new to group- looking for answers

[Guest guest]

Hi all... If you care to read my long story, it's as follows:

For the last year I had been having symptoms that I recognized as

possibly being related to my thyroid. Several women in my family

have thyroid problmes, so I was not suprised at all. I began (slowly

at first) to lose my hair, then came the hirsutism on my chin and

tummy. Then came the lethargy, the depression, the lack of sex

drive, the dry skin, the weight gain, the heavy periods, the inomnia,

and the overall general feeling of malaise. I had just moved to NYC,

and was having some family problems and a stressful time with work,

so I thought the depression and such came from that stress. But I

was not about to sit there and lose my beautiful hair, and I also

didn't like the dry skin....

Sooo... I went to see a dermatologist. She suggested that I go see a

reproductive endocrinologist, she thought perhaps I was producing too

many male hormones, or that perhaps my birth control pill wasn't

right for me. So I went and saw the reproductive endo, and he didnt

see anything in my test reults that showed I was having these

problems.

....so I went to my GP. He suggested that I see an endocrinologist.

So I got the referal and went to see a supposedly great endo on

manhattan's eastside (avoid Dr. Gruenspan like the plague if you're

in NYC!).

First he suggested that I might be over producing cortisol in my

body, because I have a small " buffalo hump " on my back. So he tested

me for cushing's, though I thought that was crazy because I don't

have the clinical features of a cushing's patient. I just think I

have that because of poor posture due to a very large chest. Anyhow,

he then tested me for my thyroid, and did other general tests like my

insulin and cholesteral and what not. So after a week, I didn't get

any results, so the next week I called to get them, and I was told

that he only give results through the mail. He would be sending me a

letter with his opinion and copies of my test results.

Of course, I found that to be unacceptable, as I work for a pathology

lab at Columbia, and I know turn around time isn't that long. I kept

calling, asked to speak to him, called, nothing... he never returned

any of my calls. So finally, I got my results. He mentioned nothing

about my thyroid. He said that I likely had Polycystic Ovarian

Syndrome. I did some research, and found that it was virtually

impossible for me to have PCOS, as I menstruate like clockwork every

month, and have been doing so since I began at the age of 10.

....so I went to see my ob/gyn and took all my tests with me. He

agreed that it was highly unlikely that I had PCOS, but set me up for

a ovarian sonogram just in case, and also took me off the pill to

retest my LH and FSH and androgens. He said the endo should have

taken me off the pill before he ran any of these tests. He then took

the time to go over ALL of my test results, including those for my

thyroid.

He said that he didnt know how the endo came up with PCOS because my

tests clearly show that I have Hashimoto's. My anti-tg antibodies

and my anti-tpo antibodies were way, way, way above normal range. He

told me that according to the tests, my thyroid was still functioning

normally, but that it could quit at any time. He also said that my

thyroid was slightly enlarged. He told me to get a second opinion.

So I made an appointment with a doc at Columbia, and in the meantime,

I chopped off my hair, because by this point, it was falling out so

much, that I just couldnt take it anymore. (As you can see, I really

miss my hair!)

I went to see the new endo, and she agreeed with my ob/gyn, I have

hashimoto's. But I left her office more disheartened than I was

before. She told me that there is nothing that she can treat me

for. She said that my thyroid is still functioning normally, and

therefore, no treatment is required. My GP also thinks that no

treatment is necessary until my thyroid stops functioning.

Well, I am sorry, but I require treatment. I have called out of work

sooo many times cus I just feel so bad and tired because I can't

sleep. I have no sick days left, and it is only july! I am depressed

beyond belief, and I am normally a very upbeat person. My hair line

is really far back and so thin, and that pains me. I only have sex

with my man cus I feel like I have to in order to keep my

relationship alive. I have hair in places that it shouldn't be, and

mostly I just feel like a shadow of the person that I am supposed to

be. I am only 25 years old. I don't leave my house except to go to

work. I used to be super active, loved to go out, and have fun. I

just want my life back and no one seems to want to help me.

In a desperate attempt to find some help I looked up every endo who

specialized in thyroid problems email addy here at Columbia, and

emailed them a brief scenario of whats been going on. Every one of

them who actually wrote back said that if my thyroid is functioning

normally, then there is no treatment. I just want someone to help me

feel better. I don't understand why there is no treatment, I am

extremely frustrated, and just want to feel like myself again.

I guess if the general concensus is that I have to wait and get worse

before I can get any treatment, then I just have to deal with that.

I want to know what my options are. It makes no sense to me that I

have all of these problems, and that there is nothing that can be

done.

Anyhow.. thats about it. If anyone has some insight for me, I would

greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

Scharisse