Lost in a sea of theories!

[reelingenious]

It's official! I have given up. I go round and round in circles, NHS appointments are too slow, and follow ups often get forgotten by them until, that is, you ring up to ask!!

I have blissful periods of several months when I have boundless energy, go to the gym 4 times a week, long walks, mentally acute, plenty of enthusiasm etc.., then bang, the plug gets pulled out! No energy, no enthusiasm, no strength, stiff joints, foggy thinking, difficulty getting going in the morning. This can last a couple of days but the current episode has lasted 2 weeks, so far.

I've had gallons of blood taken, all come as normal, not even close to either end of the range.

There are so many theories about my condition, both mine and theirs, I don't know where to go any more.

Is there a Doctor who has the time and desire to actually, properly, investigate illnesses which aren't just a sprained wrist or nettle was?

I live in Shropshire but would go anywhere within reason.

[HEA72]

Hi reelingenious

I do empathise. I personally find that when things like this happen it's out of the parameters of mainstream medicine and have found a functional medicine doctor helpful, because they will investigate toxins, gut health and mitochondrial function for example, which aren't checked by NHS routes and can be part of our problem as thyroidies.

You could try the 'British Society of Ecological Medicine' to find a fully qualified functional medicine doctor: bsem.org.uk/

Good luck.

[reelingenious in reply to HEA72]

Thank you very much, will try the link.

[HEA72 in reply to reelingenious]

P.S. Have you heard of Dr Sarah Myhill? She's registered with this organisation (BSEM). Her website has lots of free helpful information: drmyhill.co.uk

The other doctors with this organisation work in a similar way to her, so checking out her website will give you the gist of how they all work.

Some of the same doctors are also on TUK's doctors list. If you haven't got that one, it may be helpful to contact TUK and ask for their doctors list to be sent to you.

[reelingenious]

Dr Myhill is my nearest practitioner but she hasn't been taking on new patients for quite some time. Neither has she been replying to E-Mails.

[reelingenious]

I did watch House.........................we need him!!! But I agree with you and it should be no issue if the treatment carries few risks. The trouble is finding a GP who is prepared to investigate fully and even to make even a low risk intervention. The default always seems be referral, with it's huge wastage of our time!

[HLAB35]

Hello, on the good side you're body's obviously doing something right as in the past you've recovered pretty quickly. However, what's been brewing does sound similar to CFS, or indeed, Hashimoto's: Dr Myhill's website is a great resource as mentioned before. Take her advice on how to optimize the 'Methylation Cycle' in your body. You just have to be careful not to overdo it energy-wise (that includes mental and emotional as well as physical stresses).

It'd be worth having lab tests done on homocysteine and inflammatory markers as these show up better than others as good early indicators of an oncoming health storm. In the meantime see if you can make any sense of when these relapses occur - diet, stress, illness and over exertion can all play a part. Do some digging on family history of auto-immune diseases as well. Most people with thyroid problems have relatives with allergies, pernicious aneamia, rheumatoid arthritis, CFS / fibromyalgia etc.

In the meantime, a change of scenery (even if it's just rearranging the furniture) is often a way to combat frustration and environmental fatigue - yes, it's a thing - stops you feeling stifled and stuck in a rut!

[reelingenious]

Oh I've been trying for a long time to find possible triggers, including exclusion diets, supplements, exertion levels, etc.. all negative. The trigger for "Storms" as you put it, have eluded me and several GP's all this time. The results of these episodes are always consistent; fatigue, joint pain, stiff neck, "tight" neck/throat, mild sore throat, voice croak and foggy brain.

[radd in reply to reelingenious]

RG,

Did you ever have TPOAb & TGAb checked ? ?

Members use private labs for more comprehensive thyroid blood tests than GP's are willing (or allowed) to perform. T3 is the especially important hormone to be tested.

You can email [e-mail] for a list of sympathetic endos/doctors that members have had positive experiences with.

.

Private labs testing

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

.

Blue Horizons "Thyroid Plus Six" tests TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies, Thyroglobulin Antibodies for £89.00 when using code: TUK10

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[Clutter in reply to reelingenious]

Reelingenious,

Have thyroid antibodies been tested? The 'episodes' sound like Hashimoto's flare ups.

[reelingenious]

I have just looked through the thick file of bloods done. No mention of Thyroid antibodies. I am having a follow-up to a previous consultation, in 2 weeks. I will mention this. I think he is quite open as consultants go, hence might get some response from him, including a test.

I presume it's an autoimmune disease, Is there treatment if it turns out to be that?

[reelingenious]

I bought tests from BH which included FT3 (4.2)

FT4 ( 14.4) TSH (1.82)