Dr. Hassan Shawa, MD

I was referred to Dr. Shawa primarily due to some thyroid nodules that were discovered. Two of which were enlarged, one of which described as highly suspicious. My t4 level was 6.1 and TSH 3.050 (both considered normal) I initially saw my primary care physician for lethargy,digestive issues, hairloss, and puffy swollen eyelids. While I was there we discussed that my breast surgeon had felt an enlargement on the right side of my neck. Upon examination she thought there was an enlargement on the left side of my thyroid. Bloodwork and ultrasound of my thyroid were ordered and my journey began. When I arrived at Albany med Endocrinology all staff were very professional and kind. I filled out an intake survey listing all of my symptoms and family history. Dr. Shawa did his own ultrasound of my neck and after consideration told me that he suspected Hashimoto's disease. When I asked him if there was any treatment for this he said no. There is not any treatment until you have low thyroid… hormone levels, at which you are then put on levothyroxine supplementation. I asked him if it could be at all related to the cystic tissue that I had biopsied in my left breast and he said no. He ordered bloodwork to confirm Hashimoto's which included a test for thyroid antibodies. (I am not sure if this was TPOAb, TgAb, or both) I left the office feeling worried and helpless. He called and left a message on my voicemail 2 days later. He said antibodies were indeed found and the diagnosis was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. He said to call back if I had any questions, otherwise I would see him in a year to have my thyroid levels rechecked. I discussed my diagnosis with co-workers and my husband. A Veterinarian whom I work with has a sister with Hashimoto's and she was placed on Synthroid even though her thyroid levels are normal. A technician that I work with has a good friend with Hashimoto's who is mostly controlling symptoms through her diet. I called the office back 4 days later letting reception know that I had been researching my diagnosis and that I had some questions for Dr. Shawa. They had his assistant call me back to take down specific questions. I told the her that I had been reading a lot on the internet and that I was really hoping for some guidance from a doctor. I found through reading that an anti-inflammatory diet was recommended and that one should especially avoid milk because it was a trigger for a "Hashimoto's episode". I also read that Hashimoto's can be secondary to another autoimmune disease, adrenal dysfunction, or high levels of estrogen. I wanted to know what he thought about this and if we should perdue other testing to rule out another autoimmune disease. I also expressed that I used to be a really active person and being so lethargic was really getting to me. She said to keep my chin up and she would speak with Dr. Shawa. Dr. Shawa called me back 20 minutes later with an attitude. He said that he thought we had gone over everything but he would repeat himself. There is no diet, there is no treatment. My thyroid levels are normal so I should not go on a hormone supplement. Going on a supplement would be harmful at this point. I interrupted and told him not to misunderstand, I was not looking to go on synthroid necessarily, that I just wanted to feel better. He said that these symptoms were news to him? When did I first experience them? (I guess he didn't read the intake survey or get any info from my GP?) He said I thought you just came because of the thyroid nodules. He said there was nothing he could do for me further and that I would need to follow up with my GP. He would see me in a year to test my thyroid levels. (I guess this endocrinologist doesn't test adrenal function or hormone levels?) I've decided that I won't be going back to him. I got the feeling I was being dismissed because he didn't want to do anymore. Hopefully I will find a doctor that gives more guidence and doesn't just brush me off the way that Dr. Hassan Shawa did.

I cannot say enough how condescending Dr. Shawa is i am appalled the way he spoke to me please do not waste your time with him he does not care about you or your treatment i have never met a more arrogant doctor

Extremely condescending and outright rude

He is an excellent doctor I would refer patients to his practice

After I finally went to an endocrinologist after months of feeling low energy, extreme fatigue, hair falling out, and other classic hypothyroid symptoms, this doc put me on synthroid "not because it was needed but because I requested it." My levels were according to lab results low normal, but I had all the clinical symptoms of hypothyroid and felt terrible. I noticed definite increased energy a couple weeks after starting a low dose of levothyroxine, but when titrating the dose up, the migraines that started when I began taking it got worse. I stopped taking the meds and they abruptly went away. I called back asking to try Nature-Throid as an alternative because I believed I was sensitive to something in the levothyroxine I was taking. I had also read some articles published in medical journals about the superiority of combined T3/T4 therapy for some patients. I believed it might be a better fit for me. He had his nurse call back to tell me that it was impossible that I was… experiencing migraines due to levothyroxine and that any effects I experienced from the drug were placebo because it was too low a dose to have an effect. Unbelievable arrogance. He also refused to allow me to try nature-throid because he believed 1) it was less effective and 2) the dosage varies from batch to batch. A quick review of the scientific literature and recall history of these drugs reveals both of these arguments to be completely baseless. Moreover, the way the message was conveyed was extremely disrespectful and dismissive of some of the richest data available to a doctor: patient report about how they feel. My advice: Avoid this doctor -- unless you're OK with seeing someone narrow minded, not up to date on the latest literature, arrogant, and unhelpful.