Feel horrendous but scared to phone for my results

[skyrocket]

I feel awful and have done since before Christmas. I have a tightening feeling round my throat, I feel exhaused and ache, I'm freezing cold all the time and my feet feel like blocks of ice, hoarseness when I speak, slightly sore feeling throat. My memory is shocking too. I just can't get motivated. (sorry for the moan!)

I had a blood test last week and it is now a week on and my results are due in. I should be phoning the GP BUT I daren't because I know that the receptionist will cheerfully tell me that all is normal and no further action. And then where does that leave me? I know it's daft to WANT a diagnosis of an illness but all I want really is a treatment and to feel better.

I'm scared that if the receptionist says all normal that the GP will just say it's all in my head and have some happy pills. It's not in my head, honestly. My Vit D and B12 will probably show high as I was supplementing these before Xmas in a bid to feel better.

Whatever they say I will get a print out but what if it IS all in range? What do I do then?

Are there any sympathetic Endos in West Yorkshire I could go and see?

I have too much on in life to feel this rubbish.

Sorry for the big moan, I couldn't say this 'out there' nobody would understand.

X

[puncturedbicycle]

Don't worry, I think you may just be feeling a bit overwhelmed which is normal considering you're having to shoulder more of the burden than your gp on this matter.

'In range' doesn't really matter for your purposes. When you get a copy of your results you can see where you are in the range and that matters. If you're not on enough meds (or maybe you haven't been diagnosed yet?) you can go back to your gp and discuss it armed w various helpful literature.

When you ring the surgery don't worry too much about whatever they tell you, just say you'll be round for a copy of your results ('When would be a good time to collect them' or similar) and then you'll know what you really need to know.

Your d is unlikely to be high and b12 might be but that is not uncommon when supplementing. D can take many months to shift. Was it low enough before to require a loading dose? That's something you could look at right now that might help you feel better.

Good luck!

[Clutter]

Skyrocket,

'Normal' is a very broad range in thyroid terms. Ask for a printout of your results and ranges (ranges are the figures in brackets after results) and post them in a new question and members will advise. Symptoms can precede abnormal bloods but if thyroid levels are unequivocally euthyroid it may be non-thyroidal illness causing the symptoms.

[Hidden]

Gosh skyrocket I know just how you feel and it's happened for me in the same way but just before Xmas. So sorry you are feeling so unwell, it is NOT in your head.

Someone will be along to guide you. You have to be brave though, but hopefully you'll find it in you to stand your ground.

[skyrocket]

Thank you for your lovely replies!

I haven't been diagnosed so just fretting currently that I'm going to get palmed off with 'normal' results when I feel anything but. I will definitely be getting a print out and uploading it whatever they say!

Just going to go phone them and see what they say. Watch this space!

[Hidden in reply to skyrocket]

Go skyrocket 😊

[Ruthi]

I hate to say this, but your results may unequivocally show what is wrong! The people who come on here are mostly the ones who have been palmed off with 'normal'. But many more are told clearly that there is something wrong, and here is what can be done about it.

Cross the 'normal' bridge when you come to it, and get on with it. No point in feeling bad for longer than you have to!

And yes, I do know how you feel. BUT you have to face it, and putting it off won't help, you will just carry on feeling scared. Better angry than scared!

[skyrocket]

Just got off the phone. As I thought 'normal no further action'

I asked for a print out and they said I can collect it tomorrow afternoon.

For years I had PMDD (very severed PMT) and had to fight tooth and nail to get help and any treatment up until I had a hysterectomy so I dread another fight on my hands. I feel too worn out for that.

Will post up my results when I get them. I feel pretty low now because I am either going to have to fight for some help or just feel rubbish.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to skyrocket]

I understand why you are dreading this, but it helps to keep an open mind. My gp (who was keeping me on too low a dose of levo) was amenable to my suggestion when I came in w an article to support my request. In fact he more or less said he already knew all about it.

If you find you genuinely have a fight on your hands you might want to save your breath and find a new gp, or look into self-treating. I know it isn't easy, but if you decide what you will and won't tolerate and draw that line for yourself you may save yourself a lot of trouble and find a much more workable solution than an endless undignified back-and-forth argument w your surgery.

[skyrocket in reply to puncturedbicycle]

This GP seems quite good normally but I get the feeling he thinks I am a hyperchondriac. The treatments I had for PMDD caused quite a kick off at this surgery because they were pretty expensive (Prostap) and they held meetings about me at the time. They weren't happy. So I think they think I am something of a nuisance. Maybe this is what's making me feel so miserable about another battle. I just want to feel normal again and I did for a fair amount of time post hysterectomy up until recently.

How would I go about self treating?

[humanbean in reply to skyrocket]

Until you have your latest results you won't know what might need treating.

Once you have the results, write a new post, type in the results, and ask for feedback.

Then people can tell you what you should know to help yourself.

[Hidden in reply to skyrocket]

skyrocket - if in your heart you believe your GP is one of the receptive ones, it might be worth staying with them.

I honestly had the same with my surgery. I actually only found out I was borderline because I got through to the sister surgery. I had to ask 3 times to get results and started to feel there was a conspiracy.

Once I got the results (ask for them ALL), I then posted on here and read thyroid UK. With all of the great help here I fpund out SO much. That's when I realised I should get private tests done and bought the DR Toft book as he is NHS recognised. Meanwhile, and once I had something concrete, I wrote a letter to GP asking for antibody tests - I KNEW I was ill, it wasn't just a bit low, depressed etc.

I am about to go and collect my first prescription today. But I have already got my evidence ready for when I go back in 6 weeks, and will also get BH tests at that time as GP has already said they will only do TSH.

If I have then to go private or self medicate I will. But going private isn't quite as easy from what Ive read. It too has its own problems. So I'm trying the GP first.

In any event though you have to do all of the fact finding, to decide on the best course for you.

It feels overwhelmingly daunting at first, but once you start to see what's what with the results, finding information becomes easier.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to skyrocket]

Don't let feeling your doctor thinks you're a hypochondriac stop you.

I felt like a hypochondriac for quite a while then three months after a GP looked at me like I was a nutcase and told me I was 'needing my holiday' I ended up at the doctor. I saw a different doctor on a Wednesday, had bloods done on the Thursday and on the Friday I came in to find a message on the phone to say I was very overactive and had antibodies, she had left a prescription fir carbimazole at reception for me, made a consultant's appointment and would I come back in four weeks for more blood tests to see how things were going. So, hypochondriac? Obviously I wasn't. Get hold of your results along with their lab ranges (numbers in brackets next to the results) make sure your vitamins B12 and D and ferritin and folates have been tested too. You want those four to be high within their ranges or you won't feel good.

[skyrocket in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you. It truly helps that you understand. I feel like they think i'm 'a nutter' and i am but i still feel ill (and nuts!) X

[skyrocket]

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I will post up my results tomorrow after i've picked them up and then hopefully they might show what the state of play is. I've been off work today and feel so ill. I thought i'd feel better after a rest but i don't. That's getting me down too. Ah well let's see what tomorrow brings

[Hidden in reply to skyrocket]

Ditto everything again.... perhaps being a little 'nutty' is par for the course! Always trust your instinct, it's there for a reason :).