Dr Anthony Toft speaks out in a counterblast article in the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy Guidelines!
A must read!
Here’s just one of the many good quotes from the article:
“The facts of the matter are that the current guidelines for LT4 replacement therapy in primary hypothyroidism are not fit for purpose and the continued reluctance to approve additional treatment with liothyronine denies the patient the precision medicine which we are encouraged to adopt, and which many patients crave.”
I am glad he has the courage of his convictions and we know what he states is very, very true because many patients have been treated like imbeciles when all they want is a solution to disabling symptoms. I like this part and let's hope this article is published widely and that the arrogance which many endocrinologist/doctors have is curtailed or they're made more humble knowing that they've been handing out advice which doesn't improve patients' health:-
Excerpt:
The impression is that young physicians have ceased to think, ceased to challenge received wisdom and ceased to recognise that patients come to the consultation as individuals, expecting to benefit from the opinion of an open-minded and experienced professional.
Simply because no two patients present in the same manner, guidelines, by their very nature, are the antithesis of the art of medicine. We cannot afford to underestimate the level of frustration among patients, exasperated by the
‘one solution fits all’ philosophy. It was put to me recently by a patient that, if governments wished to save money from their healthcare budgets, they should invest in flocks of African grey parrots, as these repetitive mimics could easily replace the current breed of doctor in the consulting room. She had a point.
I spoke to Dr Toft this evening and had his permission granted to share the article far and wide so please do feel free to copy and share it with whom ever you please and feel would benefit from reading it x
This is such a great article. I will definitely be sharing it with my GP's, all of them! It puts the situation we are in succinctly, expertly and empathetically. I wish he were representing us on the panel for the NICE thyroid guidelines.
I would suggest everyone who wrote to their MP regarding T3 send a follow up letter with a copy of this article and also include the appalling recent directive sent out by Presquipp pressurising doctors to remove prescription of T3 from ALL patients completely regardless of clinical need.
Jeremy Hunt, Lord O'Shaunessy, Sir Bruce Keogh and all CCG's should receive copies of both too
The Patients Association, who have been so very supportive might appreciate copies of both too. It could help encourage them to stand firm in our support.
my diagnosis is quite recent so have been on a bit of a steep learning curve in relation to how thyroid works. I was coming to the conclusion that there were several holes in the logic of the current treatment and management regime so it's really good to see those holes actually being confirmed.
i went to a talk by dr toft in Edinburgh a few months ago and he more or less said everything that is advocated on this site. I had been taking ndt for over a year by then and was still scared I was doing the wrong thing in spite of feeling better on it. what he said made me feel so much more confident, so much so that when I had my last blood test I came clean to the doctor and was able to tell him why I came off levo and was on ndt. I quoted dr toft's findings and his latest book and asked my gp what he thought - he replied he hadn't heard of him. I told him I was surpised about this as he used to be head of endocrinology at Edinburgh royal infirmary and suggested he should read it. don't think it went down too well though but you never know lol
Whatever criticism people may wish to direct at Toft, historically or in the present, let us reserve that for the remaining endocrinologists, here and abroad, who continue to deny. Let us encourage any of them who have seen the light to say so in public.
When I moved to Edinburgh, I saw a female endocrinologist under Dr Toft. She was less than helpful and showed all the usual ignorance about TSH and T3. I hope she reads his article. I will also copy and give to my GP, but a fat lot of good that will do.
I looked up Dr Toft's list of positions held, as I intend to write them all on the paper before I start copying them for anyone. Here they are if others need them, too:
President of British Thyroid Association 1996-2009
Past President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Physician to the Queen in Scotland
Consultant of Endocrinology, specialising in thyroid disease, at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh 1978-2009.
I feel like the final one is almost the most important. Actual thyroid specialists are like hen's teeth
IMO "no pushing of unorthodox treatments" translates to "we don't want or need any more medical information as our minds are made up and we are happy with what we have." Seems a form of medical torture to callously disregard other than mainstream help for patients. If they suffer, so what? Is this form of suffering any different than torture of POW's? Just a thought. Maybe M.D. could also mean Medical Dictators for some.
Right on. And IMO BIG money is changing hands. We also are contributing money to greedy corporations and people unwittingly and without it being our choice by having to spend extra money to have access to our treatments, labs, and drugs by being forced to go out of the mainstream system that we pay taxes to for services we are not getting. It happens here also (US). It's just accomplished in different ways. As the saying goes we're at the 'wrong end of the red pencil!'
Hi L. Just reread the post and the word 'reliable' caught my eye. If 'unreliable' information isn't something they're concerned with maybe they need reminding the all medical info when first discovered is unreliable before science has had a chance to study and decide if it's untlmately 'reliable' to official eyes.
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