| Logic dictates that if the most common cause of | | | | test becomes "medical waste" in the eyes of the |
| hypothyroidism is from an autoimmune mechanism, | | | | insurance companies. The payment for a test that will |
| then the first test ran on all newly diagnosed | | | | not alter the course of treatment is in a way |
| hypothyroid patients would be a thyroid antibody | | | | wasteful, but the real waste is in ignoring the |
| test. Well logic doesn't always reign supreme and in | | | | underlying cause of the problem and leaving the |
| many cases Hashimoto's Autoimmune thyroid | | | | patient to suffer. Many times patients are mocked |
| patients go undiagnosed and just given the standard | | | | and scorned for suggesting a test or treatment that |
| thyroid replacement treatment. I am going to explore | | | | is a bit outside of the tight little box Hashimoto's |
| the most likely reasons this occurs. | | | | patients are placed in. |
| The first and foremost reason most thyroid patients | | | | Having no alternative treatment plan for Autoimmune |
| will never have their antibody levels checked is | | | | thyroid, and the resultant medical waste of a test |
| because the treatment protocol does not change | | | | ordered but that has no bearing on the patients |
| based on the mechanism. Most doctors are going to | | | | treatment are the two main reasons many |
| give you synthetic thyroid replacement hormones, | | | | Hashimoto's patients go undiagnosed and ignored in |
| intermittently check your TSH, and call it a day. If | | | | the system. |
| you continue to suffer with the same symptoms as | | | | Determining that hypothyroidism is from an immune |
| before they will be attributed to some other ailment, | | | | mechanism, IS important, and should absolutely be |
| usually depression or anxiety, and be treated | | | | managed in more comprehensive way, not only |
| accordingly. | | | | including some type of replacement hormone, but it |
| The second reason for the failure to order antibody | | | | should also include management of the immune |
| tests, is a branch off of the first reason. Since the | | | | systems destruction of the gland itself. A more |
| treatment is not going to be dictated based off the | | | | comprehensive approach gives the patient a better |
| antibody results (although it should), then running the | | | | chance to feel and function normally. |