New To This

[HaleyBF]

Hi. My girlfriend has hyperthyroid and is on 40mg of carbimazole. She just started a few days ago and one of the symptoms she's experiencing is a sore throat. She likely has Graves like her mum. She's so so tired that she wants to sleep before going to Emerg to check her white blood count. Should she go tonight? I know this doesn't substitute for medical advice but I thought I'd ask. Apologies and thanks.

[Greekchick]

Hi Haley,

Please take her to emerg - sore throat on carbi needs to be looked after ASAP - do not want to alarm you but better safe than sorry . This is likely an infection . Make sure they check her white blood count and her liver function. Please update so we know she is OK . Good luck at hospital.

[HaleyBF in reply to Greekchick]

Will do. Thanks for the speedy response. She's so tired but from everything I've read here it seems like something not to put off.

[Greekchick in reply to HaleyBF]

Update us please whenever you have a chance tomorrow.

[Greekchick]

And might as well ask them for a full thyroid panel while you are there - T4, T3 and TSH. They probably won’t do it but ask for the TraB antibody test as well. That would be to confirm Graves - tell them family history, and she needs to know. See is an endo can look at her and not just the folks at emerg if someone is on call. All the best.

[HaleyBF in reply to Greekchick]

You are an angel. Thank God for this website. We'd be totally lost without it.

[Greekchick in reply to HaleyBF]

Thank you so much! ❤️ It is my great pleasure and so glad I could help you. And yes, this forum is amazing - truly a lifesaver for many and me too!

[ling in reply to Greekchick]

Great call dear : )

[Greekchick in reply to ling]

You are so kind - thank you ling. 🤗. Hope you are doing well!

[ling in reply to Greekchick]

I can just imagine if someone reached out to me like that in my hour of need

: )

[NWA6]

Any news?

[HaleyBF]

Haley went to the A and E in South London and was promised an 8hr wait minimum. She went home and slept and in the morning went to Archway Rd area and paid the £53 to get an urgent appointment at her old GP who was not too worried but sent her to get blood work at a hospital a short walk away. They saw her right away and did her blood work, etc. and she's waiting for the results which they say she'll have this afternoon. Again, thanks for your help. We are not only new to all things thyroid but also all things London. We're Canadian so just knowing this site exists is a great relief. Thanks again.

[Greekchick in reply to HaleyBF]

Hi HaleyBF,

Thanks for updating! I’m Canadian too (coincidence!) and there are quite a few of us on this forum. At least Haley was seen promptly this morning and hopefully she is not as tired today. I’m glad her doc was not too worried - but it will be good to see the bloodwork results and maybe they can get her a referral to an endo sooner rather than later.

If you post the bloodwork results, there are several experts on the forum who read blood results and give their opinions. You may wish to open a second post with those results so they can give you some feedback if you are interested.

From what I can tell after being on the forum since February, the UK system is significantly different from ours in certain ways. See how things go, and I’ll be happy to answer questions while you are adjusting to London. Wishing you all the best and sending good thoughts your way today!

[unlocky in reply to Greekchick]

Gosh... from your name I would have thought you were Greek!! May I ask where in Canada you are from? Thanks for your response to HaleyBF.

[Greekchick in reply to unlocky]

Hi unlocky,

I am of Greek descent on my dad’s side. I didn’t make it to Canada till I was in my late 20s when I came here for my job - met my hubby and loved

both Canada and my hubby so much I have lived here ever since and proudly became a Canadian citizen some time ago - I also am a proud citizen of my birth country as well. ❤️

And it was my pleasure to try to help HaleyBF and Haley - you’re welcome! I hope both of them are doing OK and that we will get an update soon. Wishing you well and sending good thoughts your way!

[unlocky in reply to Greekchick]

What a lovely adventure greekchick… thanks so much for your back story. Very interesting to hear of all our backgrounds. So diverse xx

[Greekchick in reply to unlocky]

Thank you! You are so kind! I, too, enjoy hearing about others as well! If you don’t mind my asking, are you Graves too, or other thyroid?

[Valarian in reply to HaleyBF]

I can see why you didn't wait the 8 hours in A&E (especially as your girlfriend had someone with her, in case of dererioration).

Is the £53 charge because it was a private GP appointment, or are you not covered by the NHS ? Too late for this time, but it's often easier to get in to see a nurse, especially as the main urgency is the white cell count. Print off the NHS info nhs.uk/conditions/overactiv... and the paitent info sheet for carbimazole (my thyroid clinic provides credit card-sized warning cards), and hopefully this will be enough to galvanise them into action.

It's important to get the test done because agranulocytosis can be very serious indeed. However, it's a rare occurrence . Doesn't help that your girlfrind is still adjusting to what is 'normal' when you are hyperthyroid.

[Dodge7]

Sore throat and tiredness could be glandular fever!

[Valarian in reply to Dodge7]

It could be lots of things. Best not to take the risk however, especially for someone new to carbimazole and on a relatively high dose.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Valarian]

Quite right. In this case, knowing what it is not seems to be the most important thing.

[NWA6]

Welcome to London and the NHS - brilliant if you have a major trauma or serious injury but not so great with thyroid conditions or mental health issues 😬