Aa
Has anyone sued their doctor for failure to diagnosis or lack of treatment
I'm just curious about any legal position w/ personal doctors and/or Standards and Practices within the AMA. Is there a legal history? It seems there is so much needless suffering for so many people (in legalese, a "class"), and that the most current research is often not known or ignored by physicians. Proper labs are often not administered. Symptoms are ignored. It also seems spectacularly foolish for the FDA to allow a plus-or-minus 10% variation in strength in generic medications for hypothyroidism, and to allow drug manufacturers to use cheap fillers in generic drugs that actually bind the release of hormones and prevent proper absorption. Thoughts, anyone ?
@LM.....Heehee ! And also, as Homer would say..."MMmmmm, B-a-a-a-c-o-n." I wonder if it would be a good idea to introduce the new batch as every other day w/ the original, to make it easier on your body ? I'm trying to balance T4/T3, seems not to be the usual problem. Do you know if it's less expensive to get brand Cytomel from Canada? That's where it's manufactured.
@goolarra..lots to say, still sick. Soon.
@goolarra..lots to say, still sick. Soon.
There will always be some variation between batches, even if the med came from the same manufacturing plant. I am just happy to to be able to get my Erfa natural thyroid med from Canada. Pigs will always be different.
To be prepared, I try to make sure I have at least one month supply left for back up before trying a new supply / bottle.
On the rare occasion that I drive though pig farm country, they don't smell so bad now; I have a greater appreciation for the smelly critters, there not just bacon anymore!
To be prepared, I try to make sure I have at least one month supply left for back up before trying a new supply / bottle.
On the rare occasion that I drive though pig farm country, they don't smell so bad now; I have a greater appreciation for the smelly critters, there not just bacon anymore!
Alzheimer's and hypo...
My mother had both. Unfortunately, when she was diagnosed hypo, I was not yet hypo, myself, and knew very little about the condition. However, I have reflected on it a fair amount in retrospect.
I have always wondered if my mother was, indeed, hypo. If she was, she was asymptomatic. As you know, there is no way to diagnose Alzheimer's, except by process of elimination. One of the things they test to eliminate is thyroid (TSH, only, I'm quite sure).
Of all the tests they ran on my mother, thyroid was all that was off. So, they were all ecstatic...they'd found it! She didn't have Alzheimer's at all; she was just hypthyroid They started her on levo and said that in six weeks, she'd be just fine. This didn't sit well with me right from the beginning...I had the feeling they just wanted to provide some hope, and would have latched onto anything in her labs the slightest bit off so that they didn't have to send her away with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. At that time, there was no medication available for Alzheimer's. When Aricept came out, they finally diagnosed her Alzheimer's. Hope had been provided in a new pill!
The thyroid meds never had one iota of effect on her condition. Neither did the Aricept. She ultimately died of Alzheimer's.
I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts...
My mother had both. Unfortunately, when she was diagnosed hypo, I was not yet hypo, myself, and knew very little about the condition. However, I have reflected on it a fair amount in retrospect.
I have always wondered if my mother was, indeed, hypo. If she was, she was asymptomatic. As you know, there is no way to diagnose Alzheimer's, except by process of elimination. One of the things they test to eliminate is thyroid (TSH, only, I'm quite sure).
Of all the tests they ran on my mother, thyroid was all that was off. So, they were all ecstatic...they'd found it! She didn't have Alzheimer's at all; she was just hypthyroid They started her on levo and said that in six weeks, she'd be just fine. This didn't sit well with me right from the beginning...I had the feeling they just wanted to provide some hope, and would have latched onto anything in her labs the slightest bit off so that they didn't have to send her away with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. At that time, there was no medication available for Alzheimer's. When Aricept came out, they finally diagnosed her Alzheimer's. Hope had been provided in a new pill!
The thyroid meds never had one iota of effect on her condition. Neither did the Aricept. She ultimately died of Alzheimer's.
I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts...
To all:
I have the flu, so I won't be posting until I can get up w/out the chiils and fever. Carry on, if you want to. Sorrry.
I have the flu, so I won't be posting until I can get up w/out the chiils and fever. Carry on, if you want to. Sorrry.
Dear sandsoftime,
Thank you for sharing your loss with us. I am sure there are many cyber-displays of virtual affection and support surrounding and protecting you, sent from the hearts of those in our forum. I hope you will find the energy and the information to fight for yourself, for your grandson, and for the memory of your son. By doing so, you also do it for us. Thank you for publishing your valuable research. The source material seems scientifically well-based, and I have found I have more success with my doctor when I give her copies of things I have found in Medical journals and cite them in reference to myself, as opposed to someone's opinion on a thyroid-issues website. I wish women of childbearing age and others in your situation could have access to this article, BUT here it is buried in a thread about legal action, which I hoped would provoke just this kind of discussion. (we need WIKI library on the forum)
To all:
@LM...yep, I think the same thing about the labs. Nobody wants to be held accountable.What to do ?
The FDA is ultimately responsible for allowing the +/- 10% strength variations in our medications. I don't understand why this is allowable at all. Is everyone aware of the quality control issue at Mylan labs last July, where the FDA stepped in because of a whistleblower and found that the employees on the line were bypassing the quality control safeguard warning system w/ the complicity of their supervisors? Many drugs were affected. They paid a fine, big whup. Who here knows about the different generic labs : Mylan, Paddock, King . Are their others? Does one have a better reputation than the rest? Please tell me that all of you who take generics know that you should have your doctor request a particular lab on your prescription and make your pharmacist fill from that lab every time. There are not only variations between batches, but also variations between drugs produced by different labs....not only strengths but also types of fillers, which can be more or less drug-binding. For this reason, CONSISTENCY of dose, it's best to not only get your meds form one lab source, but also to order them 3 months at a time if possible so that they come from the same batch.
@goolarra..."discrimination value" GOOD to know ! Thanks for sharing that one. I've received reports like your husband's myself and will certainly question the reports in the future. Just bloody astonishing.
I need sleep, but want to introduce the subject of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and the possible correlation w/ hypothyroidism in the elderly. Thoughts? I'll list my own manana. Wish me some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs !
Thanks and blessings to all, y'all an impressive bunch !
Thank you for sharing your loss with us. I am sure there are many cyber-displays of virtual affection and support surrounding and protecting you, sent from the hearts of those in our forum. I hope you will find the energy and the information to fight for yourself, for your grandson, and for the memory of your son. By doing so, you also do it for us. Thank you for publishing your valuable research. The source material seems scientifically well-based, and I have found I have more success with my doctor when I give her copies of things I have found in Medical journals and cite them in reference to myself, as opposed to someone's opinion on a thyroid-issues website. I wish women of childbearing age and others in your situation could have access to this article, BUT here it is buried in a thread about legal action, which I hoped would provoke just this kind of discussion. (we need WIKI library on the forum)
To all:
@LM...yep, I think the same thing about the labs. Nobody wants to be held accountable.What to do ?
The FDA is ultimately responsible for allowing the +/- 10% strength variations in our medications. I don't understand why this is allowable at all. Is everyone aware of the quality control issue at Mylan labs last July, where the FDA stepped in because of a whistleblower and found that the employees on the line were bypassing the quality control safeguard warning system w/ the complicity of their supervisors? Many drugs were affected. They paid a fine, big whup. Who here knows about the different generic labs : Mylan, Paddock, King . Are their others? Does one have a better reputation than the rest? Please tell me that all of you who take generics know that you should have your doctor request a particular lab on your prescription and make your pharmacist fill from that lab every time. There are not only variations between batches, but also variations between drugs produced by different labs....not only strengths but also types of fillers, which can be more or less drug-binding. For this reason, CONSISTENCY of dose, it's best to not only get your meds form one lab source, but also to order them 3 months at a time if possible so that they come from the same batch.
@goolarra..."discrimination value" GOOD to know ! Thanks for sharing that one. I've received reports like your husband's myself and will certainly question the reports in the future. Just bloody astonishing.
I need sleep, but want to introduce the subject of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and the possible correlation w/ hypothyroidism in the elderly. Thoughts? I'll list my own manana. Wish me some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs !
Thanks and blessings to all, y'all an impressive bunch !
I didn't want to go here again because it is so painful but it is an important subject for women beginning a family and awareness. I believe docs do their best but there is not a lot of awareness of thyroid issues. Education rather than suing is what I'd like to see.
This is an article I found that justifies my fears that my son may have had problems from my undiagnosed thyroid issues and which were hereditary - a low lying problem that was hard to pick up. Who doesn't have times of being tired - cold - forgetful?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/145066-the-effects-of-hypothyroidism-in-pregnancy/
The Effects of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
The Effects of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism is the medical term used to describe an abnormally low level of thyroid hormone. Low levels of thyroid hormone result in a slowed-down metabolism and may result in such symptoms as fatigue, weight gain and decreased ability to withstand cold temperatures. In addition to the symptoms she may experience, a pregnant woman with hypothyroidism may be at increased risk for several complications.
High Blood Pressure and Pre-eclampsia
Gestational hypertension is the term used to describe elevated blood pressure during pregnancy. It is associated with several conditions. An especially concerning one is pre-eclampsia, in which a pregnant woman has protein in her urine and high blood pressure. Drs. Phyllis August and Baha Sibai, writing in the online medical reference UpToDate, report that pre-eclampsia may be categorized as mild or severe. Severe pre-eclampsia includes potentially life-threatening complications to the mother and the fetus, such as stroke, severe growth restriction of the fetus and dangerously high blood pressure. A 1993 study investigated the potential link between hypothyroidism and high blood pressure during pregnancy by studying two groups of women. One group consisted of 45 pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism. Their levels of the thyroid hormone T4 were normal, but their levels of thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, were abnormally high. The second group in this study consisted of 23 pregnant women with overt hypothyroidism--that is, low levels of the thyroid hormone T4 as well as high levels of TSH. This study of 68 women found that rates of pre-eclampsia in both groups were higher than within the general population. This suggests that hypothyroidism--in either its overt or subclinical form--may increase the risk for pregnant women to develop both high blood pressure and the associated, potentially serious, condition of pre-eclampsia.
Hypothyroidism Fact Sheet Get The Facts On Hypothyroidism The Causes, Preventions & Treatment BodyAndSoul.com.au/Hypothyroidism
Sponsored Links
Very Preterm Birth
Preterm birth is defined as the birth of a baby before the 37th week of pregnancy, or gestation. A "very preterm birth" is defined as the birth of a baby before 32 weeks of gestation. A study published in 2005 in the journal Thyroid looked at pregnant women who gave birth early, compared to women who delivered their babies after 37 weeks of pregnancy. The authors of the study found that women with high levels of TSH--indicating either subclinical or overt hypothyroidism--were much more likely have a very preterm delivery. This suggests that hypothyroidism is a risk factor for very early delivery of the baby, which can have serious and long-term implications to the baby.
Cognitive and Psychomotor Impairment
The potential impact of subclinical or overt hypothyroidism is not limited to the pregnancy itself, or even to the period directly around the birth of the baby. According to at least two studies, a mother's hypothyroid condition may impact her child's neurologic development years later. One study, published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology in February 1999, found that 10-month-old infants of mothers with hypothyroidism had significantly lower scores on certain psychomotor development tests, indicating that the mothers' low levels of thyroid hormone, even early in the pregnancy, still had an impact months later. A second study was published in August 1999 in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study looked at older children, who were 7 to 9 years old. Similarly to the study of infants, the authors of this study found that low thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy had an impact long after the child was born. The children in this study were found to have decreased IQ scores compared to children whose mothers had normal thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy.
Dr. Len Kliman Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Located at Epworth Freemasons www.DrLenKliman.com.au
TAFE Child Care Courses Get TAFE qualified Study now - pay as you earn! www.seeklearning.com.au
Expecting a new child? Ideas to help you remain fit and healthy for the whole 9 months Huggies.com.au
3D and 4D Baby Ultrasound Female Sonographer,Latest Equipment Melbournes Best 3D Baby Ultrasounds www.4dbaby.com.au
Sponsored Links
References
• "Obstetrics and Gynecology"; Perinatal Outcome in Hypothyroid Pregnancies; A.S. Leung et. al.; March 1993
• "Thyroid"; The Thyroid and Pregnancy: A Novel Risk Factor for Very Preterm Delivery; A. Stagnaro-Green et. al.; April 2005
• "Clinical Endocrinology"; Low Maternal Free Thyroxine Concentrations During Early Pregnancy Are Associated With Impaired Psychomotor Development in Infancy; V. J. Pop et. al.; February 1999
• "New England Journal of Medicine"; Maternal Thyroid Deficiency During Pregnancy and Subsequent Neuropsychological Development of the Child; J. E. Haddow; August 1999
• "UpToDate"; Denise S. Basow; 2010
Photo Credit
pregnant #3 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
About this Author
Shira Goldenholz has been writing since 2001. She has edited a neurosciences coursebook and co-authored an article published in the "Journal of Child Neurology." She has contributed to a report on children's mental health and has written for an autism website. She holds a medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master in Public Health from Boston University.
Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge
Last updated on: 06/10/10
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/145066-the-effects-of-hypothyroidism-in-pregnancy/#ixzz1EMsJEums
This is an article I found that justifies my fears that my son may have had problems from my undiagnosed thyroid issues and which were hereditary - a low lying problem that was hard to pick up. Who doesn't have times of being tired - cold - forgetful?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/145066-the-effects-of-hypothyroidism-in-pregnancy/
The Effects of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
The Effects of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism is the medical term used to describe an abnormally low level of thyroid hormone. Low levels of thyroid hormone result in a slowed-down metabolism and may result in such symptoms as fatigue, weight gain and decreased ability to withstand cold temperatures. In addition to the symptoms she may experience, a pregnant woman with hypothyroidism may be at increased risk for several complications.
High Blood Pressure and Pre-eclampsia
Gestational hypertension is the term used to describe elevated blood pressure during pregnancy. It is associated with several conditions. An especially concerning one is pre-eclampsia, in which a pregnant woman has protein in her urine and high blood pressure. Drs. Phyllis August and Baha Sibai, writing in the online medical reference UpToDate, report that pre-eclampsia may be categorized as mild or severe. Severe pre-eclampsia includes potentially life-threatening complications to the mother and the fetus, such as stroke, severe growth restriction of the fetus and dangerously high blood pressure. A 1993 study investigated the potential link between hypothyroidism and high blood pressure during pregnancy by studying two groups of women. One group consisted of 45 pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism. Their levels of the thyroid hormone T4 were normal, but their levels of thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, were abnormally high. The second group in this study consisted of 23 pregnant women with overt hypothyroidism--that is, low levels of the thyroid hormone T4 as well as high levels of TSH. This study of 68 women found that rates of pre-eclampsia in both groups were higher than within the general population. This suggests that hypothyroidism--in either its overt or subclinical form--may increase the risk for pregnant women to develop both high blood pressure and the associated, potentially serious, condition of pre-eclampsia.
Hypothyroidism Fact Sheet Get The Facts On Hypothyroidism The Causes, Preventions & Treatment BodyAndSoul.com.au/Hypothyroidism
Sponsored Links
Very Preterm Birth
Preterm birth is defined as the birth of a baby before the 37th week of pregnancy, or gestation. A "very preterm birth" is defined as the birth of a baby before 32 weeks of gestation. A study published in 2005 in the journal Thyroid looked at pregnant women who gave birth early, compared to women who delivered their babies after 37 weeks of pregnancy. The authors of the study found that women with high levels of TSH--indicating either subclinical or overt hypothyroidism--were much more likely have a very preterm delivery. This suggests that hypothyroidism is a risk factor for very early delivery of the baby, which can have serious and long-term implications to the baby.
Cognitive and Psychomotor Impairment
The potential impact of subclinical or overt hypothyroidism is not limited to the pregnancy itself, or even to the period directly around the birth of the baby. According to at least two studies, a mother's hypothyroid condition may impact her child's neurologic development years later. One study, published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology in February 1999, found that 10-month-old infants of mothers with hypothyroidism had significantly lower scores on certain psychomotor development tests, indicating that the mothers' low levels of thyroid hormone, even early in the pregnancy, still had an impact months later. A second study was published in August 1999 in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study looked at older children, who were 7 to 9 years old. Similarly to the study of infants, the authors of this study found that low thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy had an impact long after the child was born. The children in this study were found to have decreased IQ scores compared to children whose mothers had normal thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy.
Dr. Len Kliman Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Located at Epworth Freemasons www.DrLenKliman.com.au
TAFE Child Care Courses Get TAFE qualified Study now - pay as you earn! www.seeklearning.com.au
Expecting a new child? Ideas to help you remain fit and healthy for the whole 9 months Huggies.com.au
3D and 4D Baby Ultrasound Female Sonographer,Latest Equipment Melbournes Best 3D Baby Ultrasounds www.4dbaby.com.au
Sponsored Links
References
• "Obstetrics and Gynecology"; Perinatal Outcome in Hypothyroid Pregnancies; A.S. Leung et. al.; March 1993
• "Thyroid"; The Thyroid and Pregnancy: A Novel Risk Factor for Very Preterm Delivery; A. Stagnaro-Green et. al.; April 2005
• "Clinical Endocrinology"; Low Maternal Free Thyroxine Concentrations During Early Pregnancy Are Associated With Impaired Psychomotor Development in Infancy; V. J. Pop et. al.; February 1999
• "New England Journal of Medicine"; Maternal Thyroid Deficiency During Pregnancy and Subsequent Neuropsychological Development of the Child; J. E. Haddow; August 1999
• "UpToDate"; Denise S. Basow; 2010
Photo Credit
pregnant #3 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
About this Author
Shira Goldenholz has been writing since 2001. She has edited a neurosciences coursebook and co-authored an article published in the "Journal of Child Neurology." She has contributed to a report on children's mental health and has written for an autism website. She holds a medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master in Public Health from Boston University.
Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge
Last updated on: 06/10/10
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/145066-the-effects-of-hypothyroidism-in-pregnancy/#ixzz1EMsJEums
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