Help how can I get my dr to take me seriously

[Polly2807]

Hi I've been ill for over 3 years now with an autoimmune disorder at first dr put me on steroids and said I had polymialgia but after 15 months and no improvement I was taken off meds I have all symptoms of hashimoto / hypothyroidism but bloods all come back normal so dr won't even consider it. It is so bad now that I have no quality of life at all I'm so fed up my elder daughter has to help care for my younger daughter as some days I only manage to get from my bed to the couch all dr wants to offer is antidepressants please help . 😢

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Polly2807.

Please post your thyroid results and ranges (the figures in brackets after results) and members will advise whether your results are normal or not. If you have results for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate please post them with the ranges too.

[Polly2807 in reply to Clutter]

Hi clutter I'

I'm sorry I don't have my results my dr didn't give them to me and I'm not sure if she even checked me for the other things you mentioned

[Clutter in reply to Polly2807]

Polly2807,

Ask your GP receptionist for a printout of your thyroid results and ranges and for any other tests and results done around the same time.

[Polly2807 in reply to Clutter]

Hi clutter here are my last blood results

ENDOCRINOLOGYThyroid Function

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 0.409 mIU/L 0.270 - 4.200

FREE THYROXINE 18.7 pmol/L 12.000 - 22.000

TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 124.4 nmol/L 59.000 - 154.000

FREE T3 6.33 pmol/L 3.100 - 6.800

Thyroid Antibodies

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 13.100 IU/mL 0.000 - 115.000

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 9.78 IU/mL 0.000 - 34.000

[Clutter in reply to Polly2807]

Polly2807,

Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's).

Thyroid levels are unequivocally euthyroid (normal). TSH is low-normal, FT4 is just shy of the top quadrant of range and, FT3 is near top of range. You don't appear to have any sort of thyroid dysfunction.

[Polly2807 in reply to Clutter]

Thankyou clutter I didn't really understand what they ment which means we need to look again at why I'm having all the symptoms I'm getting because I feel so ill and it's seriously affecting my life

[Clutter in reply to Polly2807]

Polly2807,

Your thyroid results are wonderful. I think it must be something else causing your symptoms. You said you were treated for an autoimmune disorder and medication was stopped. Autoimmune disorders can't be cured and treatment is usually to manage the symptoms caused by the disorder. Perhaps it should be investigated further.

[Polly2807 in reply to Clutter]

Thankyou I was treated for polymialgia but wasn't getting any better after over a year so dr said it wasn't that and then reduced medication until I was off of it so I just don't know it wears me down because I don't seem to get any answers not sure what line I need

[Clutter in reply to Polly2807]

Polly2807,

nhs.uk/Conditions/Polymyalg...

[shaws Administrator in reply to Polly2807]

I wish doctors could refer to the 'old fashioned' method of treating some people with symptoms, of which pain is one of hypo. Patients got a trial of NDT (no blood tests then) and if it improved their condition they continued and if not then went onto something else.

This wonderful doctor, pursued by the GMC (via BTA I should think) diagnosed my daughter and many others when GPs didn't. Excerpt:

In his capacity as a Consultant Virologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham he was referred patients who were thought to have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) and other problems thought to be related to viral infection; he felt that a number of these people had classical signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and treated them with thyroid replacement with encouraging results. He then started working with a number of General Practitioners to address the possibility that there may be a group of individuals who have normal thyroid chemistry but are suffering from hypothyroidism. The British Medical Journal published a letter in 1997 from Dr Skinner and a number of General Practitioners bringing this to the notice of the medical world.

Dr Skinner’s work involved a specific group of patients who have thyroid chemistry within the reference range but clinical signs and symptoms of disease; he argued that blood tests should not be pivotal in the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism as they had never been validated as a marker of optimal health. Secondly, in this particular group of patients it was not known what their blood test results were when they were healthy therefore using blood tests as the only criteria for diagnosis was not sufficient

worldthyroidregister.com/Le...

He also began the above register as he was horrified that many were undiagnosed who should have been.

Excerpt:

"I write as a medical practitioner who has focused on the problems of hypothyroidism for some fifteen years. I was interested to read your small paragraph on a patient who had been essentially undiagnosed for five to six years. I write to indicate that this is the least of it and in my experience this is one of the most serious shortfalls in modern medical practice.

I have come across literally thousands of patients who remain undiagnosed or do not receive an adequate level of thyroid replacement based on thyroid chemistry which has never been validated and is predicated on a ‘range’ of values (known as a 95% reference interval) notwithstanding the patient’s earnest solicitations that they do not feel well as would appear to be the case in the patient in your little piece.

worldthyroidregister.com/Le...

[Polly2807]

Hi clutter

Thankyou I will give them a call and ask

[Debsoxford]

Hi polly2807

I feel for you I haven't got any answers but I've printed links that ppl have sent me from here and putting it under his nose. Again with good advice from here I snapped on the phone (when he told me wasn't doing anything) that he hadn't done folate etc tests he was condescending and said he'd do them to put mind at rest I was in tears so hung up but next day phoned up told receptionist I'd like test hey presto results odd no surprise to me but now his spoken to endocrinologist who wants more blood and now iagain cause of this site I know when and how to be tested. Moral of the story don't give up read post a on here post and ask them tackle him/het again go to different Dr try and rest as much as possible to help yourself. Can you do diet stuff for autoimmune? Best of luck xx

[Polaris]

I'm so sorry you're feeling so poorly Polly.

I notice that your doctor has apparently not tested B12? Vitamin B12 deficiency/PA can cause symptoms that are often misdiagnosed, so it would be worth asking to be tested:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

[missthyroid]

Hi Polly

Blood tests often show normal when theres still a thyroid problem please check adrenal fatigue cos you might have this its same symptoms and often route cause of thyroid disorders before thyroid shows up it sounds like you are very stressed and adrenals get exhausted with stress you needvit c and sea salt not sodium to feed your adrenals if thats the issue .the other suggestion i can make is go online and buy a months Natural thyroid supplement there are loads of choices and if you feel better after that then go to docs and say hey ive taken thyroid support and im feeling better so please check my thyroid again because i believe thats my problem a months natural thyroid support will not hurt Hope this helps