well need to sound off. My GP not interested in my vit D being 25.7 says doesn't need rechecking as I am taking supplements. says most people in the uk have vit d deficiency. I asked her about Hashi and not being able to absorb nutrients and she just looked blankly at me. I said I have been b12 def and folate def and now vit d. She didn't make any connection and said as my TSH T4 and T3 were all normal I didn't need to see the endo. She was not interested in my antibodies being 237 or that the private Dr said to have regular TFTs. I asked about the nodule I was told I had and asked if it needed monitoring considering it was 20yrs ago it was last investigated she said it didn't. I mentioned my hoarse voice and could this be related to hypothyroid she said it couldn't and she did at least feel for any swelling but said she couldn't feel any but now it hurts when I swallow since she has pushed on it. she said I need a chest x ray if my voice keeps going hoarse. She looked blankly at me not asking about my symptoms or that she was even interested in my health at all. I think I need to find myself another doctor. Drs may say that they want you to take part in your own health but they don't. I think the NHS would save hundreds of thousands of pounds if they invested in a computer programme that you used at home to check symptoms and booked you up with a specialist or a nurse who do practical things and save the 100,000 pounds a year each GP costs. Absolutely pointless waste of my time.
Pointless GP appointment: well need to sound off... - Thyroid UK
Pointless GP appointment
Sounds like a clone of my GP.
If you can't get anywhere with your GP, then following the suggestions given in reply to your other thread here will at least help to a degree
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Yes I am taking the supplements, which are really helping and will get another blood test after a couple of months, but I expected the doc to be at least interested in my vit d and recheck as private docs had recommended. We pay our taxes and you would expect to have access to health care. What a waste of time and money.
Doctors don't like doing Vit D test as they say it's expensive and yours, like mine, sounds as though she really doesn't give a fig about her patients.
Depending on your local health authority's guidelines, you may or may not be entitled to having Vit D prescribed for your level. The NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary says:
NICE treatment summary for Vit D deficiency: cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d...
(click on Management > Scenario:Management)
"Treat for vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 25 nmol/L
For the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, the recommended treatment is based on fixed loading doses of vitamin D (up to a total of about 300,000 international units [IU]) given either as weekly or daily split doses, followed by lifelong maintenance treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000 IU a day, occasionally up to 4000 IU a day, may be used for certain groups of people, for example those with malabsorption disorders.
Several treatment regimens are available, including 50,000 IU once a week for 6 weeks (300,000 IU in total), 20,000 IU twice a week for 7 weeks (280,000 IU in total), or 4000 IU daily for 10 weeks (280,000 IU in total)."
It also says:
"Treat for vitamin D insufficiency if serum 25(OH)D levels are in the range of 25–50 nmol/L and the person:
Has a fragility fracture, documented osteoporosis, or high fracture risk.
Is being treated with an antiresorptive drug for bone disease.
Has symptoms suggestive of vitamin D deficiency.
Is at increased risk of developing vitamin D deficiency in the future, for example because of reduced sunlight exposure.
Has raised parathyroid hormone levels.
Is taking an antiepileptic drug or an oral corticosteroid, or is on long-term treatment with other drugs known to cause vitamin D deficiency, such as colestyramine.
Has a malabsorption disorder (for example Crohn's disease) or other condition known to cause vitamin D deficiency, such as chronic kidney disease."
So if you meet that criteria you should be prescribed D3, but to be honest you will be just as well off buying your own and will very likely get a better supplement.
Thanks, too true about getting the correct supplements. I am so much better on the supplements and will get more bloods done after another month to check. I am so grateful for all the help you supply. Thank you.
See a different GP
Your GP is obligated to prescribe vitamin D
Technically your result was 0.7 too high to be classed as very deficient
But any reasonable GP would probably prescribe loading dose
Local CCG guidelines
clinox.info/clinical-suppor...
GP will only prescribe to bring vitamin D up to 50nmol. Aiming to improve by self supplementing to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better .
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Retesting twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function.
It's trial and error what dose each person needs. Frequently with Hashimoto's we need higher dose than average
If vitamin D is low, B vitamins may be too. As explained by Dr Gominack
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/286...
Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.
endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/...
Evidence of a link between increased level of antithyroid antibodies in hypothyroid patients with HT and 25OHD3 deficiency may suggest that this group is particularly prone to the vitamin D deficiency and can benefit from its alignment.
As you have Hashimoto's have you had coeliac blood test?
Are you on strictly gluten free diet?
I had a coeliac test about 9yrs ago which was neg. I am not on a gluten free diet. I know this is recommended. I am taking vit D 4000iu daily and K2MK7, selenium and magnesium. I will have another blood test in a month once I have had 2months of supplements. just thought my doctor might have been interested in my health. Thanks for all the info, it is very much appreciated and the support.
From my reading of this forum over many years - I do believe you will only find wellness by following the advice given here -sad but true !
Sadly the vast majority of us in here have only recovered full health by learning ourselves the importance of good vitamin levels, how extremely common gluten intolerance (or dairy intolerance) is with Hashimoto’s
Majority of GP’s or endocrinologists completely disinterested in just how complex and multifaceted Hashimoto’s is
It’s as much a disease of the gut as the thyroid
The ONLY way to know if strictly gluten free diet will help you .....is to try it .....3-6 months
Only 5% are coeliac. But over 80% find gluten free diet reduces symptoms, sometimes significantly
I was on levo but taken off as I had reaction and the doctor said my levels were within normal ranges so just stopped it. Now I realise the blood would be normal while I was on levo but I read now that once you are started on levo you should be on it for life? and one more question, why do they keep bloods under 2.5 when on levo but only start treating after 4.2? Shouldn't my new doctor be taking into consideration that I used to be on levo 15yrs ago. With all this new info I feel like I have been suffering for all this time. I was diagnosed with b12 def 9yrs ago when I had terrible symptoms. I feel this is all part of Hashi. Like most of us feeling very let down.
Getting vitamins all optimal MAY increase TSH so that you can get prescribed levothyroxine
With high antibodies, symptoms and low FT4 and FT4 and low vitamins you should be on replacement thyroid hormones
Getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing after 2-3 months
Make sure to get blood test as early as possible in morning and fasting
Unfortunately NHS guidance is not to treat vitamin D deficiency unless the number is below 25. I had the same experience as you, with a level of 25.3, despite us heading for winter (mine was November). I think if you get one of the newly qualified locum doctors, it's worse, because they're trying to think of the telling off they had about budgets, where a more experienced doctor might be inclined to treat you knowing the long term consequences.
GPs have this weird idea that us home testing patients are a bunch of "worried well". They don't seem to grasp that we're testing ourselves because we have symptoms, or that we're visiting the GP because those tests actually told us something.
I recommend trying out Izabella Wentz Hashimotos protocol. I started it 2 years ago and my antibodies are still within range.
thanks. I have looked at her website. I will buy her book.
By the way, my level was very close to yours, so I think you could use the dose my nutritionist recommended to me. I used the BetterYou vitamin D spray, 3000IU bottle. Take 9000IU/3sprays every day until the bottle runs out (30 days) then buy another bottle and take 3000IU/1spray a day until that bottle runs out.
Find another doctor and in the meantime just take supplements especially Vitamin D. It is criminal to leave you with such a low level. Find someone competent who will check you nodule. Good luck.
Frustrating appointment with GP, test results help please.
Hoarse voice as a symptom of hypothyroidism
Just a quick update, Endo appointment 👿
*sigh* another pointless appointment: CFS?
