After 4 months off sick earlier in the year, treating myself & getting better & seeing a private endo for backup, my gp will not give a script for thyroid meds as according to the NHS I was never hypo. They signed me off sick for 4 months!!!! What the hell did they think was wrong with me?? I despair.
So is there any point seeing the private endo if the gp is never going to do what they ask? I may as well just carry on self treating & stuff the lot of them. So angry!!!
Yes, I quite agree. As long as you are confident about what you are doing and feeling well, why bother? I have had nobody to go to since Dr Skinner died but he taught me how to look after myself. Fortunately (or otherwise) I have no thyroid, so GP cannot argue but I am fearful of losing my T3 prescription as the NHS cuts back.
It is truly terrifying, isn't it? I asked her whether she preferred that I carried on buying my own meds & not being monitored at all & that they could pick up the pieces if it all went wrong, as they aren't prepared to keep me well. No answer! Hopeless & terrifying!
You see, Harry? They got into med school because they could answer the questions correctly on the exams. Doesn't mean they know how to communicate. Very few doctors appear to have excellent communication skills.
HarryE you are right to be so angry. It is very frustrating when they will not recognise anything but the TSH. You will have to keep self-medicating to keep your good health. It is ridiculous. I just think they want to keep their jobs never mind their attitude could have cost you your job.
There is no point in throwing money away if you don't get the result you wish.
Thank you both for the super fast support! I've not been around much as I struggling with an awful family issue, but it is so nice to know I can come back & be heard xxx
Ironically my job is in the NHS! How do think occupational health would take that? 'I know what's wrong but I'm going to stay off sick cos my employer won't give me what I need to get better!' What utter crap!
I see an endo privately through bupa (I am lucky to have it and I get a big discount through a work policy - before I had to quit). Although my GP has refused to prescribe what he recommends, he is in the process of trying to get me a couple of years worth of meds paid for. Also, he is able to order TSH, T4, T3, iron, ferratin, B12, D which my GP would never do so for me it has helped me a bit.
You wont get anywhere, been down that road. Just keep self treating like the rest of us
Hi Harry, nice to see you again 
If the private endo helps you I'd keep on seeing her for a while. If she doesn't bring anything to the party then I can't see much point as you order your own NDT and labs.
Thanks. It's just so frustrating, I feel so let down all over again.
Good to see you on here again HarryE. How very frustrating. I am on NDT now prescribed by a private practitioner and haven't even told my GP yet. I will tell her just to put it on record but I am sure I will get the same response as you. It is ludicrous. Especially as you have shown how it has improved your health. I was thinking of asking if she would be prepared to monitor my bloods yearly, but as that would not cover FT3 I think I may as well do these privately.
Hi fixit, how are you doing on your treatment? Is it helping?
I just posted last night that unfortunately I am not doing well. Haven't felt any improvements yet on 30mg of Erfa, but after increasing to 60mg had an awful frightening spell last night when I felt really unwell. Haven't taken any today and will drop back to 30mg for a few days and then try 60mg in a split dose. If it happens again I will contact my homeopath. I am very drug sensitive but didnt expect problems on such small doses. Glad to see you are doing well. Sorry to hear about your family problems. Life never runs smooth. Keep up the good work of looking after your own health.
Hi Harry - nice to see you comment, but annoyed for you too...
I'm in the same boat of course, think I started selfmeds a tad before you - I knew I'd never get a diagnosis, even at TSH 5.24, antibodies and half a thyroid gone - took me 4 years of trying 'tho....
((hugs)) Jane 
Hello Harry, I was only thinking about you the other day., wondering how life was treating you. Sorry to hear about your family issues, those sorts of things are stressful and not conducive to good health.
I am about to embark on next stage of DIY health treatment: water and sea salt to get rid of halides etc and then try Lugol's as my Iodine levels are on the floor. (Have been reading David Brownstein)
I was also thinking about exams and questionnaires etc and how everything now is down to ticking boxes. Soon they will have robots to treat us. Whatever happened to empathy and all that other "slush" that doesn't seem to count any more? It is a sad state of affairs when doctors are reduced to saying "the computer says no" for that read -your results are normal and I can't offer any answers to your health problems because I don't understand the workings of the thyroid - seems to be how they work now! I live in hopes that one day there just might be a bit more interest in the holistic approach to medicine, but can't see it happening with 10 minute appointments and budget constraints. Still, I do like a challenge and I also like researching topics and improving my knowledge, thank goodness. Strange how the NHS is just as uncaring about its staff as it is with everyone else. I know there are exceptions, just not enough. Hope you find some answers
You're so right, empathy seems to be missed out of medical training. How a doctor can deny a patient a treatment that has been PROVED to relieve their symptoms is nothing less than immoral & cruel in my opinion. Surely they didn't go into medicine for this!!
On a lighter note, I'm helping at the conference next week so hope to see some of you there x
Hi Harry - I hoped you were feeling good as you haven't been on the forum for a while. Looks like you are being sucked back into the mad bad world of whingeing again with the rest of us 
Nice to see you again though
Thanks! I thought I was doing the right thing by getting some proper medical input, how wrong was I?? Apparently the prat I saw on the NHS is a bigwig in the NHS trust so no one will dare contradict him! Bloody cowards!
Liothyronine
NHS or private... when the NHS has given-up on you
Getting a diagnosis - part 2!
Consultant in different NHS Trust
T3 Being withdrawn
