[plan4fate]

Hi, my name is Ashley. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism as a teen, however it wasn't until I moved to the USA and obtained my medical records that I realized I was actually diagnosed with Hashmitos. I was treated strictly with TSH and never had a full resolution of symptoms.

I moved/relocated to the USA and I've been off my meds for almost 9 months after they crumbled into powder.

I have no idea how to find a doctor in the US to help me with my problem. My main concern is I'm moving in about 2 months (from Cincinnati to Wisconsin), so while I know I need to be seen now, I'm going to have to find a new doctor again in July. I don't know whether I need to see an Endo, or whether a PCP will address it. I'm having private labs drawn on Friday.

I have a few walk in/urgent cares that I'm going to call as they offer some limited pcp care, but I'm just not sure if that is the route that I should be taking.


I should never have left my thyroid go this long, but I wasn't expecting to be out of Canada this long either. Now that I'm a permanent resident, I need to get it addressed before I put on even more weight, and because we are TTC.

Any suggestions?

[Irishgirl]

I don't know if a PCP will handle Hashimoto's or not. An endo certainly will, but even here in the US most doctors go by TSH and treat with Synthroid or other T4 only. I felt like my endo didn't listen and was just using me for my insurance payments, so I fired him. I kind of tried to find a doctor who would switch me to desiccated thyroid, but no success (I found one who would have but not while I was breastfeeding) and then I started feeling better when my vitamin D deficiency was discovered and treated by my PCP, so I gave it up.

I do sometimes read the Natural Thyroid Hormones yahoo group, and they have a lot of knowledge and a good doc list, so that could be helpful. The first thing they always ask someone with Hashimoto's is if you've gone gluten-free. Apparently that often helps reduce the antibodies and symptoms.

I would definitely try to get in somewhere ASAP though, even if they just test TSH and give you Synthroid, especially if you're TTC. Two months is a long time to be totally untreated and miserable, and it sounds like it's been a lot longer than that. One tip to find a doctor who might be more open-minded and treat by symptoms is to call your local pharmacies and ask which doctors prescribe desiccated thyroid like Armour or NP Thyroid by Acella. That's how I found the one who would have switched me if I hadn't been breastfeeding. If I were you I would try to get in somewhere now but also call pharmacies near where you'll be moving, since the good docs are often very popular and could have long wait times to be seen.

[eli's momma]

I don't know anything specifically about Hash, but I definitely would recommend against an urgent care or walk in place. You need to find a specific doctor to see regularly. I was seeing an Endo, who owns a Diabetes Center, for years. All my records in one place, they knew for sure what needed to be adjusted during my pregnancies, etc. Then when I was uninsured and could not afford to see him, I went off my meds for a few months and ended up going to an urgent care place, basically to get back on my meds. They tested me, put me on what they thought I needed, but told me it was much better to see the same dr. regularly as they didn't have a baseline for me there, and didn't know what was normal for ME.

Irishgirl, great idea on how to get Armour! Never would have thought to ask a pharmacy! I have always take synthroid and wanted to try Armour, but Synthroid is in bed with all the doctors or whatever lol. Might give that a try!

[plan4fate]

It wont help me right now to find a doctor to see on a regular basis, we move in 6 weeks from the area.