Doctors!! Why wasn't I treated?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone

I am going to see Dr. Chapman on Friday. On looking through my medical notes

I have recorded that in February '94 my TSH was 5.3 (0.3-3.5) and T4 9.6

(9.4-24.0).Had anti-bodies of 1 in 25,600. My Specialist at the time was very

kind and caring, however his comment was " I do not want to put you on Thyroxine

because you will have to take it for life " . ( I was diagnosed with Chronic

Fatigue Syndrome in 1988).

In March 1997 I was very hot and flushed with burning red skin admitted to

London Clinic (private hospital) under the same Specialist. Had acute

inflammation of thyroid gland. Hasimotos thyroiditis. 2 thyroid tests were

taken, don't

have the first results, but Specialist thought results thought at the time

that I could have had a heart attack (thank goodness I didn't). 2nd test in

April showed TSH 47 (0.3-3.5). In May 1997 started on Thyroxine.

In May 1997 I consulted with Dr Skinner who suggested that I switched to

Armour and take some form of Cortisone, my Specialist practically laughed at the

suggestion of Armour. Looking through the notes I have made makes me recall all

I have gone through.

I am very upset, I got on so well with my Specialist in fact we could talk

about all sorts of things, I regarded him as a kindly Uncle. He put me on so

many different anti-depressants and in the end when I had a 'breakdown' admitted

that perhaps he had changed the drugs too quickly. I ended up being admitted

to a psychiatric hospital and with my own consent agreed to have 6 ECT's one

every other day, however that did not alter my deep depression. Not many people

know what I have been through.

As I look through my medical history I think " What if I had been properly

treated in 1994 " .I have spent so much time since then bedridden, lost so much of

my life and have suffered so much pain from fibromyalgia., depression and

anxiety. I know it is no good looking back. My antibodies were first noticed

by

one of the world's leading Professors in Allergies way back in 1988 though

they were only 1 in 400 antimicrosomal. For the last few years I have begged

various specialists to lower my thyroxine and add a little T3 but they wouldn't

just upped the anti-depressants. Still it's no good dwelling on the past, I

hope you don't mind I had to get this off my chest! My family and friends do

not

acknowlege that I have a " thyroid problem " , so I have had to come here and

have a good moan!

I look forward to my consultation with Dr Chapman and getting better, and am

excited when I read that people in this group have found a positive change

when changing from Thyroxine to Armour. I love the friendliness and humour in

the

group.

Love Caroline (London U.K.)

[Guest guest]

Another one for the stupid docs quotes ...... how sad ....

-----Original Message-----

From: carolinelever@...

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 1:32 PM

My Specialist at the time was very

kind and caring, however his comment was " I do not want to put you on

Thyroxine because you will have to take it for life " .

[Guest guest]

Caroline...

Excuse me a second.. I have to do this first.. then I may be able to

control myself a weeeee bit better and sound rational..

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

*clearing throat*

Okay.. I think I'm okay now...

All the symptoms that you described.. the depression, fatigue - bed

ridden...

You were diagnosed with Hashi's.... your thyroid was/is dying.... there

is nothing that is gonna change that... unless there is something that I

(a non doctor) am not aware of..... You're gonna end up on some type of

thyroid medication for life eventually, anyway... so pooooopppp on

him....

It's better to address this sooner, rather than later... I'm dealing with

all kinds of physical crap now from being underdosed for so many years..

then losing insurance and being without meds... I had my thyroid

destroyed (I had a genetic defect causing me to be hyper - I'm not even

dealing with any diseases....) due to thyroid storm and then went hypo..

so everything I'm dealing with is strictly lack of hormone, no disease

issues at all..... I know first hand just what lack of hormone or

insufficient hormone, can do to the entire body over a period of time and

how hard it is to get back to 'normal'. I have folks around me that don't

acknowledge that there is a blessed thing wrong with me... I wasn't

sick.. heck.. all they did was give me a little pill and I was fixed...

As far as I'm concerned you can whine and moan all you need to to get it

out of your system so that you can deal with what you need to.. We're

here as a shoulder, as an ear, as a voice... as research assistants and

to share our own experiences....

Remember.. and this goes for everyone here.. I'm sure that Janie feels

the same way (she's the boss here BTW) you are no longer alone, you don't

have to feel the victim anymore and you don't have to feel as though it's

all in your head... there is someone here that has experienced each of

your symptoms, if not more than one, and will be able to share with you

how it goes, how it changes and what to do to help make it better.

If it happens to be something that might not get much better.. there's

someone here that is in the same boat with that too and at the very least

you'll know that you're not the only one in the world and most of all YOU

ARE NOT CRAZY!!!!!!

Hang in there.. we're all here for ya!

Topper ()

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:31:49 EDT carolinelever@... writes:

< snip >

> Still it's no good dwelling on the past, I

> hope you don't mind I had to get this off my chest! My family and

> friends do not

> acknowlege that I have a " thyroid problem " , so I have had to come

> here and have a good moan!

>

> I look forward to my consultation with Dr Chapman and getting

> better, and am

> excited when I read that people in this group have found a positive

> change

> when changing from Thyroxine to Armour. I love the friendliness and

> humour in the group.

>

> Love Caroline (London U.K.)

[Guest guest]

Oh Caroline, my heart goes out to you! I am excited that you are

going to be getting the proper treatment now. It's amazing how this

disease affects every facet of our bodies (chemicals in the brain

which affect mood etc...). I hope you all the best in your journey

to wellness . It's about time, eh?!?!

> Hi everyone

>

> I am going to see Dr. Chapman on Friday. On looking through my

medical notes

> I have recorded that in February '94 my TSH was 5.3 (0.3-3.5) and

T4 9.6

> (9.4-24.0).Had anti-bodies of 1 in 25,600. My Specialist at the

time was very

> kind and caring, however his comment was " I do not want to put you

on Thyroxine

> because you will have to take it for life " . ( I was diagnosed

with Chronic

> Fatigue Syndrome in 1988).

>

> In March 1997 I was very hot and flushed with burning red skin

admitted to

> London Clinic (private hospital) under the same Specialist. Had

acute

> inflammation of thyroid gland. Hasimotos thyroiditis. 2 thyroid

tests were taken, don't

> have the first results, but Specialist thought results thought at

the time

> that I could have had a heart attack (thank goodness I didn't).

2nd test in

> April showed TSH 47 (0.3-3.5). In May 1997 started on Thyroxine.

>

> In May 1997 I consulted with Dr Skinner who suggested that I

switched to

> Armour and take some form of Cortisone, my Specialist practically

laughed at the

> suggestion of Armour. Looking through the notes I have made makes

me recall all

> I have gone through.

>

> I am very upset, I got on so well with my Specialist in fact we

could talk

> about all sorts of things, I regarded him as a kindly Uncle. He

put me on so

> many different anti-depressants and in the end when I had

a 'breakdown' admitted

> that perhaps he had changed the drugs too quickly. I ended up

being admitted

> to a psychiatric hospital and with my own consent agreed to have 6

ECT's one

> every other day, however that did not alter my deep depression.

Not many people

> know what I have been through.

>

> As I look through my medical history I think " What if I had been

properly

> treated in 1994 " .I have spent so much time since then bedridden,

lost so much of

> my life and have suffered so much pain from fibromyalgia.,

depression and

> anxiety. I know it is no good looking back. My antibodies were

first noticed by

> one of the world's leading Professors in Allergies way back in

1988 though

> they were only 1 in 400 antimicrosomal. For the last few years I

have begged

> various specialists to lower my thyroxine and add a little T3 but

they wouldn't

> just upped the anti-depressants. Still it's no good dwelling on

the past, I

> hope you don't mind I had to get this off my chest! My family and

friends do not

> acknowlege that I have a " thyroid problem " , so I have had to come

here and

> have a good moan!

>

> I look forward to my consultation with Dr Chapman and getting

better, and am

> excited when I read that people in this group have found a

positive change

> when changing from Thyroxine to Armour. I love the friendliness

and humour in the

> group.

>

> Love Caroline (London U.K.)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Caroline,

Your story is very sad, actually it is outrageous, & beggars belief.

I hope you find some comfort in knowing that you are very close to

feeling a lot better soon. I know your humour will see you through

this & I'm certain Armour will make a big different.

I looked up Dr Chapman & he defo uses Armour, in case you hadn't

seen - hooray! You must post with how you get on, we'll all be

thinking of you.

I can send you some of my Armour tablets in the post if you can't get

yours straight away after your appointment. I'd be happy to, just

mail me privately or call me!

maybe you'll be able to cut back on some of your anti-depressants

once the Armour kicks in... For me Armour was up & down at first

until I got stabilised, Dr Skinner said 6 months before things calm

down properly.

Let's go raving soon!

Fee x x x