Mad, mad, mad

[webster2]

Maybe that is not the correct word. I am really ticked off. Today, I subscribed to the electronic records from the GP's office. All of your health records are available to you 24/7 online. Well, as I was perusing mine.......GUESS WHAT I FOUND?

In September of 2009, I had an appointment and the code was THYROIDITIS I know I would have remembered a doctor telling me I had an inflamed thyroid. Two years ago, imagine if this had been treated then. Two years ago, unbelievable. It is time for a new doctor. :aim33:

[Andros]

Maybe that is not the correct word. I am really ticked off. Today, I subscribed to the electronic records from the GP's office. All of your health records are available to you 24/7 online. Well, as I was perusing mine.......GUESS WHAT I FOUND?

In September of 2009, I had an appointment and the code was THYROIDITIS I know I would have remembered a doctor telling me I had an inflamed thyroid. Two years ago, imagine if this had been treated then. Two years ago, unbelievable. It is time for a new doctor. :aim33:

Oh, my dear sweet friend. I am so upset!! Tch! Not at all surprised though.

[joplin1975]

Oh no...

*sigh* I'm so very sorry...

[desrtbloom]

That sucks, but unfortunately not too surprising. I'm sorry.

[Octavia]

I can picture the conversation now - "Oh, come on now...everyone knows thyroiditis doesn't really mean anything...after all, your TSH is normal..."

Ugh.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

Profound, I know.

It's just unbelievable how thyroid issues are not a priority for some doctors.

[Alicia123]

Wow! That is just terrible!

Craziness!!!

[nodakmom]

Isn't it amazing how they feel you don't need to know about your health? It's your body, you have a right to know! But, I have to say, that is cool that you have electronic records access. It's amazing how much you can find out by requesting your records that was never told to you.

[Alicia123]

I wish my doctors would do that!!

[webster2]

I know if they had mentioned thyroid, I would have picked up on it because I only had half of one then. I think back over the last 2 years and get really ticked. I had pneumonia 5 times, never could fight a virus, had funky funky skin lesions, was sweaty a lot, etc and eventually turned in to a raving lunatic, putting it really nicely....perhaps some of these things could have been avoided. I missed a ton of work, and really wondered what the heck was wrong with me. My athleticism is gone.

I also was a passive patient in those days believing that the medical professionals I saw really were providing me the best treatment possible. I have become a proactive patient, second guessing them, making them explain things twice, and sometimes three times. I am paying the bill and it is my health which may have suffered from their apathetic ways. Not any more. And, the office staff cannot make me feel as if I am imposing on them, ever.

Thanks for listening. You folks are my lifeline, thanks.

[Alicia123]

Webster,

Everyone should be proactive in their healthcare. This should be a wake up call to everyone. Sometimes things slip. Human error or not, it doesnt matter. Some very important blood work was never shared with me once and I almost lost my life (long, boring, story). It took months to figure out what was wrong. All along the hospital had filed away some impotant results that were completely overlooked. Since then I always get copies of everything!!! It could have saved thousand of $$$ and heart surgeries, and pain meds, etc. etc. etc!!

Thank you for sharing. Im sorry you lost precious time, but thank goodness you are on the road to recovery!

[webster2]

I agree, I had a misdiagnosed thyroid storm. Not a good time at all. I am glad you had to endure that too. Getting a copy of everything is a must, no matter what kind of icy stares are given by the keepers of the records! ;)

[Alicia123]

Amen sister!!! Lol
Those icy stares (& sighs) arent fun!

[webster2]

Goodness, I am not glad you had to endure that same. I am sorry you were treated like that. I should proof read, eh?? ;) Yup, nothing is getting between me & my copies! The best one was when I asked for the path report as well as the surgical report, good times. :)

[Alicia123]

Lololol. Very funny.
I have a visual of you grasping your papers! :)

[I DClaire]

I'm sure I've posted this before but I'm 100% positive I was initially diagnosed with a thyroid problem at least 15 years ago, then it was dropped because of one reason - numbers on a lab report.

A well known, well respected EN&T diagnosed me with thyroiditis and bruits in my thyroid 15 years ago and prescribed Synthroid. I felt great!

A few months later I had a yearly checkup and my OB/GYN said there was nothing on my lab tests to justify me taking Synthroid and she made me stop taking it.

Like you, I was totally passive, I didn't know to pursue whether or not there was a problem. I just accepted what I was told...and suffered with every imaginable problem all those years that could very well have been thyroid related.

My father died in a very routine surgery because of a physician's negligence. Long before that, I've witnessed many occasions when he or my mother would be hospitalized and something negligent almost happened. A couple of years ago my mother was having out patient gallbladder surgery when a nurse approached me for a signature to give Mother the blood thinner Coumadin through an injection in her stomach - for her A-Fib.

I told the nurse my mother had never, ever had A-Fib...then she realized she had someone else's records.

Anyone who is passive or doesn't have someone to advocate in their behalf or won't stand up for themselves when medical treatment is at stake is flirting with danger.

[peacesells560]

Maybe that is not the correct word. I am really ticked off. Today, I subscribed to the electronic records from the GP's office. All of your health records are available to you 24/7 online. Well, as I was perusing mine.......GUESS WHAT I FOUND?

In September of 2009, I had an appointment and the code was THYROIDITIS I know I would have remembered a doctor telling me I had an inflamed thyroid. Two years ago, imagine if this had been treated then. Two years ago, unbelievable. It is time for a new doctor. :aim33:

That reminds me of when I found some of my old labs and realized I had a free T4 of .9 on a .9 to 1.4 range when I was 14 and an absolute eosinophils level of 469 on a 15-500 range, which is considered to be indicative of autoimmune activity. My pediatrician apparently assumed that just because it was 'In range" it was fine. I went through some more shenanigans later, including me having a TSH of 4.85, which was ignored because at the time Quest Diagnostics used the children's range {0.7 to 6.4} from 21 days to 20 years. Thankfully they discontinued that practice. If I had known better, I could have saved myself a lot of pain and aggravation. Believe it or not, I would probably be at an Ivy League college today if I didn't have Hashimoto's.

[webster2]

OMG, that is awful. I am sorry to hear that.

[Andros]

That reminds me of when I found some of my old labs and realized I had a free T4 of .9 on a .9 to 1.4 range when I was 14 and an absolute eosinophils level of 469 on a 15-500 range, which is considered to be indicative of autoimmune activity. My pediatrician apparently assumed that just because it was 'In range" it was fine. I went through some more shenanigans later, including me having a TSH of 4.85, which was ignored because at the time Quest Diagnostics used the children's range {0.7 to 6.4} from 21 days to 20 years. Thankfully they discontinued that practice. If I had known better, I could have saved myself a lot of pain and aggravation. Believe it or not, I would probably be at an Ivy League college today if I didn't have Hashimoto's.

I believe you; I have my own share of resentments re the medical establishment.

Best thing to do is pick up the pieces and trudge onward. Life still will always be what "we" make it to be!

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