Got a message from someone in r/Hashimotos they found this post helpful and suggested I post here too, so here it is.
My mom has Hashimoto's. For years she was told her labs were normal while she felt progressively worse. She's been using her own spreadsheets to track her labs, medication changes, and symptoms. Her doctor has continued to be pretty dismissive.
A few months ago, I sat down with her and built something better. We ended up making a report:
- Every TSH, Free T4, Free T3, and TPO antibody result on one timeline
- Lab results plotted alongside the reference ranges from the original lab reports
- Every medication and dose change marked on the same timeline
- Symptoms tracked over time, including morning vs. evening
- A one-page summary with specific questions to bring to her next appointment, based on her own history
Her next appointment wasn't magically different, but her doctor did acknowledge a dose change correlation with her symptoms and has since adjusted her medication. Hopefully it works 🤞🏼
I've turned our analysis into a template anyone can use. Three tracking sheets (labs, symptoms, medications) plus a prompt you paste into Claude or ChatGPT. Attach the file, paste the prompt, and it generates a structured doctor visit summary automatically.
Template here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m2VcoT6mdUADKo0DMUuYX2ihdB008UOv/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107188264494532813725&rtpof=true&sd=true
Note on Rule 2: I built this for my mom and I'm sharing it because it might help people in the same situation. Not here for commercial gain.
On privacy: The spreadsheet runs entirely on your own device. Nothing is stored anywhere I control.
One thing I've learned: The spreadsheet works but it's clunky. It involves attaching files, pasting prompts, re-entering things manually. A few people asked if there was a simpler version, so I've started looking into building a proper app. Early interest list at haloscan.co if that's useful. No commitment, just a way to let me know if it's worth pursuing.
Hopefully this is helpful :) I understand how difficult dealing with Hypothyroidism is, so have been trying to make it easier for my mom and similar patients in my free time.