what should I do?
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| Wed, 11-10-2004 - 8:14am |
Once in a while I feel a twinge of...oh I dont know, nervousness? doubt? I dont know! I wonder did my doc do all he could to make sure this is Graves Disease? He never did blood tests for antibodies. He just checked my blood tsh, t3 and t4.THen I had the uptake test. Is that enough? Obviously if I had a nodule that would have showed up on the uptake or something like it. I read they say it's Graves when the uptake is uniform. But then I hear someone say thats not good enough or it could be Hashi's, even though I have NOT one symptom of hashi's. Then don't even get me started on adrenal fatigue. I guess I should stop reading what some people write (on other boards) but I can't help it. There are a few who must have an imaginary medical graduation certificate hanging on their wall b/c they read a few books and chose to believe what someonelse tells them! Someone said just b/c I have a goiter is not enough. Which alone she is correct, but I have the blood tests to prove it. I can't imagine my Endo who went to school for years, is just pulling this out of his backside, is guessing this is Graves and letting me get surgery. (He rooted for RAI) Even if it is Hashi's I'll end up Hypo anyway, just my dead thyroid sitting there.
Just feeling confused and irritated.
April

Hi April:
I think "confused and irritated" is the name of the game sometimes! I also think that we can get lost in the crossover symtpoms and it's really hard, when so many of us have had reason to doubt our doctor, to really trust the diagnosis-- which is crazy-making!
Based on what you've written here over time, though, it really does sound like Graves. Because you and I have had some similar symptoms, however, I had already decided to ask my doctor this morning to re-run the antibodies tests and find out if my antibodies are just Hashimotos or if I have the Graves antibodies, too. So I definately think that testing the antibodies is a good idea for you.
I know what you mean about adrenal failure... I was totally convinced that's what was happening to me (and why the Levothroid wasn't working)... but my cortisol came back normal. You do wonder sometimes whether all the appropriate tests really have been done and whether you can trust your doctor-?
My mom had cateract surgery yesterday and the nurse said to her: "you'd be surprised how many systems are affected by your thyroid... you have to really be on top of your thyroid treatment it in order to be on top of everything else." She then told her that aliopathic medicine isn't enough and she sould find a holistic doctor :-) we thought that was kind of funny.
Well, hang in there & try not to get too caught up in the advice people give (including me LOL!) :-}
Dee.
Thanks for the reply.