Good evening lovely people. I've written a press release with a link to my presentation (youtu.be/5jtloVyE7Mg), however, I NEED YOUR HELP TOO (pretty please) in order to make our Health Minister sit up and take notice.
If you like my presentation, please could you copy and paste this press release (below email list) into your email software REPLACING YOUR NAME / MED DETAILS in the first paragraph and then send it from your email to the email address below. Please feel free to tweak it to suit your conditions.
Thank you so much. The hard work starts now if we want to get hypothyroidism to the top of the NHS agenda.
Your emails to Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP will bounce back but at least he will see our emails ...
LIST OF CONTACTS: (Please feel free to add your own contacts)
huntj@parliament.uk
jeremy.hunt.mp@parliament.uk
newsnight@bbc.co.uk
womanshour.yourviews@bbc.co.uk
today@bbc.co.uk
bbcbreakfast@bbc.co.uk
theoneshow@bbc.co.uk
itvnewsmeridian@itv.com
panorama.reply@bbc.co.uk
editorial@mailonline.co.uk
news@mailonline.co.uk
newsdesk@sunday-times.co.uk
exclusive@the-sun.co.uk
editors@lady.co.uk
Joanna.Knight@littlehackney.com
Louise.Pyne@littlehackney.com
Ellie.Moss@littlehackney.com
Juliette_Cooper@dennis.co.uk
MaryComber@iris-uk.com
woman@timeinc.com
kate.lucey@cosmopolitan.co.uk
vicky@thebrandsurgery.co.uk
claire.hodgson@hearst.co.uk
tab.features@bauer.co.uk
gemma.charles@haymarket.com
jane.vickers@bbc.co.uk
Dear Editor
SUBJECT: The true cost of not testing or treating hypothyroid patients effectively.
Please view this short presentation created by a fellow hypothyroid patient on our support forum: youtu.be/5jtloVyE7Mg
My name is xxxxx and I am one of 10.2 million people in the UK who suffers from hypothyroidism.
I been taking xxx mcg of Levothyroxine (T4 only replacement) for xxx years.
I am also taking xxxxx of xxxxxx for xxxxxxx
(please add a list of your meds if you think they are related to hypothyroidism)
I believe that the conditions listed above could be prevented if the NHS prescribed hypothyroid patients T3 and T4 hormone replacement meds. A small investment in T3 would save taxpayers money in the long term by reducing meds and hospital stays.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A healthy thyroid gland produces hormones which regulate the body's functions, including the heart, mental health, our digestive system and much more. People with an under-active thyroid known as hypothyroid patients, require replacement hormones T3 and T4 to keep them functioning healthily.
Unfortunately the NHS currently prescribes T4-only hormones in the form of Levothyroxine which means that many hypothyroid patients have associated illnesses including heart problems, high blood pressure, mental health issues, digestion and weak bone problems. High blood pressure, if left untreated causes kidney problems.
Between 1934-1960s, online sources indicate that the NHS prescribed Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT), made from pigs thyroid, which addressed T3 and T4 issues. There is a grey area as to why NDT was replaced by Levothyroxine in the 1960s but many hypothyroid patients believe that cost was the issue.
The NHS in its report, 'Nottinghamshire Area Prescribing Committee position statement', advises that “liothyronine is not recommended for prescribing within Nottinghamshire. Patients who have been seen privately should be referred back to the private service for private prescription of liothyronine or recommendation of an alternative treatment”.
The same NHS paper states that T3 costs the NHS £1300 per patient per year whereas Levothyroxine only costs the NHS £26 per patient per year. This NHS paper also advises that it considers that T3 and T4 is dangerous for the heart.
However, an independent report states that "In its document on desiccated thyroid and T4/T3 therapies, the British Thyroid Association presented a grossly unbalanced picture of the stability of levothyroxine sodium, Armour Thyroid, and by extension, other prescription desiccated thyroid products such as Erfa Thyroid … "Moreover, the [British Thyroid Association] Committee failed to account for three harmful effects from T4 [only] replacement …” See the presentation to see the harmful effects.
MIND THE GAP
There appears to be a huge gap between the NHS’s advice and advice from independent hypothyroid experts. It appears that the NHS is working against hypothyroid support groups.
As a result, many hypothyroid patients are taking matters into their own hands because they no longer trust the NHS, Hypothyroids are either seeing private doctors or self-medicating with NDT or synthetic T3 from various importers from abroad. Many patients who have self-medicated with NDT have seen improvements in mental health, blood pressure, reduced uric acid, weight loss and acid reflux and even reduced epilepsy. Please see the presentation for hypothyroid patient quotes.
The NHS is not seeing the bigger picture and as a result hypothyroid patients have also fallen victim to serious associated illnesses through being treated with inadequate T4-only replacement hormones.
We believe the true cost of NHS of treating Hypothyroid patients with Levothyroxine is costing more long term than if it were to adopt a holistic approach and treat us with either synthetic or natural T3 / T4 combinations. Please see the presentation to see the enormous cost of cardiac operations, kidney dialysis and blood pressure, much of which we think could be prevented.
We realise that what works for one person may not work for another, however, the positive reaction to this presentation from fellow hypothyroid patients via thyroid support forums has been overwhelming.
Thank you for reading. Please help us to have a voice. We look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
xxxxxx