Can you please verify that the consultant I visited with my child last week fully understand how to diagnose a thyroid condition and has full knowledge of the symptoms one might expect in someone suffering from hypothyroidism. I am concerned that he either ignored everything I said to him or really does not have the basic knowledge he needs to practice endocrinology.
I am not medically qualified but I do know that ongoing fatigue, low temperature, constipation and weight gain are common issues in anyone child or adult with thyroid disease. But your consultant claimed to find nothing to indicate a thyroid problem and also seemed less able to interpret blood results than I am.
When did you consultant last attend a course pertinent to thyroid disease? and is he properly supervised?
I probably wont send until he has nomore possible influence on my child but thankyou for your suggestions.I was unsure to whom it might properly be addressed.
I wish I had when doctor 'ticked me off' in no uncertain terms about my child and 'for putting ideas into her head' .
After a number of visits I told GP my sister had Rhueumatoid Arthritis- daughter was around 10 years of age by then and we'd been back and forth quite often to GP and when we went shopping she had to sit due to 'pains in her legs'. We'd also seen other specialists.
On and on she went and then had a severe flare-up around 17 which entailed a hospital stay and then, finally diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and now has had the majority of joints replaced and is wheelchair bound. I am convinced she had juvenile arthritis undiagnosed
I cannot go back and say 'if only'.
We believed doctors. Oh! even worse was when my mother died of stomach cancer due to her doctor telling her she no longer needed B12 injections as her blood was 'now fine'.
Several of our 'good doctors' were or have been pillioried due to treating 'patients' instead of blood test results. One even resigned his licence and another was to appear before the GMC several times - none of his patients ever put in a complaint and 10,000 testimonials were sent to the GMC to state doctor had saved their lives. He seemed to be the last doctor who had sense, compassion, and treated symptoms.
No, I'd not suggest sending it in that format. All valid concerns, but recipients will tend to focus on the sarcasm/implicit insults rather than the facts, and it could work against you. Far better to write it in terms of what actually did /didn't /should have happened. I say this as a former convenor and Chair of panels to hear patient complaints against GPs; and many years of dealing with complaints in my own profession.
That letter will just annoying said consultant and makes it seem like you are just unimpressed with him telling you to go away rather than legitimate concerns.
Possibly express more how disappointed you were that even though he had classic thyroid symptoms this was barely acknowledged let alone tested thoroughly
Focus more on the actual thyroid results and what you are concerned with.
Maybe acknowledging that thyroid problems often get overlooked and many endos are diabetes specialists generally these days and you are concerned at how many people are being overlooked
Request (not demand) that the endos management of thyroid problems is reviewed and possibly updated with newer guidelines
Otherwise all you will do is get their backs up and be labelled a troublemaker
If you then continue to have poor service you are more than entitled to kick up a fuss
Thank you Maise gray.I enjoyed writing it and am unlikely to send. The frustrating thing is however than if I write a proper resume of what did and didn't happen it is very unlikely anything constructive will come out of it anyway. I have enjoyed writing some thing more insulting and wonder if sending it in although it might not be taken seriously by the proper channels might have more impact. I doubt it though I think it would just create more animosity between yet another endo and thyroid patients. I might have a go at a traditional poo sandwich and send a thank you letter, with significant praise for his careful examination with maybe some research and suttle suggestion for changes that could be made. I have been quite an antagonistic person all my life much to the frustration of my mum who belived in being friendly and kind to even the most difficault people in life. She was a much better manager than me. I think my next letter now I have expressed my frustration will be much more conciliatory.
I was the same when I got an incredibly snotty letter from a GP complaining about my patient referral
I wrote out a wonderfully blunt and insulting (and hilarious!) Letter but then once my frustration was out I managed to tone it down.... Slightly 😏
Difference was I was clearly in the right and I didn't have to depend on the GP for any future cooperation whereas you will be dependent on the endos and the hospital so best to play safe
People here may surprised when I say that I'm normally very polite to doctors in person, despite what I say about them on the forum. Usually, I think it's best to let off steam in your first draft, then tone it down for the 'poo sandwich' version you actually send. Since the current issue revolves around your son's welfare, that's probably what you need to do this time.
But when it comes to an adult patient who is getting absolutely nowhere with the profession despite reasonable, and reasoned, attempts at discussion, there comes a certain point when you may have nothing left to lose, so give 'em both barrels. After all, the official complaints process never seems to work for anyone. Every encounter with a doctor ought to be treated by the participants as a meeting between adults, but it is very rarely anything more than a power-play in the doctor's favour.
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Usually, I think it's best to let off steam in your first draft, then tone it down for the 'poo sandwich' version you actually send. Since the current issue revolves around your son's welfare, that's probably what you need to do this time.
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