Dr. Catherine M. Hegarty, MD

Sep 22nd, 2021

Nov 15th, 2019

Dr. Hegarty is an excellent physician; she is knowledgeable, caring, and pays great attention to her patients. She is one of the best, if not the best, physicians I have known.
Nov 12th, 2019

Jul 20th, 2018

I was referred to Dr Hegarty by my PCP at the time in 2016 and at first she was great, and did the lab work I had asked for, and worked with me. Towards the end of 2016, I was having heart issues and she completely dismissed me, and wouldn’t order any of the lab work I had requested she do to make sure my thyroid levels were okay. I had been doing extensive reputable research 2 years before even seeing her, and all of my symptoms matched Hashimoto’s. She did diagnose me with it initially and when I asked to be put on a new thyroid medication, she switched me which was fine until 2 months later. I began having major heart palpitations, feeling hot and sweaty to chills to panic attacks and feeling like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I asked specifically if it had to do with the medication she had switched me to, or my Hashimoto’s and she immediately said no, and told me to take an Ativan and it was caused by my anxiety. I immediately messaged my PCP who was within the same practice who got me in to see him immediately and concurred that I did have some heart trouble due to irregular thyroid levels, and NOT anxiety. Dr Hegarty then messaged me back through the patient portal saying the thyroid med she just switched me to 2 months prior can cause heart palpitations in some people, and it just so happened I was one of them. I stopped seeing her after that awful and dismissive experience and after completely disregarding my wanting specific lab work ordered which later showed once I switched to Integrative/Functional Medicine that those levels were sky high! She stated she only does that specific lab work (thyroid antibodies) every 3 years. I would’ve had to live with that heart stuff for a whole other year and possibly die if I hadn’t sought other helpful treatment to help save my life. I have since been diagnosed not only with Hashimoto’s, but Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), Lyme Disease and a Co-Infection of Lyme called Bartonella. I haven’t and don’t have any plans on going back to Dr Hegarty after this horrendous experience. I’m also in the healthcare field, and did my research prior to seeing her, so I did know a bit about what I was requesting and how my body felt. I may not be a Dr/PA/NP, etc., but I know when my body is off, and I wouldn’t have asked for specific blood work if I hadn’t already researched what tests I 1,000% NEEDED to be done! I AM scientific proof that thyroid antibodies tests contribute to how the thyroid functions as a whole, and should be tested every 6 months to year to anyone else suffering and can’t find the proper help. I have discussed this matter with my Dr’s I have now and they agree with me in all of this. Please do better by and for your patients, they DESERVE IT!!! They deserve to be listened to, understood and most importantly HEARD when they come to you for help. God help anyone else that has to go through any dismissive experience by her. There definitely should be repercussions for patients that have to suffer for so long and can’t find the proper medical professionals to turn to when going through so much and can barely function on a daily basis. As angry as I am, as angry as I’ll always be based on my experience, I still wish she a better Dr than she was to me!
Feb 2nd, 2021