complained to practise manager and got a doctor to look at my abnormal blood results !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lola1956]

at last a doctor looked at my blood results (abnormal written clearly on it) and agreed with me that my bloods need looking at, was laughed at by another doctor on tuesday , my esr is at 51 when it should be less than 30, he was very concerned by this and more blood was taken immediately , esr has jumped up since june, was seen clearly in graph form, what could this mean ? he was very concerned and i thanked him for listening to me, also my body temp is now down to 35.3 and has been steadily coming down all week, i feel awful this week cannot even eat as feel sick, headaches etc,

[bantam12]

I wouldn't panic over it, moderately elevated ESR simple means some inflammation or infection is going on, could be just because you are under the weather with a virus or such like and if it's a one off then might be just a temporary glitch. No point in worrying until you know if you have something definite to worry about !

[lola1956 in reply to bantam12]

trying not to panic but has been rising since june

[anbuma]

helo lola

I sent a letter tomy drs torequest copie sof my bllod tests results as others her ehave said idsm my entitlement.teh I got an email ab ck saygn my dr would speak tome re bloods at my appt on the 11th,i wa sbemuse dbecasue he said iahd had thyroid tests but not since I foist wentothim with neckprobs.

[lola1956 in reply to anbuma]

hello anbuma, sorry your having trouble as well with doctor but we will get plenty help on this site so stick with us and we will get through this

[editfmrt]

Well done for sticking to your guns and complaining. Even if the ESR does turn out to be an infection your other levels were low ferritin can do with being higher especially in thyroid patients. You still need to get printouts of your thyroid results. With ESR which can be raised during an infection (even a common cold) they can fobb you off and make you feel stupid - that prevents you form following up the other issues.

Did you see on your other post - last one on the page - I posted this:

Do you have test results for thyroid? You may just be underactive and need an increase of thyroxine. 75mcg is a low dose. Other posts are good and it is right to sort any deficiencies and get vitamins and minerals optimal. However, you will still be ill if your thyroid is not being managed properly although the vitamins may help that.

If you have thyroid results, can you post them and someone may be able to advise you.

[lola1956 in reply to editfmrt]

hello doctor says that after 3 months my under active is now under control and that esr has nothing to do with thyroid, last bloods were tsh level 4.61 mu/l (0.27-4.2) t4 14pmol/l (10-24),,, thank you for your help

[tegz in reply to lola1956]

Maybe the ESR is something else- but your TSH is too high[ by about 3x optimal] for someone taking Levo- and T4 is just off the floor.

Go for another GP who has a better knowledge, I'd say.

Just doesn't make sense!

You need the old BTA print out [qouted on here many times] to stress your point.

[lola1956 in reply to tegz]

hello tegz, i do not feel that my thyroid is under control yet but was just grateful that a doctor was actually listening to me and was willing to investigate my abnormal blood results further, excuse my ignorance but what is bta?, have also been to all 6 doctors in my practise and not one has much knowledge on the thyroid, merely prescribing levo and getting me out the door,.......... if i cry with pain and frustration then they offer anti depressants , what else can i do?

[tegz in reply to lola1956]

Sorry, British Medical Assocn. -Gives a good overview of optimal thyroid management- & one of their own from the past!

You'll get there!

Carolyn just reposted it:

Dr Toft's book "Understanding Thyroid Disorders" and show him page 88.

[lola1956 in reply to tegz]

i will look at this thank you

[PinkNinja in reply to lola1956]

Your TSH is actually still above range! Your dose should be increase immediately! Whoever said your thyroid is stable is incompetent! I am usually very restrained in what I say but I am quite shocked by your treatment. I'm sorry you are having such a rough ride with this

[lola1956 in reply to PinkNinja]

i still feel very unwell and told the doctor this, he said the symptoms you describe,(cold feet and hands , aches all over, exhaustion to the point i could cry, loss of memory, no motivation depression) are not symptoms of under active , it is now under control?? hes incompetent but i have been to every doctor at my surgery now and dont know what else to do to get help, im so tierd sometimes i can hardly speak so its hard to fight for my rights and find the right words

[Mary52 in reply to lola1956]

Hi Lola, I have been down the same road, with GPs telling me it's all in my head, and actually ignoring an abnormal result!, I seen another GP with similar symptoms as you described above, and he also said they're not the signs of hypo! so i said "what are they the symptoms of then"? and he said "something else"....and you could see him starting to think. It took several blood tests but he eventually diagnosed "pernicious anaemia" and i have started vitamin B12 injections on week 5 now and starting to feel a bit more human, he also said he would like to get this under control and then sort out any further thyroid problems, it is such a relief to be listened to. keep asking, and hopefully you will get some good results. mary

[PinkNinja in reply to tegz]

Lol. Thanks tegz. I was just about to post that. You saved me a job

[lola1956 in reply to PinkNinja]

i must add though i was in a very dark place until i stumbled across this web site, you have all helped me and made me feel that i am not alone , the information you have given me on this site is fantastic, without you all i dont know where i would be

[editfmrt in reply to lola1956]

Oh my it just gets worse doesn't it? The ignorance is staggering. 'After 3 months your thyroid is under control" just takes the biscuit with those test results. Tegz has said exactly what I would say about your results. Don't like to say this but unless you are going to be able to educate him you may need to try someone else - even someone that knows the basics would be better.

I don't know why they waste funds on ESR anyway. My sister has had elevated ESR for several years and they always say its not important.

Try to get full thyroid tests which would be useful and they won't do them. If they do after a battle they ignore them and say its not your thyroid. It's crackers.

You are hypothyroid and need an increase and no wonder you feel poorly.

[lola1956 in reply to editfmrt]

thank you for your reply , yes i feel i am banging my head off a wall, its so hard getting them to listen, really did not know that doctors were like this

[editfmrt in reply to lola1956]

Comes as a bit of a shock if you haven't experienced it before. You have to be your own advocate to get well. You may need some time to reflect and think over your options. But you will have to fight to get better. A short well composed polite letter to the GP may be the answer with a copy of Dr Tofts extract to educate him.

[Numberone1]

I managed to obtain all my blood tests over several years and found that not only was my T4 very low ie at the bottom or lower than the range, the hospital had also written (LOW) on the results. My doctors had never acted on it. My life could have been changed in an instant if they had picked up on it especially as I was going in sometimes complaining of depression, aches and pains etc.

[lola1956 in reply to Numberone1]

hi, yes my last tests same all abnormal, even this doctor still said my thyroid level fine but has abnormal on it, all this is so hard when we have so little motivation or fight left its all wrong numberone1

[tegz in reply to lola1956]

It's a form of professional bullying, really. Inexcusable!

They don't have to care- but should be able to read...

[lola1956 in reply to tegz]

doctors are there to help us, not to look down on us but sadly they are not now the caring profession

[lola1956 in reply to Numberone1]

got results back to 2009 and was borderline and no one told me was told results fine , suffered for years not knowing

[Issy]

My docs seemed unwilling to take notice of pulse rate dropping from a usual of 58 to a low of 42.

Tempearature dropping from an unknown usual, to a low of around 35.3

Energy levels rubbish

etc etc.

I finally got diagnosed when I got someone to test the thyroid antibody levels, as my TSH was always under 5.

Now I am feeling well again, taking T3 and Nutri Adrenal Extra - thanks to Dr Skinner and Dr Peatfield.

Keep plugging on...

[Glynisrose]

Slightly better than my aunt's GP who said her bloods were back to normal and took her off thyroxine....

[oldgreybird]

I am so sorry for you that not one of the GPs are any good. Can you take someone with you to your next appointment? A partner or friend and preferably a man! I find it is very helpful. Even if my husband just sits there and says nothing, it seems to make the doctor take what I am saying more seriously plus my husband will chip in and confirm everything I am saying if he feels the doctor is not listening which makes it more difficult for the doctor to dismiss it!