Daughter - thyroid antibodies

[Tizzi]

GP says she does not have Hashimotos.

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 1000 (<34)

Thyroglobulin antibodies 376 (<115)

Does she? They are both above range.

Thanks

[Venicefan]

Hi Tizzi. For whatever reason, doctors in the U.K. won’t use the term Hashimoto’s for diagnostic purposes. They will call it ‘Autoimmune Thyroiditis’. Your daughter does have this because she has raised antibodies.

[Tizzi in reply to Venicefan]

Thanks, the GP didn't even say she has autoimmune thyroiditis. She was told her antibodies were negative! No idea why he said that!

[Venicefan in reply to Tizzi]

The doctor obviously needs re-training. I’d be changing to one who knows something about thyroid disease in these circumstances. Those antibodies are definitely not negative!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Venicefan]

Maggie0652,

However, NHS CHoices seems perfectly content to use the term:

Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is caused by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland, making it swell and become damaged.

nhs.uk/conditions/thyroiditis/

[Hidden]

I don't say this lightly (When a non-Executive Director of my Health Authority, I was also Convener and Chair of Complaints Panel hearing patients' complaints against GPs) but that warrants a formal complaint. If a GP can't interpret simplistic results, and reach a very basic diagnosis such as is that for Hashimoto's, he really is a danger to patients.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

How I love to 'hear' you say that! You've made my day.

[Hillwoman in reply to Hidden]

Hidden You're quite right, of course, but I wonder whether you've ever known a patient complaint against a GP to succeed? I'm not being snarky, I would genuinely be interested to know.

[Hidden in reply to Hillwoman]

Hillwoman Yes, most definitely they did. I don't know how it works now, but as Convenor I'd consider if the practise's own complaints procedure had been exhausted, and if it hadn't I'd refer it back for that to happen - that often concentrated the GP's mind where the fault lay with them, or the patient realised it was they who'd got it wrong, or perhaps patient and Dr were able to meet midway - so some cases got resolved at that point. But if the complaint had gone beyond that, I'd convene the panel, and Chair the formal hearing; and yes, where appropriate the case could most definitely go in favour of the patient.

[Hillwoman in reply to Hidden]

That's encouraging to know!