Re: Re: Has everyone here had their thyroid checked?

[Guest guest]

I just had my thyoid levels checked last week because I have a goiter and some nodules growing on my thyroid. Endocrinologist says levels are fine but I disagree.

Here's the results

Free T4 0.98 0.71-1.81

TSH 1.719 0.340-5.600

What's you take on my levels?

Autumn

Subject: Re: Has everyone here had their thyroid checked?To: asthma Date: Monday, March 7, 2011, 8:19 AM

One other comment --Ask for a copy of your test results for your records. It's not only handy if you change doctors, but allows you to track things like thyroid levels on your own. Now I get copies of every test although I carry around the last year or so since I have autoimmune dysfunction and get blood work every 3 or 4 months as a matter of routine. I had a dental hygiene patient who had a kidney scan, and his doctor never called him about it. He was concerned though since he had symptoms prior to the test and finally after a month or so of calling, made an appointment to get the test results. Turned out he had a malignancy in one kidney, and by the time he got a referral to a nephrologist (about 3 months after the first test), the tumor had grown enough that he ended up losing his kidney. If he had a copy of the test results, he could have called a specialist on his own right away and had the tumor removed while it was still

small enough (according to the specialist.)This is an extreme case to be sure, but we are entitled to have copies of our records, at least in the US. My doctor used to fax me a copy (with my written authorization) when he was only using paper records. Now that he has embraced the electronic age, they store test results in my old paper chart and give me the papers when I come in or ask to pick them up.JoAnn