How do doctors treat hypothyroidism and epilepsy?

[XxBlaqkxX]

I'm facing the music at this point, I guess. Things aren't looking good for my thyroid at this point. Saw the doctor today and it is indeed enlarged. When she touched and pressed on it, though, it was so tender and it hurt and my voice was raspy and I was coughing for about an hour after.

Trying to find a good time I can go in and get a thyroid panel done as soon as I can since that bloodwork has been ordered.

I don't expect the result to come back clean, though. I've been having freezing cold feet I can't seem to warm up at night, the weight gain isn't stopping (gained 3 more pounds in the last 3 weeks). I have gained 50 pounds this year alone and it's frustrating because it's...not...stopping! I feel hideous and don't like going out as much as I did before. I don't look like my weight at all, but seeing the number on the scale doesn't make me feel good about myself right now. I've had the worst fatigue I can't shake.

I'm also ticked at my doctor. I feel like I'm just a paycheck to her. I have all these symptoms I wanted to go over with her so she could mark them down. She just confirmed I had a swollen thyroid and ordered blood work, didn't let me finish and then said, "Oh, just the thyroid. That's easy!" She is usually behind and it's sick season so perhaps it makes sense, but she only likes to deal with 1-2 problems at a time max per appointment. I have epilepsy, pelvic floor issues, TMJ, and she just looks and smiles and says things like, "Glad you're so healthy!" and then always ends it with, "It was a pleasure seeing you today!" I feel like I'm going through a drive thru window at McDonald's. I hate to switch again, though, but probably will end up doing so. I dunno if she's trying to be positive or something, but it's so off-putting the way she does it, like she has no bedside manner at all. She came so highly recommended on social media because she "takes time to listen," too...I haven't seen that in her yet. Ugh -_-

Anyway, how does a doctor in conventional medicine these days treat both hypothyroidism and epilepsy? This sounds like a difficult thing to do properly in my mind. Wanna know what I'm getting myself into here or things that she might suggest so that I can do some research beforehand.

 

[Porkette]

Hi XxBlaqkxX,

Just like you I have hypothyroidism and my Dr. is just keeping an eye on it right now. I was told if it continues to get larger that
they may have to do surgery but as of right now the Dr. wants to put me on hormone pills but I told her no way because I knew that
would start triggering seizures. So to be honest I'm not doing anything other than having my Dr. keep an eye on it. Just like you I'm
always freezing cold and I've put on a couple of lbs. but I try and watch myself there. I also feel tired a lot of time. Just keep your
eye open and be sure that the problem doesn't trigger more seizures. I know if I were in your place I would get a 2nd opinion about
what to do since the Dr. isn't taking the time to talk with you, to me that's very rude.

I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You,

Sue

 

[XxBlaqkxX]

I think that Synthroid or another thyroid hormone medication would be an absolute nightmare because of how sensitive my seizures seem to be to hormone shifts. I can only imagine the problems something like Synthroid and Keppra would cause...that sounds like a raging powerhouse...literally! I don't need that type of instability in my life. Too scary to risk.

I am confident I know how to get my health back naturally and what has worked for me before. I've done it before after I was like this after having gestational diabetes with my first child and weighing in at about what I am now. The pounds weren't falling off and I felt an awful lot like this. I could not get through the day without naps. I was incredibly fatigued. Just a trip to the store and I was out for the night when I got home. It was scary. That's where I'm at now and it's not a place I miss. Although, to do this...it's going to take an awful lot of effort and self-control, which I barely have when my husband still buys me sweets, which I'm addicted to. If I ask, that's one thing, but he buys them and keeps them home, saying I should "control myself," yet he's the diabetic so I'm at my wits end half the time even trying to get back on the best diet for me, which is grain free, complex carbs, and low sugar.

I have tried saying so many times, "We're not buying wheat this shopping trip," because it kicks up his blood sugar to the 400s+ and yet, he still eats it and wondering why his blood sugar is so high and he acknowledges problems with the wheat, but won't stop, either.

Once upon a time we were both healthier on a good diet for us. He wasn't even pre-diabetic at that time, which was amazing. We both felt so good.

I feel like my quality of life is slipping away and I don't have the energy I would like to spend time with the kids. This is unbearable to me.

I may hold out with this doctor for now. I need to get the lab work done and I have an appointment this week. If I have those results, I can save them and then move on to a different doctor or something. It's hard to find a good doctor here in this small city for whatever reason. A lot of them are rude and the good ones have a full patient load and literally cannot take on anymore. They know that people have no choice but to choose them so they treat patients how they want, which is often with little respect.

Yet for some reason, people keep recommending these doctors on social media like they're the best ever and say so many good things about them when they've been nothing but rude to my husband and I. I don't know if it's because we're an interracial couple or what, but we get a lot of rude doctors.

I'm gonna have to keep looking...I have already switched providers three times this year this gets so tiring!

But really, when a doctor doesn't listen or feel like they take the time to listen then it's awful. I mean, what are they going to miss when they don't want to take the time to listen?

When I was like, "When you mention the thyroid labs. Is this blood test labs? What are these tests going to measure?" Then she tried to use all big words on me and sounded like she was being short with me. Man, don't interrupt this lady when she's putting notes into her computer. I don't know if she can't multitask or what, but I knew what she was talking about, even though she sounded rude about it.

I'm definitely doing the survey o_o

 

[Heavy Kevy]

I had my thyroid removed. It was cancerous but was “easily” treated.
I was radioactive for a while.

 

[XxBlaqkxX]

I had my thyroid removed. It was cancerous but was “easily” treated.
I was radioactive for a while.

Sorry to hear

 

[XxBlaqkxX]

I can totally empathize with feeling disappointed by a doctor's bedside manner. It's important to have a healthcare provider who listens and addresses all of your concerns. If you're not satisfied with your current doctor, it might be worth considering switching to someone who makes you feel more comfortable and respected. Websites like gpratings.uk can be helpful in finding a general practitioner who has received positive feedback from patients. Remember, you deserve to have a healthcare experience where you feel valued and understood.

It would be nice to have a link like that in the US. I know we have websites to grade providers, but I've seen like 4-5 star providers on there in person and wonder how on earth they acquired such a rating with their attitude. I'm in a small city so I've run through so many providers. Many of them here are totally rude and/or don't care about their patients and they know they won't run out of work because otherwise people have to drive out of their way to see a good doctor.

I refuse to go back to my current primary so I'll keep looking at my options elsewhere.