Finnish congressman worried about patients not getting t3

[Justiina]

Just read about it from a newspaper. Wow. It is about time it gets some proper publicity.

Congressman says he does not have thyroid issues but his friends do and he is worried patients are not getting proper treatment. He says he has read about it and talked with doctors who recommend using t3 if t4 does not work.

Unfortunately some doctors interviewed by that newspaper say t3 is humbug. Naturally these doctors are unnamed. But they had strict opinions about doctors who even consider using t3.

I don't think this will change anything , but at least rises awareness.

[Clutter]

Justiina, raising awareness is a good start.

My response to doctors who say T3 is humbug or placebo is to ask why then is T3 prescribed for months, 3 in my case, to thyroidectomised thyCa patients awaiting RAI? And why are thyCa patients taken off Levothyroxine and prescribed T3 for 2-3 weeks in preparation for repeat RAI? If it's humbug or placebo why bother?

[Justiina in reply to Clutter]

Exactly! You would think as highly educated as these doctors are would know how to search information or would come up better argument than calling something humbug

[Teuchter in reply to Justiina]

You would think so! Me too!

I cannot understand why doctors and endocrinologists, supposedly experts in their field, have such arrogant, opinionated, closed minds, and are so uninquisitive and unwilling to consider any view but their own.

Im an experienced car mechanic: every month or two I get a "problem car" which is not going well (like me!) but all diagnostic tests prove negative. Cars like this can drive you mad, but usually they whet the appetite and get the brain cells fired up: an irresistible challenge to my experience and ability (yes, Im an arrogant male too!).

If, after trying absolutely everything I can think of to find the problem, I reluctantly concede that the stupid car has beaten me, I then have to face the customer, eat humble pie, admit that Im stumped, and refer them to the main dealer.

Of course doctors would instead say: "You say your car isnt going well, but there's actually nothing wrong with it - it's all in your head".

My customers wouldnt swallow that. Why should patients?

[Justiina in reply to Teuchter]

Exactly!!! I so agree and have been thinking about it the same way you do.

I used to work as customer servant. If a customer is for example looking for shoes but find them small even though we have measured their foot I would never say it is all in your head. Buy the shoes and live with it.

We all have unique feet and shoes are mass produced. One shoe cannot fit all.

[Tintti]

Exactly! Rises awerness, great news. Just so sad that it has to be some one close to them, until they even start studying it.. But great!!

[Justiina in reply to Tintti]

Yeah it sad but at least he believed them and searched for more info! It is a good start.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to Justiina]

My sister works with a GP who took early retirement. She regularly asks how I'm doing and now her husband - also a GP - has gone hyper. People were thinking there must be an emergency when they saw him racing around the surgery! I'll try to "waft" some info in his direction...

[Rachel_81]

My doctor in Portugal prescribed T3 to me, it is not manufactured here (it used to be but the company that made it ceased selling it a couple of years ago).

I have found a chemist that imports it from Brazil (have to wait for about a week to get it) prescription only.

Unfortunately, it seems this is a global issue. It makes me mad that doctors believe they know better how the patient feels than the patient themselves. Aren't doctors there to make the patient feel better?

I am so lucky I have an open minded and intelligent endocrinologist.

BTW it's called Cynomel.

[Justiina in reply to Rachel_81]

Yes you are lucky! And I agree. How a doctor knows better how patients feel. Met so many of those jerks. For example low temp. Most doctors say 35.5 is normal and a patient cannot feel bad. How do they know?

I hope things will change as we patients keep fighting for better treatment