the doctor

Okay. I was totally rambling the other night. Maybe that isn't anything new though. But I will explain the whole doctor thing because there seems to be confusion...

I am hypothyroid. If I don't have the right amount of medication coursing through my little veins I get insanely tired (can sleep 14 or more hours a day), my skin looks like an alligator, I start gaining weight (or can't get it off no matter what), depression, monthly female issues, among a whole bunch of other symptoms. Before Utah it was pretty much under control. Then some quack lowered my dose right before we moved. I had all sorts of problems while we lived in Indiana, but no one seemed to put two and two together that it might have something to do with the thyroid. I read a book that mentioned that just because my blood levels test inside the range, it might not be the best level for me. I wasn't sure that it was thryoid related either, and just chalked it up to being a really tired new mommy that wasn't taking care of herself.

So that brings us to Ohio. And my quack of a OB/GYN. The one who made me go three weeks overdue that resulted in a ten pound baby so I would be scheduled for her on call week. She told the surgeon this when she thought I couldn't hear (he was giving her the third degree while they put me back together). She was supposed to be monitoring my thyroid as well (She lost the labs once, and after I got my records for our move, I am not sure she ever actually checked it.) I complained the whole pregnancy of all sorts of little stuff and lots of pain. She just told me out right I was whiny and needed to go home and put my feet up. If I had had the energy, I would have switched doctors...even in the eighth month.

So that brings us to this summer. Turns out all of the pain I was having was from kidney stones I've been passing for the past year. Because I was taking too much calcium and prenatal vitamins. And lo and behold ALL of it circles back to my dear old thyroid. I got a little information out of my urologist in Ohio. But I have been doing A LOT of research myself, and everything keeps pointing back to the fact that I need a higher dose of thyroid meds.

And that brings me to dear Margo. Little wench that she is. So for my first appointment with her here in IL, she comes in and says, "So just what do you think is wrong with you?" Excellent bedside, huh? So I explained it was time to test my blood and I thought I needed a little more dose. I told her some other symptoms. I showed her my lab results on the kidney stones. She told me what I already knew about the stones and then she told me I had gout, I needed to become a vegetarian, and I was stupid to be breastfeeding still, or even in the first place. And then would not explain any of those opinions.

I stuck with her so I could at least get my blood work started and get at least some meds to get me through (my prescription ran out during the move). She scheduled an ultrasound. I went and did that. The guy looked at my kidneys. I went back to Margo to find out the results of everything. (I'm skipping the run in I had with her office staff over attempting to set up an appointment about my labs). She told me 1. I should feel fine, 2. I have kidney stones, 3. she won't do anything for me including recommending a decent urologist. She said, "You're on your own, you'll find somebody."

1. I don't feel fine. I haven't really felt fine for three years now. I have a bunch of other health problems that have been related to this freaking thyroid all along. I finally argued her into upping my dose a little just so I would leave her alone. By the way my levels during pregnancy were below the range, and are now just barely over normal--according to all of the labs I have collected from everyone now that I am taking things into my own hands.
2. I already knew I had kidney stones. No new information there. So she wasted my time with the ultrasound and that extra appointment.
3. She won't even give me ONE freaking name of a doctor. But then again I hate Margo, so I should not go with anyone she likes, huh?

So I am on my own again. I am starting to notice some differences already with the new dose, but it takes awhile. One of these days I will get around to having my other kidney stones taken care of. But I am again so frustrated with the medical community that I don't want to mess with it.
There you have it. Most of the story. Should make more sense now.

I hope ya'll are super healthy and don't have to visit doctors! (Sorry to any doctors who may read this...I am sure you are very reputable and don't fall in the category of idiots I've been choosing lately.)