NDT

[gerty_mac]

hi all

im very new to this so please bear with me.

ill try and keep this short. in 2011 i underwent a mitral valve replacement, they told me after the surgery I would make a full recovery. The following year i had a heart attack and had to get a stent in. the stent eventually collapsed and i had to get a double left main stem bypass. I knew why i had the mitral valve replaced but they didnt know why i had the heart disease. Anyways my problem is noone wants to treat me for my thyroid. tsh levels are high but my t4 is" within the range". I have put on over 2 stone and with my heart problems im feeling every extra pound i have on. Could anyone tell me where I can buy the natural dessicated thyroid. I am at a complete stand still with my doctor. Im in Northern Ireland and my dr says he hasnt heard of NDT. Any helpwould be very much appreciasted...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

gerty_mac Have you got your thyroid test results? How high is your TSH, that's what they usually diagnose by. If you don't have your results, ask your surgery for a print out and make a new thread giving the results, with reference ranges, and members can make suggestions to help you. You are legally entitled to your results under the Data Protection Act 1998 and you don't have to explain why you want them other than 'For your my records'.

[gerty_mac]

The doc never told me just said it was high but because my t4 was within range he wouldnt prescribe. Ihave had quite a few repeat tests done and he says my tsh is getting higher everytime but t4 is ok. I have researched this over and over and im completely lost as to what to do now, thats why i was going to buy NDT online and try myself to get back a wee bit of me..

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to gerty_mac]

gerty_mac If your TSH is getting higher every time it is tested that is an indication that you are most likely developing hypothyroidism. You need to know what the levels are and how they've been rising, also where in the range the FT4 is, it could very well be right at the very bottom of the range which again is a clue.

Go and ask for your recent test results, make a new thread with the figures and include the reference ranges. Members will be able to help.

By the way, you need to answer a post within the message box (click on green reply button directly under the message you're replying to) if you want that member to know you've responded. That way they're sent an alert that there is a reply to their message, otherwise it will get missed as the member won't be notified

[gerty_mac in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks a lot. Im due back tomorrow and I will ask. This is a little confusing for me, anything to to with the heart and im right there. I would rather have my chest cracked open again rather than this horrendous feeling of tiredness, soreness etc etc.. Thanks again

[galathea]

As doctor Mark Starr said, in his book, hypothyroidism type II. ... The first time some people realise they have a thyroid problem, is when they have their first heart attack.

Worth you having a read of this book.

If your tsh is rising, but the free t4 remains steady it means that the throid is still capable of producing hormones, but us having to be driven harder and harder to do so. In most countries when the tsh reaches 3 they say that the thyroid is failing and replacement hormones are given. In the uk there are no proper guidelines sothe docs are inclined to leave people till their tsh is over 10, or over 5 if you have antibodies.

You need to ask for your test results. , lets have a look what sort of games this doctor is playing

G x.

[TupennyRush in reply to galathea]

Just to say you're entitled to get copies of your test results btw. When I finally was diagnosed I asked for mine; they were going to charge £10 for them in paper form but I asked for them by email and that was free. It took them about 10 days to provide.

I did move GP practices to get diagnosed and this might be something that you want to think about. I asked all my local friends for a recommendation of a doctor and had replies on several different practices. I selected the one that a friend, who has what can be described as a challenging personality, recommended and they diagnosed me on my first appointment. When the new GP diagnosed me on my first appointment I actually told him it wasn't my thyroid because the previous practice had checked it so many times and told me I was 'normal'. When I'd queried it (due to being the only female in my mother's family who was over 35 which an allegedly fully functioning thyroid coming from my Gran - can't go back further than that) I had been told by them I was completely normal vis a vis thyroid function.

Getting the results was illuminating as while it showed my TSH had been in range for the 6.5 years I'd been to the previous quacks complaining about symptoms my FT3 and FT4 had been below range. Further discussions with my cousins, aunt etc revealed that they had been diagnosed on symptoms and low FT3/FT4 with normal TSH......

So, I'd agree strongly. Ask for your results going back several years (i did 10) and then you can see the full picture

Good luck

[gerty_mac]

Hi everyone went to the docs today. Wasn't my usual guy. My tsh has come way down to 2.9 but my ft3 has come away down also. I was palmed off again. The Dr said she wasn't willing to medicate because of my heart condition. I have to wait until December and ask my heart consultant if it's safe. The docs exact words were "your a very dangerous lady to be giving thyroxine to" I'm really sick and tired that no one will treat the 42 year old woman with heart problems. Yes I have a heart condition but if I put on much more weight I'll probably have another attack due to the excess weight. This is not the first doctor to tell me this. I'm totally scunnered girls and at a loss🙁🙁