My wife has an underactive thyroid (TSH levels in separate blood tests over the past couple of years were 5.5, 4.5 and 7.5).
My wife's NHS GP has refused to treat the condition due to the TSH readings being under 10, which seems to be a familiar story from what we've read online. We have been trying to conceive and my wife has recently had 2 miscarriages, each in the first trimester. Based on everything we've read, we strongly suspect that the underactive thyroid is contributing to this.
Given the NHS position on the issue we wish to go private to sort this out. Thyroid UK has very helpfully sent me a list of private doctors (who generally seem to have an integrative approach). Has anyone had any positive experiences with a private doctor in the London or surrounding areas which they could share with me by private message? I'd be very interested to hear about doctors on the Thyroid UK list and others such as private endocrinology consultants.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated - thanks in advance.
Daniel
Written by
Dan11
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I can't advise on private endos but would say that your wife should immediately be prescribed thyroxine according to the Nice guidelines on hypothyroidism and pregnancy and TSH 0.4-2.0 targetted prior to conception.
Your wife's high TSH would make conception difficult and would increase the risk of miscarriage. Maybe you could print off the guidelines and present them to your GP, even if you decide you no longer trust him/her.
If someone has been treated within London by a helpful doctor, please private message to Dan.
Dan it is really scandalous that your wife's TSH has reached 7.5 and still no action has been taken and the GP is sticking to the 'medication only when you reach 10'. One of our doctors who died a few months ago, published and also said often that people's health was put in a parlous state by the adherence to 'the TSH must reach 10". In the USA we would be treated with a TSH of 3.
This is a link from an archived website (Dr Lowe died about 2 years ago) and some links within may not work, but it will provide you with some info:-
Hi Daniel, my teenage daughter has been treated very successfully by a lovely private doctor in Hendon. Please send me a private message and I will give you the details if that is of interest to you.
Since posting that my daughter had been successfully treated we have reason to believe that the Nutri T Convert the doctor put her on which contains gum guggul has caused her some problems which were only resolved when she stopped taking it. We also felt we had been overcharged for the last two appointments when my daughter went alone and when I asked if this doctor could provide a referral to a private endocrinologist I didn't get a straight answer but was advised that I would have to make another appointment (obviously to be paid for) to "discuss the options". I am sorry but I don't feel able to recommend this doctor based on our more recent experiences.
I was treated by a private endo when trying to get pregnant at the London Clinic in W1. He was very kind and really listened plus he prescribed thyroxine when my TSH was at around 4. Please Pm me for his details if you are interested. Jane
Hi, I do hope I'm responding to you privately - I can't work out the new website! Proff Besser. He is a proff emeritus and world famous. He is old school ie, no truck with NDT, etc but is very helpful and friendly plus he has a lab nxt door to his office so you get tested immediately and thoroughly too.
Daniel. Please write to your MP, however useless s/he is. Ask why, when your wife's TSH is clearly above the upper limit of normal AND she has symptoms, is she being refused treatment. Explain that she went to the doctor with symptoms (list them) and the doctor has found the cause but is still refusing to treat her. Send a copy to her doctor and ask that it be kept on her records.
Just a thought but when your wife has miscarried has she been seen by anyone (obs/gynae) at the hospital that you could approach if your gp remains so entrenched in his views? They may then be able to get another test done or refer to endo or write to your gp. It is scandalous that you should have to go privately given the guidelines on thyroid/pregnancy referred to by Clutter above.
From my own experiences failed IVF , problems trying to conceive and 8 miscarriages I saw a private endocronoligist and he still ignored underactive thyroid my TSH is 0.885 . I have gone back to the drawing board and written to Dr Peatfield Durant , details are on Thyroid UK's website
My TSH is 4.7 my T4 is 14 im on 100mg of thyroxine. I went to my doctors who told me that its getting to close to 5 that is why I feel so tired, achy joints, foggy brain and hair loss. So he is going to up my meds after I have had another blood test.
Thank you so much to everyone who has replied on here and sent me a private message - this is all greatly appreciated and very useful, giving us plenty of options to look into.
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