Do i REALLY need more testing?

[froggy0936]

Hi again! I see Endo tomorrow and he is pretty thorough, which is a good thing...but I'm @ the point that I have been dealing with nothing but sickness and I don't want to go through any more tests @ this time. Had kidney cancer in 2002 and now TT 12/17/09. Before my TT, I went to Endo because I was having anxiety and I wanted to make sure that it was just truly anxiety and nothing else. He wanted to do all these tests, but after discovering I needed TT and had Hashi's and a nodule, he told me the testing could wait. He wanted me to have Glucagon Stimulating test and something called Cortrosyn Arginine Stim test. For what it's worth, my pcp said my adrenal function is fine (after looking @ recent bloodwork.) Endo said maybe anxiety is caused by something he called "Taps syndrome?" I think one of those tests are to check Pituitary function. Also, my TSH is 66.0..very high. But maybe it's because I was only started on 50mcg of synthroid after surgery and bumped up to 75mcg this past Saturday cause I feel like hell? I just don't want anymore testing and my pcp says endos do alot of testing unnecessarily. Plus, I've heard horror stories about those tests. 12hr fasts, injecting you with hormones that make you so sick in your stomach, etc. What should I do? Aside from my TSH being so high..according to my bloodwork, it just looks like I need to increase my Vitamin D. HELP! Tired of all these tests, but tired of feeling like crap! Maybe once my synthroid is stabilized I'll feel better, and also, my anxiety is nowhere near as bad since having TT.

[froggy0936]

Thank you for your advice and I will definately have my calendar in hand when going into his office! Wow! I wish I had a job like that...do you need an assistant? Lol. You are right, I definately need more patience! I guess having kidney cancer and now this...I'm just sick of being sick! Isn't it odd that having my kidney removed was a walk in the park compared to this?? Thanks for everything and I will post after my appt. Hope you are well!.....Lynda xoxo.

[goolarra]

When I was increasing my dose, my endo used to have me go in for labs after five weeks and see him at six.  Two months is dragging it out a little.  Tell him about your insurance, and ask him if you can't maximize the number of appointments between now and when the insurance runs out.

Well, I'm self-employed and work from home, so I worked even when I was incredibly hypo (and didn't know it!).  I do all my work on the computer, so my biggest problem was not nodding off in front of it!  Better than in front of another speeding car...

It takes a while to get meds adjusted...just no replacement for the patience, patience and more patience.  You'll start to feel better.  Sit down with him and your calendar...here's the date today...this is when my insurance runs out...how many blood draws and appointments can we fit into MY schedule.  Sometimes doctors can be thick about practical matters.

Best of luck at your appointment, and let us know how it goes...

[froggy0936]

Thank you for your timely reply! I agree and I already have a copy of bloodwork to bring with me although when I spoke with endo last week, he has a copy also. As I said, I feel I should've had labs done and been bumped up maybe beginning of Feb? I know it does take time for it to build in your system but he is the type to say "see you in 2 months." I just don't have all this time to be messing around. I need to find work again and my insurance that I do have runs out in May. I don't even feel well enough to go to the mall or do normal things. That stinks when you're a woman lol. I do go for daily walks. I know that I just had TT 2 months ago and everyone is different in their recovery but geez! My next question is do people that are "hypo" as I am continue to work, etc? If so, how?? Hate to sound so pessimistic but I already know just going to my appt tomorrow is going to wipe me out. It just stinks. I was so not this type of person before! It's a shame so many of us have to suffer. Thank you again!  Lynda.....      

[goolarra]

Just my opinion, but I think there's a lot of merit in getting your thyroid levels closer to normal before putting yourself through a lot more testing.  It might be a good idea to get a copy of all the labwork your PCP ran to bring with you to your endo appointment...might save some duplication.  50 mcg is a pretty low dose, and you've just recently increased to 75 (that increase has not had time to stabilize in your system yet).  I'd push my endo to retest in 4-5 weeks after your increase to 75 mcg, see where your thyroid levels are then (be sure he's checking FT3 and FT4 as well as TSH), then decide if a further increase is in order and if it might be time for more testing then.  With thyroid levels currently so far off, you're going to have to wonder how much that is affecting your other test results...