Endocrinologist??

[Charlie_b]

Hi, can anyone recommend an Endocrinologist in Bristol UK? I have hashimoto but blood test has come back with very low cortisol. So being referred.... Any help or advice will be gratefully recieved. TIA xx

[Angelcan81]

Hi Charlie_b I am going to see an endocrinologist at the Spire Hospital tomorrow. I haven't put the name as not sure if allowed. I will pm you following my appointment if you like? I had an appointment through the NHS but that wasn't until September so I decided to go private - I'm seeing the same endo tho lol

[bantam12 in reply to Angelcan81]

If it's a Dr B A good luck !!!

[Charlie_b in reply to Angelcan81]

Thanks that will be great x

[Charlie_b in reply to Angelcan81]

Good luck, I hope it goes well for you

[LuxN in reply to Angelcan81]

I've asked to be referred to an endo at Spire for a second opinion. I'd be very interested in hearing how you got on too,, if you don't mind.

[Angelcan81 in reply to LuxN]

Of course

[Angelcan81]

No the initials are KB

[Angelcan81]

No they're KB

[bantam12 in reply to Angelcan81]

My husband saw KB, she is very nice but sticks to the guidelines and ranges, if you are wanting T3 you are probably out of luck !

[Angelcan81 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks for this bantam12 . I will give it my best shot but will tell her if she's not willing to I'll just buy it online anyway so the choice is hers. Fed up with feeling like crap especially as my Dr is willing to trial T3 but just needs her to prescribe it.

[bantam12 in reply to Angelcan81]

My husband was on T3 when he saw her and she wanted him off it as she doesn't believe it works, against her advice his GP is happy to keep prescribing. You may be lucky but don't hold your breath !

[Angelcan81 in reply to bantam12]

Well if she doesn't I'll just do it myself

[Parbrook in reply to bantam12]

Bantam12's husband here.

I saw KB at the BRI (NHS). Her attitude may be different at Spire.

She seems to be believe that the miserable guidelines are the be all and end all of Hypothyroidism, so she said that FT3 results and taking T3 are meaningless.

This is fair enough for some definitions of primary Hypothyroidism, but not secondary (or central) hypothyroidism, where T3 is absolutely essential.

KB discharged me with a letter to my GP that included her advice, but that she was not explicitly advising stopping T3 on the basis that I understood and accepted responsibility for the 'risks'.

This was good enough for my GP who understands that T3 has made a really big difference to me and he lets me fine-tune my T3 and T4 combo doses.

For your info, KB works with BA at both Spire and BRI.

Bantam12 saw BA at Spire (primarily about Hyperparathyroidism) and BA wrote a letter to Bantam12's GP recommending T3.

The GP refused to accept this recommendation.

This is the same GP that is prepared to prescribe T3 for me!

Mind you, I can trace the main cause of my Hypothyroidism to the NHS lack of awareness of blood contamination (Hepatitis C) in the early 1980s. The treatment for Hep C was Interferon Alpha, which is known to damage the Thyroid gland.

The other cause of my low FT3 is poor conversion, due to missing and poorly functioning organs.

You may get a better result seeing BA (possibly).

Just another point to add to the mix - most Hypothyroid symptoms are the result of poor absorption of T3 at a cellular level. There is no test in the world that can measure this, with the morbid exception of pathology from a post mortem.

So, blood test results are only part of the story and can only give a few clues, but not the whole picture.

I used to be concerned about my constantly low FT3 levels, but I have given-up worrying about this and simply tweak my T4 and T3 doses based-on what my body is telling me.