Re: what would you ask/say

[Guest guest]

At 09:19 PM 8/7/2003, you wrote:

>What would you vets have said or asked a doctor if you know what you

>know now?

You may want to read Thyroid Awareness 101 in the Graves' Discussion

section at Mediboard.com; there are tips on what to ask a doctor about

half-way down the page. I would in particular want to go to an endo who

specializes in thyroid disorders (some are more interested in diabetes,

bone disorders, etc.), and if possible, one who has a lot of patients with

Graves' Disease. Ask what percentage of his/her patients are treated with

ATDs, and if you could be maintained on them if you responded well but

continued to need them. Ask if you will be able to have thyroid antibodies

(esp. TSI) tested at regular intervals (every 3-6 months) while Graves' is

active, and how remission is determined in his/her opinion (most of us here

believe when TSI is <2%).

>Also, do you have any tips for dealing with a doctor who is

>resistant to your point of view?

Other than " find another doctor " ? I guess it depends on the degree of

resistance. If they don't believe everything I believe, but respect my

opinion and treat me according to my preference, then I can still work with

them. If they dismiss my opinion and patronize, I'm gone!

[Guest guest]

Okay, thanks for this, .

In particular, you remind me that the TSI test is needed. I read an

article that said it was unnecessary. It is true that, with my overall

lab test, plus itchy legs, and diffuse goiter, the diagnosis is

pretty obvious. Still the TSI is needed to give me an starting and

ending point.

thanks!

jae

On Thursday, August 7, 2003, at 09:00 PM, Conner wrote:

> At 09:19 PM 8/7/2003, you wrote:

> >What would you vets have said  or  asked a doctor if you know what you

> >know now?

>

> You may want to read Thyroid Awareness 101 in the Graves' Discussion

> section at Mediboard.com; there are tips on what to ask a doctor about

> half-way down the page. I would in particular want to go to an endo who

> specializes in thyroid disorders (some are more interested in diabetes,

> bone disorders, etc.), and if possible, one who has a lot of patients

> with

> Graves' Disease. Ask what percentage of his/her patients are treated

> with

> ATDs, and if you could be maintained on them if you responded well but

> continued to need them. Ask if you will be able to have thyroid

> antibodies

> (esp. TSI) tested at regular intervals (every 3-6 months) while

> Graves' is

> active, and how remission is determined in his/her opinion (most of us

> here

> believe when TSI is <2%).

>

> >Also,  do  you have any  tips for dealing with a doctor who is

> >resistant to your point of  view?

>

> Other than " find another doctor " ? I guess it depends on the degree of

> resistance. If they don't believe everything I believe, but respect my

> opinion and treat me according to my preference, then I can still work

> with

> them. If they dismiss my opinion and patronize, I'm gone!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Personal opinion here Alice, but if you read, and understand--or have

questions--the doctor should be the one to talk to about them. If you don't

get satisfactory answers, then you come back and talk to us again. If the

doc can't take the competition from the net, he's feeling threatened because

he's not as up to date as he should be, and knows it and doesn't want you to

know it. What you want, ideally, is a relationship that involves a

conversation between two knowledgeable adults, not a patronizing,

I-know-better than you doctor. You have to trust that this doctor is on the

ball, cause it's YOUR health that suffers if he's not. And if he's not, you

have every right to find another doctor.

If you go to the car mechanic, you make sure he's up on the latest

technology and won't ruin your car. If you go to the tax accountant, you

want to be sure he is up on the tax codes, and can answer all your

questions. So WHY do people expect to go to the doctor uninformed, and

remain so? I don't get it!

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2003 20:56:51 -0700 (PDT)

> To: graves_support

> Subject: Re: what would you ask/say

>

> I have been advised not to let my doc know

> that I read....especially the net

[Guest guest]

Aileen Fletcher

Assistant professor of Art

New River Community College

Dublin, Va. 24084

nrfleta@...

, ext. 4468

>>> JBERRY@... 08/07/03 21:20 PM >>>

Come in with a list of possible questions. If you feel uncomforatble

with the doctor, choose another. You don't have to always agree with

your doctor as long as he/she respects your opinion.

Aileen

[Guest guest]

Aileen Fletcher

Assistant professor of Art

New River Community College

Dublin, Va. 24084

nrfleta@...

, ext. 4468

>>> JBERRY@... 08/07/03 21:20 PM >>>

Come in with a list of possible questions. If you feel uncomforatble

with the doctor, choose another. You don't have to always agree with

your doctor as long as he/she respects your opinion.

Aileen