Hi all,
I am at breaking point once again and have some questions I would really like some support with, so thanks in advance to anyone who responds.
I managed to get Armour via my Endo over a year ago. This has been a painful process of never knowing when I would get repeats, many blood tests etc, but then after a year or so he retired. His replacement I saw before Christmas, said she had not been trained in Armour and would not be comfortable increasing my dosage (usual stuff about heart attacks, osteoporosis blah blah). I told her at the time I didn't feel optimal and suspected I needed an increase. My blood was tested and my TSH had gone from 0.01 to 0.3. I said I felt best when suppressed, but she wrote me a letter saying this increase was good and discharging me. Over the next 6 months my symptoms have become increasingly bad. I've had hair loss, weight gain, I am permanently freezing to the point that my boyfriend won't let me touch him sometimes, my periods have become erratic, I'm depressed and have had suicidal ideation, I'm late taking my son to school every morning and have to nap in the middle of the day. Basically I'm going back to square one. My GP wants to help but just doesn't really know what to do I think. He can't increase my dose without the endo's say so. I feel like I am shutting down.
In desperation I went to see a private doctor in WInchester who is on the Thyroid UK list. He took blood and my TSH is now at 1.2- I know I felt terrible at this level before. He said my T4 is slightly low and my T3 is within range. I explained how I felt and he has asked me back for another visit in two weeks, but to be honest, I think he just wants more money out of me. He uses several techniques that have been proven unreliable and I later found out he is under terms from the BMC (I think) for misleading cancer patients about his treatments. I thought he would treat based on symptoms and my increasing blood levels, but he didn't take my temperature or test other hormones or anything. He has cost me over £400 so far, but i have no faith in him. When I've asked him for explanations for things he has been very defensive. I'm going to see him again purely in hopes I can convince him to raise my levels as it is so obvious this is what needs to be done.
In the long term I think I have two options 1) My GP says he will refer me to St Bart's or Guy's in London as these are both supposed to specialise in thyroid issues. I've heard Bart's are good particularly, and I wondered if anyone had visited them or Guy's, and if you could recommend either a specific doctor who will listen, or if there are other NHS specialists you could recommend (pm me if you need to). I can't afford private for life.
2) Self-medication. I truly feel like I can't go on waiting for the NHS to treat me properly, my life is ebbing away, my relationships are being affected, my work is suffering, my son is having to cope (he has T1 diabetes and coeliac just to add to the NHS joy- you should see how the other half live!). Enough is enough. I feel like all I need is 0.25 grains, maybe 0.5 max. I've told my GP I will self medicate and just come to him for tests if I can't get support from the NHS. I need to feel better to start dealing with everything again, so I want to order some Armour online from a reliable source. I have found a pharmacy ending in .com which is family run which I think might be good but I would really like some options as to other pharmacies as well. Does anyone else self-medicate and can they recommend resources or pharmacies? i have thyroid uk, STTM books and leaflets and a few other books eg Barry Durrant-Peatfield etc. I'm pretty sure I can do the maths. If I go self-med full time I want to transfer to nature throid as they are cheaper and supposedly better. Is there much difference between them and Armour?
Anyway, any advice and guidance on the above would be massively appreciated is anyone has any words of wisdom. I just want to stop feeling like I'm spiralling down a massive abyss physically and mentally. Thank you so much if you've read this far.
Endo recommendations and where to obtain NDT via private messages please in line with posting guidelines #22 and #24, thank you.
Unprofessional Irish G.P
Self medication with T3 
Self medication. 
Is it ethical for GP to withdraw thyroid meds with no notice?
