OMG I hate my gp.

[Scampi1]

I thought I had a new gp but haven't, I need to change in writing.

So I have had a terrible day, woke up crying, had very bad panic attacks walking my dogs crying all the way had to come home.

Called my gp surgery and asked for a call back lunchtime came and went and still no call so I called back and I told the receptionist that I needed to speak to gp urgently, she even asked if I was ok because I was sobbing down the phone, I told her I was not she said she would put urgent on call back, she called at 5.30 and asked what I wanted her to do I replied with I don't know your the gp, that's why I am asking for help, antidepressants, I said they just mask the problems and I could not carry on like this, she said well there was not a lot to do at the moment and start on the antidepressants, I am so annoyed I was crying out for help and she just didn't care.

If I put a complaint in it won't do any good.

Don't know how much more I can put up with the mood swings it's dibilitating.

ANGRY IS NOT THE WORD.

[Clutter]

Scampi, antidepressants may mask the cause of your anxiety and panic attacks but they may also help you cope while the cause is investigated and treated. Whatever the cause is, treating it will take time to work and relieve the symptoms and ADs may help in the meantime.

[shaws Administrator]

Scampi ask if they would give you some T3 to be added to your levothyroxine. T3 is needed by many of us if we are not converting levothyroxine to sufficient. T3 is needed by all receptor cells and you may not be converting T4 sufficiently.

T3 is also used by some psychiatrists in their depressed patients.

drmirkin.com/morehealth/g17...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/t...

So as T3 (liothyronine) is a natural thyroid hormone and you are hypothyroid, why cannot they add some T3 on a trial basis.

[Scampi1 in reply to shaws]

My gp don't do anything, the other gp did when I asked her, they don't test for t3 here I did ask and was told very curtly no, I have asked to go to endo but she hasn't refered me, I had a camera down my throat yesterday nothing found, been refered for barium meal scan and x Ray on thyroid, still not had my cortisol levels checked think I may have to purchase one of my own.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Scampi1]

They look at other things and make diagnosis but the most important, the thyroid gland, ignore the clinical symptoms. and let the patient just get on with a miserable life.

Email [e-mail] and ask for a copy of the Pulse Online article and question 6 will tell you whereabouts the TSH level should be, and also says some T3 may be added. Discuss this with your GP by sending her a copy of it before your next appointment.I don't think she can ignore it as it is by the a doctor of who was:

It was written by a former consultant physician and endocrinologist at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, specialised in the diagnosis and management of patients with thyroid disease. He was until recently President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. His bookUnderstanding Thyroid Disorders has sold over 250,000 copies.

[Heloise]

Oh, no, Scampi. Is there a blood test for depression???? I don't think so. Tell her you need to have a FT3 test to find out why your low TSH and high FT4 are not taking away your symptoms. And if you have a very low FT3, you need to raise it preferably with an added T3. (If it is higher than normal, I'll admit you are over medicated but really don't think so.)

I still think it may be adrenals . You have already been on antidepressants, right? If it it adrenal dysfunction, you have to determine which treatment would help.

[Scampi1 in reply to Heloise]

No not been on ADS for years and years, if I added some t3 and it's not that I need what would my body react like.

[Heloise in reply to Scampi1]

Scampi, If there are side issues like conversion problems and adrenal problems, there is more likely to be a problem with either T4 or T3 or both, but at least the T3 is immediately useable if it isn't being blocked by cortisol. A small amount of T3 is thought to support the adrenals but if you are in poor condition, it could add stress. But since your symptoms don't seem to be palpitations or breathlessness, etc. it seems you are really needing T3. Your brain needs lots of it, so does your heart. If you could acquire some as a trial, it might reveal whether it would help and I think it might work for you. If not, you would probably have the above symptoms and since it breaks down rather quickly, you would know quickly. It's powerful stuff so starting with a small dose like 5 mcg would probably be wise. I think in your case, it would do no harm to try.

[Scampi1 in reply to Heloise]

Let me get this right, my adrenal glands produce cortisol, is tha right, ( sorry I can't get anything to stay in my brain) it can produce to much or to little, if it does not produce enough I need to add some t3 which is cortisol (sorry yes or no) what if my adrenals are producing to much and I add something, will it cause any more symptoms. God I'm thick at the moment.

[Heloise in reply to Scampi1]

Don't apologize, Scampi, you have been abused by the system in my estimation and it is not your fault.

T3 is part of thyroid hormone. The reason desiccated is better from a pig because it is very similar to human thyroid hormone. It contains T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. So it makes sense for this to be used rather than synthetic straight T4 made in a laboratory. This is about adrenals from STTM:

Cortisol, a corticosteroid hormone, has a variety of important functions, from the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, to affecting the blood sugar levels in your blood, to helping reduce inflammation, to helping you deal with stress. The latter is especially huge.

Scampi, do you feel you may have adrenal problems? These are signs.

) Do you have a hard time falling asleep at night?

2) Do you wake up frequently during the night?

3) Do you have a hard time waking up in the morning early, or feeling refreshed?

4) Do bright lights bother you more than they should?

5) Do you startle easily due to noise?

6) When standing from sitting or from lying down, do you feel lightheaded or dizzy?

7) Do you take things too seriously, and are easily defensive?

8 ) Do you feel you don’t cope well with certain people or events in your life?

[Scampi1 in reply to Heloise]

I do startle easy, don't have problems most nights with falling asleep, wake up lots during the night that's because I am sweating, yes I get dizzy and lightheaded sometimes when standing to fast, not refreshed when I wake up, I get swollen joints and find busy places hard to cope with.

[Scampi1 in reply to Heloise]

I do get palpatations but only when I start to do something like washing up or even standing at the moment, and when I get hot, and if t3 is being blocked by cortisol what happens then would the t3 still work if I was to try some, the menopause is not helping I don't think. My memory is going I m so forgetful, I wake up in puddles of sweat, lost a lot of weight, skin awful nails ridges in them spots hair very brittle and falling out.

[Heloise in reply to Scampi1]

I thought I was having adrenal problems and also menopausal but I never sweat and I don't drop weight easily at all. But cortisol can go too high and then too low all at the wrong times. I was trying some over the counter supplements for a while. There is licorice root tea or capsules which keep the cortisol you have circulating longer. You could try drinking two cups a day and see how it goes. Then you can also take adrenal glandulars (also over the counter) but this will pump up your adrenals and if they are really tired, it may not help at all or make it worse. Now, if the adrenals are really broken, to support them and give them a rest, a hydrocortisone could be prescribed but you would need a doctor who is willing.

It would be nice to know if you do have an adrenal problem for certain because some experts feel you shouldn't take any thryoid hormone until you treat the adrenals. Maybe that's why you feel so rugged on levo. Have you ever just stopped your levo for a few days?

[Wired]

Hey there Scampi. So sorry to read you've had a really awful day, you must feel exhausted and drained.

I agree with Clutter, although Anti-D's are not a feasible long term solution they can certainly help one to cope when things are really awful. Once you are back on a bit more of an even keel then you can be weaned off of them.

I've experienced anxiety on the level you are talking about, panic attacks (running out of supermarkets, feeling like I'm literally going to go mad and overwhelming worrying which paralysed me). This was all happening when I was first diagnosed as obviously everything in my body was out of whack. The Anti-D's allowed me to feel some relief from the heightened anxiety and slowly enabled me to work through what I needed to do to get better. I also had a course of CBT which helped more than anything to prepare me for helping myself with panic attacks and general anxiety. This of course is great, it's drug free and something you can use for the rest of your life.

If you are adamant about not taking Anti-D's, try referring yourself to your local wellbeing service, they have non pharmacological strategies to help you cope with the anxiety.

[MLML6]

You could also try an ecological/functional/holistic doctor - see my previous posts.

[Hidden]

Poor you!

Have you got an Endo appointment coming up? It seems odd that they would wait til then to test your cortisol.

As others have said, the ADs in the short term should help you cope. You're on thyroid meds? Do you take a good quality multi-vitamin as well? And it sounds as if an Adrenal supplement would do you nothing but good.

Wishing you better health.

[Hidden]

My diabetes doctor suggested that because I've spent so much time organising how I take my medication and space it out she thinks I could be going through some sort of stress over it because I've been doing the dosing, research and medication schedule on my own, even keeping a running total on the stock of my T4 medication which probably is taking things too far. She said if I was or have been finding it hard to cope I could always talk about it to someone. I feel as though I am going mad and too embarrassed to put it in my new thread.