My elderly Mother had a thyroid blood test at home but unfortunately the carer gave her T3 an hour before the blood test. The result came back for T3 at 14 ( 3.1-6.8) and I was worried that her T3 would be reduced when she is doing well on her dose. My Mum had been seeing the endocrinologist privately and then finally went onto the NHS. He has been so good with the T3 and when Mum went into hospital provided letters and a private prescription for T3. I sent him an email describing the situation and he replied to me that another blood test would be better before her appointment in a weeks time. I rang the phlebotomy service and they said I needed to go through the doctor. I spoke to the receptionist who said I had to speak to the doctor who rang me up. He was most indignant that the endocrinologist had contacted me directly and said he should have rung or faxed the surgery directly. The doctor is now making an official complaint to the endo and to the hospital about him going through me. I feel sooo bad about this, what a waste of our NHS money when this endo. is just trying to help me and to save him time. He is also my endo. I have never had this problem before and contacted him via email, he works so hard and even replies late into the evening. He was recommended on this site and I feel terrible about this. Why an official complaint, now I have to contact the endo. and then he has to ring or do a letter and fax it to the surgery so the doctor does a referral to the phlebotomy service. And now all the time wasted by the doctor and the endo writing more letters and complaining about such a trivial thing. It has taken me years to get my mother and myself appointments with the endo and at last he has made me and my Mum so much better. I am so angry about this. I contacted the endo a few days ago as the carers said they would not give my Mum Nutri Thyroid anymore as it wasn't prescribed by the doctor due to regulations. My Mum has been taking this for a long time and recommended by the endo so I emailed him and he said to take them along to the appointment. He has helped us in so many ways, if I can't contact him directly I don't know what would happen as the doctors are always arguing against T3 and her TSH is too low but then in another breath they admit they know nothing about thyroid. Oh my, why are we in such a ridiculous situation now, why is no-one listening to us the sufferers. Is there anything I can do?
Doctor making complaint against a good endocrin... - Thyroid UK
Doctor making complaint against a good endocrinologist because he emailed me requesting another blood test
How awful...typical though, some of these inadequate GPs probably feel threatened and intimidated by hard working professionals who genuinely try and help their patients. He has caused everybody unnecessary stress and it's not your fault this has happened, so try not to worry.
Your mother shouldn't have to fight like this for appropriate hormone replacement anyway ~ it SHOULD be provided by the GP! They will try and discredit anyone, it seems, for not playing by their somewhat unscientific rules. There's nothing much you can do as far as I can see, but I expect the endo will realise what's happened. Surely the question is if your mother is well on her current treatment, it should be continued.
They make such a fuss about this, and yet for years cover up the over use of opiates which led to the premature deaths of hundreds of elderly patients. The mind boggles😳. I hope it will soon be resolved. x
None of what you, and your mom are experiencing, regarding thyroid health 'care' and dogmatic GP, surprises me. Many of us have been there..
As a retired RGN, (and a thyroid health patient), I find this thyroid farce absolutely appalling!
Whatever happened to the patient being at the centre of care? Whatever happened to healthcare provision being in the best interest of the patient?
The NHS was set up with the principle of patient care treatment being available at the time of need.
Today's government, argue that they still adhere to this principle, despite the service becoming ever more complex due to social change.
Perhaps, you could speak to your local MP regarding this situation?
You must be aware, TUK have begun breaking through the barriers, by being heard in the House Lords! Thus, timing could not be better.
You and your Mom are caught up in politics regarding prescription meds. Taking the issue to the local MP seems to be the next logical step.
The private endocrinologist will be aware he will be at risk of complaints. He won't be the first, nor the last, to be ticked off (or not), for doing what he knows is right in prescribing meds on the basis of clinical need, and keeping patient/family informed.
It seems to me, there is a counter complaint to be had, the GP is taking possession of his patient. It would be so much better for him to be pleased, that your endocrinologist, yourself, and GP, are a team, all working toward same goal. Keeping Mom as well as possible is of paramount importance.
Good luck. And, maybe change your GP! Lol.
Just an idea, but, can't you get your mum to write a letter addressed to the endo that she has given him permission to discuss any treatment etc with you, and date it a few months before this situation, that way you are covered and your endo is.
Something like
Date:
Your mum's name and address;
Endo's name and address
Dear (Endo name and address he works from)
I hereby give (endo name) permission to discuss any of my treatment with my daughter (put your name in) via letter, email or telephone.
Signed (your mum signs it)
Send it off to him and then keep a copy to show your doctor.
Make sure you date it before this incident happened.
Best wishes
Peanut31
My Mum has dementia but I am named as a person to talk to re doctors etc. I have always taken Mum to appointments and collected blood results etc. I have had to be on the ball on so many occasions when they have made mistakes and I have picked them up. When Mum came out of hospital I wondered what an extra drug was for, it turned out to lower a racing pulse but that was because she had a temperature and an infection. She was let out weeks later but still on the meds. I pointed this out to her normal doctor and she was amazed she was still taking this drug. So now the doctor has literally said that I should not contact him and let the professionals do their job. Hmm I wonder if Mum will have this additional blood test before the appointment next week and if so will they liaise with the carers to not give her thyroid meds before the blood test or will this again be a futile arrangement, if so I will not waste my time by taking her all the way to the hospital to find that the endo will want yet another blood test. I shall wait to see what happens when the professionals are left in charge, I have no hopes. I give my time and energy protecting my Mum from the establishment, what a waste of our taxes. I pay my taxes for rubbish treatment!!
Hi Dramlouie I feel so sorry for you and know how you feel. I am going through more or less the same with my special needs son. The Carers seem to think the GPs know everything and we equally know that they don't. When I am at an appointment with my son at GPs with Carer in tow, I am treading on eggshells the whole time and rarely get out without an argument. It is good that you have a good Endo and ours isn't too bad either. I think he is just beginning to learn a lot more. I cannot change GPs as we have already changed once and there are no better ones in our town. We have had good ones retiring lately. I have the same fights with the Carers over timing of blood tests and also a good diet for someone who is Type 2 Diabetic. Parents and close family are meant to be fully informed about their loved one's health and medication, but this is not happening. Care Groups, such as Carers Network are good for giving advice and backing. See if you have a local one.
Wish you the strength to carry on caring for your Mum's health.
We shouldn't be put through this, they are so awkward and do anything to try and prove me wrong but I only say what I have researched and know is right. Mum was doing so well on herbs proven to help dementia patients and yet I have had to stop giving them to her, only when I call but she has got to the stage where she doesn't want to take supplements anymore. I set up a dosset box and the previous care co. were happy to give them to her then the co. was changed and they are so strict to the rules, no wavering or family wishes are involved. Mum was stable for quite a few years and now deteriorating. I paid for Mum to see a qualified naturopath who recommended herbs and they were working amazingly well. Then along comes rules and regulations and that was it. I shall contact the Carers Network as you suggest, thank you. Good luck with your son, diet has gone out of the window for Mum, its sausage rolls, sugar, anything to make it easy for them.
So sad that caring for people has been so badly undermined. My son's carers have just had to re-evaluate his diet as now Hospital Diabetes Department have got involved. They always used to see my son when he had his Endo appointment, but this seemed to have stopped when medications were changed to generic. His health has slowly deteriorated since he went into supported living in 2012. I do so wish I had not gone down this route, but did not have much option as the change to generic T4 in 2010 had made me so ill. I have clawed a bit better health back over the past two years and feel so bad that my son has suffered in the meantime.
I agree with you about the meals being made to suit lazy ways and it all depends on the carer at the time. Some are good, but others are obviously what cause obesity in this country lately. Hope Carers Network (different in each area I think,I am with Essex Carers Network) are helpful for you.
Its sad when we are trying to help someone else and suffering ourselves, I feel torn sometimes. Mum was offered two small sausage rolls for tea and they were left by her bed and a few sips of water, no cup of tea or anything else. They offer but Mum doesn't like to be a burden or have anything done for her so she always says she's fine, its on her care plan to still give Mum food which she will then eat. She is too polite and caring and they take advantage of her.
Regarding non prescription medications and carers refusing to give it to your mum, ring up the agency or the council - whoever is in charge of supplying carers to your mum and ask what needs to be signed off or filled out for them to be able to give your mum "non prescription" meds.
They're covering their back only there's no malice.
Hope you get it sorted.
The doctors are so anti supplements. I was giving Bacopa Monieri for dementia which was working well along with vit d, b12, and others. They won't even do vit c and now nutri thyroid has been taken off the mars sheet along with cranberry as she was getting uti's before, since the cranberry not one uti. Mum has always taken supplements and still has an account with a company but they have stopped it all. The profession have turned into non thinking robots, all the old doctors have gone who were interested and did their own research if they weren't sure. I always lose when I take Mum to the doctors and I see a smirk on their faces. Even throwing my own T3 away that I dare take into the hospital for Mum along with the paperwork went missing, a whole box gone. I had to fight to get the T3 put on the mars sheet and then again I visit Mum to find some days it hasn't been given and they have written in the paperwork that Mum was tired, I wonder why!!
Yes, Dramlouie they are definitely against supplements, but will not/cannot give good ones themselves. They can put these things on a MARS sheet, but for some reason will not. they also do not do the correct blood tests. No wonder we are all so ill. I don't know where to take this complaint further. I do know that those being 'supported' do not have 'choice' as I am constantly being told my son has.
Trouble is the public don't know what can and can't be done, if I know definately that supplements can be put onto a MARS sheet then I have something to act on. As it is the endo requested ferritin etc for a blood test but the doctor wanted to know why he wanted these and only the basic test was done for Mum but at least it did contain the T3. Endo wanted kidney function etc. So I have heard nothing from doctor or endo, appointment is Thursday, what a waste of time when it could all have been done so easily, hours taken up. I shall ring the doctors yet again, then he will say haven't heard from endo but I am not allowed to contact him so then what happens, dragging my Mum 40 miles in this heat to have her blood pressure taken and endo saying well that was a pointless exercise, come back when you have had another blood test. Oh makes my blood boil.
It is so unfair that we do not know what is able to be prescribed on a MARS sheet exactly. I am not certain that own bought supplements can be, but evidently GPs can put it in writing that they can be given by Carers and that is enough. I guess it is only if the GP is prepared to take responsibility for this, and this is where they do not have enough knowledge of supplements. I have no idea where we can find out what can and can't be given to those we are caring for who could not answer for themselves, but I shall endeavour to find out when we next have a Carers' meeting. We have contacted Endo recently but he has not got back to us at all.
I used to give Mum Bacopa Monieri and she was doing so well on it, to doctors its unknown and they won't sign anything despite research studies. I used to visit every day and gave all these herbs and supplements. Mum was walking 2 miles every day. I couldn't keep this up, I wasn't having a life. I now visit Mum three times a week but today she was quite bad, wouldn't take her supplements so I just gave the most important. So trying to organise this blood test is becoming an impossible task. No communication from the doctor or the endocrinologist that another blood test has been organised so I can let the carers know not to give her levo or T3 beforehand. I rang the surgery today, the doctor will ring you back, of course no-one rang me back. Endo appointment, waited 6 months for this, is early Thursday morning. My brother is taking my Mum out on Wednesday. That leaves tomorrow morning and of course the carers will go in before I can speak to the doctor. This is why I contact the endo direct because of doctors who are a total waste of space. Its messed up big time my Mum's appointment, the endos precious time. Do I drag my Mum 50 miles in this heat when the results are not trustworthy. Or waste an appointment, but of course I am not supposed to contact him direct but go through the doctors, so I shall cancel the appointment through the doctor and see what happens. I am going to make my own complaint about my Mum's doctor. Oh it makes my blood boil wasting tax payers money.
Good luck with what you decided to do.
Following on from my post. A doctor from the surgery was ringing me back on Monday, no-one rang me back. I rang again this morning and was told that call backs by doctors had been stopped! I then had to leave another message and I was told someone would ring me back today. No-one has rung me back so I rang the surgery again and now been told that its being looked into and someone will ring me back in 30 mins. Why oh why is this going on. I tried ringing the phlebotomy service and they are now closed. My Mum is going out tomorrow Weds. Just heard from surgery. They won't do another blood test unless hear from endo. So I am making a formal complaint, I said that the endo had already requested the blood test in a letter to the doctors, and that any doctor should know that if T3 is taken before a blood test then the result won't be accurate. Ohh, they didn't like that so unless I hear from them there will be no visit to the endo or another blood test. sorry but I am feeling so mad about this, wasted phone calls, wasted time. then don't want to put her through another blood test. I know what will happen, the T3 is showing above range, they will make this an excuse to take Mum off T3 like they reduced her levothyroxine which set off her dementia, they are not going to do this again!!
So I still haven't heard back from my Mum's GP despite phone calls. I am at the end of my tether with this, it seems like I won't be able to take my Mum to see her endocrinologist tomorrow, there isn't enough time to sort out this blood test or to organise the carers to attend Mum early tomorrow so we can get to the hospital in time. When I think about it he was the same doctor that suddenly reduced my Mum's levothyroxine from 75mcg to 50mcg two years ago as her TSH was below 1.0. I argued that her endocrinologist should look at the results before reducing her thyroid and the T3 would lower the TSH but he was having none of it and Mum went downhill for months before I could get another appointment with the endo. Mum's health always deteriorates at the hands of the medical establishment or carers. I am writing an official complaint to counter his complaint about the endocrinologist, what a stupid state of affairs and waste of taxpayers money!
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