New Dr Appointment & New Surgery for me

Hi, this is my first post so bear with me if I put down anything incorrect or stupid (or both!). I had my thyroid removed in 2001 (nodules) and have been on 125mg of Levothyroxine since then. Over the years I've been to the doctors with various complaints, all of which have been put down to either my age (60s) or my being overweight. I recently had a conversation with a complete stranger in a café a few weeks ago and she advised me to read "Stop the Thyroid Madness". To say a light bulb has gone off would be an understatement. You probably know the symptoms, weight gain, total brain fog, aches, pains, now my hair has recently stopped growing, extreme tiredness etc. I've just moved and not seen a doctor at my new surgery. Am going to see him with the clear intention that I need alternative medication to get my life back on track but I need to go armed with facts and that's where you lovely people come in. I can take a copy of the book and hit him over the head with it (joking!) I mean and ask him if he has read it, I have a diary of a lady who had hypothyroidism and who took NDT and whose life has been transformed but I think I need more evidence, so any advice on what I can present him with to make him better understand my situation, e.g. articles, concrete evidence (if there is any of taking NDT) etc. Sorry for long post but you need to get the "flavour" of my situation.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

MiyaMoo

Don't expect miracles.

Doctors don't always read articles that patients offer them, so may not agree to read a book (but you never know).

NDT is unlicensed in the UK so very unlikely that you'll get it prescribed anyway because if a doctor does agree to prescribe it they have to take personal responsibility for doing so.

Also, best not to mention "NDT" and use "Armour" instead, this was the original NDT and if a doctor has heard of it that would be the name they know.

In the meantime, why not post your latest test results so we can see if you are adequately medicated. For a full picture we need to see

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Vitamins and minerals need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work properly. Low levels can cause symptoms which may overlap with symptoms of Hypo. Good conversion of T4 to T3 needs to take place, so a good level of FT3 is needed. Most treated hypo patients feel best when TSH is 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for this. Yes, I will make sure they do tests because I haven't had that done for quite some time. I do know they may not prescribe NDT, but its worth having information about it so I can answer any "tricky" questions he may throw at me. I'll certainly post my test results on here as I have no idea what any of them mean. I just realised how rubbish my previous doctors were in giving me the information correctly in the first instance. Thanks again.

[greygoose]

I would suggest you don't present him with anything until you get to know him a bit, and his attitudes. Coming on too strong is rarely a good idea, it could put his back up.

Once you've learnt to understand your blood test results, you will be able to discuss things more intelligently. But I would be very, very wary of STTM, if I were you. They are not always right. They have a very rigid attitude towards treatment. Their insistance that NDT is THE only way to go is wrong. It is not a miracle drug and does not suit everyone. Some people do very badly on it, but if you say that on STTM, you get kicked off the forum! They are also wrong in their insistance that rT3 should be tested. It's not the missing link they claim it to be. And I doubt your doctor will have ever heard of it, anyway, so don't go in insisting he tests that! lol

Just play it by ear. At least give the man a chance before hitting him over the head with anything - physical or verbal. Let him prove himself an ignorant ass before accusing him of being one. You never know, he might be enlightened and educated. Let's hope so, anyway.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Yes thanks I take your point greygoose. It may also just be a case of me going through a very low vitamin intake and be something very simple to rectify (I'm really concerned about my hair not growing though that's never happened before). Is it right that taking T3 with the T4 Levothyroxine is a good idea? I'm really confused as to all the information I am suddenly coming across, having been so ignorant of my lifelong condition, picture me slapping myself round the face for my sins!

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Would taking T3 with your T4 help? Depends. First of all, it would be interesting to see your blood test results. It could be that you don't convert T4 to T3 very well - you know that T4 is the storage hormone and T3 the active hormone? - in which case your FT3 would be low, and that would be causing symptoms - including hair problems.

But, if your FT3 is up near the top of the range, then taking more T3 wouldn't help. You'd have to look at something else. There is no universal solution, each case should be assessed on its merits. And that is where most doctors go wrong, they think one size fits all. So, first step to any solution is the blood test results.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for this. I'll publish the blood test results as soon as I have them and see how that explains my current situation, which I have to say is dire! no exaggeration. Thanks greygoose.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome.