Will my doctor think I'm a hypochondriac if I ask for a Mood Disorder Test & a Thyroid Test at the same time?

I've been wanting to get a Thyroid Test for a while now. I'm always cold and whenever I go outside, my hands turn somewhat numb. Also, my skin has become very dry. On top of this, my mother was just diagnosed with Bipolar Disease and I just want to check if I have it because there are moments when I get extremely sad which is confusing to me because sometimes I don't know why I do. But it could be depressions...should I ask for both the next time I see my doctor?

Depression is a symptom of an underactive thyroid, so you are correct to get thyroid testing. Please make sure to test within an hour of waking, otherwise you could have an underactive thyroid and the lab test will not catch it. This is because our metabolism slows down when we sleep, so you want to test near this slowdown when TSH is at its highest point.

If you can name off the tests for the doctor, I suggest a TSH, Free T4, Free T3, and an antibody test

It's your body..take care of it and the doctor should listen to your requests. If he doesn't....it's time to get a new doctor.

I think most doctors enjoy diagnosing people with mood disorders, women especially, because there is little work involved. Thyroid tests are pretty routine nowadays, and they are unlikely to put you on medications until your thyroid is literally destroyed anyway, not just struggling.

I would rather see both you and your mom investigate these:

1) When to Suspect Lyme:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/romarkaraok...

Lymenet:

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb....

2) Mobile and Wireless - Largest Biological Experiment

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/200...

Electrical Sensitivity & Hypersensitivity:

http://www.ei-resource.org/illness-infor...

He might - my doctor seems to think that way! The stuff you're reporting sounds like it's possibly within normal range and it could be that you're worried about your mum. Bipolar usually presnts as quite dramatic moods up and down, and it is upsetting for the family and friends of a person with it. But that doesn't mean you've got it - it may mean that you have been so worried that you now feel ill! Without the "manic" highs, it is unlikely you are bipolar.

Having said all that, I do think it is important that you get your thyroid checked and tell your doc how you feel. He will likely be very sympathetic, so don't worry about what he might think - it's his job to respond to your needs.

Doctors are quite happy to misdiagnose thyroid disease as bipolar, or other mental disorders.

I would insist on proper thyroid testing (more than TSH) and I would not even put the idea of bipolar into the doctor's head until every last other possibility is ruled out.

doctors work for us! go with your concerns...and a thyroid test is a great start...the mental health ones may require a referral...but hey, if you are dealing with your mom's problems, checking in with a councelor of some sort may be a great thing! I say go for it!