I accompanied my best friend to her Endo Appt yesterday. A bit of background. She was diagnosed diabetic at 13 and had a really hard time accepting it. She frequently cheated and poorly managed her diet rebelling against her condition. Fast forward 20 years she is diagnosed hypothyroid. Prob had it a lot longer. Another 10 years she is prescribed statins antidepressants, kidney support medication, iron tablets and b12 injections. Now I was convinced there was a link. Her TSH was up to 8.89 (ps she had never been told to take her iron away from levo). Her ferritin was 22 Endo said that was normal and told her she doesn't need to take iron! She asked if she could try armour and he flatly refused he also refused to test T3. My friend is in despair as she's carrying weight and she feels exhausted and depressed. No wonder with a Tsh of 8.89 and t4 of 11.4. I asked had they ever done an antibody test as her mum had thyroid cancer. Err no. Duh! He then tried to have a pop at me and asked whether I was a doctor. Whatever. Anyhow my friend ended up losing it and demanded her T3 be tested and guess what? He relented. Up yours Mr Endo! Hee hee
Another friend in need! Appalling Endo - Thyroid UK
Another friend in need! Appalling Endo
good for you speaking up for your friend, hope she gets the right treatment!
It's awful, isn't it, to have a TSH of nearly 9 when the range is around 5 but the (ridiculous) guidelines state not to medicate until the TSH reaches 10. I wonder if someone at the top needs a mental health check-up as this rule leaves so many, many people very unwell.
Maybe we have to emigrate to where the guidelines are more humane.
I do hope your friend's T3 is low, whether he will prescribe anything we will await with bated breath.
What made me chuckle was his typical speech on Armour how it is unreliable. To which I responded funny that cos I was prescribed it here, by your superior. Boom!
Brilliant. Send him a copy of this scientific document. Needless to say the BTA and the RCoP ignored it, despite 3 yearly reminders by Dr Lowe. Why will they not respond to scientific proof? Just so that they can be determined with regard to providing levo only.
thyroidscience.com/Criticis...
There is something sadly lacking in the Endocrinologists' education. It should be something like this - know most of the clinical symptoms, listen to patient, medical/family history, plus tests (not for pure diagnosis),
Jody, well done advocating for your friend. I hope she is able to get a more helpful endo. You'd have thought this endo would know that there is a link between diabetes and hypothyroidism and recognise TSH>8 is not normal.
He was pretty horrendous I have to say. Apparently his demeanour changed when I walked in he was even worse before that (I arrived a little late). To vehemently oppose armour when his head consultant is now happy to prescribe. There's something amiss there and when I tried to talk to him he was all defensive and kept his back to me shoulders hunched. I was clearly making him uncomfortable which to be honest is what he deserved. I feel so passionately about this subject and just want to help anyone who's struggling. It's so bloody unfair its almost inhumane that some of us are treated like cattle.......
Testing T3
Help for a friend please
Thanks to you all
Most understanding NHS Endo
