Hello All...
Crawline
Posts: 1,028
Glad I found this group. I am definitely in need of some support.
I had gone to my doctor last May for my yearly check-up. Every couple of years or so, we do blood work as I have made it known that hypothyroidism runs in the family. I didn't get a call back so I assumed everything came back normal, and that was that. Shortly before Christmas (7 months later), I went to my doctor to get a refill on my birth control prescription and low and behold, he starts looking through my chart and starts talking about my blood test results and how my thyroid is low. Are you SERIOUS?!?! SEVEN MONTHS LATER. (And in the meantime, I have been to see him at least twice in the time between). So he writes me up a new blood test form to get MORE blood work done. I made a remark something about if it's going to take another year to get my results and leave. Not before he had the audacity to tell me that he was on holidays around the time my results came back and hence why he never called. Well buddy, just so you know, you weren't on holidays for 7 months!!!! Anyway, I go out to my car, and call my mom (who also has had hypothyroidism for as long as I can remember) and start bawling because I am so upset.
So, I go get my blood work done. I get a call a few days later (to my surprise!) from the doctors office to book another appointment. Go in, of course, I have hypothyroidism. In the few days in between my doctors appointments, everything just clicks: the lack of energy, always being cold, tired, the weight gain, the dry skin. IT MAKES SENSE. I'm not crazy!
He gives me a prescription and tells me to make an appointment for when the prescription is done (summer of 2012). I seem concerned that I should be seeing him sooner, like in a couple of months, but no he says it is fine. My mom was not impressed with this. I am right, he should be seeing me within a couple of months to see if the prescription is helping or if it needs to be changed.
So now, fast forward to the present. I have gained 10 lbs since shortly before Christmas. I have been eating fairly healthy and exercising (up until the past couple of weeks it wasn't regularly, but it was more regular than before Christmas!). So, I make another appointment, and I went and got the blood work done last week. I got a call on Thursday and the soonest I could get in is for tomorrow. But, of course, they wouldn't be calling me if he didn't want to discuss a change (he told me so).
So, now I've been on the hunt for a new doctor for the past few months. I can't get over my doctor and what he did. I need a doctor who is going to call me when something is wrong, not let something go unnoticed for seven months. Any suggestions for someone who is looking for a new doctor to treat her hypothyroidism?
Anyway, now that I have rambled on for an eternity....that is my story.
I had gone to my doctor last May for my yearly check-up. Every couple of years or so, we do blood work as I have made it known that hypothyroidism runs in the family. I didn't get a call back so I assumed everything came back normal, and that was that. Shortly before Christmas (7 months later), I went to my doctor to get a refill on my birth control prescription and low and behold, he starts looking through my chart and starts talking about my blood test results and how my thyroid is low. Are you SERIOUS?!?! SEVEN MONTHS LATER. (And in the meantime, I have been to see him at least twice in the time between). So he writes me up a new blood test form to get MORE blood work done. I made a remark something about if it's going to take another year to get my results and leave. Not before he had the audacity to tell me that he was on holidays around the time my results came back and hence why he never called. Well buddy, just so you know, you weren't on holidays for 7 months!!!! Anyway, I go out to my car, and call my mom (who also has had hypothyroidism for as long as I can remember) and start bawling because I am so upset.
So, I go get my blood work done. I get a call a few days later (to my surprise!) from the doctors office to book another appointment. Go in, of course, I have hypothyroidism. In the few days in between my doctors appointments, everything just clicks: the lack of energy, always being cold, tired, the weight gain, the dry skin. IT MAKES SENSE. I'm not crazy!
He gives me a prescription and tells me to make an appointment for when the prescription is done (summer of 2012). I seem concerned that I should be seeing him sooner, like in a couple of months, but no he says it is fine. My mom was not impressed with this. I am right, he should be seeing me within a couple of months to see if the prescription is helping or if it needs to be changed.
So now, fast forward to the present. I have gained 10 lbs since shortly before Christmas. I have been eating fairly healthy and exercising (up until the past couple of weeks it wasn't regularly, but it was more regular than before Christmas!). So, I make another appointment, and I went and got the blood work done last week. I got a call on Thursday and the soonest I could get in is for tomorrow. But, of course, they wouldn't be calling me if he didn't want to discuss a change (he told me so).
So, now I've been on the hunt for a new doctor for the past few months. I can't get over my doctor and what he did. I need a doctor who is going to call me when something is wrong, not let something go unnoticed for seven months. Any suggestions for someone who is looking for a new doctor to treat her hypothyroidism?
Anyway, now that I have rambled on for an eternity....that is my story.
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Replies
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Sorry it's been such a hassle for you. I suggest talking to the people you know and find someone else with a thyroid disorder and find out if they like their doctor, and if that doctor is taking new patients. Also, check to see what hospital the doctor is affiliated with. The hospital my doctor uses has a patient portal - I saw my last test results 2 weeks before I got the letter from my doctor saying everything was ok.
Good luck!0 -
Run, do not walk to another doctor. You need to be followed much more closely until you are symptom free and your thyroid levels are more normal. Let us know where you live, one of us may have a doctor for you. I'm in San Francisco an have great doctors....they call (even after work), answer e-mails (within 2 hours sometimes or sooner!) can diagnosis and listen too! Took me a LONG time to find the right doctors....years to be exact. Feel better soon...sending hug0
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Are you kidding me? What a jerk!! These doctors get so used to their superiority over us mere mortals -- what shvits said -- RUN, DO NOT WALK, TO ANOTHER DOCTOR.
You don't know if you have hashimoto or adrenal problems that frequently accompany hypothyroidism.
You can look on www.stopthethyroidmadness.com website to try to find a doctor. Or join the Group for Stop The Thyroid Madness on Facebook -- a large international community and sometimes people on there can help you find a doctor.
Don't pay that baboon one more dime!!
Hope you feel better soon!!
Terri0 -
I see you live in Canada.....didn't notice that before. Even with your good medical coverage I think you can change doc's if you can find one that can take you. A specialist frequently knows more then a g.p. If you are unable to find a doctor then at least have yours order more tests after a few months to see where your levels are. Just a little bit off can make me feel really bad. Try and get him to refer you to an endocrinologist...it might be a really long wait, but it may be worth it.0
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Thanks all for your support and suggestions. I am in the process of trying to find a new doctor, but unfortunately there is a major shortage up here in Saskatchewan, and therefore I have to take what I can get. I am hunting daily for a new doctor but unfortunately have not succeeded yet. Thankfully, we have free health care that I have not had to pay my doctor a dime for his "services," so I guess that is one good thing about this whole situation.
I will try to get him to refer me to an endocrinologist, unfortunately, there is only one practicing in my city of 250,000 people, so I could be on a very long waiting list! LOL.
I don't know if I have hasimoto or adrenal problems - really I don't know a whole lot. What I do know, is everythign I've done from reasearch myself or my mom has told me. Thankfully I have her as a support system because frankly, as much as he loves me, my bf doesn't even know what a thyroid is, I'm sure! LOL
Anyway, I have my appointment this afternoon, so we shall see what my doctor suggests.0
