This is an interesting article in PULSE magazine regarding treatments for hypothyroidism dated 30/1/14

[jezebel69]

pulsetoday.co.uk/clinical/t...

You need to register with this site in order to see most articles but its a very simple process

[Katkin1]

Very interesting jezebel69 - thank you. I see lots of comments have been deleted by the moderator though. I wonder why?!

[HarryE]

Oh there was a big hooha when it came out! The comments that were deleted were the ones that didn't agree with him! If you search, you should be able to find the thread about it.

[Katkin1 in reply to HarryE]

Thanks. I will look for the thread.

[humanbean in reply to HarryE]

I remember the thread concerned - it was very recent. It mentioned Vanderpump (the author) by name. I can't find any threads or posts mentioning Vanderpump that are newer than 7 months. I wonder why?

[HarryE in reply to humanbean]

It did, and I can't find it either. I wonder if it got removed?? I think it did get a bit heated

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

this one?

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...........

[HarryE in reply to Hidden]

No, I think the title actually included pulse online in it

[Jessiepup]

Unfortunately I can't seem to register with them, even though I put I am not a healthcare professional it keeps asking me for my practice address.

[mumcat2 in reply to Jessiepup]

I put my home address in and left the bottom address panel clear.

[humanbean in reply to Jessiepup]

I made up an address - and everything else I typed in. The only thing that was real was my email address, and that was one I created just for that account.

[HarryE in reply to humanbean]

Subversive humanbean! But clever

[humanbean in reply to HarryE]

All I wanted to do was read a few articles. I didn't think they needed to know who I really was and where I lived just to do that. I suspect that one day they will check all the account info they have and will try and restrict membership to just the medical profession. Then I will have to think again.

[mumcat2]

Horrifying,IMHO. I'm just the patient??? I was interested that he quoted the goal of therapy as being euthyroid on testing and that symptoms should be alleviated. The 2 don't necessarily match;surely the alleviation can only be judged by the patient? If this is the case, why do so many of us get left to suffer? I don't know whether to be angry or just cry! Isn't that a symptom too,that could be put right if the professionals would listen? I'm currently gathering my references to send back to my endo; I found it of interest that she said that"the consensus" of the endo dept at her hospital was that T3 was not a good idea. Doesn't consensus imply some dissent?(Thinking out loud going on now...sorry)

[sorrel89]

Out of 16 comments 9 were deleted, others were moderated. All comments put on the Pulse F/B were also deleted including mine...Running scared with lots to hide...it is a matter of time....

[shaws Administrator]

Dr Mark Vanderpump - has very fixed views on the treatment of the thyroid gland. I would say he is 'New School of Thought' and Dr Skinner and Dr Peatfield 'Old School'. Who let me recover my health, the Guidielines of the BTA or Dr P and Dr S. That's easy both of the latter. When he was awarded a very prestigious in Europe last year (cannot remember I think Norway) it was bombarded by sufferers. This is another link and one excerpt is by Galathea re Dr V's answers:-

The answers said that hormones and the tsh are measured to give a diagnosis of hypothyroidism... (If only!). He said that 5 % failed to get better on t4 but did not say what could be done, When asked about other meds he gave a brief history of how people used to be treated with sheep thyroid.... There was no mention of t3, no mention of how some people can have a failed d 102 enzyme or how some people could have a pituary gland which gives the wrong tsh, thereby rendering the tsh test useless....

Some other comments

healthunlocked.com/search/D...

[sorrel89 in reply to shaws]

I wonder which pharmaceutical company is dishing the dosh to Mr Vanderpump!

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

and bbc link bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pp5zj

[shaws Administrator]

This is definitely not to be missed.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Aurealis]

My GPs have been using all the excuses in this article for years, I didn't realise they were just conforming to what they'd been told to say - I expected more skill from them than that!

[HarryE in reply to Aurealis]

They are too hamstrung by rules to use any skill!

[waveylines]

Well he is completely wrong about 'porcine extracts' not being eligible for exemption certificates!!! I don't pay for mine on the NHS as I use my medical exception card.......he should try getting his basic facts right.....and that's before we go on to the actual effective treatment of this condition......would have loved to have read the thread -

for some reason they have stopped sending me a link with their new edition in to my email.....Also they will let me read their articles but they won't let me comment -have to be a doctor to do that apparently......hmmmm....Running scared? am not so sure ....more likely head in sand and fingers in ear!!!!!!!!

[HarryE in reply to waveylines]

I think the exemption certificate wording says something like having a condition that requires certain medication, not necessarily that you take what they recommend! So in theory 'requiring' Levo but not using it still gives you the free scripts for everything else, even f you buy your own NDT. Just a thought

[waveylines in reply to HarryE]

hmmm maybe but I have my NDT on a repeat NHS prescription & the chemist accepts my medical exemption card and in fact have renewed the exemption card whilst I am on this treatment. I was given the card due to formal diagnosis of hypothyroidism not due the treatment they prescribed........interesting.

[HarryE in reply to waveylines]

Yes, the exception is due to the hypo itself, not the medication. And we should all be able to get ndt too, but just thought it was worth thinking about

[jezebel69 in reply to waveylines]

Hi Waveylines - surely this means we could all obtain NDT funded by the NHS? Is there something I should be saying to my GP?

[waveylines in reply to jezebel69]

NDT can be provided by the NHS but currently it is not listed in little book of meds.......this means the GP can agree to prescribe it but it is at his his/her discretion as they have to underwrite it themselves. So if you became ill on it they would be to blame. many GP's do not want to take the risk so they refuse. Before levothyroxine was around a NDT WAS the only medication available......

So you will need to convince your GP that you will not come to harm on a NDT. For me this meant buying mine own for two years and being seen by a private doc who would write it as recommendation.....then some GP figured after two years that they would underwrite it for me......and it was cheaper than giving me levothyroxine because they had to prescribe raft of medicines on top to address the symptoms that that levo did not address. For me that was: high blood pressure, constipation, pain, indigestion, dry eyes & water retention. So essentially it costs them a lot less to give me a NDT........of course i could loose it at any time if they change their minds......one GP did and I had to find another. Sad the world we live in really.....litigation and GMC fears rule much higher than patients best treatment.

[JennyC2]

This is so frightening. Words fail me. Jx