Management of Patients with Pseudo-Endocrine Disorders

[Michael Scally MD]

Management of Patients with Pseudo-Endocrine Disorders

Comprised of illustrative clinical cases, this unique pocket guide presents descriptions of patients who have symptoms, physical signs or laboratory abnormalities that they believe are due to disorders of the endocrine system (hormone secreting glands and overall metabolism) but which are not, or probably are not, due to an endocrine disorder. These are common situations in the clinical practice of endocrinology.

Each chapter includes clinical cases illustrating differing presentations and outcomes, and each individual case description is followed by a discussion that includes the differential diagnosis of these symptoms, signs and/or lab abnormalities and why they are not likely due to endocrine disease or, alternatively, why and how a deeper exploration for endocrine disorders might be needed. In all cases, an emphasis is placed on listening to the patient and providing a respectful and compassionate response and approach to evaluation and management of the proposed disorder.

Discussions are referenced whenever reference material is available, and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are presented whenever applicable. Topics discussed include chronic and adrenal fatigue, obesity, anxiety and depression, sweating and flushing, alcohol- and opioid-induced symptoms, low testosterone, pseudo-hypoglycemia and pseudo-Cushing's syndrome, among others.

Clinical endocrinologists, primary care physicians and related allied medical professionals will find Management of Patients with Pseudo-Endocrine Disorders a valuable resource in their clinical practice with these common but often challenging patients.

McDermott MT, ed. Management of Patients with Pseudo-Endocrine Disorders: A Case-Based Pocket Guide. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2019:215-26.
Management of Patients with Pseudo-Endocrine Disorders | SpringerLink

 

[DavidGoodmen]

Thank you for this book!

From the introduction: “They are those who [might] have true endocrine disorders but continue to have symptoms despite adequate treatment and normal on-treatment tests.” After some time with thyroidectomy symptoms, I began getting T3. Each dose, 05, 10, 15, 20 mikes was better than before, but still not good. Indeed, Friday I took twenty mikes at eight; Saturday the same; Sunday at eight and at sixteen; Monday at eight. No change good or bad.

I had had my GP order some labs. That same Monday I picked up the lab reports, as they had not come in the mail. T4 was OK, TSH was 0.10, T3 was above the range. Everything should be fine.
Having seen videos on TRT, I had included a testosterone panel. This was much too low, and no amount of T3 is able to make up for it. Sometimes the cause of symptoms is not what one believes it to be. The lab numbers indicate why my life has been (and still is!) so bad that I have considered ending it. Yes, that bad!

Chapter twenty-two was particularly interesting, as I have read about rT3, as well. I forgot to put that in the lab request, but it hardly seems of any value, now! Thanks, again.