Hi All,
If this situation wasn't so serious it would be funny, in actual fact it did make me smile but it shouldn't have.
Had blood tests for ferritin and TSH last week and phoned on Friday for the results. Took me a while to get the silly receptionist to understand what she was reading but managed to get out of her that my Ferritin was 37 (range 13 - 150) so I still have a way to go with that and, according to her, my TSH wasn't done.
Me - Why
Her - Don't know, would you like me to get a doctor to ring you back"
Me - Yes please.
He duly rang me back and even before I had a chance to say anything he came out with:-
Doctor - "I've been reading your notes, and letters from endocrinologist, but had to give up half way through because they are too complicated and I don't really understand them"
Although this statement surprised me, and didn't fill me with confidence, I wasn't that worried as I only wanted to know why my TSH wasn't done - I just made a mental note to never see him at the surgery.
Me - I would like to know please why wasn't my TSH done?
Doctor - It was, the result was 0.16
Me - So I'm over medicated again (I had been getting bad palps again for the last two weeks)
Doctor - It looks that way but as I said, you are a very complicated case.
Me - Lucky I reduced my Levo last night down to 100 then wasn't it, so maybe I'll do alternate 100's and 125's to see how I go.
Doctor - No, no, no, you cant do that - not without your Dr.? say so. (Dr.? is my endo)
Me - I have an agreement with Dr.? that whenever I am over medicated and my heart starts playing up again then I will reduce my thyroxine.
Doctor - Really.
Me - Yes.
Doctor - Are you sure
Yes - Yes I'm sure - he trusts me to managed my medication.
Doctor - Well if your certain that this is what he has told you to do then I suppose 100/125 on alternate days would be fine - are you sure that he would be happy with you doing this.
Me - Yes I'm sure. Can I ask you a question.
Doctor - Well you can but as I have said your case is very complicated and I don't know if I will be able to help you, but I'll try.
Me - Do you think that now I have actually got some iron in my body, although it's not as high as I would like, that my body is utilising the levo better and this could be the cause of me now being over medicated.
Doctor - Don't think so - I've never heard of iron having any significant connection with thyroid medication.
At this point I just wanted to give up so a "Well thanks for that doctor - have a nice weekend"
ended the conversation.
I put the phone down with a smile on my face as, as far as clueless doctors go this one was up there with the best. I know I shouldn't have found it amusing, as any poor thyroid patients he looks after haven't got a hope in hell have they, but it was his "your case is to complicated for me" attitude that made me smile. Compared to some on this site I DO NOT think my thyroid condition is that complicated. Yes my heart has been playing up but I have now realise that my body (or more specifically my heart) just does not like my TSH being too low. If it drops below 0.5 I end up in trouble and its trying to manage this that's complicated, so my theory is (and please feel free to add your thought on this as it is only a theory) that:-
a) Four/five months of iron supplements, which has taken my levels from 12 to 37 (and yes I know this is still not ideal) IS helping my body to use the levo better or
b) My level's are unstable due to when, and for how long, the antibodies are attacking my thyroid. When the Hashimoto's is active I need more medication and when it is dormant (or not so active) and my thyroid is producing a certain amount of thyroid hormones itself I need less thyroxine.
Sorry for the extra long blog but needed to share with you this unbelievable conversation with a so called medical professional and how this sort of thing makes you realise why this site is so important when it comes to obtaining information that half our GP's seem to know nothing about.
Would just like to add that I will be disappearing off the site for a couple of months very soon as it is coming up to harvest time again and I will be very busy at work (will be "on line" at home before to long so will be able to catch up with things there and not have to rely solely on my works computer). I will be visiting you all on here briefly, in my lunch break, but wont be as active as I usually am - and I will miss it.
Moggie x