I posted in the Can't get diagnosed category at the weekend and really grateful for the advice you gave, I went to the GP today following the ENT appt he sent me for last week re hoarseness and extreme tiredness and today I wanted to request a throat scan & a T3 blood test. I was so annoyed that he was so patronising saying that I didn't sound hoarse to him, asking if I'm sure that I'm not just under a lot of stress at the minute and then telling me they have loads of patients that come through the door with 'TAT' (tired all the time for no reason). He said I don't have a goiter, there is nothing wrong with my thyroid and that I seem to be obsessed with thinking there is something wrong with it. He said he is so certain about this that if it turns out I have a thyroid problem, he will strip off and run around the Common(our local park) naked! He said that in the 25 yrs he's been a GP, there has never been a case that someone with normal blood results turns out to have low thyroid. I insisted on the throat scan and T3 and also told him that my 33 yo cousin had normal blood results and docs telling him he was imagining it then it turned out he had thyroid cancer so these normal blood results aren't always right.
Speaking of which, here are my last blood results. I don't know which are relevant as most of it's double dutch to me but I'll put it exactly as it appears on the print out:
Free T4 level 14.2 pmol/L(7.50-21.10)
TSH level 1.22mu/L(0.34-5.60)
Full blood count
Then it says underneath "Abnormal contact patient"
Haemoglobin estimation 131g/L (120-150)
Total white cell count 8.0 10*9/L (4-11)
Platelet count 308 10*/9L (150-400)
Neutrophil count 3.4 10*/9L (2- 7.5)
Lymphocyte count 2.8 10*/9L (1.5- 4)
Monocyte count 0.5 10*/9L (0.20 - 1.00)
! Eusinophil count 1.4 10*/9L (0.00- 0.50)
Basophil count 0.00 10*/9L (0.00- 0.10)
Red blood cell 4.76 10*12L (3.80-4.80)
Packed cell volume 0.408 L/L (0.36- 0.46)
MCV 85.7 fL (80- 100)
MCH 27.5 pg (27- 32pg)
MCHC 321 g/L (320-360)
! Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 44 mm 1st h (1- 19mm 1st h)
(Then it states underneath this one that it is "seen and dealt with"- I don't know what this means- could be where I was referred to ENT for camera down throat for hoarseness)
I have asked today for a T3 blood test but is there a T3 test and also a reverse T3 test and do I need both?
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CamillaB
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I would be wanting him to check my iron and ferritin as your haemoglobin estimation, MCV, MCH and MCHC are all right at the bottom of the range, suggesting possible iron deficiency without being clinically anaemic. You would probably benefit from iron supplements.
If he is convinced your thyroid is fine, he should at least be checking your iron and ferritin to see if it is either of these. They can be low without actually being anaemic. Anaemia is a late stage symptom of iron deficiency.
Eosinophil count can be high for a variety of reasons and sometimes is just transitory. Here is a link to possible causes mayoclinic.com/health/eosin...
I would seriously recommend you see a different doctor if you possibly can. He has completely ignored your abnormal result (which could well be nothing, but still) and hasn't even clicked that you could possibly be suffering from iron deficiency even though you are not yet anaemic.
Thank you Carolyn that was very helpful info. I have seen three different doctors at the GP practice and they all treated me the same- with the "Go away and stop bothering us you silly woman" attitude!
He felt my neck and laughed at me for saying my throat felt swollen and said it wasn't or he would see a goitre but surely the most reliable way of detecting a goitre/ nodules is a throat scan is it not?
Cant help with your request but I really do hope you prove him wrong, be kind of nice to see him have to eat his words - not sure about seeing him run naked round the common although with a bit of luck he would get arrested and have to confess he was doing it because he had been such a patronising prat that he made a stupid deal with his poor patient.
I can't help you with blood results although I recently posted here with mine. The only thing I can tell you is that your ESR is quite high and that indicates inflammation is present in your body. I have mine tested once a month fir Rheumatoid Arthritis and related drugs and mine was 44 when I was in flare a month ago.
He should definitely retest your ESR in a month or so to rule out any type of inflammatory condition - although the lab range is higher than mine (0-10 up here). I was snapped at by my favourite GP when I asked for T3 even though she diagnosed and has been treating me for hypothyroidism for about ten years now!
I'm sick of my health issues and sick of my GPs now too!
Wish they would all run naked across your park frankly - but then my man GP is rather gorgeous (but doesn't he know it?!)
Haha Liz it sure would be nice to see Karma bite him in the (bare) bum
Agree with answers above, good idea to ask for ferritin, folate, B12 and Vit D tests too and investigate the reason for an elevated ESR (inflammation indicator) at least monitor. May I ask how many visits about your hoarseness etc you had before he said you were obsessed? As your GP is obviously weird maybe it's time to try another one - there's plenty - and I'm sure you can find one who doesn't tell you their secret wish to expose themselves in public! J
Thank you spareribs. I think I went to docs about hoarseness 4 times before they made the urgent ENT referral and today was the 5th time(only the second time I've seen him as he was on hols the other times). I asked him today to tell me what was causing the hoarseness- he said he doesn't know but that I don't sound hoarse to him at all. Some days it's worse than others but it's always there. I told him I know me and I know my body and I also know when my voice has changed
My first symptom was hoarseness which the GP dismissed. I became gradually more unwell and saw two ENT's one of whom said I had a 'web' in my throat (after a barium swallow) I had a procedure - no web - no explanation and sent off. Next ENT said I had acid reflux as now - 3 years later - severe nausea was a problem. My GP did a full blood test and knew I was not well but 'phoned to tell me the good news that all bloods were fine.The following month discharged from the A&E as probably viral with high cholesterol (high cholesterol being a clinical symptom too of hypo). One week later due to a comment by a first aider I requested a thyroid gland blood test and was medicated immediately as TSH was 100. None of the others ever thought of a thyroid gland problem. I am still hoarse at times even now 6 years later.
The good thing is I found Thyroiduk and with their information I am now well.
My blood tests were also normal range and i have all the hypo symptoms. I am on levothyroxine but it has only helped some of my symptoms. My B12 is low and I have mild vit D dificientcy. Definitely get your B12 and Vit D checked. My B12 injections are a big help for tiredness. If it's low get tested for intrinsic factor to see if you can absorb B12.
Any tests you have to ask your GP first. Tests I had done were TSH, Free T3, Free T4, full blood count, cholesterol check, Vit D and B12. Then intrinsic factor when my B12 was low. I have had a test added if I've forgotten to ask for it, if it's related to the tests i'm having done. You can't rely on this though. You need to keep a good relationship with your doctor if you want him to help you. TSH is not enough. You need FT3 and FT4 for a more accurate result. A book called Thyroid Disorders by Antony Toft is good. Only £4.95 approved by British Medical Association
you can suggest extra tests, sadly they tend not to do the obvious! (to us) - but if he won't do them it's not too expensive to get private tests like a home Vit D for £25 (so glad I did!) there's info on the main TUK site if he won't....
I had the same problems with the doctors of my surgery, I was lucky I finally found the one who could understand thyroid problems. When i told him many of the things other doctors did and said he told me what he was told at the medical college, which totally opposed the other doc's procedures. I now only discuss my thyroid issues with this doctor and no one else.
If you don't find the right doctor at your surgery you may even have to change it. I know this is a pain but it's really worth.
Just a tip, I've been struggling with constipation for years and tried all possible diets and products available out there, no one really help enough and often they made symptoms even worse. I finally tried Glucomannan which is the root of a japanese veggetable and can't believe the results. It's soluble fibre like psyllum hasks but for some reason psyllum made me horribly bloated and this one doesn't. I highly recommend it. I bought a bottle of capsules on ebay, but you can also buy it in flower and pasta. I haven't tried these two but I read they are even better to treat constipation. the capsules I get are 100% natural, I guess if they work is because is just the flower in a capsule.
Best lucks with treating your thyroid - it's a must to do it properly.
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So fed up with patronising doctors
