...and got immediate surrender!

Thanks to all the great posts and info. that I have been reading, I went to my appt. today armed to the teeth with info/symptoms/previous blood work.

I had made this appt. 9mos ago. Yes, you read that correctly, 9months!

I've been battling fatigue and multiple Hypo symptoms for YEARS (+12) without a doctor that had a clue or even cared to get one, like many thyroid patients, unfortunately.

I had blood work from 2 different doctors (useless TSH labs, no less) from over the last 2yrs, and was prepared to declare war, and one of the first things this new doc said to me, after I read my list of symptoms, was, "I'm going to start you on thyroid meds.". Seriously, this was so far from left field and completely unexpected, that I almost broke down and started weeping right there in the office!

When I asked her if she was going to prescribe Armour, she had a slight grin and said, Yes. She also told me that BHRT (which her office's Nurse Practitioner has been treating me for the last year) and thyroid hormones all work together. Can you imagine?!?! I Finally found a doctor that "gets it". I was dumbstruck.

She went ahead and had my labs done since I went in fasting. I know she's running the Hashi's antibodies and Free T3 and Free T4 but I don't know what else. They took 5 vials of blood.

I did get a script for Armour 30mg once a day to start ramping up, and I go back for lab results and follow-up in 4 weeks.

I can't tell you what a relief and weight off my shoulders today has been. It's refreshing to have hope restored. Fingers crossed for this new beginning and getting my life back! Thanks too for all those before me that have posted and the wonderful information they have imparted!

Oh, I'm so happy for you! Really for two reasons; 1) you are finally getting what you need, and 2) you prepared yourself SO WELL! Congratulations!

Twelve years is such a long time to suffer....I'm glad you will finally get some relief.

Good for you! May I ask how you located a Dr? I've just been tested for Hashimoto's with negative results, and my Endo at Cleveland Clinic, FL seems reluctant to do any more testing even though I have many symptoms.

Congrats! Always wonderful to find a good doctor.

Marcsfl, have you thought about a possible iodine deficiency since you don't have Hashi's?

I have been on a supplement Ioderal 12 mg, which I just discontinued, as some of my reading has indicated it might be causing problems. I'm still waiting to discuss results with the Endo's office before taking further action.

Just from reading, it seems I might be having too few carbs and kicking in a problem with T3. I've cut my insulin by so much since starting this diet (from 140 U daily to 10 U daily) that I might be affecting the Thyroid funtion as well. Jenny Ruhle indicated in her book that this can be reversed by gradually adding back some carbs, so I'm slowly going up the Atkins Ladder, while checking blood glucose and weight to see what I can do. Not an easy calculus to run!

Thanks everyone! I feel like since I prepared myself so well, it was apt to happen that I didn't get the fight I was expecting. Life seems to work out that way sometimes.



Sheer, dumb luck. I relocated to the Chattanooga area last year and needed a doc to continue my hormone replacement therapy. All of the docs were booked solid but I did get in to see a nurse practitioner. I went ahead and made the doctors appt. but she was booked 9mos. out! I seriously thought about cancelling numerous times. I even saw another, how shall we say, Idiot, during that time that was kind enough to run a TSH test and pronounce me "normal".

I didn't expect much from yesterdays appt. to be honest. And I didn't have my hopes up very high, especially since I only had 2 TSH types of testing from Aug. 2010 (which was pretty high but still within "range") and Oct. 2011. We'll see that the rest of the tests show in a month. I'm just so happy that I didn't blow off that appt.!

Nancy- as a follow up, I finally connected with my Doc's office and will have another series of blood work done to check FT4, FT3 and reverse T3 to pursue treatment.

What is driving me crazy is that I don't have a FAX anymore, and the Cleveland Clinic has no external email. Everything to me goes by mail, so the lag time is long. And getting blood work in South Florida is a real nightmare, long leads on appointments, long wait times in crowded labs and the Labcor facilities I have to use are filthy. I have seen the future of health care, and it is not pretty!

I know out here you can make appts at Labcorp facilities, online even! Can you do it there?

I'm so glad you found a good doctor - sounds like she is a winner!

I'm so glad you had success!
What is BHRT please?

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy

Woohoo BeachPeach!! Congratulations on a big win! So happy for you. Please keep us posted, we love hearing progress stories and developments. I get some vicarious happiness through hearing you've had some good luck too ; )

Thanks for sharing.