GP recommendation SE England?

[JJJiggle]

Does anyone here actually have a UK GP who prescribes thyroxine appropriately?

Can anyone recommend a GP in the South East? I am in West Sussex, but would be prepared to travel if I could become an out-of-area patient at a suitable practice.

Many thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your best bet is to see an endocrinologist who specialises in Thyroid

The endocrinologist then advises/informs GP to prescribe at correct levels

GP's don't have out of area patients

First do you have any recent blood test results and ranges to add, members can advise

Before seeing any thyroid specialist it's recommended to get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common and need regular testing and often virtually continual supplementing to maintain adequate levels

Essential to test both TPO and TG antibodies at least once to test for Hashimoto's

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers

All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH and lowest FT4. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Email Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists, please email Dionne on Monday


[e-mail]

Come back with new post once you get full test results

[JJJiggle in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your full reply.

I have been on levothyroxine for a few years, and am only having a problem now that I have changed area, and the new GP is refusing to prescribe.

A friend of mine who is a GP said they do have out-of-area patients, but perhaps that is only if you have already been in the area and then you move away .... I don't know.

Thanks again for your information.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to JJJiggle]

See a different GP in same practice. This one is either ignorant or sadist. Of course you need to stay on Levothyroxine

We have had cases where GP thinks once blood test is back in "normal range" you stop taking Levothyroxine! (These are supposedly well educated medics!)

Can you get online access to historic blood test results? Or do you have copies of test results from when first diagnosed and prescribed Levothyroxine?

[JJJiggle in reply to SlowDragon]

I have some, yes. I am planning to change practice altogether, because you can't choose who you see in this practice, and I had such a bad experience with him. There is a practice that local people recommend, but I thought I'd just put a question up on here in case anyone here could give me a suggestion, before I make the change.

But thanks for your ideas, I will try to go armed with as much info as I can put together, in the hope of a better response. Perhaps I will even do another full private test, from the places you recommended, before I see the new GP. In the meantime I have ordered some from <a pharmacy> but it is very expensive. I don't know if there is a better place to order from, if push comes to shove.

Thanks again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to JJJiggle]

Suggest you put up a post asking about Levothyroxine without prescription

But get seen by new GP asap

Different brands of Levothyroxine can upset some people

What brand do you usually get prescribed?

[JJJiggle in reply to SlowDragon]

I've had different ones, and haven't had a problem. Currently Atravis and Wockhardt UK. The ones from the USA are Lannetts which I haven't had before. I haven't started them yet, because still have some of my previous prescription left.

I will put up a post about it, thanks.

[MaisieGray in reply to SlowDragon]

GPs have always had the discretion to register out of area patients, but from January 2015 all GP practices are able to register new patients who live outside the practice area without any obligation to provide home visits or services out of hours when the patient is unable to attend their registered practice. Changes made to the GP contract mean those obligations may be set aside and do not apply when the GP practice decides, at the point of registration, that it is clinically appropriate and practical to register the individual patient in this way. This thereby accommodates patients for instance, who spend many hours away from home due to their work location or having to be a carer for a sick relative. How much GPs take notice of it though, is anyone's guess.

[JJJiggle in reply to MaisieGray]

That’s very interesting. Thanks MaisieGray.

[MaisieGray]

That would only be the case if more patients went out of area to a practise, than those in that practise leaving it to go out of area to another, surely?

[JJJiggle]

Thanks Grincho.