Getting current results

[Vicki22]

Hi I am new, I feel pretty stupid and awful asking this but is there anything else apart from thyroid results I need to ask for from my GP?

I take 175mcg Levo, diagnosed in 2011 with hypothyroidism. Current results I have been told over the phone with my endo show undermedication.

I am breathless, have dry skin, feel cold and tired, losing a lot of weight, ears randomly ringing. Sorry I probably sound like a freak!

TSH FT4 FT3 TPO antibodies, ferritin folate vit D and B12 all tested

Thanks

[humanbean]

You don't sound like a freak, you sound like someone who is hypothyroid and under-medicated.

The simplest thing to ask for, first of all, is online access to your blood test results and medical records. You would need to show proof of identity and register online once you had the necessary codes.

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If your surgery doesn't give patients online access to their medical records and blood test results (Wales and Scotland don't allow it, and many surgeries in England are dragging their heels) then you will have to ask for a copy of your results.

You don't need to see a GP (and in fact it is better if you don't). Just phone up the surgery and ask for a copy to be printed out of any blood test results and reference ranges for the last 3 or 4 years. Tell them you'll come to the surgery to pick them up in 2 days time. (They will need the doctor's permission to print them out, so giving them 2 days allows them time to do this.) When you go and collect them, check you have the numbers and reference ranges before you leave the surgery.

You may be asked to pay for the results. Be aware that, by law, for £10 you can ask for a copy of your entire electronic GP medical record if you put in a Subject Access Request - and that means pretty much everything in your GP record stored on computer, apart from anything which is only recorded on paper. So, if you ask for a few sheets of paper they shouldn't charge more than 5p or 10p a sheet. Some surgeries give them out for free (if you are lucky).

The things you are looking for (apart from thyroid-related results) are for test results of nutrient testing :

Iron panel and/or ferritin and/or serum iron

Vitamin B12

Folate

Vitamin D

[elwins in reply to humanbean]

I am lucky my doctors surgery do not charge for copies of results and no need to ask doctor either. Picked my last results up about 15 minutes after requesting them over the phone.

[humanbean in reply to elwins]

Attitudes from surgeries differ quite dramatically. Some places act as if someone who asks for their results is robbing the place.

[Vicki22 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks I will post what I have had done which I think is what you've written in your reply. Just feel like I'm not getting any better with my medication or supplements. Feels like it's taking forever!

Do I post results when I have them?

[humanbean in reply to Vicki22]

Yes. Make a new post, post thyroid and nutrient results (including reference ranges) and ask for feedback.

[elwins]

Post results if you want advice on them, including numbers in brackets. Best of luck in obtaining them.

[Vicki22 in reply to elwins]

Only managed to get hold of thyroid, complete blood count and vitamin D. Will post them.