Hypothyroidism....Go Figure!

I have been thin my whole life.  When I say thin, I mean underweight.  I have had trouble keeping on weight, and have had to watch what I eat, to make sure I get enough calories.  If I didn't, I would lose weight. 

Several years ago I mentioned to a doctor that I thought I had a thyroid problem.  It runs in my family, and I was having symptoms.  They ran a test and told me that I did not have anything wrong with my thyroid.  I trusted what they said, and didn't think much more about it for a while.  Then the symptoms got worse...and years past.  I mentioned it to another doctor...and again, they said that my test came back normal.  I started researching it, and found that there is a lot more that goes into a thyroid diagnosis, than the test that most doctors use.  And it turns out, my doctors were only running one test, my TSH.

Turns out your TSH can be in the normal range and you still have a problem.  I have thyroid antibodies, and would not have known it, if I didn't push for the test.  I tried to get one doctor to test for antibodies, but when my  TSH was in the normal range, he dismissed my concerns.  So after years of telling doctors that there was a problem, and years of researching on the internet, based on my symptoms alone, I diagnosed myself with Hashimoto's.  Not much I could do for myself, except continue to push doctors for a diagnosis, and treatment....and hope that maybe my TSH would show up abnormal on a test. 

Finally that happened.  I started going to a new doctor.  He tested my TSH and it was borderline, but enough to make him question what was going on.  He then ran an antibody test....and it came back positive!  Yay!  I know most people wouldn't cheer at a medical test coming back abnormal, but when you have been living with symptoms for years, it is pure relief.

Next step....see a thyroid specialist.  Specialists are supposed to know what they are doing in their field....right?  Anyway, at my first appointment with the specialist, I mentioned to her that I thought that I had Hashimoto's, and yet again, I was dismissed.  She said if anything I would have Graves disease, since I was so thin.  I mentioned to her that Graves may seem like the obvious one, but I don't have the symptoms of Graves, I have the symptoms of Hashimoto's.  We discussed my symptoms, and although I had more Hashi symptoms than I did Graves, she still insisted that it was graves!  She tells me that she just wants to monitor me for a few months.

A few months pass, and I go in to see her again.  TSH is high this time, but she neglects to tell me this.  She tells me that I am still borderline, and she wants to monitor it for another eight weeks.  She also officially diagnoses me with Graves.  Eight weeks later, I am tested again.  TSH is still high, and she tells me that it is similar to the last time.  I flip!!!  What do you mean it was over 5 last time!!!!!!  Finally she diagnoses me with Hashimoto's!  Huh!?!?  Isn't that what I said months ago...didn't I tell you that it wasn't Graves?!?!  Oh and by the way, I have mentioned at every visit that we are trying to get pregnant, and we are doing fertility treatments....and you didn't even tell me my TSH was over 5?!?!?

Needless to say, I am more than frustrated with this "specialist."  She misdiagnosed me, she tried to convince me I was wrong, and that she knew my body better than I did.  Yes I am thin...doesn't mean that I have the thyroid disorder that makes me thin!  So what if it is rare to be underweight and have Hashi's!  Oh...and did you know that you Dr Specialist, are probably the reason that my fertility treatments in November failed....thanks for wasting thousands of dollars of our money, and basically killing some of our embryos!

Finally I am being treated for the Hashimoto's that I have known for years that I had.  But I do think that it is time to find a new specialist!!!