[Anonymous]

#1020265

Just had some more bloodwork done. My TSH is in the “normal” range but the high ending meaning more toward hypo. My T4 which she said normal was up to 1.8 was 12. They have advised me not to change my medication at all. She said you dont seem to be too symptomatic what weight gain, exhaustion and constipation is not symptomatic what are we waiting for? I have found an endocrinoligst that I will be seeing at the end of the November but by that point I will probably have another 10 lbs on and hardly be able to stay awake during the day.
Katie

[Anonymous]

#1076535

Good idea to change docs! Some of us do better with more Synthroid and a TSH in the lower part of the “normal” range. I am one of those. I don’t do well once my TSH gets above “1”. My doc agreed and I increased my Synthroid for just 3 mos. and the TSH number went down.
The doc is best for how much Synthroid and determining what “your normal” is. Joy in SoGA

[Anonymous]

#1076536

Hi again,
So I went to my GP today about my eyes because my insurance will not pay for me to have an eye exam unless it is referred from the doctor especially for something like this. He does not think it is related to Graves disease????…… but does not know what it is. Sent me home saying it could be a virus!!! A virus that makes my eye numb and dry and inchy and did i mention I am having trouble focusing my eye now? I do not understand why these doctors who do not know what they are talking about don’t refer you out to someone who does. He says that I should call him back on friday if it is not better by then. I could not get in to see the endo until december and I am fearful that this will get worse until then. Please help anyone else have these symptoms and what did you do about it? I know that what I really need is to see an opthamologist who specializes in this sort of thing like Jake had suggested I just cannot afford any more expenses on my own and really just need that referal. I know I am rambling here it is just so upsetting when you need help and cannot get it. I so appreciate the support I recieve through this bulletin board.

thanx all

[Anonymous]

#1076537

Hi standingfirm,

I am so sorry to hear about your situation!!! I used to have to deal with an insurance plan that only accepted appointments with specialists by referral ~ how disappointing that your GP wouldn’t defer to an opthalmologist to have you evaluated! Will your insurance take a referral from the endo? Even though you aren’t going to be seen by the endo until December, you may be able to get them to process a referral for you without an appointment, based on your discussion of the symptoms with someone in the office. It’s worth a try, because I can’t imagine waiting all that time before getting your first real examination.

We have a separate vision plan, with an entirely different set of doctors, and if you are in that situation, you may be able to circumvent the entire medical insurance issue, at least to be seen the first time. Sometimes it’s hard to find opthalmologists in that system, so that’s probably a last resort.

First thing I would do is find out if your endo can provide a referral that’s acceptable by your insurance, and then call the endo’s office to see if you can set that up before your December appointment. They may have multiple opthalmologists they routinely send their TED patients to, so it could be much easier to go through them anyway.

If it truly must be your GP, I would gather some basic information on TED and take it to their office. Ask the office personnel to pass that information along to the doctor, and enclose a note urging them to provide a referral to an opthalmologist for an evaluation. Mention (again) how long you’ve had the symptoms. A virus would not typically last long, and perhaps that will help to change the doctor’s mind. You might want to suggest that you could be available at the end of the doctor’s business day to discuss it further, but make sure you emphasize that you are desperate to see an opthalmologist and get an assessment.

If all these measures fail, I would suggest taking whatever steps you need to take to change your GP. You need someone who will provide more assistance than this one seems to be giving you.

~Ski
NGDF Assistant Online Facilitator

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