Patience Is A Virtue

Last week I’d written a #dblog about seeing my GP – and my lab work for my blood – along with ongoing tweaking of meds for Hashimoto. If some of what I write here makes no sense - then check it out.

That appointment lead to some eye openers.  She feels that my being tired is probably due to peri-menopause – not my thyroid – as well – it could possibly be due sleep apnea.  I actually agreed with her on that.   So, next month I’m seeing a doctor about that.  I know I do snore  – I mean who doesn’t?   My DH has told me thought that  I sometimes sound like I’m not breathing.  Plus my god daughter I took to the CWD FFL get together last April - and shared a room with - said I was snoring (but not too bad - she's soooo sweet).  So, click click with the health card for that visit.

My GP felt that the Synthroid (T4) amount she prescribed in Feb shows my TSH level has gone down and is good (though I mentioned I'd doubled it in April).    She uses Synthroid herself and feels just fine.  I told her I wasn't - plain and simple    I managed to persuad her to tweak my dose – to see if any improvement could be made.  I think she was beginning to wonder if I was taking over her job.  Sigh – far from it – though if I could prescribe meds to myself – well ....

I then asked her opinion on natural thyroid medications and her answer was "they’re too unregulated".  She basically waved all my questions aside at that point – it was Synthroid or nothing else – no T3 (Cytomel) - an experiment that I was hoping to give a whirl at.  Case closed until mid-July for my next blood work. 

What stumped me the most was near the end - and her exact words –

 “STOP READING”

 That floored me abit – in the past she’d said she wished all of her patients were like myself – educating themselves in their health.  I knew at that point my time was by her polite firm smile and her glazed eyes.  I’d already taken up more than the allocated 10 minutes allowed for each patient.  I think this is where some of patients frustration comes from - is how rushed our health team is.  Would things have been different if my DH had been with me which he was last time?  Sigh.

As I went back to my car - my thoughts in a blur – I thought how I should have told her that like my diabetes – " what may work for one person – may not work for another ".  We can’t all be stuck into the same square box!!!  Sigh.  

FAST FORWARD TO THIS PAST TUESDAY – MY ENDOCRONOLGIST

I brought my DH along for this one and I have a feeling – that with him by my side – he helped convey to my endo how I have been feeling.  I actually think my DH is scared of how he’s seeing me – and frankly it scares me as well.

My endo actually did not poo poo the possibility that if the meds I’m on now don’t work out – he’s willing to give other methods a try.   That left me feeling abit better – I mean he is an endocrinologist – that is his field of study.

Between taking care of my diabetes as well (that's been having some fun times with all the stuff going on due to hormone changes).  Lantus prescription given (since GP is stuck on my only using Levemir - it doesn't work).  I think I managed to accomplish alot in my 10 minute allocation.

And as I left his office, what made me laugh once again – as I hear this too often with my medical team over the past few years since I started the thyroid and peri-menopause aka hormonal plunge  …

 “EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE”

PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE

NB: If you’re looking for any good books on understanding thyroid disease  – I’ve managed to find  some good books from my local library.  I will probably purchase a few – as long as I have the latest edition.  The ones I feel are the best to start off with go in order.  Also, Dana Trentin of HypoThyroidMom just recently posted an excellent blog about books that are worthy of reading – I encourage you to follow her – as I have found her VERY helpful!!

1. Living Well With Hypothyroidism by Mary J. Shomon – even though it was published in 2005 – it’s still very informative
2. The Complete Thyroid Book 2^nd Edition 
3. 3The Everything Guide to Thyroid Disease  – it’s fairly basic – but may be easier to read for some folks who don’t like to read :)