New GP wants to talk about blood test results ...

in a non-urgent telephone call, according to a letter.

I've moved house so registered with a new surgery. Blood tests were done on the instruction of Endo but the clever-clogs lab stated that 'TFT's consistent with patient taking T3 or T3-toxicosis and request patient to speak to Dr.'

Personally, I cba'd talking to the GP when it's highly likely that my thyroid knowledge will be greater than his. I'm grumpy and no longer take any nonsense from the medical profession so it could end badly!!

So, my question is, am I obliged to do this or can I just 'forget' about it?

Thanks.

[helvella Administrator]

If you wish to establish a good relationship with your new GP, it might be as well to arrange to visit for a discussion. Quite possibly better to do so now when you don't have a crisis than waiting until an urgent issue makes the whole situation more difficult.

Mind, I'd argue that you have every right not to do so.

Rod

[nobodysdriving in reply to helvella]

I agree with Rod, call them or even better make an appointment.

Be polite, smile and listen to what he/she has to say (this is the hard bit don't I know it?)

Then just say your bit, tell them you understand they just wanted to find out that you were ok and that you are ok thank you very much

Give them a chance, we have to remember that just because 100 of them have let us down a new doctor is a new doctor and as such deserves a chance

[Hidden]

Thanks Rod. Yes, that sounds a sensible approach. I don't know whether he's just following 'guidelines' but I personally prefer to avoid GPs as much as possible. I've managed that for 2 years now!

Reckon I'll 'sit' on it for a bit.

[Heloise]

Interesting situation, cinnamon. I can understand your hesitation when they say you may have a toxic condition. I would do the same and sit a while lest they start interfering with your own regime if it's working for you.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

I'm self-medicating so don't feel I need to justify anything. To be honest, all the GP needs to do is look at my file and the complaints I've made - it's enough to give me a wide berth!! Now under an NHS Endo anyway.

[susymac]

Just be aware that if they think you are refusing to engage with them and are doing something (ie self medicating) in a way that they think is harmful, they are within their rights to remove you from their patient list.

not saying they will, just that they could, and it may cause problems if you were to get ill in the future.

[Hidden]

Having chronic conditions, when I moved GP some years ago, I had quite an "interesting" meeting with the potential new GP, who clearly used his own different approach to the usual nurse-led new patient assessment before taking someone on - it was very much all about not taking on difficult or complex patients, he was pretty blunt to be honest, he only thinly wrapped some of it in euphemisms about how he could or couldn't "help" me! - I took the hint was pretty blunt back to him, and found somewhere else; somewhere MUCH better as it happens.

He wanted as quiet a life as possible rather than patients who would be taking up his "valuable" time and resources!

Now the money for drugs etc. comes out of their kitty too, I suspect it is going to get even more common - like this! Wouldn't mind, T3 costs NOTHING compared to some of the stuff I get!

Definitely not to be ignored though, better battle it through from the beginning.

[Polaris]

Surely, it's between you and your endo if you are doing well on the meds, not the lab or the GP, otherwise why consult a 'specialist' in the first place. Under similar circumstances, I politely stuck to my guns, insisting I was now well and that heart, BP and cholesterol would deteriorate again if medication was reduced. The crunch came when asked about weight. I explained that, unless I followed a strict low carb diet, I easily put on weight. That seemed to swing it or else she was tired of my questioning and incredulity that she wanted to reduce meds when I was finally well and insistent polite refusal to return to ill health. Good luck !