Finally! An intelligent PCP!!!

Well, I met today with my new PCP. I had all but given up on the medical profession... they can't see my problems as anything that is solveable... the standard response is "lose weight and you'll feel better" and I'm tired of it... Today I finally met a doctor who understands my frustration... I'm always freezing cold, completely exhausted even when I wake up from sleeping, gaining weight when I diet, constantly weak, anemic, constipated, itching from dry skin and a myriad of other symptoms of hypothyroidism... but my thyroid levels are within the "normal range" so no one would act!!! This week a co-worker pointed me at this doctor. She's interested in holistic care and actually runs a Day Spa from her office. I get an appointment, it's kinda neat how relaxing the office is (the overhead music is waves and soft relaxing types, very cool)... I talk to her about how I've been feeling, how I felt better a long long time ago when one doctor treated me with meds for hypothyroidism, but after that I could not find another doctor to treat me because I'm "normal" FINALLY someone listens to me!! She tells me all the symptoms I describe, from head to toe, are related to a "thyroid imbalance but not full blown hypothyroidism." This means I can finally get treatment for my thyroid. This ALSO should mean (still have to confirm with insurance) that I finally have a medical REASON to need my surgery!! So I go back Tuesday to see the lab work and get my prescription (adjusted to lab work) and hopefully I will start feeling better next week!!!! Kat

""""I had all but given up on the medical profession..." (quoted Kat Q Public, RN) You crack me up, but so glad to hear that you got a feasible solution to some of these issues. I still believe in your ability to bite down on a problem like a little blonde pitt bull -- you don't give in and you don't give up. Let's give the medical profession one more chance. Onward! Frances

I'm so excited, I talked to the COBRA folks today, and provided I get the needed *recent* 6 mo diet and proof of "medically necessity" I may be able to have surgery in September!! The copay is still $5000 but that's better than doing cash pay... and that's 100% coverage.... so if there's complications, it's covered! I am hoping that since I visited the surgeon April 20 (and did discuss weight loss prior to surgery) then had surgery, and follow up visit May 18 (discussing diet and surgery planning again)... and started with the new doc today.... I'm hoping that it all counts.... If it is allowable, I can count myself as two months in to my 6 month diet!! So BRING ON SEPTEMBER!! Because *I* have a dream!!!! Kat

Alright! September 29th is when I had mine. I hope it all comes together for you now. Tina

Kat, that is great!!! i hope your dream comes true,,,, we're rooting for you!!!!! all the way from louisiana!!! rhonda

Kat I'm so glad you found a doctor to help you. I hope this will get your insurances approval and you can get your surgery. I know you have waited a long time and you deserve this just as much as the next person. Good luck girl I'm rooting for you. Tina

That is GREAT news, Kat! We will be waiting patiently for Sept along with you. Also, I am glad you finally found someone who listened to your symptoms. I had much the same problem with "Syndrome X". Nobody could tell me what my problem was. So, I did some research and went in to my DR in SC and told him what test to run. He looked at me like I had lost my mind, but ran the test. When it came back he called me personally and told me the results. My body was producing twice as much insulin as it should, causing the problems I was having. I realized that Drs are human and like the rest of us **** sapiens are creatures of habit. They like to take the path of least resistance and sometimes that means not thinking out of the box when it comes to patient care. "Well, I've never had a patient with this before, so YOU can't POSSIBLY have it either!" We have to take our care into our own hands occasionally and fight for what we know to be the truth. I'm glad you found someone that HEARD you! Patricia

Kat I'm really glad you found someone to listen to you, really listen. It sucks when we know our own bodies and the MDs don't listen. September will be here sooner than you know. I can't wait for you to have this journey with us Diane

Kat, from one nurse to another---just because your lab values are "normal" does not mean that you didnt need treatment. Several years ago--I was having the same symptoms---my pcp ran the standard tsh---which was at the high end of normal (the higher it is the slower your thryoid is working) and then he said that perhaps the rest of my body could not tolerate the slowing down and imediately prescribed synthroid and rechecked it in 1 month---I was still in the "normal" range but just on the lower end and I felt better. My hair even started to grow back which was good because I was almost bald. We as nurses know that every patient is different and their bodies will work differently. For all the non nurses---if you know that something is wrong--keep searching until you find the answer. Don't just take the doctors word that everything is ok!!! Oh I thought you would like to know that Dr. Martin from n.O. Is now practicing in baton rouge. His office is on periins road.

Yeah I know what you mean, but finding a doc who agrees that my SYMPTOMATIC imbalance required intervention... has taken me literally 15 years. I got to where I stopped trying... even my bariatric doc didn't want to intervene.... when I was fussing to another nurse... she told me about a Dr she knew (a woman) who is a women's health specialist.... well let me tell ya this lady is something!! She's following up on every tiny little detail complaint that I had just dismissed as "aging" now that I'm not in my twenties I go back to her for adjustment on the med Wednesday... and I am planning to visit her for my documented weight loss attempts.... so I can resubmit for insurance approval in September... if I get it, I'll be back to New Orleans in September for my RNY! Kat