Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.
Wow, what makes a nurse become so hostile when I ask if her doctor will CONSIDER Armour if appropriate? Tex, I tried Dr. John Carroll from Aspirus in Wausau, WI (from the good list)...... flat out turned down. Of course, the receptionist wasn't going to let me leave a message for his nurse becasue I wasn't a patient. She reluctantly took a message and told me new patients aren't getting in to see him until late December. Ok. His nurse called me back, annoyed. Barked that she couldn't believe the front desk didn't know to tell me he is indeed accepting new patients. I tried to explain that there was more to my question and I didn't want to waste his time or mine, thus the call. I didn't overload with any detail, just simply asked one question.
She first told me it is not their drug of choice and it isn't used routinely. That leads me to belive there might be a chance. She put me on hold and said she would check with the doctor. She came back with an absolutely NOT!! Followed by....the doctor WILL NOT perscribe Armour because it is too eradic. I was tempted to bring up USP standards but decided to just let it go. If I try the doc in Green Bay that is next on the list, I will have to decide if I want to do it out of pocket becasue that will now be out of network. This is just really sad. I could maybe respect someone in the medical field that could at least be monotone about it. It seems NDT is a trigger to release a whole lot of anger about something...... I'm just looking for some help.
Talked with my own endo's nurse yesterday and she was annoyed when I asked what we were going to do about my T3, which is low. Instead, we're only going to raise the T4 med to see if it helps. Tex, could you add an emoticon that shows a small female with thinning hair choking someone with a white coat? That probably wouldn't stick with the guidelines of trying to stay positive but who knows.......
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
That's sad. In some ways, some people in the the medical profession remind me of Congress — too caught up in their own self-importance and self-indulgence to be bothered with the needs of their patients.
As to emoticons, we have this one:
Unfortunately, I couldn't locate any appropriate emoticons that involved the specific criteria that you specified. I did find these, though:
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I know how you feel Deb. My Endo won't even TEST my T3 or T4 levels.... only TSH. My dose of synthroid was put up to 50mg. about 5 months ago ( which brought my TSH down to below 3) and I can tell that it's already becoming too low a dose again. My hair is thinning more and I am more cold again. I am due for another TSH in a month ...eye roll.
I hope you find someone to help you
leah
I love it!!! Thanks Tex, that gave me a great laugh.
Dr. Carroll may be great doctor once you get past his horrific staff. That is the exact reason I left Aspirus. It is the care I didn't get there that plays a big role why I'm dealing with what I am now. Oh well, doesn't pay to dwell on it.
I know the increase in levothyroxine doesn't work overnight but will it really take a month to notice the effects? I guess what I'm asking is if I don't notice an improvement within a week or so, is it appropriate to call or will they tell me I have to wait?
As a side note, the feeling that I'm under water is back again. I'm starting to wondering if that's related to my thyroid. It will be interesting to see what comes and goes..... I've been trying to sort out what may be mast cell related, MC, or thyroid. Easier said than done. I'm really curious if this extreme nagging deep shoulder blade pain will subside once everything gets worked out.
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Sorry to hear that Leah, how do you know where to gauge yourself without all your numbers? On how you feel? I'm starting to connect the dots with what hypo means. I've lived with it so long that it just became the norm. I knew it wasn't right but I seriously forgot what it feels like to be well. I had a very brief period of feeling a bit better so now that I'm slipping backwards, I can at least identify some of the issues.
What do you do for hair loss? Anything? Once you get the right dose does new growth start?. I'm getting really uptight about it. My mom is almost bald and my hair has always been fine and thin. This added to the mix makes me want to cry. I have a hard time keeping my French braid in without a ton of hairspray. It's the only way I can wear my hair. I miss highlighting it too but keep telling myself to quit whining about the color and be thankful I still have some on my head. It's hard though, you want to look in the mirror and feel good about what you see. I'm still waiting to get back into my contacts again. (It's been two years and I don't think that will happen either). good thing most of us are stubborn enough to keep plugging away!
I can say that I'm glad I didn't have this plop in my lap at the same time I started dealing with the MC. At least I have a handle on how to live with MC before I had to start learning how to live without a thyroid. Haha. I've been thinking about is it the chicken or the egg..... If I had the information I learned here when I was first dx with CC and got it under control right away, would I have the thyroid problems I have now? I spent about five years floundering before I hit the MC bottom. Then came a lot of soy in my diet.....soy is bad for the thyroid. Then there was lots of prednisone- bad for the adrenals...... So many questions. Really, it doesn't matter because I can't change it but I hope someone can learn from my mistakes. Or maybe I would have done everything right and still be in the same shoes.
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Below is a link for recommended endo's who will prescribe natural desiccated thyroid. I haven't seem Armour discussed much but they talk a lot about Naturetrhoid which is also a NDT. The host of this site is Gena Nolin who used to be a Bwywatch Babe. She developed Hashimoto's and has since become an advocate for those of us with thyroid problems.
I know the increase in levothyroxine doesn't work overnight but will it really take a month to notice the effects? I guess what I'm asking is if I don't notice an improvement within a week or so, is it appropriate to call or will they tell me I have to wait?
You should notice a difference in about a week, and the body usually reaches homeostasis within about 2 weeks after a thyroid supplement dosage change.
Based on the fact that your doctor appears to be treating you based on test results (rather than based on symptoms), I would guess that he will stick to his own schedule for making treatment adjustments (but I could certainly be wrong, since I know virtually nothing about his actual methods). A month strikes me as a long time to wait between dosage adjustments, but as you know, I ain't no endo.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Wow Linda, thank you!! I just did a quick peek and scrolled throughout the list and ran across someone who posted the name of a doctor 30 minutes away in Stevens Point, WI. I will have a new name to call tomorrow. What a crazy small world! This particular doctor may not pan out either but gives me hope. The chances of info like that being at the top of the list and in front of my nose is insane. Thanks so much!
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Tex, thanks again. I have no problem making daily phone calls if I have to. I just don't want to overreact or be unreasonable. I guess the worst that can happen is I get kicked out of his practice or they get tired of me and deal with what I'm asking them. Can they really ignore such obvious issues considering even the test results are so very off? Well, obviously if I'm waiting until November 13th for my next labs.
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Deb,
I find that it can take me at times in excess of 4 weeks to tell if my med adjustment is adequate. I have fortunately found an endo who will treat my symptoms and not my labs. I have been on thyroid meds for almost 10 years now. I still have my thyroid however I'm still having problems with antibodies attacking it. I've been on many different meds over those years including Armour however it seems like I have developed sensitivities to them and am now on a hypoallergenic drug called Tirosint. I feel like my thyroid is functioning at about 75-80% of what it should so with my next endo visit I am going to ask him to switch me to Nature-thyroid as I just found out that one is hypoallergenic also. It's also something you may want to consider due to the fact you have MC. Glad you were able to find a doctor close by.
Linda, thanks for the suggestion. My endo will not use any NDT and I'm finding that the two clinics in my area must have facility wide policies that ban it's use. I was excited last night to have more leads close-by and was going to start looking into my insurance coverage but then realized that I had cancer. I am going to require diagnostics and tracking for the rest of my life. If I leave my endo, I may be SOL with finding someone to do my follow up. Plus, these tests are very expensive. I can't afford to burn any bridges so I will have to keep looking and hope the tide turns down the road.
I did a quick search of the doc in Stevens Point and he runs an integrative Medical practice which would be a good fit for me but not likely covered by my insurance and he most likely would not be able to do the cancer care. It will be unlikely my endo would allow another doctor to give me NDT and continue to treat me on the other stuff.
I imagine, just like MC, everyone reacts differently to their meds. I still think I'll call If I'm not noticing any improvements after a week. You're lucky to have a doc that's willing to at least try different meds to meet your needs. I didn't realize so many of us are fighting multiple battles.
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Your last sentence
"I didn't realize so many of us are fighting multiple battles." Is an understatement! For so long even though I had been diagnosed with MC and hypothyroidism I felt there was something more going on and it has been a buggger trying to figure it out. My hashimotos has been in iverdrive this year and last count my TPO antibodies were over 4200. And now, I've been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism which accounts for many symptoms that didn't represent MC or hypothyroid. I've also been referred to a rhumatologist but am putting that off until I have the para surgery. I do have elevated ana but I believe that is from the Hashi's.
Wishing you the best of luck on your journey Deb. You must feel like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't know if you have looked into it but there is a thyroid support group that might be able to give you suggestions as to how to move forward. http://www.thyroidboards.com
There are many there who have had thyroid cancer and they are more than willing to help.
Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
She reluctantly took a message and told me new patients aren't getting in to see him until late December. Ok. His nurse called me back, annoyed. Barked that she couldn't believe the front desk didn't know to tell me he is indeed accepting new patients. I tried to explain that there was more to my question and I didn't want to waste his time or mine, thus the call. I didn't overload with any detail, just simply asked one question.
That probably wouldn't stick with the guidelines of trying to stay positive but who knows....... 
good thing most of us are stubborn enough to keep plugging away!
