Different doctor

[Rudegirl]

Well after being told to reduce my dose of Levo from 100 to 75 because my TSH is 0.01 I was very confused.. Considering my gp knows im using ndt .. Turns out its was a different doctor checking the results & knows nothing about me or my medication..

[shaws Administrator]

Go back to your dose which was reduced. This is a link and go to the date July 15, 2006.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Rudegirl in reply to shaws]

I spoken to my own doctors secretary, I've explained I'm not using levothyroxine & haven't used it since early February .. So I expect my doctor will call me soon... I take it test results maybe done on rotation for another doctor to be dealing with the results anyway..

[Hidden]

It astonishes me that doctors don't seem to know if a scrip hasn't been filled for ... er ... years. In the past, for IBS, I was left on medication for years longer than I needed to be. Careless much?

[Rudegirl]

Why if u don't use them?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Rudegirl]

Surgeries have to maintain a thyroid register. This is, basically, all patients on thyroid hormone. If you do not get it prescribed, you will drop off. That affects the apparent level of thyroid disorder across the country.

If you do not have a continuous history of thyroid hormones being prescribed, you might find some future doctor denying you have a thyroid problem. In some circumstances, they might simply not notice that five years ago you used to take levothyroxine (or whatever). Imagine if you get taken to hospital after a serious accident... Going cold turkey without any thyroid hormones is unlikely to help your eventual recovery.

Mind, don't get them dispensed unless you need them. That would simply waste our money.

[PinkNinja in reply to helvella]

I didn't realise this. My doctor phones me annually if I have missed my annual blood tests. This is my new doctor who actually knows what he's doing

Will my regular checkups not keep me on the list? I am now getting 25mcg thyroxine prescribed again but the GP didn't mention anything about this register. I shall have to ask him if we need to do something to make sure I don't fall off it.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to PinkNinja]

See my response to Rudegirl below.

[Rudegirl in reply to helvella]

Had no clue of this.. Thanks for letting me know.. My gp did actualy give me a script on my last blood test.. That must be why.. I work for the big pharma & did not know this!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Rudegirl]

Data for THY001

The contractor establishes and maintains a register of patients with hypothyroidism who are currently treated with levothyroxine

gpcontract.co.uk/child/UK/T...

Data for THY002

The percentage of patients with hypothyroidism, on the register, with thyroid function tests recorded in the preceding 12 months

gpcontract.co.uk/child/UK/T...

[PinkNinja in reply to helvella]

Maybe there should be a pinned post about this. I shall make sure I keep seeing my GP!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to PinkNinja]

In my book, the mere keeping of the register (nowadays a tick in a field on a database) is only a starting point. That they allow people to fall off the register without having a proper review undermines what I think was the original intent.

And that it is restricted to those on levothyroxine regarding the points the surgery achieves.

[PinkNinja in reply to helvella]

I didn't realise it was restricted to those on levothyroxine! Another incentive for them to not prescribe anything else.

[Spareribs in reply to helvella]

you wouldn't think they'd miss it & precious funding points??

then again... 1 for Thyroid & was it 12 for Depression? can't remember exactly...

(I can never resist typing my surgery into the organisation box - just impressive to see their

QOF 'results' on-line... )

Yes just read about the 'Levo-only' decree 2010? The site suggested patients ask their GPs for a copy of the 'no NDT' notification to be in their file and have full blood tests to marker levels / monitor adverse effects - for the GP's protection too....

[shaws Administrator in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod for this info.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

I wonder if that is the reason they still list me as taking Levo? (Not that I've ever told them I'm not - they're not the sort of practice that would take that well).

What constitutes a 'proper review'? A test of TSH, T4 and T3? I was astonished to get more than TSH tested this time. Indeed, I was astonished to be invited to have a blood test at all. It has been, as I pointed out to them, 3 years since last time I rang up and asked for one, which they grudgingly consented to do, of TSH only. Something has changed for the better!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rudegirl]

I hadn't a clue about this either so instructed Pharmacist yesterday to keep putting in a request, regardless so I don't need to go to pharmacist until I actually need it or have a problem with the one I'm using.

[Coastwalker in reply to helvella]

helvella, I was ready to give up on collecting my normal prescription of Levo (I am now on NDT,) if I do forgo levothyroxine would I loose my right to free prescriptions, with my exemption card. ? Or is my exemption card because of my medical condition alone.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Coastwalker]

Condition alone. But you could find it difficult to persuade someone to sign your Medex form if you have not been prescribed any levothyroxine in, maybe, several years.

You only need to make sure that you get the actual prescribing done - you don't need to collect the medicine!

[Coastwalker in reply to helvella]

My prescription is an on going one from the chemist shop they sort it for me every two months, but I still have to collect my Levo to get another prescription printed out, do you have any suggestions what I could do to just have prescriptions printed only helvella. ?

What is a Medex form ? never heard of one.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Coastwalker]

Medex form = the form that you send off to the medical exemption people to get your Medex card.

Can you ask your surgery to give you paper prescriptions? I have never been offered anything but old fashioned NHS paper! (Sure there are posters mentioning other services such as pharmacy collection.)

[Coastwalker in reply to helvella]

Thank you helvella, learn something new each day off TUK :

I get a new paper prescription each time I collect my Levo from the chemist, the chemist shop themselves give me a new printed out prescription, (every two months,) if I did not collect my levo wouldn't someone, either the Doctor or Chemist shop notice i had not collected it ?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Coastwalker]

You need to get the surgery to give you the prescription - then you break that link with the dispensing.

I can take my paper prescription anywhere I want. And I do - I never get mine dispensed by a UK pharmacy.

[Coastwalker in reply to helvella]

Can I ask how often you have to visit your Doctor for your prescriptions of levo and are your prescriptions repeat prescriptions please helvella.?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Coastwalker]

Mine are repeats.

I order mine on-line and have to collect a few days later.

I get two or three month prescriptions.

I have to get tested every year - but have sometimes had tests at around six months.

[Spareribs in reply to helvella]

so you prefer a continental Levo?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Spareribs]

I do. Henning or Aliud seem somehow more even across the day. No idea why - and others may not agree.

[Coastwalker in reply to helvella]

Not sure which way to turn now helvella, thought it would be easy just to slide away from my Doctor quietly without being noticed, though last time Hubby went to see her for his Asthma review Doctor asked how I was, remembering my first name.

Hubby's Asthma is way better since being on vitamin D3 and Vit A, he doesn't feel he needs to take his preventative inhaler each day, so that has been down to self help too.

Such a shame we feel we have to hide self medication from our Doctors. it must be skewering their result tables.

My Doc thinks I am doing well on Levo 125, but I was not, I needed a bit more, so I put myself on NDT, again Doctor thinks I am doing well on my lowered from 1000iu down to 400iu vitamin D3, so the next patients Doc sees needing Levo and vitamin D, will Doc rely on what they think has worked well on me so will be perfect for another patient. ? Just a thought h

[Spareribs in reply to Coastwalker]

I agree Coast - like dishing out anti-depressants and the patient doesn't come back - I wonder....

(not saying ADs don't help depression)

Nice to hear hubby's asthma is better, interesting stuff those vitamins J

[Coastwalker in reply to Spareribs]

The vitamin A has helped not only Hubby's Asthma, but my eyesight, not such dry eyes as before and eyes feel brighter, skin is amazing now, no longer dry, just so soft and I don't get stabbing pains in my chest when walking up hill, might all be coincidence of course. Sparerib.

[bobsmydog]

I do miss not having a family doctor anymore who knows his/her patients

Still, I'm just being an old fogey I guess

[Rudegirl]

Family doctor was best & far more personal!

[Hidden]

Not necessary here - the doc still believes I'm using it. 'patient on Levothyroxine' (or somesuch) was clearly writ at the top of my bloodtest. I haven't asked for a repeat scrip for that stuff for years now.