Hi, folks. As most of you know, I am in the US and often refer UK patients to Janie's thyroid yahoo group in the US. She is the writer of the STTM books and owner of the STTM website in the US. Janie just posted this on the US yahoo site and gave me permission to share this with all of you in the UK. She also encourages others to share this post. She is truly alarmed at what is happening in the UK to thyroid sufferers and stands in solidarity with their plight. I have only edited Janie's post to divide into paragraphs.
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"What is going on the UK is ridiculous. The National Health Service is implementing the withdrawal of T3 from their prescription formulary, calling T3 unnecessary, and doctors are doing the the same with their patients by not prescribing it.
I, Janie Bowthorpe, SUFFERED when I was on T4-only--I could NOT depend on conversion to T3. There are millions just like me.
Additionally, even those who do convert T4 to T3 well...eventually will see symptoms of the failure to convert. Some recognize those symptoms; others don't. It's NOT a pretty picture to be forced to live for T4 alone. There are simply numerous reasons why ANYONE can fail to convert well.
WE NEED TO BE ARM-IN-ARM with our fellow thyroid patients in the UK to fight this idiocy.
A new, patient-lead British patient group called ITT (Improve Thyroid Treatment) is working diligently to stop this MADNESS!! Here are their goals:
1) To change the BTA (British Thyroid Association) and RCP (Royal College of Physicians) guidance for BOTH the testing (with the TSH) and treatment of hypothyroidism
2) To create clear guidelines on how to restore patients to a euthyroid (without symptoms) state, thereby changing treatment protocols currently employed by GP's and Endocrinologists
3) To ensure the proposed ban on Liothyronine (T3) from the prescribed medicines list is not implemented
YES, they are also fighting for NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid) as well as T3.
One of several steps they are working on is a petition. They need 100,000 UK signatures to bring this before their Parliament. Yes, even if you aren't in the UK, you can sign to SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. But if you ARE in the UK, all the more important to sign. Please consider showing that support....as what has happened to them affects us ALL!!
STEP UP!! SIGN THE PETITION...and PLEASE SHARE THIS TO YOUR PRIVATE PAGE...and if permission is granted, elsewhere."
change.org/p/itt-campaign-g...
Sincerely,
Janie A. Bowthorpe, M.Ed.