Despite a few friend's recommendation to have my thyroid checked and done some research. I have found out that I have all the symptoms of an under-active thyroid. With lack of concentration, excessive weight gain in the pas 1.5 year which I went from dressing 38 to 48 trousers size and difficult breathing as the main symptoms along with other symptoms.
In April last year following a recommendation of one of the doctors at the spa my wife and I went for massages in Poland during our holidays. he had recommended that we should look for a medical help as he could notice my difficult to breathe. So we went to the GP in Poland which she asked for a full blood test and the test came positive to under-active thyroid but as I lived in the UK she asked me to see my GP here which i have done and my doctor here asked me to do the same blood exams which my hormone count came as normal so she told me go home saying that was healthy. Now I feel like that it has cone worst as i have gained even more weight. Now I don't know what to do as if I go to the doctors, I am afraid they might think I am Munchausen's Syndrome or hypochondriac.
So I am here to appeal if anyone know what steps I should take or point me on the right direction as I said , I feel completely lost.
Thanks for listening
Kind Regards,
Carlos De Santana
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De-Santana
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If you have a copy of your Polish doctor's blood test results and also your most recent ones, post them for comments. They must have the ranges (the figures are in brackets). If you don't have them today post them on a new question for commenents.
Unfortunately for many of us the doctor might not be the best person to diagnose and treat us because the don't know any clinical symptoms and if they do will only take into account the whereabouts of the TSH. The TSH is from the pituitary gland and it varies throughout the 24 hours of the day. So if you have a test later in the afternoon it will be lower than at 8 or 9 a.m.
In other countries if the TSH is around 3 you will be prescribed levothyroxine (thyroid hormones) but in the UK, it is the worst in the world and makes sick people wait until the TSH reaches a magic 10. Some doctors will prescribe around 5 with symptoms.
When you get a blood test for thyroid hormones get the earliest possible appointment and fast (you can drink water) and, if on thyroid hormones, leave about 24 hours since your last dose and the test and take levo afterwards. Also ask GP to check your Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we can be deficient.
Liothyronine (T3) is required in every receptor cell in our body and they prescribe levothyroxine (T4) which has to convert to T3. With hypo, our temperature will be lower than normal, heart rate slower, pulse slower, unexplained weight gain, so it is essential we get diagnosed and medication.
To get well we have to read and learn and ask questions in order to recover, as best we can, and some have to resort to buying their own prescription medications from abroad.
Thanks for the support and advice Shaws. I will have myself checked through a private source and I will look for those exams and post the pictures here when i arrive from work today.
Oh dear.... Unfortunately it sounds like you have come up against the uk lack of guidelines and common sense. Its hard to get properly diagnosed and treated here, but stick around the forum and you will find out lots of info.
First thing to do, is to go back to your doctor and get your test results, along with the reference ranges, so we can see what he has tested and what he is basing his judgement on. You are legally entitled to these results though you can be charged for the cost of printing them.
Have a look at the signs and symtoms of hypothyroidism on the home page... Http://thyroiduk.org.uk and see hiw many you can tick off. When you get the results from the doc, post them on here and everyone can help interpret them.
If it turns out the doc has barely checked anything.... Then you can get a full thyroid profile done privately for around £100. You deal direct with the lab yourself and details of private testing are on the thyroid uk site.
Dont worry about the hypochondriac label.... You're in good company.. There are more than 30,000 of us on this forum who have all been afraid of the same label....
Thanks for the support and advice Galathea. I will have myself checked through a private source and I will look for those exams and post the pictures here when i arrive from work today.
Have a great day,
De-Santana
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Hello De-Santana,
Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear you feel unwell.
To gain a complete picture of how your thyroid is working, you will need to have tested TSH, TF4 and FT3 and also thyroid antibodies TPOAb and TGAb.
Many doctors only test the TSH level (probably down to cost & ignorance) but some thyroid conditions may not be revealed with only this measurement.
Also get Vit B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin levels tested as low thyroid hormone can encourage deficiencies in these nutrients that are vital for good thyroid function.
If your doctor is uncooperative in running these tests, they are available through private labs. (link below) Once you have your results, post complete with the ranges (numbers in brackets) for members to comment.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.
Thanks for the support and advice Flower007. I will have myself checked through a private source and I will look for those exams and post the pictures here when i arrive from work today.
Thanks for the support and advice Shaws, Galathea and Flower007. I will have myself checked through a private source and I will look for those exams and post the pictures here when i arrive from work today.
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