GP appointment this afternoon :-(

[Ansteynomad]

Off to the GP in a minute to pick up my latest test results. I should have an FT3 result this time, since I lobbied the lab! I hope to be able to persuade my GP that he should treat me on my FT4 and FT3 rather than on my TSH, which has always been unreliable and was suppressed on 100mcg of levo, even though my FT4 was only 14.1 (9-26).

I hope to convince him that the end justifies the means, seeing as I am so well on 50mcg more than he wants me on and have no symptoms whatsoever of over replacement. Hopefully my cholesterol will have come down again as well. He never did see the connection!

I have a spreadsheet of all my test results since 2009, a spreadsheet of weights and basal body temps since I have been on levo (9 months) and a copy of Dr Toft’s article, as well as his book.

I shall report back later.

[Hidden]

Good luck Ansteynomad.

[Ansteynomad]

Thanks – I’ve just edited the tags on my post because part of the tag line read “body replacement”. Now there’s a good idea!

[Ansteynomad]

So there I was with textbook results:

TSH <0.02 (0.35-6)

FT4 24.8 (9-26)

FT3 5.9 (2.8-7).

Dr Toft would love me! However, my GP doesn't. I have a stash and am taking 125mcg. The GP is grudgingly prescribing 100mcg and he wanted me at my last appointment in November to drop back to 75mcg. Results then were:

TSH 0.06 (0.35-6)

FT4 14.1 (9-26)

I've been through it all with him again, but he is not prepared to prescribe 125mcg and let me be well because he cannot look further than the TSH (he dismissed Dr Toft's article). He is worried about osteoporosis and heart issues and unspecified long term damage and I cannot move him.

He wants to refer me, but again we come back to the issue that no-one seems to know of anyone who will treat based on FT4 and FT3 rather than the "infallible" TSH.

I have come away with a scrip for 100mcg and murder in my heart. No wonder people self -treat!

[Aurealis in reply to Ansteynomad]

Perhaps time for a new GP?

[Heloise in reply to Ansteynomad]

We would all love those results. I wouldn't allow any doctor to ruin my health (or those numbers) if I could help it.

[Ansteynomad]

Someone else on this forum lives very near me and has done the rounds of the local GPs before me. They all seem pretty clueless to be honest. However, there are private GPs 10 miles down the road. I wonder if anyone has any experience of them?