Archive | April, 2012

Cursed

30 Apr

I am beginning to think I have a thyroid doctor curse.

On April 2, I had my blood drawn by a new holistic doctor, with the goal of obtaining a compounded thyroid medication. I was encouraged by this appointment…the doctor was super knowledgeable and talked about the possibility of thyroid antibodies causing my symptoms, gluten intolerance, or the need for a different mix of T3/T4 or Synthroid combined with dessicated thyroid. I was SO excited that I was going to have a chance to get a mixture of hormone that was exactly right for me, so I gladly shelled out the CASH UP FRONT for a myriad of tests.

They drew 10 vials of blood. I passed out cold and was awakened by smelling salts. But that’s beside the point…

One week went by. I tried to schedule a follow-up appointment, but the receptionist insisted I had to wait until they had my results.

Another week went by. I started to panic.

The doctor is pregnant…when is she due again? Why won’t they schedule me? Is the receptionist just being lazy? What is going on?

I called the medical assistant. Again, I was told to wait. But I don’t wait very well. So I called back and scheduled a follow-up without explaining who I was, just to get on the doctor’s calendar. When was the soonest available appointment? April 30.

Whew. Good thing I forced my way onto that calendar. The doctor is due to have her baby in mid-May. April 30 isn’t that far away…I could feel normal just in time for summer!

Anyone want to take a guess as to when the doctor had her baby?? TODAY. April 30. And instead of taking the time to write up recommendations for me, I GET NOTHING. My appointment is simply CANCELLED.  I have to wait until the medical assistant talks to the doctor sometime next week to see if I can even have my own blood results. Really??  If I went on maternity leave with that amount of preparation, I am pretty sure they would fire me.

I think I am going to go to medical school just so I can get myself some decent treatment. Why not? It will probably take me just as long to find a doctor who cares.

AARRGGHHH!

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No Shortage of Time

2 Apr

Well, I guess I panicked for nothing. Because there has been a shortage of Thyrogen for an OUTRAGEOUS two years, the nuclear medicine department at U of M is overbooked. I won’t have my scan until July 16, which means I will start the low-iodine diet (we thyca survivors call it LID) on July 2. Plenty of time to get myself down to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s so the experience doesn’t have to be so horrific. I guess I will be snacking on apples during the fireworks this 4th of July, and I won’t be eating spaghetti the night before my annual 5K. That’s okay, because I am about to drink my coffee, and much to my delight, I don’t have to go “creamless” for another few months.

The journey continues!