How does the treatment of Thyroid & B12 deficiency compare in Switzerland & France???

[knackersyard]

My 24yo daughter has suffered symptoms from childhood. Allergies, Reynauds circulation problems, listlessness, mood swings. Both parents are Autoimmune, so the odds are against her.

I once managed to get her to have her B12 tested by our GP. 160 nmol & marked as "borderline"

She's a very clever girl & fiercely independent, but unfortunately she is convinced that Doctors know best.

She will be in Geneva for the next 2 years, living just over the border in France. I just wonder what the Docs are like there?

Maybe if we can convince her to get tested, she might get the help she needs before there's too much damage.

Thanks

[greygoose]

Doctors in France - never been to Switzerland - are pretty much as ignorant as doctors in England, but they Don't have NICE muddying the waters. That means that they are sometimes open to suggestion - dépends on the doctor, of course.

I always get my T3 tested because I ask for it. But they have no idea what it means, they still only look at the TSH. But, if they suggest lowering my dose, I just say no. Most of them have never even heard of Cytomel et al, and NDT is illegal in France. But I usually manage to get T3 prescribed - it is prescription only in France - the French Don't mess around with things like that! Even D3 is prescription only!

As to B12, they have no idea. Occassionally one or two of my nutrients get tested, but if it's Inside the range, it's perfect. They Don't know about the dangers of low B12. Last time my cholesterol was tested, it was scraping along the bottom of the range - even the lab marked it 'dangerous' - but one doctor told me your cholesterol can't be too low!!! So, they know nothing about nutrition as a general rule (there are always exceptions, but I Don't know of any!).

Would she be able to take the train to Paris and see Dr Dalle? He's a Hertoghe-trained doctor and the best in France. But expensive and difficult to get to see.

Hertoghe, himself is in Brussles, but I Don't think he sees patients himself anymore. But there are a lot of Hertoghe doctors around there. Pity she's not near Belgium, that would be a much better bet!

[knackersyard in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose

That's not very encouraging

She could go to Paris, but she won't, as she doesn't think she has an issue. That's the problem...

[greygoose in reply to knackersyard]

OK, well as she doesn't even think she has an issue, she's not going to be able to persuade a doctor that she has, will she.

I know exactly what that's like. I'm convinced my son has Hashi's. I got him to see a top doc in Paris once, years ago, who tested his thyroid levels, but didn't test the antibodies. The TSH etc said that he was mildly hypo, so the doc gave him levo.

My son took it for a while and felt so much better that he decided he was cured, and didn't need the levo anymore. Nothing I could say would persuade him otherwise.

Now, he's fine most of the time, but has sudden, weird, unexplained 'illnesses' - which is why I think he's Hashi's. And I talk to him during these times, and he says yes, I must go back to dr x, but then he gets better, so doesn't go! It's so frustrating! But there's nothing I can do.

And he lives in Paris. So, he certainly wouldn't go to the lengths of visiting another city to see a doctor, so I understand perfectly your situation. The trouble is, one thinks, it can only get worse! I sympathise wholeheartedly.

But there's no reason why she shouldn't try a doctor in Switzerland, they might be much better. Who knows!

[cend]

I recorded 2 addresses of Hertoghe-trained doctors in Switzerland (i don't know them but I heard good things from them) :

Dr. Chinh Linh

5 place du Marché

2610 St. Imier

tel : [phone]

fax : [phone]

chinhlinh.gyndoc.ch

Dr. Michel Frey

Av. de la Gare 45

1920 Martigny

tel: 027 / 723 13 05

fax: 027 / 723 13 44

hope this helps

[pinkcat26]

I was diagnosed with under active thyroid whilst living in France and I found them great. I was referred to an endo straight away as my doctor said I needed to see someone who specialised in that area. My blood was tested every month to start with then levelled out to every 3. Their 'normal' levels are also much lower than ours so it easier to be diagnosed over there. Since coming back to England I was told I only need a blood test once a year. I was really pleased with treatment in france