Advice when seeing my GP next week

[sk17rob]

Hi Folks,

Since finding this site and the truly kind and knowledgeable people who have helped me get some tangible assistance with my B12 deficiency and hashimoto's thyroiditis, I've decided to have another go at getting some help from my GP.

This is my history of suspected thryroid problems:

All the usual symptoms - extreme tiredness, weight gain, oedema, psoriasis, infections, horribly aching joints etc etc etc. I ended up in hospital where they diagnosed me with what they called 'screaming cellulitis' and then with extremely high blood pressure. I ahd all the tests on heart, lungs, etc; took all their drugs like a good boy but asked them to test me as I suspected an under-active thyroid. They said they did and that the results came back as normal. All that was before what I know now and I accepted what they said without question. The antibiotics dealt with my infection but left me with the blood pressure issues and congestive heart failure...according to them. I took all the tests they sent be for, without finding anything out of the ordinary and for over three years I took their pills without question whilst hating the side effects! After three years my blood pressure hardly moved - we're talking anywhere between 160/84 to 220/110 - and I could add GOUT to my problems. It was so bad sometimes, I couldn't get across the lounge unaided. It was vile for me and even worse for my long suffering wife. At that point, I started to slowly cut down on the pills - much against the advice of my GP - and eventually ended up on just an occasional diuretic....And then I found this site and a lot of things started to fall into place. I've had a private blood test - see the results in my previous post on the subject - and appear to be low in B12 and with mild hashimoto's.

I won't bore you senseless anymore, but do any of you wiser and more knowledgeable people have any advice on how I should approach my GP about B12 and thyroid monitoring and treatment? I don't want a row with him but he's a real alpha male and I fear I may lose my rag after what feels like over four years of misdiagnosis.

Thanks for being so patient....assuming you got to the END of this novella!

And thanks again for all your help and support this past few weeks.

[Clutter]

Sk17rob,

Many GPs will commence treatment when TSH is over range in the presence of positive antibodies. Hashimoto's causes progressive failure of the thyroid gland so there is no point in waiting until patients are overtly hypothyroid with the symptoms that causes.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Once you are supplementing methylcobalamin there is little point in monitoring B12 with blood tests as serum levels will normally be high. It may take 6-8 weeks after you start supplementing to feel improvement.

If you don't like what your GP is saying, don't lose your rag, but do tell him that you would like a second opinion from another GP at the practice.

[sk17rob in reply to Clutter]

Hi @Clutter, I'll try to take the 'grown-up' approach despite harbouring a shed load of resentment at the moment. The myopia of the medical profession has shocked my deeply but I'll take your advice and try to keep in in check.

Thanks for replying.

[shaws]

Has your doctor prescribed thyroid hormones, i.e. levothyroxine for you? The reason is that I think you will be surprised by this link:

hypothyroidmom.com/86-year-...

The fact that your TSH was 4+ in your previous post shows you are hypothyroid but the most glaring is your clinical symptoms above.

UK is the only country as far as I believe, who make people wait until their TSH reaches 10 before they get thyroid hormones. Other countries will prescribe when it reaches around 3+

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[sk17rob in reply to shaws]

Hi @shaws, I asked for a blood test before I paid for a private one and the lab my GP uses wouldn't do the full range of tests because according to them my TSH and T4 were within range. Frustrated wasn't in it!

Thanks for replying.

[shaws in reply to sk17rob]

That's a common situation unfortunately. If you tick off the clinical symptoms you have and ask to be referred to an Endo. Depending on where you live, you could put up a new post and ask for a recommendation to an Endo, giving your area or you could email [e-mail] who has a list of private recommended Endos.

[sk17rob in reply to shaws]

Thanks @shaws I've emailed Louise just so I've got a backstop if need be. My goodness, where would I be without this site??

Thanks again.

[sk17rob in reply to shaws]

Well, I've been to my GP and got absolutely NOTHING from him, diddly squat!

I showed him my private blood test results and my list of 20 symptoms and he just said 'Those symptoms could be for lots of things and I've known people with more antibodies than you've got and they're fine.' I even asked him for a referral to an Endo but because he'd put me in to see a cardiologist - even though I'd said I'd seen one already and they couldn't find anything - he refused. So, a total blank. Staggering. He wouldn't even give me anything more than the most basic blood test. And I didn't lose my rag, honestly. Just feeling sad now, at the state of our front line health service.

[shaws in reply to sk17rob]

O.K. Now you are on your own it would seem.

Open a new post and put your blood test results with the ranges and others will respond and copy and paste about the GPs response. It might be you have to at least have a trial of your own.

I was never given a blood test for thyroid hormones but, by God, I was given lots of excuses and treated for things I didn't have. Even under anaesthetic to remove a 'post cricoid web' which I did not have. I was treated for High Acid when we hypo, now that I know, are usually low. I paid privately for these two appointments and the other doctors were hopeless the only person who saw my thyroid area swollen was a first aider who suggested a solution.