Download Theodore C. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D. Endocrinology of Fatigue

Theodore C. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine-UCLA
Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Molecular
Medicine and Metabolism
Charles R. Drew University
Why are there so few Endocrinologists treating
adults with pituitary problems/How to dealwith your
doctor
MAGIC Foundation Affected Adult Convention
February 5, 2006
What do Endocrinologists treat?
• Diabetes, diabetes, diabetes
• Thyroid diseases
• Lipid disorders
• Reproductive Disorders?
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•
Pituitary Disorders
Adrenal Disorders
Why are pituitary disorders hard
to diagnose and treat?
•
•
•
•
Rare?
Testing can be difficult and is less than optimum
Can’t just do one test
Except for Acromegaly and growth hormone deficiencylittle pharmaceutical backing
• Patients are complex, careful history takes a lot of time
• Hormones interact-adjusting one requires retesting others
How to find a pituitary doctor
• Chat rooms
• Other patients
• Endocrine Society
– http://www.endosociety.org/apps/FindAnEndo/index.cfm
• Someone doing research or at least attending
national meetings
• Good listener
• Helpful staff
• May need to travel
What should you do?
• You are the boss -if needed you can fire your
doctor
• Need to be the primary manager of your health
care
• But need to work with your doctor
• Remember your doctor is (or should be) very
busy.
• Make his/her lives easier
Records
• Need to keep good records-spreadsheets of values, with
hard copies in a notebook
• Get results of testing from your doctor after each visit
• Need to be organized
• Know your medications and doses
• Know what medications you’ve tried in the past and if
they helped
• Have reports and films of imaging studies
• Have dictations from other doctors
How to be a great patient
• Don’t go off on tangents
• Don’t be afraid to talk about “personal” issues (sex). He’s
probably heard it all before
• Don’t whine or threaten
• Be courteous to staff
• Take notes on what to do /Follow directions
• But, ask questions if you don’t understand something
• If you don’t like a treatment she suggests, say so and ask
for alternatives.
Magic Foundation
• Use and support the Magic Foundation-it’s
a great resource.