Good Morning

[Spezza]

Good Morning,

I was recommend this site from a thyroid facebook page as Was looking for help.

I am new here, medically trained and experienced but thyroid is not my field, so I am as lost as everyone else was when they were first diagnosed. I am borderline, so not even diagnosed by my GP by have been treated privately. Unfortunately due to cost I cannot continue with the meds on private prescription and GP won't takeover

Many thanks for listening

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hi Spezza and welcome to the forum

My daughter-in-law was in the same situation.

She had suffered multiple miscarriages, was showing signs of hypothyroidism (I'm Hypo so I recognised them), used to pass out randomly. Eventually diagnosed with epilepsy!!! She refused a drug trial and went to see a private doctor who confirmed hypothyroidism and started her on Levo. NHS GP wasn't interested.

It was only after a successful pregnancy and birth, that her hospital notes (after testing) said "Thyroid levels good for someone on thyroid replacement". That the the point when her GP said "I suppose I'll have to accept your diagnosis now" and she was then prescribed Levo on the NHS.

Not much help really, but it illustrates the problem people have.

Why wont your GP accept the diagnosis and prescribe? What were your TSH, FT4, FT3 and thyroid antibody results when the private doctor diagnosed you?

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and the first thing to do is get a Full Thyroid Function Test (TSH and T4 are insufficient for diagnosing).

Once upon a time we were diagnosed by our clinical symptoms alone and given a trial of NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) the very original replacement since 1892 but now withdrawn in the UK due to False Statements made by it by the Association, leaving many unwell again and who've had to source their own.

All blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levothyroxine and the test and take afterwards.

Most doctors only test TSH and T4 and as a TSH of 10 is the cut-off for diagnosis, many of us are very symptomatic by then. A TSH of 10 has to be reached in the UK despite any disabling symptoms. In other countries we're diagnosed if it goes above 3.

A Full Thyroid Blood Test is:-

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies..

If antibodies are present, you'd have the commonest form of hypothyroidism known as hashimoto's. The antibodies attack the thyroid gland and wax and wane until we're hypo

There are private labs that do home finger pin-prick tests and I'll give a link - just in case you want to consider it. If you decide, always draw blood at the earliest a.m., fasting (you can drink water) and if you take thyroid hormone replacements allow a gap of 24 hours between the last dose and test and take afterwards. Make sure you are well-hydrated a couple of days before blood draw.

The TSH has a circadian rythmn and it drops throughout the day.

Also get B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate tested and GP should do these.

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

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