Thyroid Problems, I've Googled and Read but Would like to Hear from You Guys..

Updated on June 30, 2012
T.M. asks from Jamestown, CA
13 answers

We've waited 3 wks to finally see the doc after my husband had some blood work done.
She said his thyroid seemed concerning but wanted to re-test in 2 mos before deciding on what to do.
So of course I've read up on thyroid since I havent found it necessary before this and his symptoms seem to fit ALL of it.
Why would a doc want to wait another 2 months?

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So What Happened?

Didnt put him on meds for it, wants the second test in 2 mos. I'm just so concerned about the symptoms and when I told her he fit all of them, she still said "I prefer to wait for a 2nd test". In the mean time his voice is all hoarse, his skin is all dry, he's really depressed and lethargic.
It's hard because he's bipolar on top of it, so I think it makes it harder on the doc to know what is real and what is "mental" for him. But I know him like a book and these new symptoms are just that, NEW...
I just hate waiting 2 mos. I think that is LAME.
Yeah, yeah, patience is a virtue I suppose. I just don't like watching someone I love suffer so much. It's some frustrating sheeot.

Featured Answers

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N.W.

answers from Eugene on

Find another doctor. Find an endocrinologist, one who specializes in thyroid disorders. 2 months is a long time to suffer. Plus, if DH is diagnosed with hypo thyroid, it can take several months to get the dose right so he feels normal again. Why wait?

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L.E.

answers from Provo on

Waiting 2 months is completely unnecessary and dangerous. Go to a different doctor-- one who recognizes the obvious symptoms. Sometimes doctors are just dumb about thyroid conditions. A doctor once convinced me to have an endoscopy for my throat pain when the real problem was that my thyroid med was too high of a dose. I asked him to test my thyroid and reminded him that the thyroid was in the same location as my pain, but somehow he ignored that and convinced me to do a procedure that was much more costly in time and money, and inconclusive. Be your husband's hero and get him help fast.

4 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Des Moines on

Second opinion time. If he has the symptoms....treat it. It takes weeks to notice changes on meds.....so why wait 2 months and then another 3 to get results. Thats a long time to wait to feel better.

3 moms found this helpful
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B.A.

answers from Chicago on

First have him call the doctor and have a list of questions ready to fire off. Any doctor eorth their salt will answer them. Get a copy of.his medical record and make an appointment with a metabilic endocrinologist. Before meds a full panel for thyroid function should take place. A thyroid ultrasound and possibly a nuclear med test if those results are not definitive. He should.eat clean, limiting as many interrupters to body hormones as possible. These include heating and storing foods in plastic,eating highly processed foods, hormone enhanced meats and swutching away from the dirty dozen of produce and replace those with organic.
I am on synthroid and have found I can't take the generic.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Portland on

I would get a second opinion. I have a hypothyroid problem, or the doctor said that I did, but I never noticed any of the sypmtoms, so I forgot to take the Synthroid that the doctor gave me and didn't worry about it. A couple of weeks ago I started reading about the symptoms and oh my goodness, I had almost all of them. I started taking the medicine again and it was better within a few days. I felt like a new person in a week. Its not that hard to read the blood test, and if its a low thyroid, there really isn't any reason not to give the meds out. I would go get a second opinion if I were you. Can you get in a same day appointment with a different doc at the same place? I would try that. Stand up for your husband or help him do it.

3 moms found this helpful
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C.R.

answers from Seattle on

My mom has Graves Disease and they do the testing and retesting all the time. Levels can fluctuate quite a bit and the medication is tricky to get right and has to be adjusted all the time. This can cause some unfortunate side effects. I can't even begin to imagine the effect the meds might have if mixed with medication for bipolar disorder. If for any reason at all his levels aren't way off then the doctor might want to see if they worsen or level out in two months. I had my thyroid checked and it was "slightly elevated" and I had to wait 6 months to be tested again. My mom and I have completely different doctors. I think it's pretty standard. No less lame, though! So sorry!

3 moms found this helpful
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D..

answers from Charlotte on

Hey there, dear lady. Sometimes patience ISN'T a virtue. Get a second opinion. Your hubby needs an endocronlogist. Monday morning, call a make an appointment with one. No if's, and's, or but's! If the doctor's office fusses, demand the referral (if you have to have one.)

Sometimes you can't be nice or you get the shaft. Your husband doesn't have the luxury of waiting 2 months while he's having to do all the work he does in his job.

Sending you both strength~
Dawn

3 moms found this helpful
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T.A.

answers from Seattle on

Because levels can fluctuate. Or did he put him on meds? If so then they're waiting to see how that dose changes things.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Dallas on

I'm wondering if the real reason she doesn't want to test again for 2 months is that the insurance company won't pay for the test again for two months? I don't know that, but there seems to be no other reason to wait to test again. Since she didn't put him on meds, were the results considered "borderline"? It's puzzling that she wants to wait so long to retest, especially since Synthroid takes a few weeks to become fully effective once he does begin taking meds and since it usually takes a few rounds of dosages (at 6-8 weeks each dosage) to get it set at the right dosage.

2 moms found this helpful
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T.W.

answers from Syracuse on

Ask for a referral to an endocrinologist, they specialize in the function of the thyroid. I had a doctor who did the same thing with me over a different thyroid issue, she didn't think it was a big deal. I worried for months before asking for the referral, I got completely different treatment from the endocrinologist and ended up needing a biopsy. I wouldn't wait, especially since you seem so sure these symptoms are new.

2 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Because there are some conditions where the thyroid turns on and off somewhat randomly and it's best to wait before treating it.
In order to set a regular dosage, you have to have some steady numbers to work from.
If they are up one week and down the next, thyroid medication on top of that roller coaster could push him higher into the peaks (hyperthyroid) or lower into the valleys (hypothyroid) - and extremes either way have their own set of problems.

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R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

That's kind of weird, because if his TSH is high, then he needs it. I don't know why she would want to wait and retest. Hypothyroidism is pretty common, and the treatment is simple. Did she tell you the results of the bloodwork? What were they?

Maybe you should get a second opinion, or just insist that you want him to get the thyroid meds now, if the blood tests indicate that he needs it. They can put him on it and then retest him in a few months.

Getting thyroid pills can change your life if you need it, so I don't see any reason to go through two more months of misery.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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