Right guys ! My m.p who is cathy jamieson from the labour party and sits in front bench at westminster has sent a email to me asking to highlight any subjects that i would like to speak about if i could get a meeting at our surgery (wont hold my breath thou) but nothing ventured nothing gained . I really dont know what i am talking about when it comes to the medical part of throid problems ,but what i do knowis we dont get looked after properly by the n.h.s and people are having to self medicate to get better .What i would like to know is there any specific questions or facts i could put to her or would it be easier to ask her to contact thyroid uk for her to see how people are being treated.I just think if we get a oportunity to highlight problems we should take it as nothing will change otherwise.
Kind regards
Written by
Neijam
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If some members want to put their views across they can send you a message. You can say to your MP that a Petition has gone before the Scottish Parliament about the dire treatment received - of patients who remain undiagnosed due to the TSH alone or undertreated or who just cannot get well on levothyroxine and will not be offered an alternative.
I think that Thyroiduk.org might be prepared to contribute and if you email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org who is PA to Lyn Mynott to enquire.
I would want to ask why the NICE guidelines only provide for ONE medication to treat hypothyroidism.
I think what Lyn Mynott had to say about this really puts this issue into context:
“There are 82 medicines for type 2 diabetes available on the NHS list, 47 for depression, 45 for acne, 16 for athlete’s foot, three for hiccups, three for dandruff and one for the thyroid – there is something very wrong” (Harmony Magazine, Vol II Issue III 2013, pg.14)
Furthermore, with regard to this issue: last Autumn at the debate in Scottish Parliament about Thyroid and Adrenal Testing (1st October 2013) Professor Graham Leese, Chief Medical Officer Specialty Advisor for Endocrinology conceded:
"I am unaware of any pharmaceutical industry trials in thyroid disease for a number of years and clearly there are in other areas like diabetes and things like that, so there is not a strong pharmaceutical push....There are no new treatments and that is a problem, I agree"
...and that ONE doesn't always work. Thankfully my endo was willing to prescribe T3, which made a huge difference to the way I felt right from the start! Toft and Weetman should be brought before the GMC for intentionally and deliberately keeping thyroid patients in this country ill by their blinkered and, quite frankly, unbelievably stupid and ignorant opinions!
1. Check MP is aware of Thyroid UK e petition because that set out what needs to be done by way of further research.
2. Make MP aware the size of problem i.e. approx 300000 people in UK who could potentially benefit from different approach - Eric Pritchard thyroid doc - can post link later on phone.
3. NHS don't use existing tests properly so Misdiagnosis and poor treatment is frequent.
4. Current situation has large avoidable social cost.
Personally, I think that last point is very important. The NHS could save so much money if thyroid was treated adequately. When you think of all the extra drugs they are willing to prescribe for our depression, weight gain, dry itchy skin, statins for high cholesterol, etc etc etc, when all they need to do is give adequate thyroid hormone which is relatively cheap.
I completely agree. Also the cost to business and personal earnings eg if someone is off sick or just not performing as well. As you mentioned, financial loss to public purse eg benefits and even inpatient/outpatient support re mental health etc
I totally agree! Even if they don't think it worth doing something about the current situation from a patient perspective surely the powers that be should be able to appreciate the financial benefits of effective diagnosis/treatment. When I think of the appointments that I have had in the last twelve months with various consultants - rheumatologists, haematologists, gynaecologists .......all to put right the havoc that my undiagnosed thyroid condition had wreaked! Then there is all of the different medications.....countless GP appointments and so the list goes on.....thousands of pounds I imagine! All of this could have been saved by a single, more effectively targeted test.
1. Ridiculously high TSH "normal ranges" out of kilter with the rest of the world and keeping many people ill and untreated. The ranges need bringing down and treatment started ASAP
2. Screening for all with family history of thyroid disorders - why is this not in place?
3. Better training of doctors on the condition and knowing the full choice of treatments not just awful levothyroxine
4. Patronising thyroid patients by medical profession (sic) supposedly there to support us should be signalled as totally unacceptable and stern action should be taken against perpetrators.
5. Better testing not just TSH to optimise treatment eg vitamin status t3 etc
6. A proper choice of treatment offered On the NHS for suffers including t3 and NDT as perfectly acceptable alternatives to Levothyroxine
This would save the NHS and our economy shed loads of money and is a whole lot of unnecessary misery. What is the point in deliberately keeping us feeling ill? Endocrinologist bad practice should be stamped on or thyroid medicine should be cleaved from those who are not interested in making their patients feel better and started as an exciting and rewarding new branch of medicine where results can be miraculous for the individuals involved
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