Upset by my GP

[Kathryn1984]

Just got the phone put down on me by my GP because I’m pushing to get referred to an endocrinologist, as I’ve had a miscarriage and every doctor I speak to seems to be useless in hypothyroidism. I don’t know what to do. Im at the end of my tether.

[shaws Administrator]

I believe it is because it is thought by the professionals that hypothyroidism is 'easy to treat' there's no need for referrals. Most Endos specialise in diabetes I think. i.e. diagnose by TSH and prescribe levothyroxine and get results within a range.

If patient complains about symptoms and TSH is 'in range' they are told their symptoms are due to 'something else'. The NHS wants to curtail 'specialist appointments' to save money I think especially as hypo is thought of as 'easy to treat'.

That you have had a miscarriage it would have been beneficial for you to see someone who knows what they are doing. Who wants to go through miscarriages if it is due to hypo.

The following may be helpful and I hope it is.

hypothyroidmom.com/have-you...

You could also source your own thyroid hormones.

By the way, do you have a copy of your blood test results before you had the miscarriage. If so, post them for comments.

[Raincloud1]

I went straight to private endo (waiting list on NHS 5 months) he was more than helpful wrote to my gp and prescribed T3,just a few days in and feeling so much better than on levothyroxine,private pathology tomorrow to give a PRECISE reading for the endo.All looking good at last.

Raincloud1

[Kathryn1984 in reply to Raincloud1]

I don’t feel symptomatic. Just want my thyroid to be best it can be before I get pregnant again. I was made to feel I was being crazy.

[greygoose in reply to Kathryn1984]

That is their biggest weapon when they're out of their depth : make the patient feel she's losing her mind, is hypochondriac, it's all her fault.

But, you're not crazy, you're hypo. Stick to your guns and have the courage of your convictions. You know your body. He knows very little at all. xxx

[Kathryn1984]

I’m in Lancashire. So anywhere North would be ok

[thyr01d in reply to Kathryn1984]

There's a list of endos available through this site, one of the Administrators will tell you who to email, it's a name like Lyn Mynott. Perhaps you could select a few near enough for you to visit then post again asking for people's experiences of them.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kathryn1984]

please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

for list of recommended thyroid specialists

Your TSH should be under 2.5 for TTC

But as already on Levothyroxine, it likely needs to be under one and dose likely to need increasing as soon as you conceive

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

Do you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

Ever had antibodies tested?

If you have Hashimoto's, are you on strictly gluten free diet?