would think my "wonderfully trained" endo would listen to all this and tell me I finally need to be put on meds...NO. She says (in all her glory), "You must have been worried about your son or husband. You really need to find more relaxing things to do at 3am....like sleep." Really...if I could sleep you little....person I would! Five years. FIVE VERY LONG YEARS....and I'm still in this rut! God bless military medicine. When you are normal and healthy it really is a wonderful system to be in, but when you have a problem that isn't "Textbook", well then you are just screwed.
I have so much evidence for my Endo that it's unreal. I've been to every kind of doc there is, shy of a cancer doc in my little earthly collection...most of them really wondered why I was even referred to them. I felt the same way and we had a wonderful laugh about it all and they had me explain how I wound up in their office...after my wonderful history they even said to find a new doctor! Some however thought I was complaining and actually was taking advantage of the military health system...they thought because I was married for 2 years and had almost 2 whole volumes to my medical record that I was just a drain. Funny how they didn't take the time to actually look at those two volumes and realize they go back to birth! That's when I know to just thank them for their precious time, but I had more important things to be doing than being belittled by their so called expertise and walk out. It does leave them speechless. But alas I rant on. Really I think I have found a wonderful doctor...just this month. He is an Internal Meds doc and he showed up to the appointment with no medical record in hand...nothing except a pen and pad of paper. He introduced himself and said he wanted to meet me, get my history, and have no pre-conceived notions about me from other doctors who might be biased. Wow! For once I was the speechless one. So aside from the almost 50 vials of blood he wants to draw...no exaggeration...it's literally unreal the amout of labs he wants. He knows there is an issue and even if I just wind up being a good subject for a case study and win him a Nobel Peace Prize...as long as I get help on the journey I'm going to be thrilled.
I'm sorry it's taken you 6 months just to hear some crappy doctor's opinion. It's a very eye-opening experience to realize doctors are not what they are supposed to be. My heart does go out to you. I only hope you take a lot of the advice give to you on this post and find a new doc. Don't suffer through this. No doctor is worth taking 10 steps backwards just to realize 2 years from now you'll be getting back to the health you walked into their clinic with and then get the nerve to find a new doctor. Do it now. You have the option.
Good Luck Mud and keep posting!
-K
I have so much evidence for my Endo that it's unreal. I've been to every kind of doc there is, shy of a cancer doc in my little earthly collection...most of them really wondered why I was even referred to them. I felt the same way and we had a wonderful laugh about it all and they had me explain how I wound up in their office...after my wonderful history they even said to find a new doctor! Some however thought I was complaining and actually was taking advantage of the military health system...they thought because I was married for 2 years and had almost 2 whole volumes to my medical record that I was just a drain. Funny how they didn't take the time to actually look at those two volumes and realize they go back to birth! That's when I know to just thank them for their precious time, but I had more important things to be doing than being belittled by their so called expertise and walk out. It does leave them speechless. But alas I rant on. Really I think I have found a wonderful doctor...just this month. He is an Internal Meds doc and he showed up to the appointment with no medical record in hand...nothing except a pen and pad of paper. He introduced himself and said he wanted to meet me, get my history, and have no pre-conceived notions about me from other doctors who might be biased. Wow! For once I was the speechless one. So aside from the almost 50 vials of blood he wants to draw...no exaggeration...it's literally unreal the amout of labs he wants. He knows there is an issue and even if I just wind up being a good subject for a case study and win him a Nobel Peace Prize...as long as I get help on the journey I'm going to be thrilled.
I'm sorry it's taken you 6 months just to hear some crappy doctor's opinion. It's a very eye-opening experience to realize doctors are not what they are supposed to be. My heart does go out to you. I only hope you take a lot of the advice give to you on this post and find a new doc. Don't suffer through this. No doctor is worth taking 10 steps backwards just to realize 2 years from now you'll be getting back to the health you walked into their clinic with and then get the nerve to find a new doctor. Do it now. You have the option.
Good Luck Mud and keep posting!
-K
Just to give some ‘we are not alone’ perspective…
I had a tumor-filled parathyroid gland removed – that’s one thing. At that same time I had my whole thyroid removed – that makes two things. Since surgery my blood reading were off resulting in re-hospitalization and additional problems – now we’re up to three things. Plus, I’ve had other physical problems.
I like my drs and think they do a good job but the average appt. time is about 7 minutes. The most recent one came after waiting 40 minutes right in the exam room. I don’t understand it either, but I’ve come to accept it.
I’ve argued about this kind of stuff on another board where drs participate. They say they are over-whelmed by time pressures, which I can understand (my dr is busy), but still…
The thing that got me annoyed most was once when I took the whole day off of work, sat and waited to go to the dr in the afternoon, got in my car to go only to have them call to say the appt was cancelled. Now couldn’t they have called me earlier? I only get paid as I work so I lost a whole day’s pay for nothing. I seriously wanted to send them a bill - in the same way they would’ve done to me had I waited till the last minute to cancel.
~
I’m completely nauseated after reading this one:
“…my friend had a Endo that charged her ten dollars to call in a prescription!!!!”
I had a tumor-filled parathyroid gland removed – that’s one thing. At that same time I had my whole thyroid removed – that makes two things. Since surgery my blood reading were off resulting in re-hospitalization and additional problems – now we’re up to three things. Plus, I’ve had other physical problems.
I like my drs and think they do a good job but the average appt. time is about 7 minutes. The most recent one came after waiting 40 minutes right in the exam room. I don’t understand it either, but I’ve come to accept it.
I’ve argued about this kind of stuff on another board where drs participate. They say they are over-whelmed by time pressures, which I can understand (my dr is busy), but still…
The thing that got me annoyed most was once when I took the whole day off of work, sat and waited to go to the dr in the afternoon, got in my car to go only to have them call to say the appt was cancelled. Now couldn’t they have called me earlier? I only get paid as I work so I lost a whole day’s pay for nothing. I seriously wanted to send them a bill - in the same way they would’ve done to me had I waited till the last minute to cancel.
~
I’m completely nauseated after reading this one:
“…my friend had a Endo that charged her ten dollars to call in a prescription!!!!”
I take levo and feel fine but since you don't.... and you told your doc....you need to find a doc that will listen to you and work with you....you're so young....you deserve to feel great every day!!!!! :)
Good Luck
Sandy
Good Luck
Sandy
Wow, your story sounds just like mine. I am so sickened by the fact that these guys are actually doctors.I've had two bad ones and both took six months to get in. Visits are usually around the ten minute mark, if that. They are rude, sarcastic and don't give a damn about you or your health. I'm to the point where I plan to contact the medical board or the AMA, about the treatment that patients are getting. It's so sad that we can't find a good endo around here. I am so lucky that my primary care and surgeon are always there for me because without them, I would be in big trouble, maybe even dead. I just feel that going to my Endo is just a waste of time and money. I really do believe that they aren't sure themselves on how to treat thyroid cancer patients and Hashimotos. I was thinking on flying to Florida to make an appointment with Dr. Lupo because I am that fed up. I would drive there, but it would take about 25 hrs to do that. And what gets me the most, is the hospitals that these Endos belong to, actually think that they have bragging rights. These hospitals may be world known, but they are not all what they are cracked up to be. And to ad insult to injury, they have the nerve to charge you for parking...By the hour!!Meanwhile I'm in the waiting room for over 3 hours.What a sad day for the medical world and also for the patients that depend on them. Here's even a better one....my friend had a Endo that charged her ten dollars to call in a prescription!!!!Can you believe that? 10 bucks to call a pharmacy!! This is one sick world and it's always about the money and not taking care of the sick.
I would stay on the Armour and find another doctor. A D.O. will more likely help you with Armour. Any doctor who will not work in a partnership with you, is no kind of doctor to be seeing.
Wow alot of replys on this one. Thnaks for all the comments.Myself personally i feel that thyroid trouble should be cosierded a disabilty. The endo i just saw took me off my armour and put me on half the value in levothyroxin. Today is terrible so far.I cant stay awake and i feel like ****.Everytime my doses are messed with i feel like i change as person.And how i act.I really dont like having this at all. Honestly i would rather be missing a leg and just feel normal. For now i just live life the way it is and not how i once knew it.
all the time I'm reading about your endo experience, I just sat here shaking my head....I used to believe that all docs were super smart and really caring (I grew up watching Marcus Welby, MD).......but now......
I think about docs the same way as my trash man, plumber or any other service person.......I'm paying!!!! so.....I expect good courteous service with a little expertise thrown in for good measure.....or they can pay off their massive student loans on someone else's dime :)
No wonder that endo isn't there anymore!!!! Good Riddance!!!!
Sandy
I think about docs the same way as my trash man, plumber or any other service person.......I'm paying!!!! so.....I expect good courteous service with a little expertise thrown in for good measure.....or they can pay off their massive student loans on someone else's dime :)
No wonder that endo isn't there anymore!!!! Good Riddance!!!!
Sandy
OK.....I'm afraid to ask......where was this Endo? I'm afraid he may be the one I'm waiting to see in NoCal.
I found most endos will not use Armour. It's probably because their office is covered with posters etc with either Synthroid or Levoxyl signs. I went to one for the purpose of getting put on Armour 9 months into my treatment. He refused, but he did add Cytomel to the Levoxyl I was taking and it was better than Levoxyl alone. I did the Levoxyl & Cytomel for about 2.5 years then looked for a doctor to put me on Armour. I went to one that was recommended on about.com. She was good to get me on Armour, but had no idea how to adjust it andshe had the I AM THE DOCTOR problem. I moved on again, as its easier to find a doctor who will keep you Armour verses switching you to Armour. Most do not want to do this. Good luck in your quest to staying on Armour. It's really easy o adjust the dosage if the doctors go by free t4 and free t3. When they look at the TSH to adjust, there's the problem. TSH is fine for T4 dosing, but not for Armour.
I too have suffered appalling humiliation from various docs and endos over the past year and if it wasn't for the great people here I would have given up a long time ago. They taught me to stand up for myself and fight back each time they knock me down. And I do that now, in fact only today I have found out something new about what is wrong with me and I would never have got there if I hadn't gone back and pushed for even more answers. Good luck with whoever you choose to go with.
There will be no "proving any point" to this endo and all you will be doing is putting yourself on a rollarcoater ride for months or even years.
In my opinion - since you already know you didn't have a good situation with the med he forced you back on - and you have personal proof you felt loosy on it - don't even put yourself through it again.
You have no idea how many people post the same thing of " We'll he's the best endo!"
That sometimes doesn't mean a darn thing. All the certificates on the wall doesn't mean anything to me - unless I feel I can have a connection.
I don't read anywhere in your question that you felt supported at this visit - regardless of his idea of Armour or Synthroid. Is that the person you want keeping you alive and healthy?
Just listen to your gut - Do you really want to go backwards again? Start all over just because you "heard" he's the best?
I recently went to "the best" endo about six months ago here in Milwaukee. This was regarding the nodule I have that is impossible to FNA.
I took my mom with me for support. I too brought my history of paperwork from the last six years showing him that I didn't do well on Synthroid and how well I am on Armour.
He too - slapped me in the face (words) with his arrogant pompous bed side manner. I had a total of a 15 min appt. He flat out told me that IF I wanted to continue Armour that I would have to remain getting my thyroid checked with the prescriber and all he would do is check the nodule. Just stab it and we'll see!
He told me the radiologist who tried the FNA (for 25 minutes) was an unskilled moran. (Quote)
What the he// is that? I thought to myself you KNOW the last six years of my thyroid life in 15 mins? ( The word Jerk came to mind)
He had no clue I had RAI / Graves/Hashi- .........nothing
and certainly didn't care to learn anything about ME either.
Then he told me I was "over concerned" with myself and I needed to get on a stronger anxiety med. His PA stood there in awe on how he talked to me but professionally sat in "her" corner. (Mouse came to my mind on her)
I thought my mother was going to have cardiac arrest right there.
He went on - never caring even how my voice sounded or looking at me. Just laid back in his little stool and talked like he was looking in a mirror. His hands folded on top of his head leaning back - Oh dear God!!! What a snake!!
He said make an appt for 4 weeks to do another FNA with him and Bye Bye as he left that room with his little mouse PA trailing his a$$.
My gut told me to punch him - I swear - but I let him treat me like cr@p. That was the longest 15 mintes I had in a while.
Got a bill for $250.00 and a letter a week later that he was "leaving" his office and no longer practicing and "referred" another "new" endo that would residing in that office. I laughed and burned the bill in a fire and haven't seen another one since. :O
Hmmmmmm -- why did he ask to see me in 4 weeks and do another FNA?? .. JERK!!
I wasn't planning on going back anyway - but I sure analyzed the heck out of what I "could" have done to myself if I "trusted" his certificates and "the best" rumors I heard about him.
NO - WAY!!! This is the time where you need to decided which door you will open for yourself. You and only you will suffer any consequences if you choose the wrong one. For heaven's sake how many times do you read here about checking the Free's? Did you get that tested? -- NO
We won't suffer here - obviously the pompous endo won't - only you will.
I'll stick to my faithful MD treating me over any idiot like that again. He's ( MD) busy I know - sometimes quick to judge at his appts. - but I have the faith I am getting treated better than I have in over 6 yrs and won't be railroaded again into almost losing everything I have gained back.
In my opinion - since you already know you didn't have a good situation with the med he forced you back on - and you have personal proof you felt loosy on it - don't even put yourself through it again.
You have no idea how many people post the same thing of " We'll he's the best endo!"
That sometimes doesn't mean a darn thing. All the certificates on the wall doesn't mean anything to me - unless I feel I can have a connection.
I don't read anywhere in your question that you felt supported at this visit - regardless of his idea of Armour or Synthroid. Is that the person you want keeping you alive and healthy?
Just listen to your gut - Do you really want to go backwards again? Start all over just because you "heard" he's the best?
I recently went to "the best" endo about six months ago here in Milwaukee. This was regarding the nodule I have that is impossible to FNA.
I took my mom with me for support. I too brought my history of paperwork from the last six years showing him that I didn't do well on Synthroid and how well I am on Armour.
He too - slapped me in the face (words) with his arrogant pompous bed side manner. I had a total of a 15 min appt. He flat out told me that IF I wanted to continue Armour that I would have to remain getting my thyroid checked with the prescriber and all he would do is check the nodule. Just stab it and we'll see!
He told me the radiologist who tried the FNA (for 25 minutes) was an unskilled moran. (Quote)
What the he// is that? I thought to myself you KNOW the last six years of my thyroid life in 15 mins? ( The word Jerk came to mind)
He had no clue I had RAI / Graves/Hashi- .........nothing
and certainly didn't care to learn anything about ME either.
Then he told me I was "over concerned" with myself and I needed to get on a stronger anxiety med. His PA stood there in awe on how he talked to me but professionally sat in "her" corner. (Mouse came to my mind on her)
I thought my mother was going to have cardiac arrest right there.
He went on - never caring even how my voice sounded or looking at me. Just laid back in his little stool and talked like he was looking in a mirror. His hands folded on top of his head leaning back - Oh dear God!!! What a snake!!
He said make an appt for 4 weeks to do another FNA with him and Bye Bye as he left that room with his little mouse PA trailing his a$$.
My gut told me to punch him - I swear - but I let him treat me like cr@p. That was the longest 15 mintes I had in a while.
Got a bill for $250.00 and a letter a week later that he was "leaving" his office and no longer practicing and "referred" another "new" endo that would residing in that office. I laughed and burned the bill in a fire and haven't seen another one since. :O
Hmmmmmm -- why did he ask to see me in 4 weeks and do another FNA?? .. JERK!!
I wasn't planning on going back anyway - but I sure analyzed the heck out of what I "could" have done to myself if I "trusted" his certificates and "the best" rumors I heard about him.
NO - WAY!!! This is the time where you need to decided which door you will open for yourself. You and only you will suffer any consequences if you choose the wrong one. For heaven's sake how many times do you read here about checking the Free's? Did you get that tested? -- NO
We won't suffer here - obviously the pompous endo won't - only you will.
I'll stick to my faithful MD treating me over any idiot like that again. He's ( MD) busy I know - sometimes quick to judge at his appts. - but I have the faith I am getting treated better than I have in over 6 yrs and won't be railroaded again into almost losing everything I have gained back.
Wow. You had to wait 6 months to get treated like that? You have every reason to be frustrated. I think I'd be actively searching for another endo. Take care!
You are very entitled to feel so angry and annoyed. No one likes to be dismissed like you were. Often I have found that the professionals don't like it if you don't go ahhhh and ohhhhh every so often..remember they are Gods! We are just mere mortals! Well, so they like to think, anyways.
I guess you have an option...stay on the Armour and go get someone else or do the experiment, feel lousy, have bloods done and prove a point to him. Personally I like to stick it up them and say SEEEEEE! I TOLD you I was sick! Brings them down a notch or two..hee hee..
It is no fun when they just don't take the time to listen. I know it takes ages to get a new endo but maybe in the meantime you stay on the Armour and go get a new doc...put it this way...you have not got any further ahead so you can't really go backwards doing that.
I am still having a million and ten issues with my thyroid treatment (TT in Dec 07) so can empathise with you on the doc not listening. My endo wants to rip shreds off my surgeon for never sending me to ANY endo, good, bad or indifferent for over a year!
Keep your chin up otherwise it drags on the ground and then you'll have gravel rash and one more thing to worry about!
Cheers!
I guess you have an option...stay on the Armour and go get someone else or do the experiment, feel lousy, have bloods done and prove a point to him. Personally I like to stick it up them and say SEEEEEE! I TOLD you I was sick! Brings them down a notch or two..hee hee..
It is no fun when they just don't take the time to listen. I know it takes ages to get a new endo but maybe in the meantime you stay on the Armour and go get a new doc...put it this way...you have not got any further ahead so you can't really go backwards doing that.
I am still having a million and ten issues with my thyroid treatment (TT in Dec 07) so can empathise with you on the doc not listening. My endo wants to rip shreds off my surgeon for never sending me to ANY endo, good, bad or indifferent for over a year!
Keep your chin up otherwise it drags on the ground and then you'll have gravel rash and one more thing to worry about!
Cheers!
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