Enjoy! letter sent to my GP who stopped T3 and who now wants to simultaneously reduce T4!!

[juliat]

Dear Dr. xxxxx

Regarding your letter of 26.04.16 in which you say you now want to make a 50 mcg reduction in my T4 on top of the sudden removal of T3 from my prescription.

I am shocked and horrified by your lack of knowledge regarding Hypothyroid patients and their

medication needs in order for some of them to regain good health and your protocol for drug changes.

NOT ALL HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS REGAIN THEIR HEALTH ON T4 alone!!!!!!

Surely your patients regaining health is your aim?

I have been in the best health that I have been for years on a mix of T4 and T3 (My mother and aunt and cousins also, it is quite clear as a family we are not good converters of T4 to T3)

Not only do you write to me suddenly removing T3 from any further prescriptions, saying that your hands are tied, which is not the case, you can prescribe any drug you wish including unlicensed ones,  and DESPITE the fact I am under the care of xxxxx xxxxx one of the top specialists in the field of endocrinology who sanctioned my receiving T3 and has monitored my response , you now propose WITHOUT WAITING TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE REMOVAL OF T3, TO NOW SLASH MY INTAKE OF T4!!

Simply question from an ‘ignorant’ patient...how will you know which of your simultaneous proposed changes to my successful medication regime will be responsible for my inevitable return to poor health?

Let me guess, I will then be told ’take a bit more T4’ (I have in the past taken 400mcg per day of T4 with no benefit and no adverse effects) and when that doesn’t work  I will again hear the following ‘it’s not your Thyroid’...you have CFS, ME , you’re depressed, a hypochondriac, it’s idiopathic  etc

It beggars belief, it really does. If it weren’t so tragic, cruel and almost criminal I would laugh. But as this is my life you are attempting to play with I hope you will understand that I won’t.

I have absolutely no intention of changing my medication. It works for me. xxxx xxxx has always been very happy with my results and health.  I will be guided by him and not a GP. Unless of course you wish to go on record to say that  he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and is not  qualified to manage my treatment and you are?

I am also making a formal request that I am allocated to Dr. xxxxx  with whom I have had numerous correspondences on this matter and who I hope will be more pro-active and caring in pursuing a resolution.

Yours

XXX XXX

Copies to

xxx

xxx

[Chris1961]

Good luck ...  Constant battle for me too 

[Hidden]

I EFFING love it!!!!  Great letter, well done!!!

[Lizzy1606]

Good luck .and a excellent letter.

[Hidden]

Just a quick thought...

Is there anywhere you can squeeze in "unethical" and "first do no harm"?

[juliat in reply to Hidden]

Good points!  will remember next time, thanks

[juliat]

Many thanks for link. Will read, with highlighter pen at ready and add to the body of evidence I'm trying to compile. x

[shaws]

Excellent. I hope it produces a good outcome. It would seem the knives are out for liothyronine and I assume it comes from the 'TOP'. 

To reduce both at once is ridiculous and we might all be in the same boat shortly so something needs to be sorted out swiftly so healthy patients can remain healthy. That's the point of replacement hormones surely - but those that are 'supposed' to be qualified wouldn't appear to be with regard to the thyroid gland. They believe it's 'easy' just swallow one pill (levo) and anything else the patient complains of is psychosomatic, plus the expense of all the addiitonal prescriptions and problems for the patient -  heart for one, being too ill to work etc. etc.

No wonder Dr Skinner (not an Endocrinologist)  wanted a Conference with ALL the endocrinologists when he was alive, to discuss the Parlous Situation people were put in with the Guidelines of the BTA. He invited every single Endo and one by one they refused - the last one the day before the Conference. To say Dr S was disappointed is not an exaggeration as he was dealing with the left-overs of very unwell patients who were hypothyroid but remained undiagnosed or unwell on levo. 

So, the Endocrinologists must have believed they knew everything there was to know about treating patients. But unless they have a hypo relative who doesn't get well on levo we will get nowhere.

Dr S was of the 'old school' where doctors were trained on clinical symptoms and prescribed NDT for their patients. 

[jayne09]

Iv had an underactive thyroid for 20 years after i had my daughter im on125mg thyroxine  iv never really felt well aches@painsbut iv noticed a bit of patchy skin on my kneck@under my chin does any1 else hav this x

[juliat]

I suppose I could have also added 'it's your age' but as I'm only 29 , so far they haven't tried that line with me.

Yes, I've managed to work up to full time employment, after years of ill health, just got promoted and with increased salary got a mortgage for a flat that should exchange soon and i'm half way through a planned diet, lost 2 stone., going to auqa earobics three times a week......everything was going well until this bombshell.

Told the GP's all this but they don't seem to care.

Should I still sign exchange contracts?  Yes I will....'cos if I have to slaughter a pig and eat its thyroid with my bare hands I will ( hopefully won't be that extreme! ha ha)

Yes, my family funded thousands of pounds of private medical attention to try and make me well.

Dr's  Skinner, Hembury, Myhill etc etc and you name any number of alternative stuff and private tests we've done it. Thousands of pounds.....my poor family.

Actually if you read it carefully the 2015 BTA paper gives ample scope to treat tose few patients who need a mix of treatment. especially section 12 last page.

the battle continues....but it shouldn't have to be this way

x

[Rachel_81 in reply to juliat]

Wow! This is great!

I love to read success stories, makes me very happy!

Good luck!

[Joburton in reply to juliat]

Lol at slaughtering pig comment. x

[phoenix23002]

Terrific letter... well done !!

[linda96]

Wish I cd keep pressing the "like" button!  

Well done

[MS1983]

We are all in the same boat is so blooming frustrating. I wish there was something we could do to stop the ludicrous behaviour of GP's 

Sorry your having such a battle but good luck 

[alangardner]

excellent letter ,but, I would have replaced the final paragraph with ..." in view of all the afformentioned evidence I will hold you personally liable for my continuing GOOD health in this matter as well as ANY ADVERSE REACTIONS to any changes to my medications made by yourself autonomously without proper consulation by yourself with my current specialist " ......... I guarantee your gp would run for the hills after that .....alan

[juliat in reply to alangardner]

Thanks for your point. I have copied and pasted into my folder for future use.

live long and prosper x

[greygoose in reply to juliat]

Yes, but cut out the 'yourself' and use 'you'. That is not the correct use of 'yourself'.

[MariLiz]

Wonderful letter! I hope it works for you. There are just so many of us on here struggling with this same problem. Good luck MariLiz x

[Margo]

Brilliant, good luck!

[juliat]

got confirmation today I've changed Doctors - what a surprise!  This one is hopefully better.