# No more meds...



## Lani NZ (Oct 11, 2012)

I finally saw an Endo today and he has taken me off synthroid.

He said he thinks my dental abscess that I had (which led to finding my hashis) started all this and if that heals and i have no meds my body might heal itself... including the damage to my thyroid. He wants monthly blood tests to see what my body does and if my tsh gets around 10 he will put me back on.  I am sad. I felt really crap at 4.3! My TG antibodies at 25600 are apparently 'not high'... and he says my symptoms are just 'this time of year'.

I have no choice... over here he was the only endo i could find and i've already had no luck with my GP.

I hope to HECK his theory is sound but inside I just can't see how that works. I don't mind trying this but the fact he would let me get so much worse before treating me is heartbreaking. I have already lost 4 months and fought my way through it all. I'm scared if i get sicker i will lose my job.

He also said he ignores T3 and T4... goes by TSH... OMFG!

So anyone else ended up with hashis from their dental abcess and then healed themselves? I'm just so disappointed. I got at least a bit better on levo/synthroid and now thats gone. I'm on my own my my poor beaten up thyroid.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

How long is he going to give your thyroid a chance to "heal itself"?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Lani,

You need to fill all the refills you have on that prescription and look for a different doctor.

If your TSH is above 3 you should be on treatment and you are at 4.3 going off meds and feeling like crap.

Go find another doctor.


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## Lani NZ (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm not sure how long he will wait... he just said get monthly tests and he will contact me if things go the wrong way. He was saying 'if you had come in here with a TSH of 70'... Seriously? I felt bad enough at 4.3... does he not care about how I feel and my wellbeing... does he only treat seriously hypo patients... I thought the rule was "first do no harm"! If this doesn't work... waiting for me to get to 10 will probably have me ordering up my own coffin. I feel defeated, devastated... my partner now thinks it's all in my head and tells me i'm making myself this way.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lani NZ said:


> I'm not sure how long he will wait... he just said get monthly tests and he will contact me if things go the wrong way. He was saying 'if you had come in here with a TSH of 70'... Seriously? I felt bad enough at 4.3... does he not care about how I feel and my wellbeing... does he only treat seriously hypo patients... I thought the rule was "first do no harm"! If this doesn't work... waiting for me to get to 10 will probably have me ordering up my own coffin. I feel defeated, devastated... my partner now thinks it's all in my head and tells me i'm making myself this way.


Did you get the ultra-sound?

TG antibodies are Thyroglobulin Antibodies which are indigenous to the thyroid, not a tooth abcess.

You "must" find a doctor. With TG Ab @ 25,600; cancer is a very very strong consideration here.

Understanding Thyroglobulin Ab.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroglobulin/test.html

Thyroglobulin Ab and cancer
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/2/429.full.pdf

Another Thyroglobulin and cancer
http://www.mdlinx.com/endocrinology...963/?news_id=811&newsdt=092010&subspec_id=419

Keeping you in my prayers.


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## Lani NZ (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks Andros  I just feel in my heart that this theory of his is crap - and I wonder does that mean every time i get some infection or illness back up goes the tsh.

With my antibodies he said now if I was at 125,000 he would be more excited about it all.

The worst thing is that he was the only Endo in this whole city that covers thyroid issues - the rest were diabetes specialists and mainly through our public health system. I just think if he can get people to heal their own hashis by stopping all meds wouldn't he be a famous icon by now? (ah least I can still have a joke)


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lani NZ said:


> Thanks Andros  I just feel in my heart that this theory of his is crap - and I wonder does that mean every time i get some infection or illness back up goes the tsh.
> 
> With my antibodies he said now if I was at 125,000 he would be more excited about it all.
> 
> The worst thing is that he was the only Endo in this whole city that covers thyroid issues - the rest were diabetes specialists and mainly through our public health system. I just think if he can get people to heal their own hashis by stopping all meds wouldn't he be a famous icon by now? (ah least I can still have a joke)


I think this dude has some serious brain cells missing. I "really" do and he is scary; very scary!

You do not need an endo for this. Any doctor who cares about his/her patient can help you.


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Tell your partner to log on here, we'll give them the what for... all in your head my back side. Grrr...

I take it you're in New Zealand. Have you tried contacting a support group in your area? Here is the first one that came up with a Google search; http://www.thyroidsupport.org.nz/ According to their website they try to provide advocates, and they should have access to a list of doctors that actually have brains. Virtual hugs Lani, I think I can speak for everyone when I say we know what it's like to deal with idiot doctors and clueless family members.


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## Lani NZ (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks Storm and thanks everyone!! I don't know how I would cope if I couldn't come here and feel like there are people who understand.

The few people I had 'on my side' here have all said well obviously you weren't that bad and so you shouldn't have been medicated. They now say 'overworked', 'stressed' or it was all the dental abscess.

It was so good to finally have an answer for how I was feeling... I has started improving on the meds... so I just can't even talk about it with anyone because I feel like crying and i've already had the 'depression' theory thrown at me so I don't want to give them any more ammunition.

This place and you people are invaluable. It really helps me keep my sanity and I know everyone else has probably said it before but I really truely mean it. THANK YOU ALL.


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## Lani NZ (Oct 11, 2012)

Hi Andros - Yes I did get the ultrasound and it said:

Comments:
Consistant with thyroiditis without significant
enlargement although thyroid isthmus is mildly enlarged 6.4mm

Findings: Thyroid is not enlarged.
R 1.3 x 1.4 x 4.1cm
L 1.3 x 1.4 x 4cm

Coarse echotexture bilaterally with several psuedo nodules
(subcentimeter)
No retrosternal extension
Increased vascularity


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Lani NZ said:


> With my antibodies he said now if I was at 125,000 he would be more excited about it all.


Your antibody measurement of 25,600 is about as high as I've seen posted here. I can't imagine anyone EVER gets up to 125,000.


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## allowingtoo (Mar 31, 2012)

Look for an Internist if nothing else. That's what I have.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Octavia said:


> Your antibody measurement of 25,600 is about as high as I've seen posted here. I can't imagine anyone EVER gets up to 125,000.


Yes, this.

I think, minimally, you need to be on medication. But the ultrasound is a must. I'm sorry you are getting such poor care. 

ETA, sorry I posted too quickly, I see you did have an ultrasound already!


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## surge (Aug 15, 2012)

OMFG is RIGHT! This guy is straight-up crazy if he thinks your antibodies are nothing to be excited about (just whom might he be comparing you to?). And I can't imagine any doctor allowing a patient's TSH get to 70. There are implications for heart health with a TSH above 10! Not to mention it's often recommended that hashis patients be on T4 replacement, even if all their numbers are normal, to prevent a flare.

I love the suggestion about the support group and trying to find a different primary doctor-- an internist or DO. I also think that suggestion to get all the meds possible is smart, too. So I have nothing new to add except trust your instinct on this one. You're the one living in your body and you know best.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lani NZ said:


> Hi Andros - Yes I did get the ultrasound and it said:
> 
> Comments:
> Consistant with thyroiditis without significant
> ...


You do need FNA (fine needle aspiration) and if you can swing it; it would be good for you to take this ultra-sound info and your other info to an ENT.

Those nodules may "look" like pseudo nodules but I opt for being sure.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12723490


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

It may turn out that none of your nodules/pseudo-nodules are large enough to biopsy (generally 1 cm or larger). If that's the case, definitely keep an eye on things over the next several years.


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