TSH Rising and I had to Beg Doctor for Help

[CatieC]

Since my PT surgery in March 08, I've had 3 blood tests. My TSH went from 1.015 to 1.8 and now it's 3.41 (0.27-4.2). I am feeling like ****. I'm tired but some days I'm so hyper I can't stop moving. I'm not sleeping. I have leg pains. I am moody. I have night sweats. I am on .75 mcg Synthroid.

My doctor said my TSH was perfect. I explained my symptoms, she says I have sleep apnea and I need to lose weight. I am ready to scream. I told the doctor I want to get my TSH down more. I had to sit there and cry and tell her how awful I feel and then she says, "do you know that a low TSH promotes Osteoperosis (sp?).  Well after more crying she finally agreed, "just to please me", that she will give the .88 mcg Synthroid for 5 days and .75 for 2 days a week for only 1 month, just to prove to me that my symptoms are not thyroid related. I could not convince her to check my Free T3. Said she didn't need to see it.

Why, why, why can't doctors LISTEN. I am not feeling myself and then I have to deal with her. I walked out of her office with a huge headache and stomach ache, feeling the need to vomit.

Oh when I was telling her all my symptoms she held up her script pad and asked me if I want her to write a prescription for the fountain of youth. This is my doctor who I have been going to for 25 years and I never got this attitude from her.

[CatieC]

Doctor did give me a script for .88 mcg Synthroid (taking .75 now) so I'll see how I feel on the higher dose.

I will take a basal reading a couple more times.

But right now I'm packing for vacation. We are leaving on Sunday for 2 weeks. Yippeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gimel]

A Basal Body Temp. of 97.3 is .5 degrees below the recommended min. of 97.8.  That suggests that you need thyroid med.  I would also check the BBT several more times to get a good average number.

[gimel]

I will be real interested in you BBT results.  A good thyroid Dr. or endocrinologist is hard to find.  You might have better luck looking through the listings on this site.  You can find top thyroid doctors by state and city.
http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/

[CatieC]

I had PT because a nodule was found and the biopsy was inconclusive. It turned out to be benign. I also found out that I had Hashimoto's though.

I have told her about research I found online and she said "don't believe everything you read". Just shrugged me off.

Ever since my surgery I have been trying to find an endo but can't seem to find one that I am comfortable with and one that will treat my symptoms and not the numbers. Finding that "one" doctor that is not a jerk is hard.

gimel, I have a basel thermometer somewhere. I'll dig it out.

[stella5349]

Ok why did you have the PT first off? was it cancer related?

Regardless this doctor whether you have been with her for 100yrs has no clue about thyroid AND she needs to be off your case ASAP!

I am not even remotely impressed with her therapy for you - she will force you into swing mode just by how she is treating you with meds.

Find a thyroid doctor whether MD - endo whatever.

If you really want to dig her call the office and tell her there is an over abundance of research and FACT that if your TSH is NOT kept in the LOW ranges pap caner with RAI is more common!

TSH is really nothing but a number!

You need FREE T3's

[gimel]

Why didn't you ask her why she was not using the new range for TSH, as recognized by the AACE and the ATA, which is   .3 -3.04?  And why would she want you to continue to have those symptoms?  Is she treating your TSH or is she treating you and your symptoms?   Your unhappy experience is not unusual, by the way.  I can't tell you how many times that I and my friends have heard something similar.  From her comment on low TSH causing osteoporosis, I don't think she is very knowledgeable about thyroid at all.  Your TSH is a long way from even being at the low end of the range.  And even then, there is no consensus about low TSH affecting osteoporosis.  There are numerous studies that  concluded that there was no apparent effect on bone loss.  If you want to get a real good idea of your metabolism/thyroid situation, please check your basal body temperature before getting out of bed in the morning., and let us know the results.  It should be 97.8-98.2.