[jaqeinquotation]

#1059854

I just got a call from the secretary of the new Endo I was trying to see. She said that the doc will refuse my referral if I am seeking a second opinion.

Are you kidding me? I thought getting a second opinion was a right. The referral would come from my family physician but regardless I’m thinking that this is not the Endo for me. I might have to go crawling back to the Endo that is refusing to check my Free T3

Would love some feedback on how to deal with this.

I’m in Canada and really trying to find a Endo who specializes in Thyroid disorders (even though I have no thyroid anymore). Most of the secretaries comment that all endo’s specialize in Thyroid as well as Diabetes

[snelsen]

#1178290

Holy moly. That is very weird. I tend to agree with you, that he is not the guy for you. Of course you have a right to a 2nd opinion. Can your primary refer to another endo?
I’m not sure what you should do. Maybe if you ask your present endo that you would like to have the lab you want, just because you do, he will order it.
Seems like a relatively simple request, but I realize if he does not think it is needed, that is a whole different ball of wax.
Shirley

[smtucker]

#1178291

I have been researching this pretty extensively lately and yes, you have a right to a second opinion. And it also turns out, doctors have the right to not be that second opinion. At my academic hospital, most of the endos do not do the second opinion thing since they have far more patients that want them as the primary than they have slots in their calendars.

It might just be that Grave’s patients are really being left in the dust. Of the 23 endos at my hospital, only two consider themselves specialists in Grave’s disease. And only one was willing to be my second opinion. I was asked at my last meeting if I was switching permanently. There was a sense that if not, they would no longer have time in their schedule for me.

I had every intention of switching so this question was not a burden.

Does your area have a shortage of Endos?

*susan*

[jaqeinquotation]

#1178292

Does your area have a shortage of Endos?

*susan*[/quote]
No I don’t think so. There are quite a few endo in my area however, the majority specialize in diabetes.

I contacted my physician today and they told me that my endo sent a copy of the requisition and that it did include Free T3. It is possible that me insisting on it finally got through to the Endo.

But it does make me wonder how would he know if I need Cytomel (did I spell it right?) to balance things out if he doesn’t test for it? Something tells me he wouldn’t prescribe it either way and that’s a whole other ball game in itself cause I have not the slightest idea who would prescribe it if my endo refuses.
Anyone know? not asking for medical advice.

I feel ok but there are days when I could just lay around and do absolutely nothing and then my joints get stiff and start to make cracking sounds (anyone else experience the cracking?) and I feel crappy. I feel like if I don’t have anything to do my body just slows down…yikes:o

[Kimberly]

#1178293

Hello – Since you aren’t feeling well, it is certainly worth documenting *all* of your symptoms in writing and pushing until you find someone to do the T3 testing for you to see if that sheds some light.

Can your family physician help you in the interim?

As for doctors refusing to offer a second opinion, I’ve primarily heard of this when the original doc is in the same practice or shares some other affiliation with the new doc. As Susan pointed out, though, caseloads can certainly be a factor.

[jaqeinquotation]

#1178294

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback:)

Kimberly, I have been documenting how I have been feeling and I have a physical booked for the 19th so I will share this with my family physician.

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