SuzyQ wrote:
>My heart goes out to all of you who are now going through what I went
through >(well, I'm still going through it, but at least I'm being treated
for it). Some >of the medical profession can really make you feel like you
are crazy - which I >had come to believe they must be right - this really is
sad and is an insult to >our very souls. I just hope my testament will give
you the power to continue >the fight.

I haven't been around the block too many times yet, but I realize that there
are a large number of endos with a specialty in filling up their waiting
rooms with patients whose tests have been brought within specified ranges
but who are still fully symptomatic, barely functional and totally
miserable.  And as far as these wonderboys are concerned this is not a
problem -- after all, it's just another raftload of neurotic women.

Gee, what these poor doctors have to go through on our account.

Well, for me it is a BIG problem.  I may be just one more 40ish woman with a
goiter, but this middle aged female life is the only life I've got.  And I
intend to love it and to live it as fully as God intends.  My dose of
synthroid totally quit after about 2-3 weeks, which was just long enough to
remind me what normal used to feel like.  The doc did not think it was a big
problem, failed to return my phone calls, refused to adjust the dosage,
didn't think it was worth seeing me before a full 6 weeks had elapsed and,
when he did intend to see me, was planning to do nothing more than another
TSH.  (I can hear it now: it's 5.4, you're fixed, go home.)  He doesn't like
answering questions much, either.

Life is much too short for me to put up with that kind of lazy and cavalier
approach to treatment.  If there were an illness, 90% of whose sufferers
were men (rather than women) in their most productive adult years, would
this approach be tolerated?

Which is why, barely a month into this thyroid thing, I have just fired my
first endo.  I intend to be rather selective about the people I want on my
recovery team.  Thanks to Cathy T. for the recommendation of the doc on the
upper east side in NYC.  I made an appt with him and I'll let you know how
it goes.

These people work for US.  We do not have to put up with hired professionals
who demean us, trivialize our symptoms and make us feel like stupid jerks
for asking perfectly sensible questions.

As someone said on the Thyroid ng the other day, "nice patients finish last."

And for those of you who find this troubling, go ahead -- keep on being a
good-girl, complaint patient.  Because while you go on suffering for months
on end, that tin god in a white coat has not spent another moment's thought
on you.  And if he did, you'll be sure to get a bill.

Esther