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I was diagnosed hypothyroid ~6-7 years ago. I immediately was told that going on levothyroxine would cure everything and I would be fine. I have been in a constant battle since then to maintain my health. I am constantly gaining weight and overly fatigued even when my endo ups my levothyroxine levels. I saw an ad in the paper talking about how if you have Hashimoto's (which I do) then levothyroxine would not treat your symptoms. I went and got an appointment right away. The doctor talked about how there are several routes you can go to treat your thyroid problems and that swallowing a pill just wasn't going to help my health anymore. He ordered bloodwork for me (TPO ab, Thyroglobulin and Leptin Serum Tests). I went and got the tests done and I ended up high on all of the results (TPO = 334 where 0-34 is normal, Thyroglobulin = 1692 where 0-40 is normal, and leptin serum 70.3 where 1.1-27.5 is normal). He basically told me that I have diabetes or at least pre-diabetes and that I am resistant to insulin. He wants me to do more blood tests and he is going to create a nutrition and diet plan for me. He is going to help me figure out which vitamins/supplements I should be taking. This all sounds good, but the price is way high for this (~$7200). I cannot afford to go through with this, he says that my health should be worth any pricetag. I want to know if there is somewhere I can go that I can find this information or another doctor that can help me. I already go to an endo and that hasn't been helping. Please help if possible!
Thank you!
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Take your test results to your regular dr and demand answers. This may be an auto immune illness and should be treated as such by your regular doctor. Educate yourself on everything that's going on with you and confront your dr. you know yourself more than anyone else does so use your knowledge and get some results.
June 29, 2011 - 10:22pmThis Comment
krisco013 - Thanks for sharing your story, providing so much information, and for your work to advocate for your own health.
Treating any type of thyroid condition is complex and patients face a lifetime need for information and education. It's never going to be as simple as taking a pill, unfortunately.
EmpowHER does not evaluate medical results or provide diagnostic and treatment information. We help people learn how to help themselves and provide the information needed to be their own health advocate.
I can't tell if you have a family or regular physician or even medical insurance. Ideally you should at least get a second opinion from another doctor on the statements related to diabetes and insulin. You have the right to copies of the tests you have already taken and can provide them to the second doctor.
Without passing judgment on the doctor you saw, here's what you need to do before you do anything else - learn more about your condition and the best practices for treatment. You can do that through your computer and support organizations which include medical experts and fellow patients. It's going to take some time and some work, but YOU need to be the one in charge of your health and YOU need to be the one who is in charge of what's being done. It is indeed your health that is at stake here. You need to check out the medical credentials of any doctor you see to determine if they are qualified to treat you and have expertise in your specific needs. And you need to learn if there are measures you can take on your own, at no cost, through self-education, especially if there are financial concerns you're facing.
The American Thyroid Association is a good place to start. http://www.thyroid.org/
This page on their site provides links to other resources that can help you.
http://www.thyroid.org/patients/links.html
The American Diabetes Association can assist you as well. http://www.diabetes.org/
This is a lot to digest, but should get you going on the right path. Let us know if we can help further. We wish the best for you.
December 7, 2010 - 6:51pmPat
This Comment