8 SIGNS THAT YOUVE SETTLED FOR A BAD THYROID DOCTOR. ** This post is chock full of important tips for finding the right thyroid doctor for you. If youre busy at the moment please save this to your timeline by hitting share for later viewing :-) ** To learn what you need to ask about your Hashimotos, you can access FREE help here --> bit.ly/HashimotosTLC After three years, two hospital visits, numerous scans of my organs and 13 different doctors, I was finally diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction. The first 12 doctors told me they had run a “full” blood panel and that they were checking my thyroid. Most of them told me I looked fine, my vitals were good and that I was just stressed. One doctor intimated that this “stress” was causing me to become a hypochondriac. Sound familiar? What I knew was that something was really wrong with my body. But, was anybody listening? Really listening? Or, were they just checking off boxes on a sheet of paper that concluded that this was all in my head? Once I got fed up with the answers (or lack thereof) I received from my doctors, I stopped settling and committed myself to finding someone who did know, who could help and who would listen. When it comes to your health, it’s important not to settle for less than the best. Make certain whoever you work with does not exhibit the following qualities. 8 signs that you’ve settled for a bad doctor: 1. The doctor doesn’t listen. Does your doctor really listen when you explain your symptoms and concerns? If your doctor is more interested in the sound of his/ her voice and less interested in relieving your symptoms and helping you heal, it’s time to look elsewhere. 2. The doctor keeps you in the dark. Does the doctor talk to you about his/her reasoning for ordering tests or medication? Are you able to easily get copies of your test results and doctor’s notes when you request them? A doctor should be open and communicate thoroughly with you about anything and everything to do with your condition and diagnosis. 3. You don’t feel comfortable with your doctor, or wonder about his/her competence. The doctor who finally gave me a diagnosis was WONDERFUL. But, when I asked him how my diet should be structured to help heal my thyroid, he couldn’t offer me much. After all, most doctors will admit that they didn’t learn much about nutrition during medical school. Since my doc competent in other areas and took the time to listen to my needs, I stuck with him for a few extra months. However, if you feel uncomfortable or don’t trust that your doctor knows what he/she is doing, it’s time to find someone else. You need to feel confident and trust that your doctor knows how to help you. If you don’t, it’s time to move on. Even if they are the sweetest person in the world, you must move on. Don’t settle for a doctor who doesn’t know how to help you heal or relieve your symptoms. 4. The doctor is not a team player. If your doctor won’t coordinate with other doctors, coaches or practitioners, you may want to look for someone else. As I mentioned above, most doctors are not well-versed in dietary theories that support healing. So, after I received little advice from my doctor, I sought out someone who could help me with nutrition and asked my doctor to coordinate with her. He was happy to and that’s how I knew I had a winner. No doctor knows everything and each of us deserves and needs a healing team to help us with all aspects of our health. 5. The office staff is unprofessional. The office staff is the link between you and the doctor. If they are rude, rushed, neglect to give your doctor a message from you or blow you off, you may want to consider looking elsewhere. Sometimes it happens that the doctor is wonderful but his/her staff is lackluster. If the office staff is unprofessional and impeding your care, bring it up with your doctor. If it continues, you may want to shop around. A caring doctor will make sure his/her staff is trained to reflect his/her values. 6. The doctor doesn’t respect your time. Do you find yourself routinely waiting an hour to see your physician then once you’re in front of him/her, you feel like you’re being rushed through the visit? Is your appointment frequently being rescheduled? If your doctor doesn’t respect that your time is valuable too, there’s a problem. He/she should be focused on answering your questions or addressing your concerns and not rushing you through the experience. 7. The doctor can’t be reached. A good doctor is available for follow-up questions and concerns via email, phone, Skype or text message. If you can’t contact your doctor between visits, there’s a problem. Fortunately, a growing number of physicians are making themselves available to their patients. I have my doctor’s cell phone number for emergencies. I’ve only used it one time and it saved me a trip to the hospital. 8. The doctor is rude or condescending. If your doctor is a jerk to you in any way, it is definitely time to part ways. If they disregard your requests or trivialize your symptoms, you need to steer clear. Don’t settle for a bad doctor. You deserve the best! HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT DOCTOR FOR YOU If you’ve determined that you’ve settled for the wrong doctor, you can still get help. Here are some tips so you can find the right doc for you without having to kiss too many frogs. 1. Look for a doctor who practices functional medicine A doctor who practices functional medicine uses a holistic approach where they address the underlying causes of disease instead of treating each symptom individually. Functional doctors look at the whole picture. This is particularly important for thyroid and autoimmune sufferers as thyroid disease involves several systems being out of balance at once — usually the thyroid, adrenals and gut but there can be more. Functional medical doctors tend to have more and varied education and work with the patient in partnership so they can heal. An appointment with a functional practitioner is rarely rushed and often at least an hour long so they can spend time listening to their patient’s stories, symptoms and questions. Functional doctors focus on the uniqueness of the individual, often creating customized plans for healing. With thyroid, autoimmune and inflammatory disease, this is the best approach if you’re looking for medical support. Find a doctor that knows more than the standard thyroid testing & protocols A common challenge for thyroid and autoimmune sufferers is misdiagnosis or not even being diagnosed at all. If your doctor is only willing to give you the standard thyroid tests and only treatment option is medication, he/she probably doesn’t have a lot of experience with reversing thyroid disease. Ask your doctor the following questions, “How do you evaluate thyroid disease?” If they say they look to see if TSH levels are outside of the normal range, it’s time to find a doctor who understands thyroid health. Other questions to ask, “Can thyroid disease be reversed?” “How do you treat thyroid dysfunction?” “Do you regularly test for thyroid antibodies?” If his/her answer is “no,” to reversing thyroid disease or testing for antibodies, that’s a clear sign you need to find a functional doctor who understands the thyroid and all the systems involved in healing. 2. Find a doctor who will listen Does your doctor listen when you discuss your symptoms, ask about alternatives for healing, or want your medication changed? Does he/she honor the request if you ask for a certain blood test or exam to be run? Does the doctor give thoughtful responses to your questions or is your doctor constantly interrupting you? Instead, find a doctor whose core value is to listen. You will often be able to tell by reading his/her website or descriptions of his/her medical practice. 3. Find a doctor who will coordinate with other doctors and complementary practitioners. In addition to proper nutritional advice, thyroid and autoimmune sufferers can benefit from a variety of complementary therapies such as acupuncture, Reiki, health coaching, craniosacral work and massage therapy. It’s important that your doctor is willing to work with a health coach, nutritionist, acupuncturist, etc. to get you the best care possible. No doctor knows everything and each of us deserves and needs a healing team to help us with all aspects of our health. A doctor shouldn’t feel threatened by working with other supportive health practitioners. If your doctor gives you push back if you suggest working as a team with other specialists and practitioners, it’s time to find a better partner for your health care. 4. Look for a doctor who will shed some light Does the doctor explain his/her reasoning for a particular test or protocol? Is he/ she open about recommendations, your healing plan or side effects of thyroid and other medications? Are you able to easily get copies of your test results and doctor’s notes when you request them? A doctor should be open and thorough about recommendations, protocols and test results with you. You should have easy access to your records without having to jump through hoops. Although finding the right doctor to support you with thyroid and autoimmune might feel like a daunting task, it’s worth doing your due diligence to find the right fit. Having a compassionate, caring and knowledgeable doctor can be the difference between suffering and true healing. Take your time and don’t settle for less than the best when it comes to your health. To get access to more resources on Hashimotos, click now --> bit.ly/HashimotosTLC
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:01:33 +0000
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