First trip to the endo on Tuesday. Help needed

[dizzy1979]

Hi all, so my gp can’t prescribe t3, he said he would need to refer me to the referral was months ago but the appointment is finally this Tuesday. Since being referred I have switch from Levo to ndt that I source myself, I know the endo isn’t going to support this in the same what that my go does, but I would like to try and get help with my hashimotos more then my thyroid. What questions should I be asking? And what can I expect from my first nhs endo appointment?

[Lalatoot]

It very much depends on the endo I'm afraid. Some listen; some don't. Some know very little; others are more knowledgeable. Until you've met the endo you won't be able to judge!

[greygoose]

What sort of help do you want for your Hashi's? There is no treatment/cure for it. All you can do is replace the missing hormones as the thyroid slowly dies off. And it's somewhat unlikely that the endo will know much about Hashi's, anyway. Not many of them do. Is he a thyroid specialist or a diabetes specialist. If he's a diabetes specialist, the best you can expect is being fobbed off. The worst sent away with a flea in your ear. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

[dizzy1979 in reply to greygoose]

Great can’t wait to waste half a day away from work 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Hidden]

Whatever you may do or say, do not let him/her get the better of you. If he starts ranting on about NDT being unlicensed, not recommended, dangerous or whatever, simply stand your ground and state quite openly you have been driven to this because of the rotten way you have so far been subject to and expect him to get you well, not give you a lecture............etc.

[dizzy1979 in reply to Hidden]

I’m fully expecting a lecture and will tell him/her that for 20 years I was on levo and felt awful and the last 8 months I have been on ndt and although I still am not 100% I am a million times better then ever before. I have a stressful job that mentally drains me, and I’m sure that if my life was not so busy I would feel even better. I have had several gps who have not been able to regulate my levels and kept changing my dosage of levo, and since being on the right dose of ndt I’m stable. My gp even asked where I sourced my ndt to recommend to another of his patients who is suffering. The endo is purely a suggestion on his part that they could assist/advise with the hashis that I discovered on a private blood test.

[LAHs in reply to dizzy1979]

That sounds pretty good to me, just tell the Endo all of that. Keep optimistic, you just might get a good one. If you don't, don't get depressed, take things into your own hands. You have discovered NDT, that is the best medication. If your Endo will not cooperate, just go your own way like many of us here do. It's very scary but you have already gone half way yourself, now you might need to fiddle with your dose a little bit, that's no big deal.

Look, we would all love an educated doctor encouraging and helping us along but barely none of us has one. I do have a great Chinese Endo, but once you are stable you are handed off to the GP - and, Oh boy, is he stupid when it comes to Thyroid business. I just stop listening when he tries to tell me stuff about my thyroid condition. I got well pretty much on my own, so don't give up, keep reading, studying and asking questions here.

[silverfox7]

Write a list of all you want to ask. When you get in there it’s not unusual to forget!

[dizzy1979]

I saw the Endo she wasn’t helpful, said that t3 has not been proven to be beneficial and that Levo was the only thing that will help. She dismissed that I felt better and said the long term effects of t3 that I am sourcing myself could be harmful. She has requested new bloods tomorrow and said I will get a call if anything urgent otherwise they will see me in 3 months.