Modern methods for diagnosing Hashimoto’s disease allow us to accurately determine its type, mitigate its symptoms, and to slow down or even halt some of the processes already underway. The key is to seek medical advice as quickly as possible. But how do you know who to go to, and how do you find a specialist you can trust?

Check out the websites of organizations offering medical services

Nowadays, there are many organizations that follow a particular approach to treatment, and bring together medical professionals specializing in one field, such as endocrinologists. Such organizations often publish lists of doctors or provide assistance in choosing one. Here are some of the websites you can check out:

Don’t dismiss advice and recommendations

Your friends and family will want to help you more than anyone else, so they’re perfectly likely to refer you to a reliable specialist, and you can trust their advice. Moreover, your loved ones are probably already aware of your condition, as well as your preferences and needs, which means that you can avoid many extra questions.

Check the doctor’s qualifications and experience

Regardless of whose recommendations you’re following, make sure to double-check the doctor’s qualifications and experience. What degree do they hold and what are their professional interests? Do they have any published research papers and what are they about? How much clinical practice have they had? Do they specialize in treating Hashimoto’s or do they work more generally with treating endocrine disorders? These are the questions that will help you understand how competent a particular doctor is when it comes to your specific condition.

Read reviews

Reviews can help you get a general impression of your care provider before you meet them face to face. However, it’s crucial to analyze exactly what a doctor is being praised or criticized for, while also distinguishing between comments about their work, the service at their clinic, or their communication with medical personnel. When reading patients’ reviews, take notice of how thorough their examination was, whether the doctor was able to make the correct diagnosis, and whether the specialist was consistent with their proposed treatment plan.

Emotionally charged reviews, however, shouldn’t be given too much weight; they rarely have constructive criticism, and it’s often hard to make out which parts are true and which are being exaggerated. There’s also little point in focusing on the testimonials published on a clinic’s website as they are filtered before publication and therefore tend to be exclusively positive.

Prepare for your visit

Make a habit of putting the results of every medical exam you’ve had in a separate folder. If you aren’t already doing this, get a folder for storing your latest results of screenings and consultations with specialists, as well as their prescriptions, ahead of your next appointment for Hashimoto’s. This way, you’ll be able to keep all the necessary information in order. 

Some patients with chronic conditions keep a personal health diary. If you have one, take it with you; this information will be as important for the doctor as your test results. It could also be helpful to write down the names of the drugs that you’re taking at the moment.

Book an appointment

It’s rather difficult to truly understand whether a doctor is right for you based on recommendations and reviews alone as different people may have different takes on the same situation. So, rather than try to get a comprehensive impression of a specialist in advance, it’s better to simply go to see them in person.

What is the doctor like in conversation? How friendly are they? Are they ready to help you with finding a solution to your problem? Ask yourself these questions before deciding on whether a certain physician is a good match.

Don’t be afraid to switch doctors

Finding a doctor is not an easy process, and even a carefully chosen professional might not ultimately be right for you. In this case, you’re perfectly entitled at any point to choose a different clinic, see another care provider to get a second opinion, or switch to a different specialist altogether. You should also feel free to explore alternative methods of treating the disease. The more you know, the more treatment opportunities you’ll see.

Approach your search for a doctor responsibly. With proper diligence, patience, and consistency, you’re bound to find the right doctor for you.