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Need help finding a new dr
Help- I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in Feb 2011 and have never felt well esp dizzy and horrible brain fog. I have seen an endo and 3 different internists who all have only tested TSH. I just returned from appointment with gp who will only test TSH and refuses any other thyroid tests. My TSH is 2.7 -She adamantly speaks at me that this is normal and she will not even run another test till next year. I showed her copies of info stating proper testing and healthy levels to which she yelled,"Stop on the internet, I am the dr and I know how to treat hypothyroidism. No dr will say anything different that I say." She was horribly rude today and said I need Lexapro for all my anxiety. I am not the least bit anxious, I just want to feel as well as I did before my hypo diagnosis. I checked into having labs done on my own but not possible in NJ. Does anyone have a dr in Northern NJ? Thanks so much.
Sent Pm with info. Just click on my name and that takes you to your home page. Then click on messages.
Sending PM with info. To access, just click on your name and go to your home page. Then click on messages.
I have two doctors for your consideration. One was recommended by a fellow member and is located in Little Falls. The second came from the Top Thyroid Doctors list for NJ, and is located in Clifton. Would you be interested in either or both? If so, I'll send a PM with links.
I am in Northern NJ as well. I feel so helpless! I have been diagnosed with Hashimotos and been to two endos. The first one said I wasn't "bad enough" to be prescribed anything. The second refuses to prescribe anything but synthroid. She keeps upping it by 25 every 6 months, but nothing changes. I read this thread from a year ago and I am hoping that you can also share the name of the doctor who prescribes T3 meds. I can't go through another year like this. Thank you so much in advance! I hope you are still out there somewhere and can direct me to the right place. Thank you in advance!!
Thanks for all your help. I will call for appointment tomorrow. All I can hope is that he is as good as the patient reviewers say. I find it incredulous that I have asked four different drs for Free T3 and T4 and not one is willing to do it . I always hear that it is unnecessary and refuse to order. Why are Free T3 and T4 not standard tests for drs to order and then be able to properly titrate dosage? I am so frustrated with my medical care as I am constantly told these symptoms are not from your thyroid.
Sending by PM the best prospect that I can find from the Top Thyroid doctors list in NJ.
Clifton is close but I am willing to drive a distance. I will give you Wayne or Hackensack as bases. Thank You so much for all your help.
Would a doctor in Clifton be close enough to interest you? If not, then please give me a town that I can use as a base.
I cant believe I have seen 4 drs in the past year and not one has done the proper testing. I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to get well and I am so frustrated that drs continue to tell me that my thyroid is fine and they see nothing wrong with me. I truly dont know what to do next.
I believe there are Drs who do phone consulting. A friend of mine works with a Dr out of Santa Cruz and is very happy.The Dr ordered all the tests consulted and prescribed all over the phone. They check in annually.
You still need to get your frees done.
You still need to get your frees done.
Thanks for all your info. I am so frustrated at this point. I had been seeing an endo and a GP who only did TSH. I had printed the info you have posted and both refused to even look at it. So I moved on and saw this new GP who I had been told was a thyroid savvy dr and worked so well on patient symptoms. I saw her today and she told me that she ordered all the proper tests and the results are fine and refuses to make any medication change. What do I do next? Honestly I have not felt well in a year and have spent hundreds of dollars trying.
Regarding your tests, the T3 uptake, and Thyroxine Index are outdated and not used very much now. Also, the Total T3 test is not nearly as valuable as would have been a Free T3 test. You also needed to get a Free T4 test.
As for symptoms, those can definitely be related to still being hypo. I am surprised that you don't have other symptoms as well. Perhaps you have become so accustomed to having some symptoms that you don't recognize them as hypo related.
At any rate, the very limited test data that you have that is useful, indicates that you likely would find that your Free T3 is too low in the range, similar to your Total T3 test. Many members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper part of the range and Free T4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. Test results are valuable mainly during diagnosis and then to monitor Free T3 and Free T4 as meds are revised toward relieving symptoms. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
In the letter please note this statement. "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient. I have prescribed natural dessicated thyroid for your patient (Armour, Nature-Throid) because it contains both T4 and T3 (40mcg and 9mcg respectively per 60mg). This assures sufficient T3 levels and thyroid effects in the body. Since NDT has more T3 than the human thyroid gland produces, the well-
replaced patient’s FT4 will be below the middle of its range, and the FT3 will be high “normal” or slightly high before the next AM dose."
So the first thing I think you need to do is to request testing for Free T3 and Free T4. If the doctor resists, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer. I also suggest that you give him a copy of the above letter and ask if he is willing to treat you clinically as described in the letter. If he is not, then you are going to have to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.
If able to get the tests done, then post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
As for symptoms, those can definitely be related to still being hypo. I am surprised that you don't have other symptoms as well. Perhaps you have become so accustomed to having some symptoms that you don't recognize them as hypo related.
At any rate, the very limited test data that you have that is useful, indicates that you likely would find that your Free T3 is too low in the range, similar to your Total T3 test. Many members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper part of the range and Free T4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. Test results are valuable mainly during diagnosis and then to monitor Free T3 and Free T4 as meds are revised toward relieving symptoms. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
In the letter please note this statement. "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient. I have prescribed natural dessicated thyroid for your patient (Armour, Nature-Throid) because it contains both T4 and T3 (40mcg and 9mcg respectively per 60mg). This assures sufficient T3 levels and thyroid effects in the body. Since NDT has more T3 than the human thyroid gland produces, the well-
replaced patient’s FT4 will be below the middle of its range, and the FT3 will be high “normal” or slightly high before the next AM dose."
So the first thing I think you need to do is to request testing for Free T3 and Free T4. If the doctor resists, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer. I also suggest that you give him a copy of the above letter and ask if he is willing to treat you clinically as described in the letter. If he is not, then you are going to have to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.
If able to get the tests done, then post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
The lingering symptoms I have are brain fog and dizziness at times. But none of the four drs I have seen feel this is from hypo. But they give me no reason otherwise for it.
Hi everyone- Took your advice and saw a new GP. She came highly recommended by a fellow thyroid patient. I just received these lab results Thyroxine 7.7 (4.8-13.9) T3 UPTAKE 34 (30-39) Thyroxine Index 2.61 (1.4-4.50) TSH 2.31 (0.34-4.82) T3 0.85 (0.70-1.90) I am currently on Synthyroid 112 mcg. Can I get some assistance with evaluating these labs? Thank You so much .
in answer to your question: "Is this always this hard? "
Yes. Unfortunately it seems to be more the rule than the exception. Some people are lucky and have of find a good Dr pretty quickly. Most others find it a seemingly never ending gauntlet.
Keep the faith. You're doing the right thing for yourself!
I agree with lazymoose.
Yes. Unfortunately it seems to be more the rule than the exception. Some people are lucky and have of find a good Dr pretty quickly. Most others find it a seemingly never ending gauntlet.
Keep the faith. You're doing the right thing for yourself!
I agree with lazymoose.
"Armour and Cytomel are not prescribed much or at all as they are inconsistent"
- Even pharmacists can be cluless. Whoever told you that probably dosent even know what a T3 med is. Pathetic. Many cant function with out it. Walgreens, perhaps in the next bigger city near you will have had Armour or cytomel in stock at some point.
Rude nurses usualy means rude doctors. Look further. You need a Dr with an open mind. Rude people are never open minded.
- Even pharmacists can be cluless. Whoever told you that probably dosent even know what a T3 med is. Pathetic. Many cant function with out it. Walgreens, perhaps in the next bigger city near you will have had Armour or cytomel in stock at some point.
Rude nurses usualy means rude doctors. Look further. You need a Dr with an open mind. Rude people are never open minded.
I took everyones advice and called around to a few local pharmacies. I was told that Armour and Cytomel are not prescribed much or at all as they are inconsistent. I asked them for all for any names of drs who do prescribe them and none could give me any help. I also have started calling drs to ask what tests they do and I have received quite a few rude replies from receptionists who state I must make an appointment and the dr will decide what test to run. Is this always this hard?
Like I mentioned earlier -
Try to talk to some Drs nurses on the phone to see how they test before investing your time and $.
Go to the pharmacy. Ask for any Drs names that prescribe Natural Thyroid (Armour) or Cytomel (synthetic T3). Thats totally legal. Any Doc that prescribes T3 meds will be testing T3, and most likely T4 also.
These are proven methods to find a good thyroid Dr. , worked for me and others. I got really tired of wasting money booking appointments with new Dr's that were clueless.
Try to talk to some Drs nurses on the phone to see how they test before investing your time and $.
Go to the pharmacy. Ask for any Drs names that prescribe Natural Thyroid (Armour) or Cytomel (synthetic T3). Thats totally legal. Any Doc that prescribes T3 meds will be testing T3, and most likely T4 also.
These are proven methods to find a good thyroid Dr. , worked for me and others. I got really tired of wasting money booking appointments with new Dr's that were clueless.
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