Complaint Review: Dr Pitadia MD Porter

I have been going to DR Pithadia in Valparaiso In since the early 1980s. I thought he was kind, thorough and competent. Turns out he is none of the above. I was diagnosed as being depressed. Dr Pithadia started me on Prozac then Zoloft then an ongoing ever-changing array of anti depressants. Nothing seemed to work. He did exhaustive blood tests and listened to me describe my symptoms, IE: Depressed mood, fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, lack of focus and concentration and a myriad of others that are a virtual laundry list of HYPOTHYROIDISM.

He ignored my blood test which said my THYROID function was WAY WAY out of whack. I don't think he knows how to read a THYROID profile. A HIGH TSH NUMBER means a LOW THYROID. I read the tests and told him this dozens of times. He kept telling me my "thyroid was HI(GH". I kept telling him HIGH TSH means LOW THYROID. I remember one visit when I told him the chemical soup of anti depressants wasn't having the desired effect and he asked me if I had ever considered that "I might just not be a happy person".

About 12 years ago he sent me to an ENDOCRINOLOGIST 50 miles away. I took a myriad of tests and the SPECIALIST concluded that I had an UNDER PITUITARY GLAND. I asked Dr Pithadia what could be the problem and he said "maybe you have a tumor". He sent me for a CT scan and no tumor. I asked him what next and he just dropped it. No other treatment was ever discussed.

I find out NOW, 12 years later, through the internet that an UNDERACTIVE PITUITARY GLAND is known to "COMPETENT medical professionals" as SECONDARY HYPOTHYROIDISM.......A LOW PRODUCING THYROID!!! The PITUITARY GLAND stimulates THYROID PRODUCTION!!! I took these findings into Dr Pithadia. Pages and Pages of highlighted text that listed MY SYMPTOMS, the SYMPTOMS I HAD BEEN GOING TO HIM FOR FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, as a virtually IDENTICAL laundry list of symptoms of a LOW PRODUCING THYROID. HYPOTHYROIDISM!! He IGNORED the information and said " This is nothing new".

It wasn't supposed to be NEW it was supposed to be information that he apparently didn't KNOW!! Dr Pithadia told me that "it would be irresponsible for him to put me on thyroid because it might give me heart palpitations". I told him I was willing to try and would let him know if they caused a problem.

By this time I weight 380 POUNDS am pre diabetic, have high blood pressure and all of the other ailments associated with being that heavy. Dr Pithadia just kept throwing more meds at me to TREAT my SYMPTOMS. HCTZ, TRICOR, TARKA, WELLBUTRIN, GLUCATROL etc. About $350.00 A MONTH treating SYMPTOMS when a $35.00 a month THYROID prescription is what I had needed. Had I had thyroid just a couple of years sooner these ailments that came on with the last 35-40 pounds might never have even happened.

After starting therapy for depression, about 5 sessions in, I mentioned my thyroid and my TSH levels as being close to 6.0. My therapist threw up his hands and yelled "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT BEFORE!!!!". I told him my DOCTOR, Dr Pithadia, keeps telling my THYROID is HIGH. He freaked out and told me with levels like mine he was surprised I was even able to FUNCTION. The THYROID is the MASTER GLAND that secrets a substance that controls the functions of nearly everything else.

I asked our pharmacist and he didn't seem too impressed with DR Pithadia. He recommended another Dr. I went to the new DOCTOR and he immediately prescribed thyroid meds.(The cheapest meds available for their value.)After taking them for several months I feel like a new man!!!! I FEEL GREAT!! Like I'm 25 again instead of 50!! I'm wearing pants and shirts now that I haven't worn in YEARS!!! I have more patience with my wife and children. I'm MUCH happier! I have energy and now get out and do things I haven't done in YEARS due to my DR Pithadia diagnosed "depression".

My life has taken a 180 degree turn for the better. I'm SO happy yet SO SO ANGRY that I chose this quack to be my doctor and that he Ruined , not only my life, but the lives of my THREE CHILDREN (20, 19 and 16) and my wife by taking their real Father and husband away from them for almost 20 years by being too lazy, too stupid, too unbending or too incompetent to diagnose a MAJOR PROBLEM that was SO EASY TO DIAGNOSE JUST BY LOOKING AT THE TEST RESULTS. The RESULT FORM HAS THE ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS PRINTED RIGHT ON IT!!!!!. Thank GOD for the internet and the information it holds.

Please do two things.

#1. BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR OWN HEALTH. Doctors don't know everything and who knows your symptoms better than you do. Type your symptoms in GOOGLE and you'll be amazed what you find. Take care of YOURSELF!!

#2. Tell anybody you know in Valparaiso Indiana to avoid DR Pithadia like the plague he is.

I'm going to a new therapist now and she says that the misdiagnosis of my thyroid condition by Dr Pithadia has had a tremendously negative effect on my life and the lives of my wife and children. There have been some tremendously life changing events that are a direct result of my inability to function as a result of an incompetent doctor. I hope he is happy that he has ruined the lives of FIVE PEOPLE and the residue of his incompitence will forever be a pall on all of our lives. I hope this BUDDHIST DOCTOR thinks about us every day since both Buddhism and the Hippocratic oath would have him "do no harm" to another person.

Nick
Valparaiso, Indiana
U.S.A.