disgruntled patient syndrome I guess is my diagnosis

[mommy2two2008]

I went to the endo and could tell that he was ticked I went to other drs.  He came in arogant and left the same way.  I could not discuss my symptoms with him, he would not let me.  The only test he is running is TSH.  He said I had a small goiter and it WOULD NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS and the only thing he could offer was surgery which I did not need.  He said he could not see the swelling, it was not swelling, it was just a bit larger than it should be but was tiny.  I managed to ask him why it would swell with exertion and he said that he did not see swelling.  I want to just explode and tell him that he would have seen it if he would have let me come in the day I called (but I sat quiet).  Then he read my CT (from the other doc - I brought it with me) and told me that there is nothing there and I don't swell, its not my thyroid, it is nothing and the CT proved it.  He rambled something about Hashimoto - I could not even tell if he was talking to me or to himself so do I or don't I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis?  I don't know.  I did my blood draw and there was a man in line in front of me to pay and the doctor came around and pulled my arm so I would turn around and he said, now, that is a thyroid, see his, his is swollen you have no thyroid.  Then he proceeded to push on the man's neck (by the way, the man just had a biopsy and had a band aide on his neck) and told me he could show me many "thyroids".  And then proceeded to tell the man he must have surgery, needed surgery, had to have it out!

I GIVE UP - THERE MUST BE NOTHING WRONG WITH ME

[Rite760]

I am so sorry to hear what's happenend to you. It makes me so mad that it keeps happening to all of us. I waited a long time to see an endo not so long ago who treated me so badly I cried. He told me I did have a minor thyroid problem but in no way could it be causing all the problems I said I was having. He basically said I was a hypochondriac. He also told me that I could not be on a premature menopause at 40 even though my blood tests proved it. Anyway after listening to Stella and the others when I was ready to give up, I got another endo and she is lovely. I am now waiting for an urgent scan on Monday and hysterectomy for my imagined menopause! Had I stayed with the first doctor I'd probably have collapsed by now. I am in the process of reporting him now. I hope you do the same to the disgusting one you've had. They deserve it. As we say here in the UK: "What goes around comes around!" If they think they can treat us so shabbily and get away with it, they can think again! On a last note, I absolutely love your cat! How on earth did you manage to get that photo? I thought Stella's was hysterical, but yours even beats hers!

[stella5349]

I can only say to you   many....many of us are in your shoes. And to be blunt. He (doctor) doesn't give two ounces if you live or die. If your happy or miserable - or sick or well.

He still has his money - family and life......  

So where does that leave you?? It gives you two choices.....

1- Buy into his attitude and give up. - or -

2- Tell him. to go fly a kite ( nicely put) and take the only body you have into your own hands.

You know YOU - HAshimoto and thyroidtitis is sneeky - it springs up when it feel like it and "making an appointment weeks down the road " doesn't help sometimes unless you catch it on it's good day.

This forum here is a miracle. The people here can share many stories to give thyroid patients a sense of understanding. Prior to me coming here - I was ready to give up.  It's like a grieving process. Your ill so......

You go for help and not get it (most of the times) then -
Your scared - and go for more help. - then -
Your confused - b/c you get "run through the wringer" with a battery of tests that most of the time are "NORMAL"

( all this time your antibodies are attacking your thyroid and no one is seeing it!)

Then you are in despire - b/c no one is helping.

YOU NOW NEED TO BECOME MAD!!!!!! and fight for yourself. How you do that is up to you.

When you "flare" up and know you are - you need help right then and NOW. That is the only time a doctor will help is when the symptoms of Hashi surface.

I know I havn't given you answers - I just want you to be aware that you can get better and by Dx. You need to take control of this completely - put it in your hands and RUN.

One thought I can give - which may sound questionable is start over with a new doctor that has brains - schedule an appointment - and on the day of the appointment - push yourself until you feel the flare ups coming on. Then jump in the car and get to the office ASAP.

A new doctor may see the situation and crises you are in and get moving to finally help get your well.  

Sad that thyroid patients have to get to this point - but it is a touch disease to DX.

[utahmomma]

Mommy,

Toss him on the "used heap of incompetent doctors" and move on.  I know that I have *a lot* of doctors on the heap - including the chief of endocrinology at a local hospital.

Listen to your gut - not someone with a god-complex.  Keep looking, there are good doctors out there.

If you're up to a road trip to Utah there are a few good endos here and I'll share mine!  :-)

[mommy2two2008]

Thanks AR - I posted my first draft to the dr.

[AR-10]

Do exactly what KelDC posted.

[mommy2two2008]

LOL Cbread.... I just wrote a very theraputic letter to this dr and will feel much better after I send it.  Gonna let myself cool a little before I mail it...

[cbread]

wow. I feel like sending my endo flowers and telling him to never leave me.  Sorry Mommy...but hang in there. You will get better care anywhere........

[mommy2two2008]

Thanks Jax..... I guess I will keep taking it, I am just so disgusted that I'm at a loss for what is really going on.  I just don't understand telling a person they have no thyroid problem when there is an obvious enlargement on 2 tests.  What the he// gives him the right to tell me then and in the same breath, tell me to continue the meds.  

[jax190]

your doctor is an ****  but please dont stop taking the levo this is probably why your bloods show ok and your thyroid is not growing. the levo can control that. too high tsh can cause the goiter to swell and the pills is keeping the tsh lower. if you stop the pills you could feel much worse.
but i agree with everyone else CHANGE THAT DOCTOR  

[mommy2two2008]

So - after I posted this, I called the jacka$$ doctor back to see if I even needed to take the Levo since I did not have a thyroid problem.  His nurse called back and said that yes, the doctor has instructed me to keep taking the medicine.

I DON'T THINK I AM GOING TO, what is the dam (misspelling on purpose) point since my bloodwork is normal and apparently my thyroid does not swell.

[MKlacza]

Well... I love my Endo, but sometimes when I try to tell him that I believe this should be done or that.. I get not an attitude, but kind of a "does she think I'm not capable" kind of attitude. We go back and forth but in the long run, he complies with my wishes.... BUT thats why sought out a Holistic Dr.. google them in your area..maybe put in endocrinology and see what comes up. I have two.. one of them is a holistic chiropractor but has his license in womens health, endocrinology and emergency medicine! Let me tell you... FABULOUS!! The other is an internal holistic Dr but was an ER teaching Dr at Rush.. she is FAB also and both are helping me in many ways! I told my ENDO about them and I gotta say... he has been upon his game lately, maybe the competition or what, but its been great! He actually commended me on going to see them. So dont give up..NEVER! If you do, you have no one to blame but yourself. Not trying to sound harsh, but we need to be our own health advocates because you sure as he// cant count on that Dr to look out for your best interest which is your HEALTH!!!!

Here's to finding a great dr!  MK

[peggy64]

Well, it makes me wonder why do we keep going to endos. I believe that they do not know what our problem is and their ego's are so inflated that it can't be them, therefore, the  problem lies in our "imagination"

I am sick of docs. can't you tell?

I am with the others about notifying the medical board. That man broke all kinds of privacy rules, not to mention, having a lack of manners or commen decency.

[KelDC]

Cheryl is right....RUN, do not walk, away from this doctor.  Send a letter in writing to get all of your records. Get your records.  Then write a letter of complaint to the doctor AND to the state medical board.  He broke HUGE privacy laws by discussing that man's condition with you and in front of you without that man's consent!!  Make sure you document that well in both your letter to him and the state board.  Unbelievable.

As for his treatment of you, well, he's a jacka$$.  Obviously he got into medicine to feed his overinflated ego and not to help people.  You are much better off finding another doctor than having to deal with that sorry excuse for a medical professional.  Ugh.

Keep your chin up - there are better doctors out there!!

[jeblondon]

Oh dear - I'm with Cheryl on this one!!!
What a despicable man!!  Poor you - what a horrible experience and how belittling.
If you can take Cheryl's advice and try to find another Endo.  This is the exact teason I changed mine - he talked to the wall or the ceiling or the desk or the bit of ***** paper in fron of him but NOT to me.
S, listen hn, it's not you, don't give up, don't let 'em beat you.  Have a nice cup of tea, (well we resolve everything over a cup of tea here in Eng'), refocus and try to stay strong.
Don't let his crass and unproffesional atittude get to you.
As Andi says - 'you're worth it'!!!
J x

[ChitChatNine]

WHOA HORSEY ..... (to the Doc not you)

Who does he think he is anyway?  You are the patient and YOU have every right to get as many docs involved and as many opinions as you need to get your answer.

WRITE him off the list.  Get your records and RUN .. don't walk away from him.  

Take everthing and that includes getting somebody to take a photo of the swelling when you have it happen.  Take it all to another doctor who has the skills and the morals and the ethics for which he/she originally took the oath to be a doctor with.

I am so sorry you were treated like this; this is so sad when I hear this happen and I've had it happen to me, too, so I know where you are at.

You MUST trust your instincts.  

Cheryl