# New Thyroid Doctor List: Criteria listed!



## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

Are you still symptomatic on T4-only medication? Is your doctor still only testing just the TSH lab test? If so, you might need to find a new doctor.

For anyone who is still suffering due to mismanaged thyroid care, please see the link below regarding the new patient-recommended doctor list on ThyroidChange's website. There are over 200 doctors listed.
http://www.thyroidchange.org/list-of-doctors.html

Please consider sharing to anyone you know that may be interested. Also, please feel free to add your doctor recommendation if he/ she meets the following criteria on this page: http://www.thyroidchange.org/submit-your-doctor-recommendation.html

Criteria is:

1. Willing to order thyroid labs such as Free T3, Free T4, and Reverse T3 in addition to TSH and thyroid antibodies, and is responsive to patient symptom report.

AND

2. Willing to prescribe natural dessicated thyroid medication, T3-only medication (Cytomel) AND/OR combination methods, such T4-only (Synthroid) with T3-only (Cytomel).

Thank you!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Zugora said:


> Are you still symptomatic on T4-only medication? Is your doctor still only testing just the TSH lab test? If so, you might need to find a new doctor.
> 
> For anyone who is still suffering due to mismanaged thyroid care, please see the link below regarding the new patient-recommended doctor list on ThyroidChange's website. There are over 200 doctors listed.
> http://www.thyroidchange.org/list-of-doctors.html
> ...


How kind of you to offer this help to so many here who need it! Haven't seen you for a while and I hope you are doing well.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Why is it that when I sort the list by State, I get part of California and states beginning with A and B.......no way to get states starting with D....


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## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

Hi CA-Lynn,
You are sorting the right way by clicking on the black arrow next to "State". This is a patient-recommended list and their haven't been any doctors recommended yet for Delaware.

Thanks.


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## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

CA-Lynn said:


> Why is it that when I sort the list by State, I get part of California and states beginning with A and B.......no way to get states starting with D....


Oh, and CA-Lynn, there is a scroll bar to the right. You have to use the scroll bar to see the rest of the docs past California. Hope that helps.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Hmmmmm....somehow I missed that scrollbar yesterday.

That said, I looked at all the listings from CA and was amazed to see that they are all naturopathic and integrative.....I think just one endocrinologist in CA was listed.

Looks to me like this list was put together by the non-endocrinologists who want to drum up business.


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## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

CA-Lynn said:


> Hmmmmm....somehow I missed that scrollbar yesterday.
> 
> That said, I looked at all the listings from CA and was amazed to see that they are all naturopathic and integrative.....I think just one endocrinologist in CA was listed.
> 
> Looks to me like this list was put together by the non-endocrinologists who want to drum up business.


It absolutely was not created by anyone to "drum up" business for other docs. The list was created by patient submissions alone and the listing results are very enlightening. This is the whole mission of ThyroidChange and this demonstrates the exact problem with Endocrinology. Most endos are abiding by what the insufficient AACE/ATA guidelines state. There is a huge problem in the field of Endocrinology. The integrative MDs seem to be the ones that understand the problem and are not afraid to test beyond the TSH lab test or prescribe medication beyond T4-only. I, for one, am someone who has a "normal" TSH of 2.9, yet I am terribly hypothyroid. It took 16 doctors to finally get diagnosed. Finally, I found someone who ran my Free T3 which was totally in the gutter. You can read more about the evidence here:

Supporting Research Here 

Supporting Articles and Videos Here 

Patient Testimonials Here

The ATA is finally becoming aware of this issue (due to the massive public protests on their FB pages recently) and their Spring Symposium this month which is entitled, "Treatment of Hypothyroidism: Exploring the Possibilities".

Here is a comment from a prominent endo with his own practice who dares to think outside of the box:

"Thanks for contacting me. Yes, I am interested in joining you to better educate the public about mismanaged thyroid disease. It's about time! I checked your website. I agree its time we change the treatment approach to thyroid disease. Unfortunately most endocrinologists, especially the big names sitting at big universities and AACE want status quo, ignoring all the compelling evidence that current treatment approaches are flawed and suboptimal. Frankly, they are interested in their own positions, grants and ego-enhancement. They really don't want to find newer ways to understand and treat thyroid disease.For example the treatment of Graves' disease has not changed in over 50 years. Sad but true! After seeing the robot-like mentality of my colleagues at [withheld name of institution], I decided to do clinical research in Endocrinology on my own, in my clinical practice, free of the strings of grant money. Results have been amazing..."

[name withheld]

The evidence is staggering and thousands upon thousands are desperately sick. We desperately need change in the Endocrinology guidelines which only call for TSH testing and antibodies. We also need treatment options beyond T4-only.

From the list above, there are 6 endocrinologists mentioned of the 30 docs listed in California.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Pardon me. Not one endocrinologist in my county is CA....................out of well over 100 board-certified licensed endocrinologists in this county. I would argue that the development of this list originated by people who went to integrative or non-endocrinology licensed MD's.

I can assure you the endocrinologists in my area are for the most part VERY aware of what tests to run, etc., etc.

The minute I saw one of the "doctors" mentioned in my city......well.......what can I tell you. His reputation is not upstanding. I certainly wouldn't want to associate good endocrinologists with this list.


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## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

It's very sad, but true. Most endocrinologists are not very aware of what tests to run to catch the 20% or more patients who have thyroid disease that is not detectable by TSH alone. Many are also not willing to provide treatment options besides T4-only (which many patients cannot tolerate), that is why we have so many patients undiagnosed and suffering. I saw 4 endocrinologists, none of them tested anything beyond TSH and antibodies. If you know of any endos who do follow the items mentioned in the criteria list, please, by all means, add them to the list. We are not against endos, it's just that patients simply have not found very many who meet the criteria listed. I'm not here to argue, just here to help others find help that they need.

Regarding the one doctor you mentioned where his reputation is not upstanding: this is a patient-recommended list. Any patient can list a doctor if they feel that the doctor meets the guidelines listed. There is no guarantee that any doctor listed will provide superior results or has excellent bed-side manner, for example. It is purely a *guide* to help patients find doctors who run full thyroid labs and provide treatment options including T4-only, T3-only, NDT, or T3-only/T4-only combination methods. It is also mentioned in our disclaimer that any particular doctor listed should be researched carefully to read other reviews and to verify treatment practices.

Here's a recent article written by a noteworthy endocrinologist/researcher pointing to the severity of the problem. They are just now beginning to realize that the AACE and ATA guidelines (that most doctors follow) need to be changed.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I can't say that's true for my area at all.

And what hasn't been mentioned here is that most doctors are constricted by the insurance companies in terms of which tests they may order.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

I also see a lot of NDs and a few MDs for my state. Not a single endo. If anything, the more people pushing for better diagnosis and treatment is a good thing. *Eventually* the system will have to change and come around, similar to the way it's happened for many other medical conditions. In the meantime we have to separate the wheat from the chaff ourselves. Thanks for posting the list -- like anything, YMMV and take things with a grain of salt, but it gives people one more starting point.

There is also the Armour and Nature-Throid websites, calling a local compounding pharmacy or two to see who they work with or recommend, asking around for word-of-mouth, and asking potential doctors directly about how they test for and deal with thyroid issues.


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## Serenia (Sep 27, 2011)

And NO names on the "international" list at all. which kind of sucks. As for NDs here in Ontario, Naturopaths are NOT permitted to prescribe hormones at all - although in BC (British Columbia) they can. Each province has different regulations.


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