Where in the World do you currently (permanentl... - Thyroid UK
Where in the World do you currently (permanently) reside?
Why are we doing this poll? Quite simply, curiosity about our current membership demographic! Unfortunately the poll facility only allows 8 options, so apologies for the extremely limited choices outside of the UK 🙃
CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND 😃
The Centre ae the Universe... aka Falkirk Stirlingshire Scotland 😁
Jylland Denmark
Hi Susan, Denmark or Southern Sweden are likely where we will move next, is it easy to get GP prescriptions for T4 and T3 in Denmark?
France
Italy….have been here for sixteen years.
Far Northern New South Wales, Australia
I live in NJ near NYC.
South Africa, Johannesburg
Western Australia (Originally from England).
England
Cairo Egypt
Cardiff South Wales
Northern Ireland, Lisburn, eight miles south of Belfast
Pennsylvania, USA
I'm so grateful for this forum. Our endocrinology medical care in Oregon is abysmal as it sounds like it can be in the UK also. Regular doctors can take tests and suddenly they can be a specialist here if there is a need for an Endocrinologist. Most focus on diabetes and haven't a clue about thyroid testing and issues. Our medical schools are failing to thoroughly teach their students. I even went to Stanford University Hospital in California and the Endo was so under-trained that it was frightening. I'm not sure she passed microbiology.
I was born in UK but I live in America in Miami
Don’t you more directly have to pay for yours as well- via your insurance- or get conventionally medically abandoned?
Yes, we must have insurance unless you are low-income and can qualify for the Oregon Health Plan. But even with insurance, the endocrinology options are not good. We bleed out a lot of money to see doctors here but that doesn't mean there are many quality ones and especially in endocrinology. To do that specialty, you'd probably have to pass microbiology AND chemistry!! The Endo portion of Med Schools must last an hour and be covered in two chapters. Because the Med schools couldn't be churning out this many dolts if they thoroughly covered the subjects. These folks have really earned my disrespect, thus the screen name. I could have used the money and time I've wasted on doctors instead to further my education. And when I mentioned adrenal insufficiency - all the doctors I went to said they didn't believe in it, including endocrinologists and the one at Stanford also. I told her I thought I was coming to Stanford, the premier teaching and research hospital on the West Coast (of the US) and instead I must have stumbled into a rural Alabama health clinic because she lacked the education, experience, and motivation to help me. I told her I had to leave because I couldn't bear pissing another penny away on her and wasting my time. You wait weeks for a medical appt. and what disappointments. I think we are all subject to be treated by under educated doctors. They collect their money here whether they are knowledgeable, can offer any help, or make a difference. They only use TSH as a test and most of the docs I've offered a copy of, Stop the Thyroid Madness, by Janie Bowthorpe have refused to read it. They poo-poo me taking Armour Thyroid and it's not covered by our retirement age medical coverage called Medicare which I refer to as Medicrap. Hundreds of dollars every month for a drug that has been proven safe and effective for decades. The generic, Cytomel, does not work for me. It's pretty dismal here on the medical scene. And a theory I have for why we can't attract doctors to our university city is because the schools are so bad. And for those US readers- just be aware that if you go into a hospital, even with a completed prescription list of what you are taking and it includes Armour Thyroid or the like, the hospital will not administer it to you if you are there for an emergency and didn't bring your meds from home!!! This was told to me by a nurse. I don't know if that only applies to our mediocre care facilities or if it is widespread. You'd better have a partner, family member, and/or patient advocate check in on you if you are hospitalized. You might not be receiving your meds.
How would one get their medication? Can you just buy them without a prescription from the pharmacy?
You must have a prescription for thyroid meds of any kind. It's just difficult to find a doctor who will agree to dose you with Armour Thyroid, the real dessicated stuff, and then work with you to find the right dosage. I'm taking Levothyroxine also. I can't tell you how utterly disappointed I was w/seeing that Endo from Stanford. Once Stanford accepts you as a patient, you only have these very succinct thumbnail descriptions of the doctors and it's not helpful to choose that way. The doc I chose only tested thyroid function using TSH. When I requested a referral to one of her colleagues, she refused me 3 times saying they all treat the same. I found that impossible to believe but you are stuck with Princess Know-It-All and cannot see another doctor within the Stanford Hospital system w/o a referral. I was at a dead-end. Princess Know-it-All was young and articulate but not experienced and certainly didn't give a rat's ass about her patient, getting them accurate testing and diagnosis, nor whether they would become a return patient. And I wonder if it's the same in most American large teaching hospitals. So, I want to warn any Americans reading this what they might be up against. I have found a Naturopathic Doctor in our small university city of 60,000+- who has read the book, Stop the Thyroid Madness, does prescribe dessicated thyroid meds, does do complete testing including antibodies, and is very knowledgeable about the subject. It's so refreshing! Skip the pretentious, pompous & under-educated docs that you can screen by calling their offices and asking how they test for hyper/hypo-thyroid issues. If they respond with TSH - keep looking. Functional Medicine doctors would also be a good resource with help for thyroid issues. I do think everyone would benefit from reading the STTM book by Janie Bowthorpe. Her information has been more helpful than 8 Endocrinologists and multiple regular MD's combined. I would be dead w/o her book because I was ravaged by adrenal insufficiency and wasn't sure I would awaken every day. No doctor would/could help me. One refused to order a 24 hour hormone/cortisol test as if they were being asked to pay for it!! That's what level of medical help we have here. My PhD Veterinarian is the best informed medical help I have here. I wouldn't allow my dog to be seen by any of the human medical doctors here. My OES gets the highest level of medical care that exceeds the human kind. I think it must be a higher quality of medical care for thyroid issues in the Midwest of the country which is considered the goiter belt. Sorry this is so long but I do want my fellow thyroid sufferers to be better informed than what I was when I started on this journey and to avoid the time and money wasting morons I have encountered which includes Oregon Health Science University in Portland.
This is an inappropriate place for a discussion.
Please take it to a standard post and replies.
I’m glad theres something for skint people, in oregon at least. I always wondered what happened to people who couldn’t afford it, if they were just left.
But wow, only TSH! Thats bad!! I think TSH & T4 only is bad enough here, but thats even worse!! Its good you finally found good help & great you shared what you’ve learned. Tha ks for the book tip 👍
And when I mentioned adrenal insufficiency - all the doctors I went to said they didn't believe in it, including endocrinologists and the one at Stanford also.
I'm guessing that the doctors who "didn't believe in it" were confusing adrenal fatigue (AF) and adrenal insufficiency (AI).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adren...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adren...
Since AI can be fatal if left untreated it's alarming that you've met so many doctors who disbelieve in it.
❤️ the screen name!
Liverpool England
Hertfordshire, UK
Spain
England.
Costa Tropical Granada Spain originally London
South Cumbria England
Newcastle upon Tyne. England. Toon Army ...
Maui island 🏝️ in the state of Hawaii
Northampton England
SE London ( aka the BEST part of London 😂 ) UK
Isle of Man
I live in Italy
Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Auckland New Zealand
New Zealand
Staffordshire England…. And ever grateful to this group
Near Swansea , South Wales
Loveland, Colorado, USA
North Texas, USA, but moving to Wales in October!
Kangaroo Point Queensland🌅
Cumbria England
Perpetually trapped on the other side of the Earth, by accident.
England 😊
Beachley, Gloucester
I live in Sydney Australia. I have learnt so much on this forum.
Australia 🇦🇺
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque!
If you've joined this forum since 5th August, you may not have noticed this poll. Add your vote to the count!
England
Invercargill, New Zealand
