Hashimoto's Disease

I agree you absolutly need to know about local docs and hospitals. I've watched family members get caught up in a "loyalty trap" with their doctors and no amount of begging would get them to consider elsewhere. With my Dad... his "Angel" of an oncologist couldn't be bothered to give him the "your terminal" speech. Her partner did that and he had the bedside manner of a clueless fool.

We are in the Tampa area... and I don't know who's good and who isn't. There are so many doc's of all stripes here because there are so many retiree's!

There's a Cleveland Clinic in Palm Beach and a Mayo in Jacksonville. I could also go back up to Atlanta to Emory... but again... I don't know WHO to see and don't want to get caught up in a spider's web.

I watch Dr Oz and I see so many people who've been misdiagnosed for years...or told to go away and live with it... and I've seen it in my own family and friends.

I have an appt with a "highly recommended" dermatologist next week to look at some spots on my face. Maybe I can ask about and endocrinologist there.

I feel a little overwhelmed about it right now with so many other issues going on.

Thanks for the help and advice folks. It helps.

cts

Yes the Endocrinologist was our guy also but having 5 needles into the thyroid for the biopsy showed cancer cells. I was a nervous wreck sitting in the waiting room. good luck to all with this problem but it has a good fix for my wife.
chevman

covetsthesun wrote:
I am a true needle phobe. Heart rate skyrockets just looking at a needle.

You are not alone! Had a doc tell me a very long time ago to just look away and open my mouth. I asked why open the mouth, and he said "it relieves the pressure.

And some people on the other end of that needle are better than others!!!

larry barnhart wrote:

wny_pat wrote:

covetsthesun wrote:
How do you know what's going on without physically examining the thyroid?

Examining the thyroid - you best have a Endocrinologist!!!

After a few years of weird problems my wife and I drove over the mountain's to Seattle's Virginia Mason hospital. In an instant the doc knew what it was. Hashimoto's Disease. This was in 1979 and thyroid cancer arrived in 1983 so the thyroid was removed.

All good since 1983.
chevman

Glad it worked out. Wife's doc wanted her to go to a surgeon for her thyroid with lumps. We all know what a surgeon does. She instead went to a Endocrinologist (had to travel a ways to find one) who had a specific expertise in treating the thyroid. It was determined that her's was benign and did not need to be removed. The lab it was sent to was 500 miles away!!! She has to go back periodically to ensure what it isn't getting larger. If it stays the same, she keeps it. If it continues to grow, it will have to be remove because it is already large and could cause swallowing problems.

People really have to educated themselves about medical doctors, hospital ratings, and medical options! Some of us live in places where the local doctors and hospitals are just plain inadequate!!! I know of one local lady who has had a grand total of 3 failed knee replacements at our local hospital because of infection. The 4th was at a different hospital on the west coast and all is well now.

Francesca Knowles wrote:
My daughter-in law has Hashimoto's, well controlled by thyroid medication. She's been doing the gluten-free thing for over a year and it hasn't made any difference in her thyroid activity/levels of meds required.

There doesn't seem to be much science related to the gluten connection- but maybe the Docs that are urging their patients to try going off it are doing "field research".

It isn't taking the pill that bothers me so much as the "monitoring". I am a true needle phobe. Heart rate skyrockets just looking at a needle.

There probably is an element of field research... I feel like a lab rat sometimes!

cts

larry barnhart wrote:

wny_pat wrote:

covetsthesun wrote:
How do you know what's going on without physically examining the thyroid?

Examining the thyroid - you best have a Endocrinologist!!!

After a few years of weird problems my wife and I drove over the mountain's to Seattle's Virginia Mason hospital. In an instant the doc knew what it was. Hashimoto's Disease. This was in 1979 and thyroid cancer arrived in 1983 so the thyroid was removed.

All good since 1983.
chevman

How did the doctor know "in an instant"? I have no outward signs of enlarged thyroid etc. I have had dry skin during the winter for years... and low thyroid markers on my blood work...but not too low. I don't feel sluggish... what weight gain I had (and lost eventually) was from eating too much. My hair is thinner now.

The Hashi antibody markers are around 300 and above 20 is high. So something is up.

Did your doc say that Hashi causes thyroid cancer? Is that always the case??

cts

wny_pat wrote:

covetsthesun wrote:
How do you know what's going on without physically examining the thyroid?

Examining the thyroid - you best have a Endocrinologist!!!

After a few years of weird problems my wife and I drove over the mountain's to Seattle's Virginia Mason hospital. In an instant the doc knew what it was. Hashimoto's Disease. This was in 1979 and thyroid cancer arrived in 1983 so the thyroid was removed.

All good since 1983.
chevman

covetsthesun wrote:
How do you know what's going on without physically examining the thyroid?

Examining the thyroid - you best have a Endocrinologist!!!

My daughter-in law has Hashimoto's, well controlled by thyroid medication. She's been doing the gluten-free thing for over a year and it hasn't made any difference in her thyroid activity/levels of meds required.

There doesn't seem to be much science related to the gluten connection- but maybe the Docs that are urging their patients to try going off it are doing "field research".

RoadXYZ wrote:
Had surgery in 1979 due to enlarged nodules caused by Hashimoto's ... local surgeons kept doing tests, but the surgeons in Seattle did surgery in a few days after their examination.

Due to having worked around radiation they were not sure which it was - thyroid cancer or Hashimoto's as I had been taking Synthroid tablets for years previous to growths on the thyroid.

The surgeon had a BIG SMILE on his face when he talked with me after surgery, and all the nurses had SMILES on their faces too ..

We now celebrate Sunsets as we have seen oodles of them since 1979 !

Didn't know about the gluten free diet thought so much as changed in medical procedures/etc since 1979.

Glad to hear you are doing so well! Lots has changed for sure...but if you had nodules the surgery would be just as necessary today. Could have been radiation. They know a whole lot more about that now too. My Dad was in Japan when they dropped the bomb.. he had numerous "auto immune" diseases over the years. Apparently some can be passed on. My doc says Hashi's has a genetic tendency. Lucky me. Anyway... it is my understanding that 70% of the low thyroid in the US is caused by Hashi's. Have to wonder about that with all the radiation many were exposed to over the years.

Since Hashi's is an "auto immune" disease and gluten is a highly suspicious culprit in a lot of AI's these days... it was recommended I get off it. 14 days now. Don't really miss it. But, I'm looking for a good toast/sandwich alternative. It's hard to make a real sandwich without a bread of some sort. Lettuce wraps just don't cut it.

I don't want to get caught up in "medical hXXX". I've seen way too much of the medical/test trap with family to want to get caught in that spider web. But.. I do want to get better.

Right now... I'm doing my own research... and eating gluten free... and going almost total organic. I hope that makes a difference.

I already have psoriasis (very mild).. so I have a history of AI's I guess.

I am also looking for a different doc for a second opinion. This doc is good...but she hasn't really "examined" me. Only looked at labs. How do you know what's going on without physically examining the thyroid?

Anyway...thanks for your response and glad to know you're ok.

cts