Is it time to go back to my gp

[Hapyjackie]

Is it time to go back to my gp

Help please

I have now been on NDT for over 18months the first year was amazing the difference in how I felt was unbelievable.

However over the last month or so I have developed all over itching and it’s driving me mad!

My gp does not know I am on NDT although I had expected to hear from them as I have not filled my Levo prescription for well over a year!

I am starting to wonder if I should give Levo a go again and maybe just request a different brand? (Previously on Levo 100mcg was tired all the time cold, weight gain, it was as if it just wasn’t working)

I am worried when I tell my gp that they will be angry and therefore unsympathetic.

I am 62 and very overweight and all to often that’s all they can see it took me years for them to take my symptoms seriously. Very much a case of “she’s fat she must be overeating and lazy and probably diabetic! I was put on antidepressants and tested numerous times for diabetes before finally getting them to listen.

On 2 occasions I have been referred to an endocrinologist and what a total waste of time that was.

I have been self medicating NDT (with the help of this amazing site) and was on 3 tablets daily.

Sorry for the ramble and thank you for reading

[shaws]

Soimetimes there can be some changes in the fillers/binders of hormones. You can try taking one anti-histamine tablet one hour before your next dose to see if alleviates the irritation. If so you can try another make.

The following might be helpful and it is by a doctor who would never prescribe levo, only NDT or T3 if patients were thyroid hormone resistant.

naturalthyroidsolutions.com...

[Hapyjackie in reply to shaws]

Thank you I will try the antihistamines and see if it helps and I will read your link thank you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hapyjackie

As you are self medicating, are you also doing private thyroid tests to monitor your levels?

If you are currently overweight that may be because you are undermedicated. Do you have any other symptoms?

Do you have current thyroid test results?

Are your vitamin levels optimal so that your thyroid hormone can work properly, i.e. Vit D, B12, folate, ferritin?

Which NDT do you take and how much - as in grains not tablets because the tablets come in different sizes.

I would look into all this first before going to your GP.

Medichecks has the Thyroid Check ULTRAVIT test on special offer today and that tests the complete thyroid/vitamin panel

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Also, when self medicating and you don't intend to tell your GP, it's not a particularly good idea to stop picking up your prescription for Levo. You don't have to get it filled but just picking up your prescription means that no-one at the surgery would have any indication that you're not taking your Levo.

[m7-cola in reply to SeasideSusie]

Good advice!

[Hapyjackie in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ah unfortunately as I haven’t picked up a prescription for over a year they would probably notice if I resumed. Good advice though to anyone else going down this road.

I am taking 3x 60 mg thyroid-S

My last test was in April and I think it wasn’t as accurate as it could be as it was 28hours after my dose of NDT (I have since read it should be no more than 8 which is different to Levo I believe)

TSH <0.005 Range 0.27 - 4.2

Free T3 7.38 Range 3.1 - 6.8

Free Thyroxine 16.6. Range 12 - 22

May be time to get it done again and this time get the timings right.

Thanks again for your time

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hapyjackie]

Yes, last dose of NDT should be 8-12 hours before blood draw.

As you left 28 hours then your FT4 and FT3 showed false lows. As your FT3 was showing over range, that would mean that your true level would be quite a lot higher than the 7.38 (3.1-6.8) recorded. You were overmedicated at the time of that test.

I would take advantage of today's Medichecks offer linked to above, it needs to be ordered before midnight to get it at the discounted price. Do the test with the correct timing of your NDT, after an overnight fast and water only to drink before the test (no coffee, tea, etc). Post the samples back the same day - Monday to Wednesday and to ensure they get there the next day use Royal Mail's Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm Next Day (you have to hand your envelope over the counter at the post office and get a receipt with the tracking number, cost of Special Delivery will be about £7).

Post your new results, with reference ranges, on the forum for further suggestions.

[Hapyjackie in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks again. Unfortunately I am not in a position to get a test this month but will try next month.

I usually take my NDT about 6am to allow a cuppa at 7am. Am I best to literally wake myself at 2am to take my NDT on the day of the test or take it as normal and have bloods at 2pm? Sorry but it’s a lot of money to me and I want to make sure I don’t get “false” results as I did last time. Thanks again

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hapyjackie]

Do you take your NDT all at once in one dose? Many people split their dose and it's easier to time the last dose 8-12 hours before the test.

Otherwise, if you take it all in one dose, I would change the timing of your dose the day or two before the test. I'm not good at working that out, I'll ask SlowDragon to pop along and suggest how you might change the timing of your dose for the test.

[Hapyjackie in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you I take it all at once at the moment but if it’s better to split it happy to do so. Some advice would be good. Thanks again

[Hay2016 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Is there no checks on prescriptions? They are all coded and numbered. Very interested as trying to find out if the GP gets a list of filled prescriptions to do any audits of written vs filled scripts for exactly your reasoning above as if you stop getting a script it drops off your repeats.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hay2016]

Is there no checks on prescriptions?

I don't know what the current situation is but on a different forum this was stated back in 2011 by someone who works within the NHS analysing GP prescribing data:

GPs have absolutely no way of knowing whether prescriptions they have issued have actually been 'cashed' by the patient. There is a difference between prescriptions issued and prescriptions cashed, but GPs have no way of tracking the differences for individual patients.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking through previous posts have you ever had ultrasound scan of your thyroid?

Antibodies test appears to be negative but

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ever been told that cause of your hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroid disease?

What vitamin supplements do you currently take

When were vitamin levels last tested?

With regards to timing before testing.

Bloods should be tested as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

Last dose NDT 8-12 hours prior to blood test

Suggest you split dose day before taking half or third of dose in evening just before bed

[Hapyjackie in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you

Vitamins levels were tested in April and seemed ok

Vit D 64.6 (50-175)

Vit B12 147 (37.5-188)

I have not been taking any supplements do you think I should?

No I have never had a scan as neither my gp or Endo have ever taken me seriously enough to want to look into my symptoms further!

I would imagine it’s an expensive procedure to do yourself.

I will start splitting my dose from now on and then when I get tested next it will be a more accurate result.

Thanks again