endocrinologist appointment

[Jade1010]

How long will my first consolation last what will happen

[PaulB]

Jade

What happened at my first NHS one was that they weigh you, test you for diabetes, then consultant made a physical examination of thyroid. Then sent away with a blood test form for a TSH test.

The recall appointment was very dismissive. Turned out I had a more complex illness than Hashimotos, so had to slowly work through system till I got to one of just two specialist teams in the country. Took several years but then 3 months of diagnose and treat had an amazing effect.

Hope goes well, but be prepared to be your own advocate.

Paul

[Jade1010]

I have seen my own GP this is a referral appointment

[Saggyuk]

Mine are normally 20 mins give or take. The nurse normally weighs me first. The endo always asks me how I'm feeling does a physical examination of my thyroid and checks my pulse and reflexes and whether my hands are shaking or sweating kind of thing and then checks my last results and we discuss where to go from there. He then hands me blood test form for my nest appointment with all thyroid tests and others dependent on any new/recurring symptoms I'm having. Obviously he knows me well so doesn't need to ask me much but they will prob ask a little bit more about your history and symptoms on your first consultation or everytime until they remember you lol!

Good luck - it wont be anything intrusive or scary. Would be preferable to read up on everything before your appointment so you can understand all that is said to you and ask any questions you feel the need for

[Saggyuk]

Oh, I always ring up the GP in the morning before I go to get the blood test results so I can have a ponder about what I want to do before I go in to see him as time is obviously limited and I like to be sure I'm in agreement before leaving for another three/six months. If it's your first appointment, you may not have recent bloods but you can do that ready for your follow up with the blood test he will give to you

[Saggyuk in reply to Saggyuk]

Oh and if you're not sure about what physical examination of the thyroid is - he literally just puts his hands around my neck and prods away at my thyroid area looking for signs of any swelling/lumps - again nothing intrusive lol.

Oh and he always tries to talk to my daughter but she always just stares like a rabbit in headlights and pretends she doesn't hear him and responds with an awkward silence, I think he's a little proud of her tbh as she was his first pregnancy for someone on t3 only with next to no medical research at the time and he managed it with continuous perfect thyroid stability from start to finish lmao!!

[silverfox7]

My first appointment when I last changed endo was very thorough. The nurse weighed my and recorded my height and then I saw the endo. He asked what medication I was in and then asked me to talk about my thyroid history whilst he took notes. At the end he sent me for bloods so don't take your meds before you go, an ECG-tgey nearly admitted me as heart rate so high-I am petrified of hospitals but I was allowed to go as trace was perfect Rush heart rate increased, and I had to make appointments for an ultrasound, test for adrenals and I'm sure there was more I've forgotten about as I came out with a pile of things to either have done then or to make appointments. The blood test was for most things so Vit D, oh bone scan as well. It was very thorough! So think about the highs and lows in yourxtreatment yo date. He wrote with in days that my glucose level was high but it was t a fasted test do just under the upper level for that. I wrote back and told him I had just returned from holiday with an horrendous cough and felt dreadful but had t wanted to cancel so had taken the maximum dose of cough medicine to get me though it so the sugar content was very high. Don't. E afreaid to make notes and refer to them if needed. Afterallguzzy brain and forgetfulness are symptoms!

Also write down anything you want to ask him or any thing you don't understand. This is the most comprehensive meeting I've had with anyone so impressed though on my next appointment when I asked if I could take T3 he was a bit dismissive as he was retiring so wanted the new man to make that decision but he did say my FT3 was rising and he saw no reason why it shouldn't continue. I'd been asked to go in for bloods a few days earlier.

[cwill]

Wow I have had 3 endo appointments (three different endos) and have had none of the above. I tell them the issues and they stay in there seat telling me I am fine with no physical examination or even consideration of my symptoms, just TSH. Just another version of seeing dismissive and non-specialist GP. I do hope that you get the better endo appointment described here.

[elkewilliams]

I have to say my appointments with Endo are usually very short, after my weight has been takeny nurse, about 10 to 20 min. She sits in her chair, facing the computer screen and talking about my blood results. Does not examine anything, I tell her signs, like thinning hIr, weight increase, loss of eyebrow hairs, body hair etc. She never once has said, can I have a look or looked at me even closer. She is obsessed with TSH and the more hypo symptoms I come up with the more she tells me it may not even be the thyroid if my TSH does not go up (it is suppressed at 0.04/0.07).

She thinks I am overmedicated, I disagree but am told she is the professional and has to protect me from atrial fibrillation and osteoporosis. Looking at blood results seems to be the only thing endos like to do. I was put on T3 but my T4 is only 25cg now and I have all the earlier symptoms coming back.

Be prepared that you will have to fight your case, be informed, have some relevant articles with you to support your case, write down what you would like to happen and expect from your endo.

This forum has been of great help to me.