Doctor Doctor?

Yesterday I went to the doctor for my monthly blood draw to test my thyroid levels. I've also been sick for a while so I asked about that as well. Imagine my surprise when the doctor told me that the over-the-counter medication I've been taking for my cold is not safe for people with thyroid issues.

Apparently lots of over-the-counter medication is off limits for me. The best part is that no one ever told me that -not when I was diagnosed a year and half ago and not since. You'd think someone would have said something.

What's even worse is that one of the medications is the active ingredient in Sudafed, which I have been taking at least a few times a week for my sinus problems. I have effectively been sabotaging my thyroid several times a week. Nice. The only saving grace here is that I didn't take any sinus medication while I was nursing or pregnant. At least my sabotage has been limited to the last few months.

I understand that doctors don't know everything and can't be expected to know the details of every malady. However, when you're diagnosing someone with a problem you could simply provide paperwork or reference material a patient could review to learn more about their medical issue. That way the patient is informed and potential problems could be avoided.

In this age of information it's irritating that I could have learned more about my condition from Google than I ever did from my doctor. Perhaps I should have been googling after all.