doctors appointment

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cludwig
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doctors appointment

Post by cludwig »

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm off to see my endocrinologist today.I should get back my iodine uptake test results. Hopefully we can go over all my strange endocrine blood results and see if there's anything else other than the MC that's going on with me....and hopefully he'll put the gluten intolerence factor into the diagnoses.

Is it just me or do other people get anxious going to see doctors? I'm just shaking thinking about it. I know I'm going to go in there and start talking and I'm usually very logical...but when I get emotional I'm afraid I don't seem too bright. I try to get organized and write things down...but it just doesn't come out right. I feel like such a baby. I keep thinking that if I stay calm and articulate that the doctor and I can have a partnership in regards to my health. I never feel that way when I leave.


Time to put on a brave face and go. I'll keep you all informed.

Love,
Cristi
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Cristi,

I hope the visit went better than you anticipated. You're not alone with your anxiety about doctor appointments. Those are intimidating events for virtually everyone.

I have a neighbor who always goes into a situation like that expecting the worst--that way no matter what actually happens, he's almost always pleasantly surprised. LOL.

I hope the news was good.

Love,
Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

Hi,

Well the doctor was nice and helpful, so that was good...but I do have graves disease. He suggests that I go on methimazole. My initial research shows that it is gluten free but does have corn in it. I haven't tried corn since MC so I'm not sure how that will go. I'm still looking into what else is in it. He didn't seem to think the MC or gluten intolerence had anything to do with it...just that they're all auto immune and come together sometimes.

Anyway...I wanted to let you all know. Thanks for the support.
Love,
Cristi
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celia
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Post by celia »

Cristi,

I am so sorry to hear about your new diagnosis of Graves Disease. How are you doing with hearing the news? Are you okay?

Is the doctor certain? This is such an uncommon disease, I wonder if it would be helpful to get a second opinion or do feel satisfied with this doctor's conclusion?

On the positive side, at least you know the beast you are dealing with. I've read that sometimes Graves Disease can go into remission after taking medication for a year or two. One can hope for that. Now that you really know what's going on, you can take steps to get a handle on it. I know it must feel really hard since you are already dealing with D., but I think this will help you move in a positive direction.

You are in my heart and in my prayers! Hugs, Celia
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cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

Thanks Celia,

To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. He said that on the iodine uptake test that normal people uptake between 8 and 32 of the iodine and that I was at 37%. So it's not super way off but he said it was definitely off enough to cause some of my symptoms...anxiety, heart racing and problems gaining weight. I also get lumps in my throat that come and go..and he said that the thyroid was like that...sometimes it gives you these symptoms and sometimes they go away for a while. so the thought that I can possibly take medication and be relieved of these things makes me happy. If only life were that simple...since I am famous for experiencing every side effect from a medication. I'm not going to even read the side effect list so I can't imagine that I'm getting them. haha. I guess I know that I don't like how I've been feeling right now...so hopefully I can get to a better place. Just don't know enough about this to feel one way or the other. Most people I know are hypothyroid. Anyway....thanks for the nice wishes.
Love,
Cristi
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barbaranoela
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Post by barbaranoela »

Cristi ---The ENT. didnt do a biopsey on the larger node on my thyroid??? and the ENDO. wasnt too happy with that--so this week I go back to the ENDO> and she will biopsey the larger *node* ------
Blood work up done so I guess in another week or so I shall know what type of condition I have---Graves or Hashimotos---of course scaring the heck outta me I went and looked up definitions of the both--they are both types of a thyroid condition---

As the ENDO. told me----thyroid VERY common in women~~~and treatable---
Could be that some of my issues---like fatigue--memory---raspy throat etc could be stemming from this condition---
Like U I really dont want any more meds----I immediately pointed out to ENDO. about my COLITIS problems and how sensitive I am to meds.

So I am hoping all works out for U as I do for myself too :smile:

And I always make out a list of Questions, its a good thing to do---and even tho I do @ times I get so nervous that I do the---ah--ah--thing *lol* but then I relax and all is taken care of
Keep a :smile:
luve Barbara
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cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

Hi Barbara,

This crap sure isn't fun is it? I've looked up the meds he perscribed to me and called my pharmacy and what I've found out is that methimazole does not contain gluten but does contain dairy and corn. I know I'm intolerent to diary but don't know about the corn. So I truely don't know what to do. Any one out there have any experience with consuming meds that contain an ingredient that you're intolerent to?

Too confusing.
Love,
Cristi
cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

Hi everyone,
I forgot the rest of the appointment. The blood test that said my insulin levels were too low he said didn't matter because my glucose levels were fine so my body was doing fine regulating that. About the adrenal stress test...he said he's never seen a normal one so he wasn't concerned. He said to go on the thyroid medication ..because it affects everyone in different ways...then re test everything.

He said that gluten wouldn't have done this to my thyroid. So I guess waiting to see if being on a gf diet for a while doesn't work here.

Just wanted to share, Thanks.
Love,
Cristi
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tex
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Post by tex »

Cristi,

The corn starch and lactose in methimazole can be easily avoided. Ask your doctor to write you a compounding prescription, and you can take it to a compounding pharmacy and have the methimazole formulated without the corn starch and lactose. With a compounding prescription, it will also be covered by insurance, just as it would if you bought the regular product.

If you're not aware of a convieniently located compounding pharmacy, you can find with the locator at this site:

http://www.iacprx.org/site/Survey?ACTIO ... EY_ID=1260

Love,
Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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JJ
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Post by JJ »

Hi Cristi...sorry about the diagnosis...one more thing, right? But, I'm glad that you have the results and can start on a treatment plan....let us know how you're doing....take care, Jill
cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

HI Tex,

I found a compounding pharmacy who said they can make me a pill or transdermal skin cream without the dairy and corn. Hurray! So now I have to go back and see if my Endo will write a compounding perscription. Thanks for the idea.
Love,
Cristi
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celia
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Post by celia »

Cristi,

Despite what your Endo beleives about the gluten free diet, Dr. Fine beleives that being on a gluten free diet can help all auto-immune conditions. It may not eradicate the problem, but it can help lessen the impact. He also says that gluten can damage all sorts of organs and hormonal components, like the thyroid.

But the best things is to see for yourself! I'm glad that eliminating grains seems to be helping you.

There's a book called Living Well with AutoImmune Diseases by Mary Shomon that might be of interest to you. I also really liked the one called What Your Doctor May Not tell You about AutoImmune Diseases.

All the best, Celia
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cludwig
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Post by cludwig »

Thanks for the reading recommendations, Celia. There's a sea of them out there...so it's nice to know which ones are good.

Love,
Cristi
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