I self referred to a endocrinologist in May this year. My TSH was not considered high enough to treat by my GP but the thyroid panel found high TPO antibodies. Long list of symptoms that go back many years plus family history of under active. The results stated positive for autoimmune thyroiditis so I thought it would then just be a formality to obtain a prescription. (Results are on previous posts).
Consultant refused trial of thyroxine, stating that if he prescribed, I could become worse and then I could sue him. He said that he was judged by his peers and would not go outside of guidelines. He added that no other consultant would prescribe thyroxine.
He thought my problems were menopause related, even though I stated that I did not suffer from night sweats or hot flushes. He linked my shortness of breath symptom to near the time that my periods stopped, so prescribed HRT. He told me that would help my moods. I didn't have a problem with moods or depression, only some concern of feeling like I'm constantly suffocating and being so lethargic that I had to give up work and not able to continue cycling.
He seemed more interested in looking up my mother's records after he checked my family history. This made me feel uneasy as my mum has never given me permission to have access to her medical records. He also argued when I raised about TSH levels in other countries being treated above 2.5 or 3. He told me that the machines are different in this country but would be comparable in other countries.
I now have been prescribed thyroxine by another consultant and my legs have come back to life. My shortness of breath is now being investigated by the chest clinic as it was found that the gas exchange reading was outside of normal range.
My concern is that he prescribed on the basis of my age but did not fully check my hormone level or considered fully my symptoms before prescribing. He made a big point of saying that my FSH was through the roof at 113.2 but according to the Internet, that is the expected result in someone who is menopausal. The HRT then made my breathing and lethargy worse, and I ended up seeing the out of hours at my local hospital, with my husband having to place me in a wheelchair.
It's not about suing and compensation (as he referred to) but I do want to raise my concerns to prevent someone else going through the same thing. I feel that he had fallen short of the GMC's Good Medical Practice of "make the patient your first concern". He is on the list of recommended endos with Thyroid UK, so I have emailed them about him.
I researched HRT and breathing problems and found studies that concluded that patients with breathing problems should not be prescribed oestrogen only HRT. Mine was the combined. It was a relief when my worsening symptoms caused by the HRT lessened in a few days but should he not be more aware of recent studies to keep his professional knowledge up-to-date, again as per GMC's good practice?
As far as I can tell, I could complain through GMC or CCG. Does anyone have experience of any of this? It's more that I want to raise a concern than complain. I appreciate that he prescribed according to what he considered would be best for me at that time but ignored my main symptoms and family history of under active thyroid. He didn't examine me properly, as didn't check my pulse or blood pressure and only briefly touched my neck, after making a joke that it would feel like I was being strangled. I don't know what can be detected by squeezing a patient's neck for 2 seconds.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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