Not a particularly informative or helpful article. But it does serve to emphasise that failures in thyroid care are universal - no matter how rich and famous.
And one of the most common pieces of advice, repeated on this forum as well as in the article, is to take someone with you to appointments.
Oprah Winfrey Reveals Her Health Scare, Says "You Need Multiple Opinions"
However, Ms Winfrey went on to say that the thyroid experience taught her that one needs multiple opinions. She also said that she would never go into a hospital all by herself and would always have somebody go with her who is advocating for her. “That's a hard, hard road to navigate by yourself, especially if you're ill,” she added.
I agree with her. The Dr has a harder time to say that there is nothing wrong. And tell you that it's everything else but not thyroid your thyroid labs are *Fine*. We heard that before a few times I think.
Indeed, just those not singing from the same Ol' Boys' Club Sheet, eh? Someone, via a group of tyrants, has cornered this particular opinion market... pretty much around the world, with only the odd brave medic being prepared to stand up and act for the benefit of patients.
I think it’s really important to have someone advocate for you. There’s been some research (sorry don’t have a link to it) that patients who have family or friend closely involved with their care have better outcomes. Maybe the clinicians try harder/ there’s more thinking that comes with someone asking questions/clarifying stuff
Yes, it is vital - and, if possible, record the consultations, ensuring that the practitioner is informed.
Ditto if going for an assessment for what used to be called Incapacity Benefit. When my OH came with me the second time I had one (he hadn't the first time) he stated that he was recording proceedings. The experience was infinitely better than the first time I'd had to have one and I was awarded IB, unlike the first time when I had to go to an appeal tribunal (which I won). Interestingly, the Dr who did this first assessment was later sacked for the way in which he was abusing his position and dealing with applicants - it was headline news. The other Dr similarly accused, sacked and in newspaper articles ended up as a GP in my surgery. Sigh.
I notice from the article that OW is specifically highlighting the fact that being a black woman, celebrity or not, makes it even harder.
On last night's BBC news there was a feature about the change of training for medics - for the first time ever (!) a skeleton of a woman and specific digital imagery of a woman's body have been produced to enable medics discover more clearly what a woman's body, internal features specifically, looks like and how everything interacts. I was aghast to learn that up until now all training had focused on a man's skeleton and body, with the differences about women tacked on.
It's being hailed as a way of learning how to diagnose women more accurately.
If this is the case, no wonder care for women has traditionally been so poor. It's as much as the attitudes behind it.
I can't find the link at the moment (it's not on the headlining BBC news page, surprise, surprise) but it's an eye-opener.
I remember when Oprah was first diagnosed about 18 years ago. I think she probably had Hashimoto's. All of us in the Thyroid world thought at last a saviour, as she had enough money to fight the ignorance and injustices. However we were sorely mistaken. Miss Winfrey decided on going the 'alternative' route, with a doctor who said she could get better without medication, on herbs etc. and plenty exercise. She even had a cook who would make sure she kept to this special diet, and a trainer to make sure she did the diet. She then announced to everyone that she was cured. Many of us, of course, realised what was going on, but our hopes of someone who would fight our corner was lost.
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Laryngoscopy and scared
scared 
GP scared me. Help understand results please. 
Scared to switch from Mercury Pharma to TEVA
