Testing

[care610]

I have asked my endo to test me for thyroid antibodies to see if it is in fact the autoimmune kind. She says chances are no. Really because I never had any medication that decreases thyroid production, a thyroid removed, or (fingers crossed) cancer... How are you so sure? Also I felt like crap on Levothyroxine and she was just going to keep uping it! I asked for T3 check and I get no as well! I had a miscarriage about 5 months ago and i want a stable thyroid before trying again... All i am asking for is a couple extra tests!!  

[flyingfool]

Unfortunately, many of us here who are not even Dr's seem to know MUCH more about Thyroid than a vast majority of Dr.s out there!

If the medical community and for that matter pharmaceutical industry did what was right.  Adjust the reference ranges by upping them considerably and understanding the importance of the two "Free tests and ignoring TSH.  There would be HUGE savings in medical costs.

Just think if Thyroid was diagnosed and PROPERLY dosed medicines would be prescribed,  There would be dramatically less anti-depressants, and office visits and treatments of all sorts of symptoms rather than the cause. Resulting in huge cost savings.  How much time and money is spent by improperly treated Thyroid patients continuing to go back again and again because they feel like crap but continually told that their "thyroid is  normal" based on outdated ranges and based solely on TSH?

Of course that is exactly why the pharmaceutical industry would never go there.  After all they can make 6 times the money by making and selling 6 different drugs to mask 6 different symptoms,  Rather than one drug to control all 6 symptoms!

[care610]

If I was an endo... I would test for both since it appears to be a common concern amongst the hypo boards!

[care610]

Sadly she is an endo!! My Ob/gyn diagnosed me! My husband's dr pretty much does anything my husband asks which is a PCP so I was thinking just dropping her and going with him.  

[Barb135]

Hashimoto's is the most cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world, so I can't imagine why your doctor would assume that you don't have it.  

I just posted on your other question about the lab tests...... it sounds like you need to find another doctor that will test and treat you properly.  Is this doctor your pcp or gynocologist?  If she's only your pcp, you  might try going through your gyno to get the proper tests.  I'm sure your gyno would want to make sure your levels are all properly adjusted in order to support a full term pregnancy.