A positive Endo & GP experience

[Lje05]

I have seen so many posts from people describing negative and unsatisfactory consultations with Endo’s and GPs that I went to my Endo appointment earlier this week in trepidation, armed for a fight and expecting the worst!

I won’t go into details, as I posted about my upcoming appointment previously, but I was pleased to be proved wrong in my fears. I knew the Endo named on my appointment letter specialised in diabetes, as I had checked before my appointment, but it was a different Endo who saw me (don’t know what his speciality is). He listened attentively, was polite and it was apparent from his replies to my queries and points that he had a good knowledge of the thyroid. He was quite happy to look at my private FT3 test. I told him I didn’t know what my T4 to T3 ratio was. He ordered more bloods to check and has referred me for an ultrasound.

The next morning I visited my GP as I needed a new prescription. He asked me how I was feeling and I replied very well after feeling so awful but I was worried that I he was going to reduce my dosage because of my suppressed TSH. I told him I didn’t feel overmedicated and I was concerned that if my dosage was reduced in order to raise my TSH it would result in a lower T4 and T3 and I would start to feel ill again. The outcome was that he said he wouldn’t do that on the basis of one blood test result. So I’m relieved that my dosage hasn’t been reduced. I just have to get through the ultrasound now which is a week on Monday. I’m not looking forward to this. Although I’m not too bothered about the procedure itself I suffer badly from ‘white coat syndrome’ and my blood pressure and heart rate goes crazy before I even set foot in a hospital.

I just thought I would post a positive experience as an antidote to all the negative consultations people are experiencing that seem to be far more common than they should be!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Very nice to hear about a positive experience, very refreshing

If you're likely to have blood pressure etc tested when having your ultrasound, just mention that you get white coat syndrome. I get it too so my BP is always raised when done at the doctors, I just mention WCS and they do it 3 times and by the third time it's usually fairly reasonable.

[Lje05 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks. When my BP was done by the nurse before seeing the Endo it was sky high and I did warn her before she took it that it would be. I have a BP monitor at home and when I got home and calmed down after mu appointment I tested it myself and it was significantly lower. The Endo tested my pulse and that was rapid and asked me to put out my arms (I guess to check for tremor). Normally I have very steady hands (I draw, paint and do various crafts) but when he asked my to stretch out my arms in front of me my fingers were trembling. Because I now dread having my BP taken at hospital appointment or GP surgery it makes it even worse but I do always tell them I suffer from white coat syndrome when they want to do BP. I don't think mine would even be reasonable on a third test! When I test it at home it's always ok.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lje05]

I've just had to do a week's BP/Pulse monitoring at home due to high BP a couple of weeks ago when I saw the respiratory nurse. The tube blew off the machine so she couldn't do a third reading

It might be an idea, when you know you're having an appointment, to do a week's readings and take it with you. I had to do mine twice a day.

[Lje05 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ha Ha. The tube blow off the machine! Was that because it was so high the machine couldn't cope!

Yes I had thought the same. I have in the past tested my BP twice daily but I got out of the habit of doing it. I will do it for the week running up to my appointment in case they take my BP when I go for the ultrasound.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lje05]

Well, the nurse jumped out of her seat and I just laughed it off. I certainly hope it wasn't my BP at the time that blew the tube off the machine I'm pinning my hopes on the fact that it had somehow come loose.

[helvella in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie,

And alternate arms. It is possible for BP to vary between arms - which is something you'd want to know.

And don't talk - to yourself or the person doing your BP - nor they talk to you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to helvella]

Thanks helvella I knew about not talking but didn't know about alternate arms.

[helvella in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie,

I have seen advice to do both arms as you start out doing your own BP and slowly change to alternating arms once you are pretty sure they are usually the same.

There was advice doctors should alternate arms - but in my experience they almost always do the one nearest them. So in a given room, usually the same side for all patients.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to helvella]

In my surgery, it depends which room you are in. They use the arm nearest the desk, as they use the desk to rest your arm on. 3 of the doctor's rooms and 1 of the nurses' rooms use right arm, 1 doctor's room plus 1 nurse's room use left arm so it just depends on who you see and which room they're in.

I might experiment at home

[helvella in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie,

A very brief mention:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

[Nelly18]

Hope the ultrasound goes OK for you. It is good to hear the positives too - it's what we need to hold on to!

[Clutter]

Lje05,

I'm glad you had a positive endo experience and your GP sounds like a sensible person.

You won't see a doctor for the ultrasound. Probably not a white coat in sight, just a radiographer armed with gel and a hand held scanner. You'll lie on a couch. It's not invasive and there is no pain or discomfort, just a gel smeared on your throat and neck, and the scanner gently glided over it.

[Lje05 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you. The procedure was outlined in the appointment letter I received. I'm not too concerned about the procedure itself but I don't even have to see a white coat to experience bad anxiety. Just setting foot in a surgery or a hospital makes me anxious! I could just be visiting someone in hospital and would feel some anxiety although obviously not as bad as having to go for an appointment.