any success stories? recommended practitioners in UK?

[discoveringhashimoto]

Hi everyone,

Thank you to the team for having set up this tool for people outside the US and for reading my introduction. After 7 years of having been diagnosed with hypothyroidsm and later on found out with private tests that I suffer from Hashimoto's type/condition, I'm realising how much I've been in the dark about my symptoms (for example, losing hair or having an itchy scalp and thinking it was "aging" or "stress"). Thank you everyone that has gone online for helping others start joining the dots.

My main problem is, I've seen a lot of info on practitioners in the US but nothing about success stories or good therapists in the UK, and I feel I need to be guided in this process, as there are so many aspects to take into account. After my research I have confirmed that my daily intake of Levothyroxine may have helped to avoid rapid weight gain but it has done little about all other symptoms - mental as well as physical. Could you please advice? Thank you!

[Marz]

autoimmunesummit.com/

shaws posted this a little earlier today....hope it is useful. Also how are your B12 levels ? Gluten ? Gut issues ?

[discoveringhashimoto in reply to Marz]

hi Marz, thank you for your reply, I've subscribed to that event and I suspect that all of those are aspects of my condition, as I had a tendency to not assimilate vitamin B and I've had a chronic struggle with candida that probably led over time to this condition. I've just found about a Phytoclinic in London - all the other links lead me to places that are obviously too-GP-thinking-style, but still I can't make up my mind about wether to risk a consultation there and a battery of tests - I have been trying - and failing - alternative therapies since I was diagnosed. I'm going to try gut cleansing and a radical no-wheat-no-sugar diet for a few weeks to see if there's improvement. Thank you again for replying to my post.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, DiscoveringHashimoto's.

There are success stories but you'll have to negotiate the plonky HU search facility to find them. Most members are here because they have ongoing problems and tend to leave when things are sorted out. There are a few on TUK thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/get_in...

We don't post the names of doctors and therapists without their permission but you can obtain a list of recommended endos and private GPs by emailing [e-mail] You may post the names of doctors you want information about but you should ask for replies to be sent via private messages.

If you post your recent thyroid blood results with the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after your results) and say what dose and medication you are taking members will advise whether you are optimally medicated.

Ask your GP to test ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate as hypothyroid patients are often deficient/low and these deficiencies can cause musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and low mood similar to hypothyroid symptoms. Post your results with the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after your results) in a new question and members will advise whether supplementation is required.

You might also consider a gluten-free diet as this can help reduce Hashimoto's antibodies and symptoms of bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea.

[discoveringhashimoto in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter, I'll look all this up next. I have been let down by GPs in the past I'm afraid, they seem more concerned about saving NHS's money on than on hearing out about my symptoms. I don't know what's like in your area, in mine they are very strict about the 10 minute appointment and we don't actually have a GP but a surgery to go to and we are sent to different people each time, so there's no real doctor-patient relationship ever built. Still, onwards and upwards, your library may be the answer, thank you!

[Clutter in reply to discoveringhashimoto]

Discovering, it's better at my surgery in respect of seeing the doctor you want although it may take time to get an appointment. Getting an appt via the auto telephone system or reception is a pain though as they're usually booked on a daily basis and gone by 8.15am.

NHS England is moving towards a 'named patient/doctor' system to ensure continuity of care but it will take time to implement.

[shaws]

I am feeling quite well on T3 alone. I also felt an immediate improvement with the addition of T3 to levo. If you email [e-mail] and ask for a copy of the Pulse Online article by Dr Toft. In it Dr Toft suggests a TSH level or the addition of some T3 to a reduced T4. It works for a lot of people. Question 6 is the one you should refer to.