I small ray of hope?

[Hypopotamus]

I attend the endos clinic 3 or 4 times a year because they like to monitor me as I am on NDT. I either see the head honcho, or one of his 'underlings', and in June last year I saw one of the trainees, an exceptionally pleasant young man who actually did listen to me, and was clearly concerned that I have been unwell for so long.

He ordered a raft of different blood tests, advised me to try one of the device to stop sleep apnoea, and said that he looked forward to seeing me next time. At the next clinic I saw the head honcho who didn't have the results with him, and I then forgot all about it.

Just before Christmas I attended the clinic, and the young guy was back. I was with him for over half an hour (normally they just say "blood test results are good - see you next time). Now hear this:

This young man firmly agrees that some patients do not do well on thyroxine. His hospital has recently withdrawn Liothyronine (T3) from all their patients who were on it, and he has witnessed one in particular (because she works at the hospital) go from 'normal' to not being able to get to work. He has written a (quote) "angry" letter to the powers that be telling them that not being able to prescribe T3 is causing him to harm his patients.

He also old me that when he completes his training, he is to be offered a job at this hospital. He wants to do some trials to debunk the idea that T3 is dangerous to the heart, and that it causes thinning of the bones, and asked if I would be prepared to take part in such a trial. I of course agreed.

He also recognises that some of us do much better on NDT. He told me that his boss is only one of two NHS consultants that prescribe it, but also that they have been stopped from prescribing for any new patients (so don't all rush to ask me which hospital it is).

When I old him that I am taking LDN, he immediately looked it up, and said that he would research it further. He said he didn't really like patients self-prescribing, but agreed that I was knowledgeable enough to do so.

Finally he agreed that the price charged to the NHS for Liothyronine is a scandal, and should be looked into.

Well, I don't know how long this lovely chap will last in the NHS, but he is the best doctor that I have seen in my life, and I am 66. Let's hope that there are more like him who won't accept so many of their patients being ill when there is no need for it.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

How refreshing! We could do with a lot more like him! I hope he continues to follow his gut instincts and do his best for his patients, and not let himself get brainwashed into toeing the NHS line where patients are denied the very things that they need to allow them to become well.

[Clutter]

Hypopotamus,

Let's hope there are others like him in his graduating class.

[mischa]

Reading your post is like taking in a breach of fresh air! A thought just ran through my mind. Cloning him and distributing him throughout the NHS.

[Marz]

I think there are many young Docs that are so full of enthusiasm and want to make a difference. I think it is the system that eventually wears them down and beats them into submission. I remember being young and optimistic - at a time when I didn't really know how the world went about its business. Innocence is bliss ......

[nightingale-56 in reply to Marz]

But with our complaint Marz it definitely is not 'folly to be wise'. We certainly need our wits about us in all we can find out about Thyroid problems.

[Marz in reply to nightingale-56]

So true 😊

[Rapunzel]

humanbean tells me that the somatoform endoprat has retired; notwithstanding the more enlightened treatment which might result, I think a huge problem, appearing to hit many strands of medical thinking is consensus leading to dogma. As Maslow said ' if the only tool you have is a hammer (levo), treat everything as if it were a nail.'

Bang bang. Best wishes that your young doctor continues to row against the tide, Hypopotamus