Posted by KaraS on April 11, 2005, at 22:45:47
In reply to Re: TSH normals, posted by ladyofthelamp on April 11, 2005, at 3:43:34
> > > > A lot of labs and doctors are still way behind the times in terms of thyroid. The American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists changed normal for TSH to .3 to 3 a while ago but the lab at my HMO STILL lists up to 5.5 as normal and the GP`s go by that. Dealing with doctors is such a pain-you have to massage their precious egos so carefully to get what you need. Cecilia
> > >
> > > Dealing with docs is a pain,but i find that if you insist on something being done without resorting to outright rudeness they tend to respond.I said to my doctor that if they didn't do anything then i would have to get a second opinion,they seemed to try a bit harder then!.Put everything in writing aswell as you have more clout then.I went to see a female GP in my practice who was alot more helpful and had a fresh outlook on my problems and instead of saying i needed to change my psych drugs(which never work anyway)she tried every concievable test to find out what was wrong and said if they still came back normal she wouldn't give up.Maybe i have just been very lucky
> > > My TSH jumped from 2.95 to 20.9 in 4 months so testing regularly has to be a good idea.In UK 4.25 is considered the cut off point.Sorry this is so long and maybe strays off the point but i feel better already after just 3 thyroxine(probably going manic for the first time in two years!!!!)
> >
> >
> > I would think that threatening to get a second opinion could work either way. They might get defensive and say "Fine, get your second opinion." I'm glad it worked for you though. What do you mean by getting it in writing? What would you write and would you insist it be added to your chart?
> >
> > You really had a huge TSH jump in a short period of time. I can imagine you would feel a lot better with some thyroid hormone in your system.
> >
> > K
>
> Hi again.I didn't threaten to get a second opinion as i don't think that would be very productive!:-).I just kept telling them how bad i felt and because all 3 of my immediate family are hypothyroid,i told them that i couldn't rest until i had been tested properly.I think writing letters with your concerns about results and your symptoms over time is a good idea as Doctors have a habit of homing in on one symptom to the exclusion of others(in my case thirst).They can always say you didn't tell them something important when you did all along.I think writing letters is very therapeutic(even if you don't send them).As i am sure everyone is aware,hypothyroid problems can make you forgetful and slow your mental processes down,so when i saw my Endo i kept forgetting to tell him things and was dismissed as being fine,as i had good colour in my cheeks!!!!!!!!!!!.You will have to excuse any angry overtones in my messages please as it is not how i mean to sound,but i am a little bit cross at the moment with the medical world in general.Really i am easy going and only stood up to the Doctors because i was so desperate that i had planned my suicide!Best wishes to everyone.
I understand completely. What you did makes a lot of sense (aside from being therapeutic for you).Take care,
Kara
poster:KaraS
thread:481499
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050408/msgs/483121.html