Wow, thanks for the info. I will contact them. My insurance will probably not cover them either as they do not cover anyone, but if they would give me reduced rates that would be helpful.
That is horrible you still get the choking feeling. I hate that feeling. It is what I am going through now. I think my enlarged glands are part of it too. I went to college at MSU. At least with getting your thyroid out, you won't fluctuate like I am doing now. If I do go hyper, I can reduce the drugs unlike now where I am hyper and stuck there =(. I will definitely see about these endo's though.
I had a difficult time finding an endo when I first needed to as well. Then when I called this place I told them that none of my tests were having good results and they fit me in much sooner than they had originally stated. Also, my insurance did not pay for office visits so they helped me out with that and really, really reduced the rates. It is Associated Endocrinologists on Orchard Lake in W. Bloomfield and I saw Dr. Meier but all of them (I think) are limited to the thyriod diseases.
Yes, I had nodules and I knew before surgery the biopsies were positive. I went to several doctors who kept telling me I had bronchitis but it went on for months and I knew that was not it. Then when the nodules were found, which even I could feel, some of the doctors never thought it was anything serious because I was so young. I will say that after the surgery I felt almost 100% better because the thyroid was not making me choke any longer. Just that alone was a huge relief. I have had some problems since then with the thyroid medication...when I get to hyper I feel like I am choking still because one of the symptoms I get while hyper is a feeling as if something is growing in my throat because I get throat spasms when too hyper. It is just like when people get back spasms but in your throat. Once my dosage is adjusted and I am not as hyper the problem goes away.
I now see an endo at MSU because that is where I live now and I must say I hope he never leaves. I have been lucky with endos because I first saw the one in W. Bloomfield and now for about 10 years I have been seeing the one at MSU.
Oh man Abby, that is a scary though. I know my thyroid is doing some pretty bad things. I pray its not cancer. Did you have nodules? So far I don't, I just have an enlarged thyroid. I am having severe choking though and my glands and throat are really bothering me. What is the name of the doc, I would love to know his name. I already drive to Ann Arbor (and they are HORRIBLE there). I'm not sure if the docs are good, but you can't ever get in to see them, so I don't see the point. I'll call for an emergency (like not being able to swallow) and they will tell me to come in a month later. UMMMMM NO. I can't wait that long.
I notice you live in Erie, MI. I also live in MI and have had a TT for cancer. I saw an endocrinologist who specializes in Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Diseases (does not even treat diabetes). He is in West Bloomfield and Troy Beaumont Hospital. It was nice because any scans I needed done he was also the Nuclear Medicine doctor I saw and he administered my RAI. If you need someone to see and W. Bloomfield is not too far just let me know. When I was first having thyroid problems it was if I constantly had bronchitis because I was choking so much and in the end, it was my thyroid/cancer growing into my esophagus.
Goolarra- I will ask the endo tomorrow. I hate this place though, so I honestly do not have any hopes of finding help there.
Totie-... I have had the same experience. They only know how to help diabetics. I have started to see a natural doc who was going to set me up on all this stuff for hypOthyroidism. Thank God I didn't do it. I have to pay out of pocket for him and since I can't work I'm not sure I can afford to see him. They want me to come in his office again on Monday, but every visit is like 125, and I'm not sure its worth it at this point because they thyroid has to go. I know he doesn't want it out, but I can't deal with the whole thing anymore. I am not messing around with being hyper and my goiter is choking me.
I had a TT almost 17yrs ago & I have not been under the care of an endo for about 16yrs. My PCP handles my medication & whatever tests I feel I might need.
I don't trust most endo's, I have tried to get an endo, but unless you have diabetes, they don't really help you much....At least in my case.
Yes, unusual that your antibodies weren't showing at the time...it might be worth repeating all three...TPOab, TGab and TSI.
I'm so glad you found a surgeon that you like and trust...that's so important. Keep us updated.
Wishing you all the best...
I believe they tested me once for graves but the odd thing about that is my hashi's antibodies were not showing at the moment either. A few weeks before they were 250. I'm not sure I trust that reading for whatever reason. Something is making me go hyper, and since I am having autoimmune flare ups in other areas as well, I am thinking it has to be autoimmune.
I will ask for the meds. I honestly thought I was hypo when I went in. I was shocked to see I was hyper. My symptoms overlap (I have both hypo and hyper ones, probably because I swing back and forth). At least I might only have a few more weeks of this crap (the fluctuating and hyperness). I know surgery is hard, but I have to keep up hope that it will be better than being disabled and constantly sick as I have in the last year. The docs are really clueless at this point as it is. My thyroid just changes so much. The last doc told me I didn't need to get my thyroid tested again until December and he didn't see a need to treat me at all (he obviously was very wrong, look where I ended up). I have a good surgeon lined up so I am happy with that, I just worry about the after care. I can't find a good endo, and the place I go doesn't care if you are dying, they can't see you for months. There has got to be something better.
So sorry to hear it's not going better...
No, it's not normal for Hashi's to go hyper all the time like this. Were you tested for TSI (Graves' antibodies) recently as well as TPOab and TGab? It's relatively rare, but some people do have both Hashi's and Graves'.
I'd definitely ask the endo for meds to get you through. I'd also ask for an explanation of why he thinks you have Hashi's, and you're hyper after six months without meds. That's highly unusual.
Best of luck with the horrible endo (painful to hear that)...hang in there!