Looking for a midlands endocrinoligist??

[N321]

Hello - First post, so please bear with me.

Suffered with depression and anxiety for many years, prescribed antidepressants to little effect. Also have weight gain, and zero energy...

Last 12 months problems have got worse, eventually diagnosed with low Testosterone levels, and treated with Testogel by an endocrinoligist but with no effect on the symptoms.

Suspecting Thyroid issues, but TSH is 0.93mU/L [0.35-4.94]

Parent both had thyroid issues, father treated despite no symptoms, mother eventuall treated despite similar symtoms to me and a normal TSH!

Now wondering about TSH-> T3->T4 conversion issues, and would like to see an endocrinoligist who is sympathetic to prescribing T3.

Preferab;y around the West Midlands, but will travel (almost!) anywhere...

[shaws Administrator]

Have you had a blood test for thyroid antibodies. Some people have antibodies attacking their thyroid gland so sometimes they flood the gland and at other times they lessen. That is called an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and also commonly known as Hashimoto's.

A TSH is insufficient for diagnosis, even if yours is low. If you can afford a full thyroid function test we have some recommended labs that do home test kits by post.

T3, T4, Free T4, Free T3 and antibodies

Blood tests have to be the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water). If you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow 24 hour gap between the last dose and the test.

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

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

The followng is symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Ask GP to test Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Deficencies can cause symptoms.

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

[N321 in reply to shaws]

Thanks. A full range of test is on the drawing board as I speak. The problem is I have to go private as my GP refuses to do anything other than TSH. As far as he sees, that's 'normal' so thyroid must be OK... With my parents history, I'm also going to have the gene test, more out of curiosity than anything else...

[shaws Administrator in reply to N321]

Doctors have been told to only diagnose when TSH reaches 10 (UK)

In other countries (USA) they have now reduced theirs to 3. A huge difference and the UK means people will suffer for years before being diagnosed.

It's best to get a comprehensive test as you've been struggling for a while now.