Private Paediatric Endocrinologist in South West UK?

[mysterio]

Hello,

Hoping that somebody could recommend a private childrens endocrinologist in the South West of UK. We are finding it impossible to find somebody to help our daughter who has all the signs of an under active thyroid gland yet blood tests come back as "normal" from the GP and he is very dismissive. We are on a waiting list with the NHS to see one but her life is going by in the meantime and she is feeling just awful (extremely tired, fatigued, thinning hair and eyebrows, cold hands and feet, pins and needles, heavy prolonged menstruation, constipation, extreme mood swings, itchy skin, rashes, anxiety and worry, etc, etc). We are willing to pay or the right treatment and will travel and do what ever it takes. Thanks in advance for any suggestions, Sheryl

[shaws Administrator]

Is it possible to get a print-of her blood test results. Did she have a fasting test (she can drink water) and the earliest possible one. If she was taking thyroid hormones you'd also allow a 24 hour gap and take hormones after test.

This procedure would allow her TSH to be at its highest as that's all doctors seem to look at.

You can get a private blood test from one of our recommended labs and they are pin-prick tests or they can arrange a blood draw. If so make sure she's well-hydrated a couple of days before and arms are warm for blood draw.

A Full Thyroid Function Test is:

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

GP should also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate (deficiencies can cause symptoms)

Usually GPs only do TSH and T4 but it is the Frees and particularly the antibodies which are a necessity. If thyroid antibodies are present and it is the commonest form of hypothyroidism also called Hashimoto's and it is an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease due to having antibodies which attack the thyroid gland - they wax and wane until hypothyroid. TSH drops throughout the day that's why early a.m. is warranted.

For a list of private endocrinologists email Dionne at TUK:

[e-mail]

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Always get a print-out of results with the ranges for your own records and post for comments.

[mysterio in reply to shaws]

Shaws, thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my comments and for your feedback. Certainly very interesting and I will take it all on board. x

[mysterio]

Here are her blood test results. Excuse any typos as I am copy typing it (don't have a scanner). Perhaps somebody could interpret them for me, many thanks. It is all gobbledygook to me!!

HbA1c level - (DCCT aligned) - normal no action

HbA1c levl - IFCC standardised - 36 mmol/mol

Serum ferritin - normal - No Action - 23 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00 ug/L

Serum TSH level - Normal - No action - 2.9 mu/L - 0.27 - 4.20 mu/L

Serum C reactive protein level - Normal - no action - 1 mgL - 0.00 - 5.00 mg/L

Full blood count - FBC - Satisfactory - mild eosinophilia; may represent underlying allergic condition but does not require further investigation if asymptomatic

Haemoglobin estimation - 151 g/L -120.00 - 160.00 g/L

Total white count - 7.7 10*9/L - 3.60 - 11.0010*9L

Platelet count - 362 - 10*9/L - 150.00 - 400.0010*9/L

Red blood cell (RBC) count - 5.15 10*12L - 4.10 - 5.010*12/L

Haematocrit - 0.457 1/1 - 0.36 - 0.451/1

Mean corpulscular volume (MCV) - 88.7 fL - 78.00 - 95.00fL

Mean corpusc. haemoglobin (MCH) - 29.4 pg - 25.00 - 33.00pg

Mean corpusc. Hb. conc. (MCHC) - 332 g/L - 320.00 - 357.00g/L

Red blood cell distribut width - 14.1 % - 9.90 - 15.50%

Neutrophil count - 3.5 10*9/L - 1.80 - 8.0010*9/L

Lymphocyte count - 3 10*9/L - 1.10- 4.0010*9/L

Monocyte count - 0.4 10*9/L - 0.20 - 0.8010*9/L

Eosinophil count - 0.7 10*9/L - 0.04 - 0.4010*9/L

Basophil count - 0.1 10*9/L - 0.00 - 0.1010*9/L

Serum urea level - Normal no action - 2.4 mmol/L - 2.50 - 6.50mmo/L

Bone profile - normal no action - Calcium adjusted level 2.32 mmo/L - 2.20 - 2.70 mmol/L

Renal function tests - normal no action -

Serum sodium - 140 mmo/L - 133.00 - 146.00 mmol/L

Serum potassium - 4.6 mmol/L - 3.50 - 5.00 mmol/L

Serum creatinine - 60 umol/L - 50.00 - 77.00 umol/L

Liver function test -normal no action -

Serum ALT level - 10 iu/L - 10.00 - 33.00iu/L

Serum bilirubin level - 4 umol/L - less than 21.00umol/L

Serum alkaline phosphatase - 143 iu/L - 60.00 - 425.00iu/L

Serum total protein - 78 g/L - 64.00 - 83.00 g/L

Serum albumin - 49 g/L - 30.00 - 50.00 g/L

B12 / folate level - Normal - no action -

Serum folate - more than 20.0 ug/L - 3.90 - 20.00 ug/L

Serum vitamin B12 - 420 ng/L - more than 180.00 ng/L

Phew! Hope this makes sense. Any help would be hugely appreciated even if it's to say it IS normal and will have to go down other avenues for answers for her symptoms! Many thanks, Sheryl

[Clutter in reply to mysterio]

Mysterio,

TSH 2.9 rules out primary hypothyroidism but indicates thyroid is beginning to struggle. TSH only testing doesn't exclude central hypothyroidism. You can order a private thyroid hometest to check TSH, FT4, FT3 and thyroid antibodies. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... Medichecks are currently offering 15% discount during March using MED15 code but check out their #ThyroidThursday discounts which I think offer 20% off.

Ferritin is very low but your daughter's red blood cell counts don't indicate iron deficiency. However, ferritin should be higher and >70 for hair regrowth so it may be worth supplementing some iron with 1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation.

[mysterio in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, Clutter. We are going to get that test done immediately. Your feedback is very interesting. Also, will try the vitamin C as well. x

[Beanieskeeper]

Ferritin is low as clutter said and TSH is similar to my sons first results which were brushed off by the GP, by the time we got him to an endo his TSH was over 100! Where abouts in the south west are you? We see an amazing endo in Gloucester x

[mysterio in reply to Beanieskeeper]

Thank you for your kind feedback. We are in Exeter, Devon, but could get to Gloucester easily enough. Could you please let me know who the Endo is in Gloucester as it's getting pretty desperate. Thanks so much, Sheryl x