Please help

[Vickyb76]

I need help I had full thyroidectomy a year ago. I've never has a blood test since as I have no access point only groin and neck and no doctor will do it or refer me. I am so Ill I don't know what else to do. I'm on 125ml since Jan and that's it also have hypoglycemia and now carpal tunnel some days can't use my hand or walk I have ever symptom going and all I get is fobbed off with tablets that do nothing. All I need is a proper doctor to take my blood from groin it takes 30 seconds but apparently it's too expensive so I'm just left to suffer. Feel like I'm slowly dying. I'm 39 I was so active before this and now I shit myself away on my own. My family life is suffering so bad I have a husband and a six year old who have to live with this too

[cjrsquared]

Is it that it s difficult to get blood from you peripherally, eg from a limb or is there a medical reason that they can't use peripheral veins? If it is difficulty accessing peripheral veins many hospitals have specialist intravenous access teams that use ultrasound to identify veins for venepuncture. It may be worth asking your consultant or GP to pursue this option, it is negligent of them not to test your thyroid function post TT. Just an addition a femoral stab from your groin if going for an artery does have an increased risk of blood clot and potential pulmonary embolis so that may be a contributing factor to the medics not wanting to routinely use this route. It would also not be in a gps skill set.

Good luck.

[Vickyb76 in reply to cjrsquared]

I have low lying veins which means only surface veins show up and when used to withdraw blood the burst. When I had my thyroid out they used an ultrasound scanner to find a vein to put the cannula in it took 45 mins!!! It runs in my family the problem and it's written all over my medical history so they know. My consultant at the hospital saw me the day it was done 5th Aug 2015 then again in the nov and tried to take blood but failed so sent me off with 100ml thyroxine and calcium tablets said she would get someone to do my bloods. By Jan this year still no bloods went to see her with a long list of symptoms and she gave me 125ml signed me off said she was referring me to encrinologist and a vascular surgeon and never did so since then I've been battling with gp to have it done. I'm like a pin cushion to them they Try and try but get nothing and they know all it takes is anethatist 30 seconds to do it but in their words it's very expensive to do that!!!!! What do I do I'm on verge of giving up and locking myself away to suffer!!!!

[bantam12]

Are you not able to do a finger prick test yourself ? Medichecks have a range of finger prick thyroid tests to do at home and send off.

[Vickyb76 in reply to bantam12]

Are you joking me???? So they can do a finger prick test really???? Why have I not been told this omg x

[bantam12 in reply to Vickyb76]

I have used finger prick tests a few times, there are several different thyroid tests to choose from and several companies supplying them. Its easy, they send a kit with everything you need, just prick your finger with the lancet, few drops of blood into the test tube and send it off, results online within 2 days.

[Vickyb76]

Which would I need there's so many I've just looked them up

[bantam12]

The basics would be TSH, T4 and T3 then if you want to add vits and minerals, which are important for utilising the thyroid replacement meds you are on, vitd, B12 and ferritin for starters, really depends how much you are prepared to spend and what you think needs testing.

The one I used cost around £79, can't remember which one it was exactly but it covered quite a few tests.

[Vickyb76]

Comes to something when you have to test yourself eh!!!! I think I've found one so thanks for your help

[bantam12]

You are welcome, do the test in the morning and get it in the post asap and send it next day delivery, if you usually take your thyroid meds first thing leave taking them until after you have done the test, theory is that results can be affected if taken before a test. If you want help reading the results post them on the forum for advice.

Good luck.