I don't know if I should be posting this rant under thyroid UK, thoughI have done before.
All I know is that following advice from Thyroid UK, and after sourcing T3 and metavive, iron, vitamins, and supplements - I am so much better, and no longer have the symptoms of CFS, although I am extremely depressed, and abandoned.
The problem is that after a haematology (at the hospital )test where my T3 & T4 were only a third in range, (previously right on the border) and yet my already low and getting lower before I started self treating tsh became suppressed on the metavive - I was hauled before an Endocrinologist who accused me of "abusing sports steroids". And that I was giving myself thyrotoxicosis, and that I was stopping NDT for a long time before the blood draw to disguise this, and that T3 & T4 leave the blood stream within an hour of taking T3, and that TSH stays for weeks. When I pointed out that my TSH was getting lower & lower b4 I started, he accused me of taking it for longer than I was. He just went on about the somewhere in range numbers, and yet ignored all the out of range numbers....
He informed me that thyroid uk get everything wrong! also that he was on the panel that wrote the book/bible for TSH, T3 & T4 for everyone to follow. He then asked me what I wanted. I replied that I wanted testing of Hypothalamus and pituitary function, as several knowledgable people, including a GP aquaintance mentioned that I look as though I have problems there. He also effectively called me a liar when I pointed out that I had had thyrotoxicosis when young, (I will need to check to see if they have destroyed my hospital records there) that may explain why they are not releasing my SAR!)
The problem is that he told me that I would be having two tests in 2 weeks time. One of which, when I looked at the online info had this to say about the steroid fast for 6 weeks b4 test!
"Estrogen containing medications, including the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy, should be stopped for six weeks prior to measuring serum cortisol. This is because estrogen induces cortisol binding globulin and leads to elevations in measured serum cortisol."
The other test is called IG something or other. I think that one is for growth hormone.
But I see 2 dilemmas here, 1. I can't function without HRT, iron, or T3,and I am up to my eyes in battles right now - people are depending on me, and starting to see me as an unreliable hypochondriac. 2. wouldn't continuing the "steroids" cause a false negative, sesulting in a horrible death? I know that sounds melodramatic but I havn't been able to work in 30 years! he even scoffed at that!
No one has mentioned these fasting from steroid preparations.
Have I walked into a trap? should I pull out of this? There are no alternative options in the channel islands, you can't go to another Dr, and there is only one diabetes clinic, so in order to get the scans you have to be almost dead, and demonstrably so.
I know that no one from UK can advise, as this is likely a unique problem, but I want it on record anyway.
Thank you for reading this senseless rant.
Jenny.