Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Roid rage

This just in: The Sky Is Not Falling.

In other news: Scientists Make Amazing Discoveries About the Power of Hormones Over Perception.

Most of my recent doom and gloom was due to my thyroid being out of balance. That's not to say that the past year hasn't been chock full of bad news and challenges, but I think most years are full of bad news and challenges. It's just when my thyroid dips it feels like all the disappointments are closing in on me. So when Sukey went in for surgery I convinced myself that she was going to die on the operating table (even though I know how extremely rare that is because I work at the vet's office). And when I went to the dermatologist to get treatment for what turned out to be eczema, I convinced myself that it was most likely cancer and imagined Robb raising Mo as a single parent.

I'm not usually an "assume the worst" kind of person. I should have known that it was my thyroid knocking me for a loop this summer. And why, pray tell, was my thyroid messed up? For that answer I turn to Martha Stewart.

Seriously.

I picked up the September issue of Martha Stewart Living because it was the home edition. Well, the home featured was totally underwhelming. It was clinical and cold like a hospital waiting room. If that's what counts for luxury and good design these days, no thanks. I would choose my own yardsale-Ikea-antique chic any day. But near the back of the magazine was an article about thyroid disease by Francesca Castagnoli. Basic info until I hit this passage:  

"While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is trying to enforce stricter guidelines, hormone levels fluctuate from drug to drug, and switching can have dramatic results. 'If you're stable on one brand and change to another, even at the same dose, they're not exactly compatible, and you'll feel the difference,' [endocrinologist Dr. Betul] Hatipoglu says."

Wait a minute... When I had my prescription filled in June the pills were an oblong shape, but every other time they have been round. I spoke to my pharmacist, and we discovered that the problem was a change in manufacturer. Same generic drug, same dose, different maker = crazytown.

Inconsistency in medications was not an issue that my doctor was aware of--or at least it's not something he asked me about. In fact he didn't ask me much of anything. He told me that all of the symptoms I've been having are "normal" and not to worry about it. My hair falling out by the handful, my consumption of a half a pot (or more) of coffee a day, my weight gain, my knee pain, my sensitivity to cold in the middle of a heatwave, my feeling like Eeyore...I disagree. That is not a quality of life I'm prepared to describe as "normal."

Breaking news: Barb Looks for New Doctor!

2 comments:

Tmomma said...

Glad you fired your doctor b/c you're definitely not a glass half empty kind of person. And I think you have now also convinced me that I'm not crazy either! I decided that I have issues with different generics of my birth control. One missed day on one type can be a total disaster. The different generic every three months from late last year really did a doozy and i think my body is still recovering. Hope you easily find a better doctor; finding a good internist seems so difficult. Mine is adequate but not perfect, I just don't know if there's anyone better around. We still need to get together some time soon! :)

old dog said...

I too can predict when my dosage needs tweeking by my mental status. I have not had the change in manufacturer's problem though was aware of it. You definitely need a new doc. Mine is a woman who is a PA. She is great.