I thought all of you would like to read this by Dr Malcolm Kendrick. Maybe all doctors and Endocrinologists and et al ought to as well but it will be ignored . Extract:
"So we have an interesting medical conundrum, do we not? On one hand, doctors are more than eager to prescribe antidepressants at the drop of a hat, based entirely on the patients reported symptoms. No need for any blood tests, and no evidence that they work for the vast majority of people.
On the other hand, if a patient dares to say that they feel better taking T4 when their blood tests are normal, or if they say they feel better taking a combination of T3 and T4/NDT, they are dismissed as ‘somatising.’ Which is a posh medical way of saying, you are making your symptoms up and we don’t believe you. Equally, if a patient complains of continuing symptoms and that they don’t feel better when they are taking T4 (or T3 and T4) and their blood test results show ‘normal’ they are again accused of ‘somatising’6
The world, my friends, has gone nuts and, in a bitter irony, the medical profession – at least in this area – has become institutionally paternalistic. ‘You cannot be feeling better, because your blood tests say you were never unwell. So you cannot have treatment. And you, Dr Skinner and your like. If you dare treat patient’ symptoms you will be attacked and struck off from medical practice.’ "
Thanks for posting . I wish more doctors were like him . My doctor once asked me when I was voicing my opinions on t3 if I thought there was a conspiracy against people with thyroid problems . ? I said ....you tell me ?
Ýes, I do. When a thyroid is out of whack it can be a cash cow for those wanting to exploit the sick and rake the money in. Because, if we were all treated the way we should be I feel most of the thyroid people would be living a good quality life instead of being prescribed this pill and that pill. Maybe the reason why the I industry demands docs go by TSH test so they can make money. I am so sure there are chart to treat patients just to keep the money coming in. I believe it after hearing and seeing my doctor deny me more tests and reject my request for upping my dose.
I, too, think thousands are not being treated adequately:-
1. because they refuses to go by clinical symptoms - don't know any.
2. Costs NHS far more money for the 'extra' meds we need to control clinical symptoms, sometimes due to being underdosed/undiagnosed.
3. people unable to work and exhausted and in pain.
4. people who lose their jobs and have no livelihoods.
5. are thought of as hypochondriacs because they are at the doctors all the time.
6. the doctors heart drops when (whoever) comes to the surgery often. (never mind the poor patient whose looking for answers which aren't forthcoming).
7. when you're finally given an appointment to see an Endocrinologist who is rude, patronising and disregards anything the patient says never mind that the patient is paying him/her a whack of money they can ill afford.
8. Only go by the TSH and adjust doses accordingly. Considering the TSH varies throughout the day which I doubt they know.
9. Big pharma has done a great job in promoting levothyroxine and most of the Endo societies have fallen for it. In the USA doctors get paid for prescribing the products. I have been told they even get holidays paid for.
10. They will not even try an alternative like NDT which has been in use successfully from 1892 up until the introduction of levo if the patient isn't recovering on levo and are completely unaware that the patient can develop other more serious illness due to being undertreated/undiagnosed. They like that 'it only costs about £1 instead of £'s. Never mind the quality of the patients' lives and continuing ill-health for years and years in some cases.
My daughter showed me a photo of myself 4 years ago in 2011, OMG my face was so fat, found and like a full moon. I had been to the doctors so often crying, stressed, anxious, my hair was falling out, my joints were aching so much, my muscles hurt and were wasting away, my body hair had vanished although my eyebrows already thick before looked normal. I was puffy and was gradually putting on the weight. My back ached. I was given anti-depressants, told my stress and anxiety was down to my husband as that is what I put it down to, if you are feeling anxious you have to find something to blame it on, my poor husband. I was crying every day. My husband finally walked out on me and the children in 2013. I was finally given a thyroid test in August that year and in November was given Levothyroxine 50mcg. Being that I was already having heart palpitations and was aged 56 years. In January 2014 I had a heart attack, the angiogram was all clear, good arteries much to my relief. I went home after 3 days a nervous wreck. More tests, rehabilitation, made to feel like China and another heart attack and I would DIE! I didn't want to go anywhere, I had to see a psychologist as any palpitation I thought I was going to die, I had numerous anxiety attacks when I look back but when I called the ambulance and ended up in A&E no-one actually said it could be an anxiety attack. I just got more and more worried, more stressed, more palpitations and costo chondritis which I self diagnosed as from doing massive arm movements in rehab and I was straining my chest every class. I went to the doctor about it and she didn't even examine me, just said we'll see after more test results. It was the psychologist who said it was classic anxiety attacks. I then noticed they were happening after meals. I finally saw Dr P and he said to come off gluten etc. So I came off gluten, grains and milk. Wow, no more anxiety attacks and if I notice something I know its probably from something I have eaten when I am out and about. I am also taking 3 Nutri Thyroid and increased my levo again from a reduced 25mcg as they found I was high after my heart attack. I take supplements following advice here, I take supplements following advice from Dr Sinatra for heart health and I am feeling FAB-U-LOUS although my hair is falling out and looks awful. My aches have vanished, my joints are free again although its left me with tight joints, I have energy now and my palpitations have all but gone, I had one two weeks ago. Its just sad that I lost my husband and my children their father. Its lonely without him. I can't remember where I was going with this, ok I still have brain fog!! Dr P says I would do better on NDT and I was wondering how to get it on the NHS, the Nutri Thyroid is helping but my hair issue shows that there is something not quite right. My 91 year old Mum has been on levothyroxine for decades, newly diagnosed with vascular dementia. PS my oestradiol level is 0.8pg/ml (1-4) and progesterone 12.6pg/ml (20-70). I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
What a journey you've been on. I am so glad you are feeling better. I too had heart palpitations. And i as well noticed I get these after eating a crossant roll. I still eat bread and I can tolerate bread very well but certain things I get,the palpitations with. Sometimes oils make me have them as too. But right now I believe mine is from,being under medicated. My profile tells a lot of my experience. I sure appreciate you lovely people commenting. I am looking forward to learning more here.
I increased my dose myself, Actavis only do 50mcg tablets, I found with others and given 25mcg that I wasn't feeling as well. So with a prescription for 25mcg but given the 50mcg and told to halve them I was able to slowly, and I mean very slowly increase the dose. I am due for another thyroid test. The last test was done when I had an anxiety attack and I had taken my levo only a couple of hours previous. They didn't take that into account but went ahead with the test and didn't give me the test the next day so I could leave off the levo. They are ignorant of any facts. I have done all the research myself and this website has been amazing. I was completely lost with all the lingo before, lost to my anxiety and found that I was not alone. I also found that certain sauces bring on palpiations, maybe from colouring or msg, a seafood sauce was the latest culprit. Its still scary when it happens but I just get active and walk it out of my system. I am taking D-Ribose powder 3 times a day for ATP energy, Acetyl L-Carnitine, CoQ10 Ubiquinol and Magnesium Citrate 3 times a day. I also found that eating bananas, 3 a day helps with the palpitations. I have also started taking a week ago bio trace minerals and my heart feels calmer and not so noticeable, now I say that I hadn't realised it before. It seems nice and steady, I am sure it is something that we are lacking in our diets that bring about all these weird symptoms. Off for my walk to enjoy the last rays of summer.............. x
Maybe the watermelon has helped with the reduction of heart palpitations s. Interesting post. Yes, doctors can be very ignorant by willfully telling us things that only fit the agenda and guidelines of the drug industry
That's another horrific story of the misdiagnosis of hypothyroid patients and the ruination of their marriage and the children losing their father.
What with struggling with health of 'unknown causes' according to the medical profession and treated for everything. The heart does take it's toll as the heart needs Free T3 to work efficiently.
I'm glad Dr P is helping you and you are feeling much better already.
Just take your time and let your body heal and copy and paste your above story into your Profile so that members have a background about you.
Thank you for sharing. I've just read the full article - truly interesting read.
I had lots of hypo. symptoms but the GP only tested my tsh and therefore I was fine; he did offer me an antidepressant. I refused this as I was not depressed just frustrated that I was unable to stand up after breakfast and was gaining masses of weight and sleeping most of the day and night. At the time I didn't know any different and just went on being ill for years before a friend recommended a private doctor. Even then it was not plain sailing but I am better now and walking the tightrope.
I should not, but do, get frustrated with people I know who present with classic symptoms of hypo. but tell me that their GP has tested them and their thyroid is fine. We are needing to fight the medical establishment at a time when our brains and bodies have gone awol. Generally our GPs do not assist us in our struggle but block us at every turn. This has to change for all of us on here and for the many thousands who should be on this site.
Lyn Mynot has to be thanked for starting Thyroiduk.org.uk due to her and her family's experience (because our families also suffer). This forum has helped lots of people and it would be great if one day we could all gather and ask to see our individual MP in Parliament - all at the same time wouldn't that be great.
Lorraine Cleaver has taken her case to the Scottish Parliament due to her experience.
In actual fact the whole situation is world-wide and Dr Derry was another 'good' doctor like Dr Skinner and Dr Peatfield an others who were persecuted. Dr Derry's site talked sense but lost his livelihood.
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wouldn't that be great.
Dr Malcom kendrick
A German physician's take on the RCP recommendations
