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Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started treatment

about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was a

teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both

are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just has

started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We

also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am

self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the

commitment to see Dr in Lubbock

even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour

drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve

never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the

energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal

issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out

there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health

spending account.

Kim in No Texas.

From:

Texas_Thyroid_Groups

[mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On

Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008

3:23 PM

To:

texas_thyroid_groups

Subject:

RE: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

Hi again everybody,

I guess I’m doing this backwards. That’s me these days

all over! LOL

My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years, and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs me.

I’m not sure what else to say except that I’m thrilled

to find a place to learn and share where I’m not the only one going

through this. No one really understands how hard this has been on me, including

myself. I’ve brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years

ago. I’ve been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but

I’m only 41. I’m too young to feel this bad for so long!

Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community once I get myself straightened out. J

Melody

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Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am counting the days down!!! Marcie "K. Hanson, CTR" wrote: Welcome Melody! I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo

since I was a teenager. I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid. We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that. Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health spending account. Kim in No Texas. From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web DeveloperSent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 3:23 PMTo: texas_thyroid_groups Subject: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member! Hi again everybody, I guess I’m doing this backwards. That’s me these days all over! LOL My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24 years, and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs me. I’m not sure what else to say except that I’m thrilled to find a place to learn and share where I’m not the only one going through this. No one really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself. I’ve brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago. I’ve been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I’m only 41. I’m too young to feel this bad for so long! Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the community once I get myself straightened out. J Melody

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God bless you, Sara, for taking the time to write so much. :-) I already

feel a great sense of relief since joining the group.

Lubbock is a 9 hour drive from here according to yahoo maps. I have a

really hard time even considering such a thing for myself but would not

even think twice if it were for my DH or my sons, or anyone else for

that matter. I've never been one to treat myself right and am working on

changing that. I can at least convince myself to do it for the ones I

love because they would have a really hard time without me and I want to

be here as long as I can to enjoy them. That's where the problem is. I

can't enjoy too much these days. I'm always so tired.

My illness hasn't gotten as bad as yours did. I didn't really know it

could evolve that way. I've gotten progressively worse over the past

year, especially the past 6 months. I ran out of excuses as I ran out of

income and had to admit I wasn't just in a funk or something, really

analyzed my symptoms, and started researching what it could be and where

I should start to get an answer to my lifelong questions about my health

and well being.

My biggest concerns are my fatigue & inability to focus, forgetfulness,

etc. that makes me not want to commit to a new client for fear of

disappointing them. I've always been driven to provide guaranteed

satisfaction. I was " diagnosed " about 5 years ago with ADD and have been

on amphetamines daily ever since. My DH has joked for years that I was

the youngest person he'd ever known with Alzheimer's. His memory has

always been like a steel trap, nothing gets loose. I, on the other hand,

have to play the ABC game with myself to remember names. It used to be

just actors or people I don't really know. I do better with memory

tricks, visual cues, seeing the name written - not just spoken, etc.

The thing that finally made me make my first drs appt was my best

friend, Laurie, telling me I should talk to a friend of ours,

(she called her by name), who has fibromialgia and sees a doctor who

will treat with natural remedies as well as " traditional " medicine. She

has reactions to just about every synthetic drug anyone has ever given

her. I've known for about 3 years and have talked to her a lot

since both our youngest boys have learning disabilities that have been

hard to diagnose and aren't bad enough to have the school district

consider them for services. Laurie and I got off the phone within a

couple of minutes, and I couldn't remember 's name to save my

life! It scared the hell out of me! I went through the alphabet for 20

minutes. I could easily remember her last name and her son's name but

not HER first name. I knew I could find it in the school's directory but

I HAD to remember it on my own!!! This made it really hard to get my

kids ready for school on time. I was distracted with lunches, etc. and

had stopped trying to think of her name, walked down the hall and it

just popped into my head. It made me stop and consider how abnormal this

was, even for ME. Then, I thought, what if this gets worse? What if all

my other symptoms get worse? What could it be doing to the parts of me

that I can't see? Could I be killing myself by not dealing with this? It

wasn't going away, just getting more out of control. I had to take my

life seriously and be honest with myself and my DH. I am not well and

need help. AND NOT FROM A PSYCHIATRIST!

So, I FINALLY have my first GYN appt in 12 years on 2/5. I've been

saying I was going to do it for years but always put it off for anything

and everything. The endo appt is on 3/5. I am determined to see this

through. I'm not sure how long the blood work will take to get back. The

GP did it last Wed. I'll call today to check on it. As soon as I get the

results, I'll send them to the group for your opinions.

I'm also going to call the endo's office again to ask about her approach

to thyroid treatment. Maybe I can prevent wasting time or assuring I'll

have a chance to be heard. At any rate, I'm feeling like a dog with a

bone, knowing I could possibly solve a lot of what's been driving me

crazy.

I'm expecting a " fight " to get help, even from a regular, nonHMO dr. My

planned argument is: Why is it that I can go to a psychiatrist and get

prescribed a controlled substance without " lab proof that I need it " , or

a gyn and request hormones to alter my reproduction and potentially

cause myself permanent harm in either case because of the side effects,

but I can't request thyroid treatment to cure my symptoms because I'm

just a hair over their stupid LINE?!

Thanks again for being here :-)

Melody

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas, and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue Center but it was a waste of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock. He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas. It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

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What insurance do you have, Marcie? I’m

on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask

my hubby to drive me that far…

Melody

RE: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

Hi again everybody,

I guess I’m doing

this backwards. That’s me these days all over! LOL

My name is Melody. I live

in Kingwood, am married for almost 24 years, and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a

Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web developer and work from home so I can be

there when my family needs me.

I’m not sure what

else to say except that I’m thrilled to find a place to learn and share

where I’m not the only one going through this. No one really understands

how hard this has been on me, including myself. I’ve brushed it all under

the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago. I’ve been trying to convince

myself it menopause or aging but I’m only 41. I’m too young to feel

this bad for so long!

Anyway, thanks for being

here. I hope to be an asset to the community once I get myself straightened

out. J

Melody

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Hi Kim

I have only been a member for 1 week and have been busy trying to read and understand what I am reading it is hard for me becasue it is my Sister Carol that has Graves and I think she is Hypo now, I dont know if you read any of the messages I sent last week but the jist of it is that my Sis is for all practical purposes blind in one eye due to Graves ( and a BAD Dr ) and we are trying to find a good Dr for her,I have sent her the #s for Dr in Lubbock and Dr. Lanuas in ville , as I have read from many of you ladies it appears the Dr in Lubbockis the best, I have been trying to convince her that eveyone here says it is worth the drive...she cannot use the computer (cannot sit in front of it but a few minutes becasue she cannot see well) ....I live in Ft Worth and she lives just south of here in Cleburne, she is 50 years old and has 4 daughters and one son and no one else in the family that we know of has ever had this disease,our Mom died

of breast cancer 4 years ago and our Dad of Alzheimers 2 years ago this March, we think the deaths of them both and the stress is what caused her to get so bad so quickly.

Anyway sorry for rambling,I was wondering if you would be willing to communicate with her by phone, I think it would be very encouraging to be able to discuss all this with someone else that understands and maybe could help her decipher some of this information we are still trying to get a handle on what she even needs to ask a dr....anyway let me know

I plan on going down to Cleburne next weekend and read alot of these emails to her but I am just listening here and trying to learn,again I would like to thank everyone for their input....

Darla

RE: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I¢ve probably been hypo since I was a teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I¢ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas /Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I¢ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband¢s health spending account.

Kim in No Texas .

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web DeveloperSent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 3:23 PMTo: texas_thyroid_groups Subject: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Hi again everybody,

I guess I¢m doing this backwards. That¢s me these days all over! LOL

My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24 years, and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs me.

I¢m not sure what else to say except that I¢m thrilled to find a place to learn and share where I¢m not the only one going through this. No one really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself. I¢ve brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago. I¢ve been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I¢m only 41. I¢m too young to feel this bad for so long!

Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the community once I get myself straightened out. J

Melody

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I see on my Aetna PPO/POS for a $15 copay. The wrinkle is that you would have to have an open plan where you do not need a referral, as they consider him to be a primary care doc, not a specialist. If you don't want to drive, you could always fly. Southwest definitely goes there and maybe Continental. Your Web Developer wrote: What insurance do you have, Marcie? I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far… Melody Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am counting the days down!!! Marcie "K. Hanson, CTR" wrote: Welcome Melody! I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was a teenager. I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is

hypothyroid. We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to

expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that. Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health spending account. Kim in No Texas.

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I live in Houston. The first two visits, my parents kept my son who is six and my husband and I drove. It took us 7-8 hours each way...not too bad. This last visit, I flew Continental for $180...not too bad either. Either way, it was worth it and I am soo glad to not be jumping from dr to dr anymore. That was too stressful for me. I feel that I am in capable hands and am really trying to not worry so much about how I feel now but about how much better I will feel within a year or so.

God bless you, Sara, for taking the time to write so much. :-) I alreadyfeel a great sense of relief since joining the group.

Lubbock is a 9 hour drive from here according to yahoo maps. I have areally hard time even considering such a thing for myself but would noteven think twice if it were for my DH or my sons, or anyone else for

that matter. I've never been one to treat myself right and am working onchanging that. I can at least convince myself to do it for the ones Ilove because they would have a really hard time without me and I want to

be here as long as I can to enjoy them. That's where the problem is. Ican't enjoy too much these days. I'm always so tired.My illness hasn't gotten as bad as yours did. I didn't really know it

could evolve that way. I've gotten progressively worse over the pastyear, especially the past 6 months. I ran out of excuses as I ran out ofincome and had to admit I wasn't just in a funk or something, really

analyzed my symptoms, and started researching what it could be and whereI should start to get an answer to my lifelong questions about my healthand well being.My biggest concerns are my fatigue & inability to focus, forgetfulness,

etc. that makes me not want to commit to a new client for fear ofdisappointing them. I've always been driven to provide guaranteedsatisfaction. I was " diagnosed " about 5 years ago with ADD and have been

on amphetamines daily ever since. My DH has joked for years that I wasthe youngest person he'd ever known with Alzheimer's. His memory hasalways been like a steel trap, nothing gets loose. I, on the other hand,

have to play the ABC game with myself to remember names. It used to bejust actors or people I don't really know. I do better with memorytricks, visual cues, seeing the name written - not just spoken, etc.

The thing that finally made me make my first drs appt was my bestfriend, Laurie, telling me I should talk to a friend of ours, (she called her by name), who has fibromialgia and sees a doctor whowill treat with natural remedies as well as " traditional " medicine. She

has reactions to just about every synthetic drug anyone has ever givenher. I've known for about 3 years and have talked to her a lotsince both our youngest boys have learning disabilities that have been

hard to diagnose and aren't bad enough to have the school districtconsider them for services. Laurie and I got off the phone within acouple of minutes, and I couldn't remember 's name to save my

life! It scared the hell out of me! I went through the alphabet for 20minutes. I could easily remember her last name and her son's name butnot HER first name. I knew I could find it in the school's directory but

I HAD to remember it on my own!!! This made it really hard to get mykids ready for school on time. I was distracted with lunches, etc. andhad stopped trying to think of her name, walked down the hall and itjust popped into my head. It made me stop and consider how abnormal this

was, even for ME. Then, I thought, what if this gets worse? What if allmy other symptoms get worse? What could it be doing to the parts of methat I can't see? Could I be killing myself by not dealing with this? It

wasn't going away, just getting more out of control. I had to take mylife seriously and be honest with myself and my DH. I am not well andneed help. AND NOT FROM A PSYCHIATRIST!So, I FINALLY have my first GYN appt in 12 years on 2/5. I've been

saying I was going to do it for years but always put it off for anythingand everything. The endo appt is on 3/5. I am determined to see thisthrough. I'm not sure how long the blood work will take to get back. The

GP did it last Wed. I'll call today to check on it. As soon as I get theresults, I'll send them to the group for your opinions.I'm also going to call the endo's office again to ask about her approach

to thyroid treatment. Maybe I can prevent wasting time or assuring I'llhave a chance to be heard. At any rate, I'm feeling like a dog with abone, knowing I could possibly solve a lot of what's been driving me

crazy.I'm expecting a " fight " to get help, even from a regular, nonHMO dr. Myplanned argument is: Why is it that I can go to a psychiatrist and getprescribed a controlled substance without " lab proof that I need it " , or

a gyn and request hormones to alter my reproduction and potentiallycause myself permanent harm in either case because of the side effects,but I can't request thyroid treatment to cure my symptoms because I'm

just a hair over their stupid LINE?!Thanks again for being here :-)Melody

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!Welcome, Melody -Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they'veprogressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time tocheck out the files and also jump back a few months and just startreading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas, and started having problems in my early 40s,too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can lookback now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing meoff into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress andmenopause. I know what you've been through!I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctorswere trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I foundthis board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried theFibro and Fatigue Center but it was a waste of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas gals from the TTG board, including Jan, andthey helped me decide to leave Dallas behind and travel to see Dr.Steve in Lubbock. He turned my life around and now I'mfeeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no oneelse to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years andseeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels ofhelp with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DHhad to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was inbed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, andeven needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been ableto get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see againfor another few years.Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' likecrazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. Heknows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that'sthe goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any docI've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind andrespectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also inreproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here inDallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discussthe good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. isthe best that we've found in Texas. It's a long way to go to see him,but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had greatresults with his regimen.When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure tolist the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lotsof opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.Sara>> Hi again everybody,>> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL>> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needsme.>> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.No one> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.I've> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only41.> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!>> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community> once I get myself straightened out. :-)> Melody>

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Sign up for Ding on Southwest Airlines; I

have flown from Austin

for $110 round trip. Ding announces new fares every day (with a bell) on your

computer.

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Cauley

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

10:23 AM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: Re:

Re: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

I live in Houston. The first

two visits, my parents kept my son who is six and my husband and I drove.

It took us 7-8 hours each way...not too bad. This last visit, I flew

Continental for $180...not too bad either. Either way, it was worth it

and I am soo glad to not be jumping from dr to dr anymore. That was too

stressful for me. I feel that I am in capable hands and am really trying

to not worry so much about how I feel now but about how much better I will feel

within a year or so.

God bless you, Sara, for taking the time to write so much. :-) I

already

feel a great sense of relief since joining the group.

Lubbock is a 9

hour drive from here according to yahoo maps. I have a

really hard time even considering such a thing for myself but would not

even think twice if it were for my DH or my sons, or anyone else for

that matter. I've never been one to treat myself right and am working on

changing that. I can at least convince myself to do it for the ones I

love because they would have a really hard time without me and I want to

be here as long as I can to enjoy them. That's where the problem is. I

can't enjoy too much these days. I'm always so tired.

My illness hasn't gotten as bad as yours did. I didn't really know it

could evolve that way. I've gotten progressively worse over the past

year, especially the past 6 months. I ran out of excuses as I ran out of

income and had to admit I wasn't just in a funk or something, really

analyzed my symptoms, and started researching what it could be and where

I should start to get an answer to my lifelong questions about my health

and well being.

My biggest concerns are my fatigue & inability to focus, forgetfulness,

etc. that makes me not want to commit to a new client for fear of

disappointing them. I've always been driven to provide guaranteed

satisfaction. I was " diagnosed " about 5 years ago with ADD and have

been

on amphetamines daily ever since. My DH has joked for years that I was

the youngest person he'd ever known with Alzheimer's. His memory has

always been like a steel trap, nothing gets loose. I, on the other hand,

have to play the ABC game with myself to remember names. It used to be

just actors or people I don't really know. I do better with memory

tricks, visual cues, seeing the name written - not just spoken, etc.

The thing that finally made me make my first drs appt was my best

friend, Laurie, telling me I should talk to a friend of ours,

(she called her by name), who has fibromialgia and sees a doctor who

will treat with natural remedies as well as " traditional " medicine.

She

has reactions to just about every synthetic drug anyone has ever given

her. I've known for about 3 years and have talked to her a lot

since both our youngest boys have learning disabilities that have been

hard to diagnose and aren't bad enough to have the school district

consider them for services. Laurie and I got off the phone within a

couple of minutes, and I couldn't remember 's name to save my

life! It scared the hell out of me! I went through the alphabet for 20

minutes. I could easily remember her last name and her son's name but

not HER first name. I knew I could find it in the school's directory but

I HAD to remember it on my own!!! This made it really hard to get my

kids ready for school on time. I was distracted with lunches, etc. and

had stopped trying to think of her name, walked down the hall and it

just popped into my head. It made me stop and consider how abnormal this

was, even for ME. Then, I thought, what if this gets worse? What if all

my other symptoms get worse? What could it be doing to the parts of me

that I can't see? Could I be killing myself by not dealing with this? It

wasn't going away, just getting more out of control. I had to take my

life seriously and be honest with myself and my DH. I am not well and

need help. AND NOT FROM A PSYCHIATRIST!

So, I FINALLY have my first GYN appt in 12 years on 2/5. I've been

saying I was going to do it for years but always put it off for anything

and everything. The endo appt is on 3/5. I am determined to see this

through. I'm not sure how long the blood work will take to get back. The

GP did it last Wed. I'll call today to check on it. As soon as I get the

results, I'll send them to the group for your opinions.

I'm also going to call the endo's office again to ask about her approach

to thyroid treatment. Maybe I can prevent wasting time or assuring I'll

have a chance to be heard. At any rate, I'm feeling like a dog with a

bone, knowing I could possibly solve a lot of what's been driving me

crazy.

I'm expecting a " fight " to get help, even from a regular, nonHMO dr.

My

planned argument is: Why is it that I can go to a psychiatrist and get

prescribed a controlled substance without " lab proof that I need it " ,

or

a gyn and request hormones to alter my reproduction and potentially

cause myself permanent harm in either case because of the side effects,

but I can't request thyroid treatment to cure my symptoms because I'm

just a hair over their stupid LINE?!

Thanks again for being here :-)

Melody

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas,

and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue

Center but it was a waste

of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas

gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas

behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock.

He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was

deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas.

It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself

straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great! Mine is a POS. I can’t afford

a flight but at least now I have an option if I can’t get a good doctor

here in Houston. I would like to think as big as this area is, there has to be at

least 1.

RE:

RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

I see on my Aetna PPO/POS for a $15 copay. The wrinkle

is that you would have to have an open plan where you do not need a

referral, as they consider him to be a primary care doc, not a specialist.

If you don't want to drive, you could always fly. Southwest

definitely goes there and maybe Continental.

Your Web Developer wrote:

What insurance do you have, Marcie?

I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince

myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far…

Melody

Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance

only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am

counting the days down!!!

Marcie

" K. Hanson, CTR " wrote:

Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started

treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was

a teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18,

both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just

has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also

hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas/Ft

Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer

statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock

even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour

drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve

never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the

energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal

issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out

there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health

spending account.

Kim in No Texas.

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find

them fast with Yahoo! Search.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live for that day!

Re: Texas Thyroid

Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas, and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue Center but it was a waste of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock. He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas. It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that’s not bad. Do they give

you enough warning that you can synchronize your appt with the Dr.?

Re: Texas Thyroid

Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas, and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue Center but it was a waste of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock. He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas. It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Melody, I am with Aetna and it is a POS II plan (whatever that means.) Where do you live? I have a PCP in Lubbock too, so I will probably just change PCPS. I am fortunate to live 15 miles SE of Lubbock. Marcie Jan wrote: I see on my Aetna PPO/POS for a $15 copay. The wrinkle is that you would have to have an open plan where you do not need a referral, as they consider him to be a primary care doc, not a specialist. If you don't want to drive, you could always fly. Southwest definitely goes there and maybe Continental. Your Web Developer wrote: What insurance do you have,

Marcie? I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far… Melody Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am counting the days down!!! Marcie "K. Hanson, CTR" wrote:

Welcome Melody! I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was a

teenager. I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid. We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that. Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health spending account. Kim in No Texas. Looking for last

minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not had a problem with timing; this

is a sample of what came today;

Austin to Corpus

Christi for $54 One-Way!

- Fare is valid for travel

Monday-Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, February 5 through March 5, 2008 only

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

11:15 AM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

Re: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

Wow, that’s not bad. Do they give

you enough warning that you can synchronize your appt with the Dr.?

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas,

and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue

Center but it was a waste

of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas

gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas

behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock.

He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was

deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas.

It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I just said in my last message

that timing hasn’t been a problem, it may be because my appointments with

Dr. R. are usually made pretty far in advance. The Ding fares to Lubbock

are not offered very frequently, but since I’ve made my appointment

pretty far ahead of time, I have been able to use these low fares every

time.

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

11:15 AM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

Re: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

Wow, that’s not bad. Do they give

you enough warning that you can synchronize your appt with the Dr.?

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas,

and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue

Center but it was a waste

of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas

gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas

behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock.

He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was

deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas.

It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

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I’m a few miles northeast of Houston, in Kingwood.

Melody

RE:

RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Melody,

I am with Aetna and it is a

POS II plan (whatever that means.) Where do you live? I have a PCP

in Lubbock too, so I will probably just change PCPS. I am fortunate to

live 15 miles SE of Lubbock.

Marcie

Jan

wrote:

I see on my Aetna PPO/POS for a $15 copay. The wrinkle

is that you would have to have an open plan where you do not need a

referral, as they consider him to be a primary care doc, not a specialist.

If you don't want to drive, you could always fly. Southwest

definitely goes there and maybe Continental.

Your Web Developer wrote:

What insurance do you have, Marcie?

I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince

myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far…

Melody

Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance

only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am

counting the days down!!!

Marcie

" K. Hanson, CTR " wrote:

Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started

treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was

a teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18,

both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just

has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also

hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas/Ft

Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer

statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock

even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour

drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve

never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the

energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal

issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out

there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health

spending account.

Kim in No Texas.

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them fast with Yahoo! Search.

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Ok, that’s a nice month window.

Thanks J

Re: Texas Thyroid

Groups New Member!

Welcome, Melody -

Yes, as you hang around you'll get lots of collective wisdom,

experiences, and ideas. Lots of folks try to provide details on

thyroid disease, doctors, blood work done, and how they've

progressed. You can learn a lot here! You might take some time to

check out the files and also jump back a few months and just start

reading posts to get familiar.

I'm 59, live in Dallas, and started having problems in my early 40s,

too, but was probably hypo by college. My mother was hypo. I can look

back now and tell when things started to change in my sleeping,

stamina, sex drive that early on. Just took me a long time to get

sick enough to be made crazy by my own idiot HMO doctors pushing me

off into anti-depressants and other meds. Blaming stress and

menopause. I know what you've been through!

I'd have given anything to have had the Internet back when I first

knew there was something else going on rather than what the doctors

were trying to make me believe. I was really, really ill when I found

this board in June 2004. My pcp had given up on me, and I tried the

Fibro and Fatigue Center but it was a waste of money. I finally

talked to some Dallas gals from the TTG board, including Jan, and

they helped me decide to leave Dallas behind and travel to see Dr.

Steve in Lubbock. He turned my life around and now I'm

feeling more like I used to. Many of us couldn't find docs in the

areas where we lived and have ended up going out there. I have no one

else to suggest to you, after reading this board for 3-1/2 years and

seeing what others have reported. Some are finding various levels of

help with a few docs, but I can only recommend . I was very

sick with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, with the anti-bodies, and my DH

had to load me in the car with pilows to drive out there. I was in

bed or on the floor watching TV for several months here at home, and

even needed a caregiver, I was so fatigued. I've slowly come back,

and now can run around like normal most of them time. I've been able

to get out walking since Christmas, which I thought I'd not see again

for another few years.

Dr. , who has a family practice, is also hypo, his wife,

Sharon, was deathly ill with Hashi and she's blowin' and goin' like

crazy now. One of their children is hypo and a pet cat was hypo. He

knows what we are going through. He listens and uses labs but it's

just part of the whole picture. He wants us to feel good, and that's

the goal, not lab ranges. He is an educator, smarter than any doc

I've been with, and knows a lot about a lot of things. Kind and

respectful. Spends a lot of time with you on each visit. Was a

biochemist, did research in steroids and, I believe, worked also in

reproductive endocrinology, and taught at UT Southwestern here in

Dallas, as well as Texas Tech. We are mostly on this board to discuss

the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to docs. From my experience,

and from many others who are on this board, I think Dr. is

the best that we've found in Texas. It's a long way to go to see him,

but others from Houston and much further away have been doing it. I

drive out there with my DH, who is also seeing him now, and had great

results with his regimen.

When you can share your lab results that will be good. Be sure to

list the lab ranges first, so we can see where you are.

Ask anything you want. We've all got many stories to share and lots

of opinions! Very well educated and helpful bunch of folks here.

Sara

>

> Hi again everybody,

>

> I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

>

> My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

years,

> and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs

me.

>

> I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

place

> to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

No one

> really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

I've

> brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

I've

> been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

41.

> I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

>

> Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

community

> once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> Melody

>

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Thanks Carol J

Re: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Melody,

I live in Houston and I've

been seeing Dr. R. since June '06. I was very sick and didn't know where

else to turn here, so due to all the recommendations of the members here, off

we went. I was too sick to go alone and I couldn't have tolerated the car

trip so my husband and I flew. And we still fly. I had just been

through an appointment with my local " It's not your thyroid. " doctor

who doesn't prescribe Armour because " It's too hard to

regulate. " and had declined yet another referral from him to a

psychiatrist for evaluation of my depression. I was so sick I could

barely get myself to that doctor's office and I was barely functioning at

all.

We understand your

symptoms, your concerns and your frustrations.

I don't want to discourage

you, and do call the Endo with your questions before you go, but, I don't have

much confidence that what they say and what they do will be the same.

Endos are taught to go by Labs and no patient with an argument is going to make

them change their treatment procedures.

Sorry you have to be here,

but you're in good company. (That's not original, I heard somebody else

say it.)

Carol

> >

> > Hi again everybody,

> >

> > I guess I'm doing this backwards. That's me these days all over! LOL

> >

> > My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24

> years,

> > and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web

> > developer and work fr om home so I can be there when my family needs

> me.

> >

> > I'm not sure what else to say except that I'm thrilled to find a

> place

> > to learn and share where I'm not the only one going through this.

> No one

> > really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself.

> I've

> > brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago.

> I've

> > been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I'm only

> 41.

> > I'm too young to feel this bad for so long!

> >

> > Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the

> community

> > once I get myself straightened out. :-)

> > Melody

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

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Melody,

The other thing that most doctors will not

cover is other deficiencies. Many of us are not just hypothyroid. I

was extremely low in ferritin. My B vitamins were awful. I also was

very low in cortisol. ALL of these were contributing factors to why I

felt so poorly that I thought I was terminally ill. Dr R. is just so

comprehensive and thorough.

My daughters also had B deficiencies and

one had low ferritin.

I know many other folks on this board

found out that it was not just their thyroid but several other things.

Yes, my brain function was absolutely

horrible at the peak of my symptoms. I felt like I was trying to do

trigonometry with the most basic functions that I needed to do for work.

You do need to value yourself and take care

of yourself for your family. Who else can take care of them the way you

do?

Kim in No Texas

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of carol77096

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

12:38 PM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject:

Re: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

Melody,

I live in Houston

and I've been seeing Dr. R. since June '06. I was very sick and didn't

know where else to turn here, so due to all the recommendations of the members

here, off we went. I was too sick to go alone and I couldn't have

tolerated the car trip so my husband and I flew. And we still fly.

I had just been through an appointment with my local " It's not your

thyroid. " doctor who doesn't prescribe Armour because " It's too hard

to regulate. " and had declined yet another referral from him to a

psychiatrist for evaluation of my depression. I was so sick I could

barely get myself to that doctor's office and I was barely functioning at

all.

We understand your symptoms, your concerns and your

frustrations.

I don't want to discourage you, and do call the Endo with your

questions before you go, but, I don't have much confidence that what they say

and what they do will be the same. Endos are taught to go by Labs and no

patient with an argument is going to make them change their treatment

procedures.

Sorry you have to be here, but you're in good company.

(That's not original, I heard somebody else say it.)

Carol

>

> God bless you, Sara, for taking the time to write so much. :-) I already

> feel a great sense of relief since joining the group.

>

> Lubbock is

a 9 hour drive from here according to yahoo maps. I have a

> really hard time even considering such a thing for myself but would not

> even think twice if it were for my DH or my sons, or anyone else for

> that matter. I've never been one to treat myself right and am working on

> changing that. I can at least convince myself to do it for the ones I

> love because they would have a really hard time without me and I want to

> be here as long as I can to enjoy them. That's where the problem is. I

> can't enjoy too much these days. I'm always so tired.

>

> My illness hasn't gotten as bad as yours did. I didn't really know it

> could evolve that way. I've gotten progressively worse over the past

> year, especially the past 6 months. I ran out of excuses as I ran out of

> income and had to admit I wasn't just in a funk or something, really

> analyzed my symptoms, and started researching what it could be and where

> I should start to get an answer to my lifelong questions about my health

> and well being.

>

> My biggest concerns are my fatigue & inability to focus,

forgetfulness,

> etc. that makes me not want to commit to a new client for fear of

> disappointing them. I've always been driven to provide guaranteed

> satisfaction. I was " diagnosed " about 5 years ago with ADD and

have been

> on amphetamines daily ever since. My DH has joked for years that I was

> the youngest person he'd ever known with Alzheimer's. His memory has

> always been like a steel trap, nothing gets loose. I, on the other hand,

> have to play the ABC game with myself to remember names. It used to be

> just actors or people I don't really know. I do better with memory

> tricks, visual cues, seeing the name written - not just spoken, etc.

>

> The thing that finally made me make my first drs appt was my best

> friend, Laurie, telling me I should talk to a friend of ours,

> (she called her by name), who has fibromialgia and sees a doctor who

> will treat with natural remedies as well as " traditional "

medicine. She

> has reactions to just about every synthetic drug anyone has ever given

> her. I've known for about 3 years and have talked to her a lot

> since both our youngest boys have learning disabilities that have been

> hard to diagnose and aren't bad enough to have the school district

> consider them for services. Laurie and I got off the phone within a

> couple of minutes, and I couldn't remember 's name to save my

> life! It scared the hell out of me! I went through the alphabet for 20

> minutes. I could easily remember her last name and her son's name but

> not HER first name. I knew I could find it in the school's directory but

> I HAD to remember it on my own!!! This made it really hard to get my

> kids ready for school on time. I was distracted with lunches, etc. and

> had stopped trying to think of her name, walked down the hall and it

> just popped into my head. It made me stop and consider how abnormal this

> was, even for ME. Then, I thought, what if this gets worse? What if all

> my other symptoms get worse? What could it be doing to the parts of me

> that I can't see? Could I be killing myself by not dealing with this? It

> wasn't going away, just getting more out of control. I had to take my

> life seriously and be honest with myself and my DH. I am not well and

> need help. AND NOT FROM A PSYCHIATRIST!

>

> So, I FINALLY have my first GYN appt in 12 years on 2/5. I've been

> saying I was going to do it for years but always put it off for anything

> and everything. The endo appt is on 3/5. I am determined to see this

> through. I'm not sure how long the blood work will take to get back. The

> GP did it last Wed. I'll call today to check on it. As soon as I get the

> results, I'll send them to the group for your opinions.

>

> I'm also going to call the endo's office again to ask about her approach

> to thyroid treatment. Maybe I can prevent wasting time or assuring I'll

> have a chance to be heard. At any rate, I'm feeling like a dog with a

> bone, knowing I could possibly solve a lot of what's been driving me

> crazy.

>

> I'm expecting a " fight " to get help, even from a regular, nonHMO

dr. My

> planned argument is: Why is it that I can go to a psychiatrist and get

> prescribed a controlled substance without " lab proof that I need

it " , or

> a gyn and request hormones to alter my reproduction and potentially

> cause myself permanent harm in either case because of the side effects,

> but I can't request thyroid treatment to cure my symptoms because I'm

> just a hair over their stupid LINE?!

>

> Thanks again for being here :-)

>

> Melody

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You really should just call his office and

find out. His phone # is .

Kim

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

9:07 AM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New

Member!

What insurance do you have, Marcie? I’m on Aetna (PPO).

Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to

drive me that far…

Melody

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Thanks, Kim. I’ll have to try the

closer route first because of the financial issues but would like to see him as

soon as I can afford it. I’ll keep his number handy.

RE:

RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

What insurance do you have, Marcie?

I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince

myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far…

Melody

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We all can certainly understand

that. Good luck. I hope all goes well. Please let us know how

it goes.

Kim in No Texas

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

3:26 PM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New

Member!

Thanks, Kim. I’ll have to try the closer route first because

of the financial issues but would like to see him as soon as I can afford it.

I’ll keep his number handy.

-----Original

Message-----

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

[mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ]

On Behalf Of K. Hanson, CTR

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

3:20 PM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

RE: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

You really should just call his office and find out. His

phone # is .

Kim

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

[mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ]

On Behalf Of Your Web Developer

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008

9:07 AM

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups

Subject: RE:

RE: Texas

Thyroid Groups New Member!

What insurance do you have, Marcie? I’m on Aetna (PPO).

Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to

drive me that far…

Melody

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Share on other sites

Continental does fly to Lubbock from IAH in Houston. Usually there is an ~8:30am flight that lands about 10:20am, and the last flight out is usually 4:15. Continental also has flights from DFW in Dallas to Lubbock, but I'm unsure of the normal times/schedule.

-

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups From: texasthyroid@...Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:02:34 -0800Subject: RE: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

I see on my Aetna PPO/POS for a $15 copay. The wrinkle is that you would have to have an open plan where you do not need a referral, as they consider him to be a primary care doc, not a specialist.

If you don't want to drive, you could always fly. Southwest definitely goes there and maybe Continental. Your Web Developer wrote:

What insurance do you have, Marcie? I?m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far?

Melody

Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am counting the days down!!!

Marcie

"K. Hanson, CTR" wrote:

Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I?ve probably been hypo since I was a teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I?ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I?ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband?s health spending account.

Kim in No Texas.

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I have an Aetna PPO plan as well, and am able to see Dr. with just a co-pay for the visit and then a second co-pay for the labs. His office is extremely nice and helpful. If you call his office they will be able to confirm that they accept your insurance.

The justification that I gave my husband is that I would spend that much money on gas, parking, copays, travel time, PTO time off of work, and a lot of physical and mental anguish (LOL!) to see "bad apples" around the Houston area, so why not spend the money and effort on one doctor that is worthwhile? It made sense to us.

-

To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups From: mk@...Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:07:10 -0600Subject: RE: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

What insurance do you have, Marcie? I’m on Aetna (PPO). Maybe, if he took my insurance, I could convince myself to ask my hubby to drive me that far…

Melody

-----Original Message-----From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Marcie Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 6:26 PMTo: Texas_Thyroid_Groups Subject: RE: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Man...I am really seeing how fortunate I am because my insurance only requires that I pay a $20,00 co-pay to see Dr R!!! Feb 5th, and I am counting the days down!!!

Marcie

"K. Hanson, CTR" wrote:

Welcome Melody!

I am 43. I just started treatment about 1.5 years ago. I’ve probably been hypo since I was a teenager.

I have two daughters ages 16 and 18, both are hypothyroid. I’ve been married for 20 years. He just has started his work-up with our doctor but he is probably also hypothyroid. We also have a family dog, Buddy, who is hypothyroid.

We live North of the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I am self-employed and work at home online with cancer statistics. I made the commitment to see Dr in Lubbock even though he is outside of our insurance network. It is also a 5-6 hour drive. I was so sick that my work was really failing. I’ve never regretted going out there. I was too sick and tired to expend the energy of trying to train a doctor. Plus I figured out I had adrenal issues and there are not very many doctors who treat that.

Now my whole family is going out there. We are able to pay for it through my husband’s health spending account.

Kim in No Texas.

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of Your Web DeveloperSent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 3:23 PMTo: texas_thyroid_groups Subject: RE: Texas Thyroid Groups New Member!

Hi again everybody,

I guess I’m doing this backwards. That’s me these days all over! LOL

My name is Melody. I live in Kingwood, am married for almost 24 years, and have 4 boys, ages 22 (a Marine), 16, 15, and 11. I am a web developer and work from home so I can be there when my family needs me.

I’m not sure what else to say except that I’m thrilled to find a place to learn and share where I’m not the only one going through this. No one really understands how hard this has been on me, including myself. I’ve brushed it all under the rug after my lack of help 10 years ago. I’ve been trying to convince myself it menopause or aging but I’m only 41. I’m too young to feel this bad for so long!

Anyway, thanks for being here. I hope to be an asset to the community once I get myself straightened out. J

Melody

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