I need to rant - sorry

[Ali8655]

I apologise for this post but feel you are the only ones who will understand. My daughter has a history of miscarriages (thankfully she has one healthy beautiful girl). She had all the tests and everything came back fine - just one of those things. She continued trying, more miscarriages one ending ectopic. Her husband said no more - understandably.

Fast wind a couple of years and she goes to the doctor feeling tired and generally flat. She explained I had thyroid problems so they checked hers. Her TSH came back at 66.22 (range 0.2-4) and her T4 8.6 (range 12-22). They could find no trace of any test done in her thyroid for the miscarriages.

I feel this highlights the importance of always getting a copy of your results as it not only tells you where you are in the range and optimal or not but also if they’ve done the bloody test at all.

Thank you for listening.

[Marz]

Rant away - so much sadness is caused by medical incompetence ... maybe a letter to the surgery to raise awareness with the hope it will help others.

How is her B12 & Folate ? - another cause of miscarriage ...

Thank you for sharing your sadness. Hope your daughter is OK x

[Ali8655 in reply to Marz]

Thank you Marz. She’s doing okay but feels some anger which is understandable. She’s now on 75mcg of thyroxine and being tested in 6 weeks. I am going to suggest she asks for free T3, B12 and folate and also vit D. May be wishing for the moon but hope they feel so bad they will do the tests. If not I’ll pay for her to go private.

[Baobabs in reply to Ali8655]

At least your daughter has brilliant support from you!

[Ali8655 in reply to Baobabs]

Thank you. I also have hypothyroidism with Hashi, so know the battle and will help her fight it.

[shaws Administrator]

How correct you are. Many doctors do not automatically do blood tests for thyroid hormones and it can be a disaster for women who are unaware they are hypo but with one miscarriage the doctors should automatically test thyroid hormones which have to be at an optimum level. Many doctors are 'happy' if the results are somewhere in the range. which doesn't always lead to a successful pregnancy.

So many women go through immense worries wondering why they have unscessful pregnancies. Many doctors don't do appropriate blood tests to check thyroid hormones. As long as TSH is below 10, they'll pronounce that we don't have a problem whilst ignoring or awful symptoms.

Why on earth is the regulations in the UK - if we've been given a blood test - that we should not be diagnosed until TSH is 10. No mention of disabling symptoms being taken into account.

[Baobabs in reply to shaws]

Interesting as I received this result from a 75 year old friend 4 months ago who is lethargic, thin hair, drooping eyelids, has to carefully watch her weight:

TSH *6,511 range (0.350-4,940)

No references given for FT4 or 3 so I haven't posted. I told her that her TSH was elevated and this is why it is asterisked. She just informed me that her latest results the GP said were fine and an aspirated thyroid nodule was fine, presumably meaning non cancerous. She is thrilled. Can a TSH reduce on its own? Surely nodule formation together with a elevated TSH may indicate Hashi's? My friend knows she feels unwell but has apparently been lulled into a comfort zone on a belief her GP is a god like being! The TSH rule would appear to exists here in Spain also. I'm saying nothing more to her.