Thyroid dr Salisbury queries

I know that some of you have seen Dr Martin Smith, an endocrinologist in Salisbury, Wilts. I'm suffering from a borderline under active thyroid & my GP will do nothing but repeat blood tests.

I am about to get my results for my "fatigue" tests & if my T4 is still underactive then I need to see an endocrinologist.

Is Dr Smith any good & would I be better off seeing him privately?

I've already had issues with endocrinologists in the past regarding my cortisone levels. If he's rubbish then I'd rather see someone better qualified.

Thanks in advance

Antonia B.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had vitamins and antibodies checked?

ask GP to check levels of vitamin d, b12, folate and ferratin. These all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones (our own or replacement ones) to work in our cells

Also have you had BOTH thyroid antibodies checked? There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's the most common cause in UK of being hypo.

(NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG. NHS believes it is impossible to have negative TPO and raised TG. It's rare, but not impossible, there are a few members on here that have this.)

Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results. Some surgeries make nominal charge for printing out. Alternatively you can now ask for online access to your own medical records. Though not all surgeries can do this yet, or may not have blood test results available yet online.

When you get results suggest you make a new post on here and members can offer advice on any vitamin supplements needed

If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately

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

Blue Horizon - Thyroid plus eleven tests all these.

This is an easy to do fingerprick test you do at home, post back and they email results to you couple of days later.

Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, (home one or on NHSu) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible

If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms, and lower antibodies too.

You do not need to have ANY obvious gut issues, to still have poor nutrient absorption or low stomach acid or gluten intolerance

Best advice is to read as much as you can. Vitamin and minerals levels are very important, but standard NHS thinking, doesn't at the moment seem to recognise this. You will see, time and time again on here lots of information and advice about importance of good levels of B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D, low stomach acid, leaky gut and gluten connection to autoimmune Hashimoto's (& Grave's) too.,

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks so much for all of this. As I'm uncertain as to what the cause of my fatigue is, I have decided to see an endocrinologist and hopefully he will do more thorough tests than my GP.

I will have to see what he says tomorrow and then I will take things from there. I gather that 12.5 for T4 is not 'normal', which is what my GP said...

Apparently my fatigue is caused by chronic pain - but seeing as my pain has improved since my surgery 13 weeks ago I really don't know what's going on any more...hence my seeking the help of an endocrinologist. Whether or not he will help is yet to be seen. Thanks again

A