How to make GP take info I got from this forum seriously

[Sick-and-Tired]

Hello everyone,

I have just made a long overdue appointment to see my GP after I had an absolutely useless appointment with an endocrinologist a couple of months back.

My GP had previously told me my whole set off symptoms were psychological and told me to get counselling.

Using much appreciated advice on this forum I got some blood tests from Blue Horizon which show that, while most of my thyroid results are in range, my antibodies are quite far above range.

I asked about it on here and was told this indicated I had hashimoto's, so I took this to my GP who reluctantly referred me to the endo.

The endo told me the antibodies mean nothing, that it's OK unless I want to get pregnant and that most women's antibodies are out of range. She said I didn't have Hashimoto's, and that I looked fine to her. She did order some more blood tests (which she assured me me multiple times -because I kept asking - didn't need to be done fasting). I kept chasing up and apparently they all came back fine but I wasn't shown any results.

Since then I've also found out on this forum that this tests should have been done after fasting.

Sorry, long way to ask but basically I trust the information on this forum more than I trust the endo who dismissed me.

I'm seeing my doctor and Tuesday and I want to mention this information but how should I refer to healthunlocked? I think she won't take me seriously if I'm talking about a forum!

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sick_and_tired You can mention that you went onto NHS Choices website and followed their link to Thyroid UK, which is NHS Choices' recommended source of information on all things related to thyroid disorders.

Here is the link to NHS Choices' Underactive Thyroid page, on the right hand side under "External Links" you will see Thyroid UK which takes you directly to Thyroid UK's main website. I don't think NHS Choices would be recommending Thyroid UK if it didn't trust their information.

nhs.uk/conditions/Thyroid-u...

The endo told me the antibodies mean nothing, that it's OK unless I want to get pregnant and that most women's antibodies are out of range.B

She's talking utter cr*p. What she really means is that she doesn't know very much about it, if anything. I have had my antibodies tested about 5 times now over 20 years, not because I need to but because the tests were part of a thyroid bundle. Each time my results have showed both types of antibodies very low. Always something like

TPO 10.8 <34 - never more than 11.2

TG 17.5 <115 - never more than 21.6

and I'm sure that all of us non-Hashi's Hypo patients have similar results. Most hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune thyroid disease (about 85% I think) so there will be over range antibodies, but that is very different from "most women's antibodies are out of range".

[Josiesmum in reply to SeasideSusie]

Possibly most of the women who manage to get referred to the Endo do have high antibodies. Terrible to think they're all being told this is nothing to worry about.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much - that's perfect and will hopefully make her take me seriously. I really appreciate it and can hopefully repost next week with some more hopeful news!

Regarding the antibodies, my TPO was 319 (range <34) and TG was 890.8 (range <115). She said that if you took any woman most likely her antibodies would be that high. I asked what the point of the range was but she didn't have an answer!

Thanks again for the help!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

Sick_and_tired Your endo is really peeing me off

She said that if you took any woman most likely her antibodies would be that high

If you tested a woman who wasn't suffering from hypothyroidism and was perfectly healthy, she wouldn't have antibodies that high. Well done for asking what was the point of the range, it's what I would have said!

This might also help:

Dr Toft (ex president of British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist) wrote an article in Pulse Online magazine which says that if antibodies are present then patients should be prescribed levothyroxine to 'nip things in the bud'. Email [e-mail] and ask for a copy which you can then show to your doctor.

Thyroid UK articles on thyroid antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to SeasideSusie]

Wow, perfect. Thank you so much, I can't tell you how helpful you've been!

[beh1]

Regarding your blood test results, these should be available on gp's computer screen even though they were done by endo at hospital. So make a note of them or get a printout and put them on here for advice. 'Fine' doesn't mean optimal.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to beh1]

Oooh, thanks for the info. I kept ringing the hospital and they wouldn't disclose - I just assumed the GP wouldn't have it. Thanks again, I'll definitely get a copy to see what the real story is!

[MMaud]

I find it best if I am going to the Doc (GP, or otherwise) to make notes before I go, making bullet points of the points I want to discuss or express, because in the few minutes of appointment time, it's so easy to be side-tracked or forget something important.

These days, my Doc often asks me to hand it over, so that she ensures everything is discussed. She's a keeper, even if she openly admits that "thyroid isn't her thing". That said, that did mean I was referred without too much of a battle.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to MMaud]

Thanks, had my appointment today (mainly useless), but having everything written in a list at least made me feel more in control. Thanks for the tip.

[Glynisrose]

Your doctor is honour bound to read anything you bring to their notice if they don't want to read up then sack them and get onother doctor!

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Glynisrose]

Didn't know they were honour bound to read information. Great to know! Thanks!