I've had it with endos!!

[Sunshine_67]

I don't understand how endos can claim to be experts in the endocrine system and why they refuse to test the most basic things like vitamins and iron. I saw a new endo at the recommendation of a new obgyn I'm seeing for my hormones and this endo refuses to test my ferritin and RT3. How can she refuse to test ferritin when it directly affects thyroid?

My cortisol also has suddenly gone up in the morning and I read that low estrogen can cause cortisol to rise. I read low estrogen can also cause constipation, so I wonder if maybe this is the cause of that and my brain fog.

I'm going back to the doctor I saw last week. She didn't know anymore about thyroid than the endo, but at least she let me get whatever tests I wanted and also prescribes T3. The endo was only willing to give me Tirosint without any extra T3 and I've already seen my FT3 levels start to drop.

[Sunshine_67]

I'm just tired of doctors immediate saying go see an endo if you have hormone problems. I also wish I had never started taking thyroid meds. It obviously triggered a whole hormone war on my body because my low hormones or adrenals needed to be fixed first. Even though I had hypo symptoms before, I could at least still function and didn't have this band of pressure across my forehead that makes me want to cut my head off!!!

[AJWS6]

Endo's are useless !  My pcp has taken care of all my thyroid concerns.  I'm sure there are knowledgable, experienced, caring Endo's, just not in my area :)    

[Sunshine_67]

I emailed the endo to ask why she wouldn't test my ferritin and all she wrote back was that she strongly urges me to find a primary care doc to test this. Yea, I"m not going back to her. I'm not going to pay two co-pays and see two different docs just cuz she won't test my iron. I've gotten my ferritin up to 75, but as soon as I stop taking iron, it goes down again.

[sunrock]

Boy, do I hear ya!
And What was the reason again for your higher education loan?
Perhaps not in mind to really help people but to just get more pay???

I had it with Endos a long ago too!!

Mia

[payton382]

I agree with you.  The last time I saw an Endo was 16 years ago when I was diagnosed and treated for Grave's Disease.  Since that time I went to a Dr that allowed me to pull whatever labs I asked for.  For the last 3 years or so I've let a Naturopath medicate/treat/manage my thyroid.  My internal medicine Dr sees me for everything else outside of thyroid.  

3 years ago, I was having a lot of hypo symptoms and my old Dr couldn't figure out what was wrong.  She pulled my iron, which looked fine, according to her.  Come to find out months later and a by a new Dr my Ferritin was a 5 and I was severely anemic.  It's taken me the last 3 years to get my Ferritin up to 55 and I've been on huge doses of iron.  Had to be seen by a Hematologist for a period of time.  The Hematologist even sent me in for an Endometrial Ablation to stop my monthly periods because she didn't want me losing any unnecessary blood.    

I'm sure you probably know this but Ferritin is only "flagged" as low if it's under 10 to 15-ish (right in that neighborhood) but according to most Hematologists you really need to be around 70 to be free of symptoms, which mimic hypothyroid so it's really hard to distinguish the culprit when you have both issues going on.  Supposedly 70-90 is the target range for Ferritin.

If you can, I'd recommend finding a Naturopath.  Mine takes my insurance and I just pay my co-pay.  Good Luck!!!