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Thyroid UK
89,269 members • 103,764 posts

GP visit

Hi well I went to see my GP yesterday after a 6 week wait to see the GP I wanted to see. I went armed with a list of all my symptoms. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue 2 years ago, but was told by another GP a few months ago that it wasn't chronic fatigue! I listed all my symptoms....exhaustion, fatigue, no stamina, aching muscles and joints, heavy periods, unrefreshing sleep.... She doesn't have any idea what is wrong with me and says it's probably menopause and it's just a matter of time till it goes away. Or it could be psychological.

Blood tests in April were fine. I have got to have them done again. I asked for FT3 test, but she says the lab won't do it. I suggested that all my symptoms point to underactive thyroid.

Where do I go from here? Thank you.

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Ask for a copy of your blood test results with the lab ranges then post them here and someone will be able to tell you more about what to do next.. You are probably within the range but not at the optimal point for you to feel good.

Buy Dr Anthony Toft's little book 'Understanding Thyroid Disorders, it is only a little book, comes in the Family Doctor Books series, you can get it on Amazon but I think I picked mine up in a garden centre. You could also send to Thyroid UK for their information pack. That has loads of good information too.

Don't hold your breath until they test your T3. I have never had my T3 tested even though it has been requested twice by my consultant!

Bit of a get out clause to say it is menopausal and even worse to say it is psychological. What a cheek! Might be tempted to change my doctor to one who was more open to trying to help me. Good luck.

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I think we know about blood tests' being fine'.

That's Dr speak for' they' feel happy with them - & yet you don't feel great!

Best to put some numbers with ranges up on here for people to comment on as that's the first step.

Getting a printout of them from the surgery may sharpen minds up there a bit too..

[FT3 can be done privately- but see how next appt/test goes]

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TSH 1.44 (0.35 - 4.94)

Free T4 12.8 (9 - 19)

Hi thanks for replying. These were my results in April 2013. Having blood tests again in 2 weeks.

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Your free T4 is way too low. I would say the signs are there that you may be hypo. Your symptoms do point to this.

I had to take the signs and symptoms list from Thyroid UK with the appropriate boxes checked to my doctor. It was quite clear from my gp's reaction that she was not familiar with the symptoms. Another clincher for me was that my cholesterol had shot up. This is another hypo symptom they don't seem to know about. I would demand a test, also might be worth checking for any thyroid antibodies at the same time. If your thyroid is being attacked by your immune system, your doctor can't argue with that.

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Thank you for your reply.

What should my free T4 be and how do I convince my doctor it is too low when it's in range?

Thanks again.

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Your Ft4 should be at the top end of the range.

Have you tried taking your temperatures first thing in the morning before you get out of bed? You should be around 37deg on average. Many hypo patients slip back into the 35's before adequate treatment. Your temperatures are a useful guide to how your thyroid is functioning. I recorded 5 morning temperatures for my gp. I also took a photo of me when I felt well. You usually have pale skin with hypo and maybe some swelling around your eyes. Often the ankles are swollen too. I had hypothyroidism for 20 plus years before I was diagnosed. I couldn't pinch up any skin on my arms for instance. That's another sign if you've been hypo for a while.

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Yes I have been taking my temperature. It is between 36.4 and 36.8. I haven't noticed any swelling. I am just exhausted and my body feels very heavy! Everything is a struggle and I feel out of breath when doing anything.

Thank you for your help :-)

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It can be a battle to get diagnosed, far too much emphasis on blood test results and not listening to patient's symptoms!

Wishing you luck!

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As you don't want to bias results upping Iron or B12 to assist T4 conversion [now] would be counterproductive.

Your figures then may include for these nutrient levels but it may be worth asking for them to be done at the same time.

If then you are then left sitting with feeling ill still it may be worth considering supplements as an interim step.

Gluten free is also well worth considering -along with other gut health support like prebiotics.

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Thee are a few links:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

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Thank you :-)

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