How many Drs does it take to request a blood test??

[overunbykids]

The answer for me today is apparently more than 2. (Apologies for the following rant in advance).

My appointment today with my normally lovely doctor was sat in by an American exchange doctor as well. My doctor has known for quite a while that my thyroid is giving me no end of pain and troubles, but said last visit to wait till todays appointment to get bloods done so i could recover from chest and sinus infections and laryngitis. I haven't had bloods done since May, so am overdue anyway.

The visiting doctor was only meant to sit in the corner and observe, but when I explained to my doctor that I wanted my vitamins levels checked as well as thyroid bloods, the American doctor started to go on and on about how she read that my area of Australia is low in iodine and how people are using Himalayan salt now instead of iodized salt. She said it causes goiter and "generous" sized thyroids (her words, not mine) in the people, and how even though i take supplements already, I need to be urine tested for iodine and supplemented it as it would fix all my issues. My doctor lapped all that hogwash up and sent me out the door with only a urine pathology request for iodine, instead of any thyroid blood tests. I am spitting mad.

I know some health professionals give their Hashi's patients iodine, but I have read too many articles on how it negatively impacts a person once they develope Hashimotos.

Makes me wonder if ignorance between the medical profession is contagious? 🙄

[greygoose]

I would say, it probably is! I don't think I would have allowed them to get away with that, had it been me. Utterly appalling!

[overunbykids in reply to greygoose]

Agreed. I tried several times to bring the conversation back on track without success. I decided to just leave and wait till after Christmas, when the visiting doctor will hopefully have moved on.

[Lora7again in reply to overunbykids]

The visiting Doctor knows nothing about thyroid disease and should keep their nose out imho

[overunbykids in reply to Lora7again]

Exactly!

[Lora7again in reply to overunbykids]

You could have objected to them being present you know ... I did that once with a trainee male midwife because I did not want him removing my stitches or watching lol

[greygoose in reply to overunbykids]

Sounds like a good idea. I have noticed, over the years, that a doctor who has someone with him, be it a student or another doctor 'observing', changes their attitude completely. Both to the patient and the disease. I'd like to think that in future, should I be unfortunately enough to find I need a doctor, I would walk straight out again if I found they had someone with them. I know students need to learn, and all that. But, the difference their presence makes on the 'teaching' doctor means that they're learning the wrong things.

[overunbykids in reply to greygoose]

Indeed!!

[Lora7again in reply to greygoose]

I did see a locum once who was American he requested a full thyroid function blood what test he got was TSH and Iron .... poor man and poor me!

[greygoose in reply to Lora7again]

[overunbykids in reply to Lora7again]

Sometimes the health system lets everyone down.

[Lora7again]

Can you afford to do your own private testing at Medichecks? I use them because the NHS is inadequate. I was ill in July and admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack which turned out to be a thyroid storm and when I asked my GP for a full thyroid function test all he got because the labs saw the TSH was in range was the TSH and a liver function nothing else no vitamin tests no antibodies test even though mine are 4000 and he knows this. I have given up on my GP and any other Doctors and now monitor my own health because the only Doctor who knew anything about thyroid disease is now dead and I have not met any others who compare to him. To be fair they have to follow NHS guidelines and the reason Dr Skinner was attacked by the GMC was because he refused to follow the blood test guidelines issued by the NHS and went by symptoms. This was used by Doctors long ago before some idiot introduced the TSH and then we were forced to use artificial thyroxine because of big Pharma in this country. Sorry to rant about this but I have been badly treated by the NHS for 12 long years and I am not the only one who has been made to suffer. I have come across people who are suicidal because of this disease. I myself did consider it at one point because I had no quality of life and was bedridden. I am glad I didn't because I am now in remission from Graves' Disease.

[overunbykids in reply to Lora7again]

I am so sorry to hear how much the NHS and doctors in general have put you through. The Australian system is better in some ways, but just as ignorant and repressed in others.

I am not sure if Medichecks can be done in Australia, but I am on a very limited income atm.

[Lora7again in reply to overunbykids]

Google private blood tests in your area because sometimes they have special offers.