Now I AM Confused!
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Now I AM Confused!
| Tue, 08-10-2004 - 12:09pm |
Hi all! I was diagnosed hypothyroid mid-2003 and have gradually been increasing my Synthroid dosage. I've been getting frustrated because my doctor is so un-caring about the symptoms that I'm experiencing and just keeps giving me more medicine. When I asked the doctor about it she said I'm on a "medium" dosage and not to be concerned. When I got the bloodwork back this last time (8/3), my TSH level is still at 19.1 and my T4 is .81. I didn't really think a lot of this until I started looking around the board and the Internet and saw that there really aren't a lot of cases like this. The doctor I'm seeing is my PCP, should I go to an Endocrinologist? I'm now taking 200 mcg of Synthroid and I think they only make one more level (300 mcg)....
Anyone have an opinion or advice?
Do you know if they will remove the thyroid if it is really out of whack?
Sorry for the long post, I'm just hoping for some info....

There wouldn't be any reason to remove your thyroid unless there were some cancerous nodules and even then, they wouldn't remove your whole thyroid unless that was absolutely necessary. Your thyroid is underactive, not overactive ....... so you that means it's not making enough thyroid hormone. Removing it would only mean that it would be making LESS!! You wouldn't want that. So my opinion is that you need to ask around and see if anyone knows a good endo, or ask your doctor for a referral if you need to have that to get to a specialist.
You must feel awful with a TSH level that high. I hope that you're able to get in to see someone soon. Cathy :)
I've never had anything else checked out, but I'm beginning to think that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I don't believe she's done any other thyroid testing (aside from TSH and T4) or if she did, she didn't tell me. I've never even heard of the tests that you mentioned. : )
Oh, well. I'm looking up endos right now...by doing that without a dr. referral, am I stepping on my PCP's toes? Not that I should care, but I know that if I were a dr. and someone told me that they went to see a specialist and they undermined everything I'd been doing, I may be a little upset....
I am going to see an endo, despite what my PCP said. I figure at the very least
its a second opionion. And there's nothing wrong with that. Right?!?!
~Melanie