Do I have to go to the Endo that I was refered to?

[livinzoo]

My ob-gyn referred me to an endo for my thyroid. It isn't an RE just a regular endo. Can I just make an appointment with an RE instead?

It is a long story about my thyroid and it might turn itself around on its own. Basically I was having some hypo symptoms and a GP said he could put my on thyroid meds even though my thyroid tested normal. Well he was way over medicating me and I decided to take myself off the meds. I was also experiencing memory loss and had a positive ANA test that I believe was my body attacking my thyroid. I had asked him to refer me to an RE and he would not.

Before meds my TSH was 2.371.
After 3 months on meds it was 0.054
After 9 months on meds it was 0.022
5 weeks off meds 5.87

[gemasita]

Hm, for thyroid issues, yes, I would see an endo. I was seeing an RE and as soon as we figured out that I had some thyroid issues going on, he referred me to an endo to get that addressed before we moved on with the fertility stuff. I appreciated that he didn't try to treat my thyroid himself. He said that RE really do not specialize in thyroid. Plus, it sounds like your thyroid issue might be a little tricky (mine was too, at first) and a really good endo will know what to do and it won't take as long to fix as it would with someone else, like a GP.

[Noelle C.]

If it's possible that your problem could stem from a thyroid condition, then it makes sense to see an endo first. Just because one condition may be causing another doesn't mean seeing the specialist for that other condition is the best right off. If you do have a thyroid condition, the one to help is the specialist in that field, which is an endo. If a diagnosis is made and treatment given, and fertility issues still persist, then it's time to see an RE. An RE though is not a specialist to treat hypo. Let the endo do that. Also you're likely to get in sooner to see an endo, AND, if your insurance will cover any fertility, this won't eat up your allowance.

[livinzoo]

Well I just stopped taking Thyroid meds at the end of August. So I don't think my thyroid has anything to do with fertility. In fact I am hoping my thyroid will go back to where it was before I started taking the meds last October.

TSH should be between 1-4 so I was technically fine before I took the thyroid meds.

I made an appointment with the endo. It is for Dec 2. So hopefully my thyroid is better by then. I think I'm going to call the insurance company and see if I need a referal for the RE.