High risk conditions?: Hi all.. hope your staying... - Thyroid UK

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High risk conditions?

Lisajane7 profile image
20 Replies

Hi all.. hope your staying safe and well.

I wanted to know if there is a way of getting a personal diagnosis of vunerability. I have read the thyroid associations recommendation that thyroid disease does not come under the high risk conditions during the covid-19 crisis. I have Graves disease and numerous other conditions and since I was diagnosed with autoimmune disease in 2010, my health has deteriorated. If I am unwell, or have caught a cough and cold etc. Unlike a normal healthy person I seem to become very unwell and often end up having multiple courses of abx and it can take me months to get well again! Its happening more as I get older too. For example my absess in my mouth... I have had 5 lots of abx and I still have the infection.... I have been isolating now for nearly 9 weeks and I wont be going out any time soon... I am so scared of catching Covid as I think it could be very bad for me... but thyroid disease doesnt come under high risk conditions!!! I think it should be on an individual basis and for a medical professional to give a diagnosis.. so is there anyone I could get this done please?

Regards

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Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7
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20 Replies
bantam12 profile image
bantam12

You can ask your GP but being on "the list" hasn't helped me in any way at all, I've had 3 letters and 2 phone calls telling me I'm "extremely vulnerable " and to register on the gov site for help but so far I've not managed to get a shopping delivery slot or received any other offer of help, so unless you are desperate for outside help there doesn't seem much point.

041051 profile image
041051 in reply to bantam12

My son is in the "shielding" group and he has had the same thing. Phone calls and letters but no actual help. He lives with me and I am a disabled pensioner. Normally I rely on my son to drive me to the shops but obviously that is not possible now. This means that I am expected to do the shopping. I can't drive far enough to go to the supermarket and even if I could, I couldn't stand in the queues outside or at the tills. I therefore go out most mornings when the local shops open and pick up a few things at a time. I don't want to put myself at risk by having to do this but I have no choice. My son was sent a paper prescription from the hospital. I phoned the number he had been given to ask if someone could collect the prescription for him but I was told no, I asked the pharmacy if they could deliver the medication and I would leave the prescription somewhere safe outside but that was a no too. I had to go to the local pharmacy where there is less than 2 metres width and have a member of staff walk within inches of me 3 times before I was served. They didn't have enough of the medication so I was told I would have to pay £5 to have them delivered or go back the following week. I usually use a pharmacy a couple of miles away who deliver free of charge but they weren't able to help because the prescription was for my son and not myself/

bantam12 profile image
bantam12 in reply to 041051

Your son should have had his prescription delivered free as usual, someone was telling you porkies !

Im still going to the supermarket, just trying to keep clear of others, luckily we live in a rural area so less people around anyway but it's still a risk.

Have you tried calling your council for help ? there are lots of groups set up to organise getting shopping and prescriptions delivered.

Stay well and good luck.

041051 profile image
041051 in reply to bantam12

It was the council who told me they couldn't help. They had phoned the previous day and told me to ring a designated number if I needed help. Shopping and prescription collection were things I was told I could get help with. The prescription arrived the next day so I phoned the number I had been given. I had to leave a message and a couple of hours later a man phoned and told me "my supervisor has told me we can't help you". Take care bantam12 and thanks for replying

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to 041051

Oh my... that is completely unacceptable.. Watching the daily updates they say help is available and at risk people are getting extra help! Have you tried your local council? I think your local MP should be informed of these failings... and if they wont listen then go to the Minister for health.

Thanks for your reply

Take care

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply to bantam12

Hi there - I am in the shielding group and once I filled in the Government website form and then my GP added me to the list as I was one of the many who were missed off - it all worked out OK - I now have priority delivery slots and the council have been in touch asking if I need any further help.

If you are on the list and nothing happening then something is wrong - I was even offered food boxes but declined as I am able to get online shopping delivered- been in now for over 8 weeks - but it has flown by - thank goodness.

There are instances where over many thousands of patients were missed off the list so you need to check with your GP that you have been added - if you know you are on the list and the government text messages confirm you are then something is wrong as I have said previously. You should be able to get help for your son and not have to go out in case you bring back the CV to your son - my husband has been in with me for the whole period.

If you have filled in the Government website questionnaire and received nothing back or a text message saying contact your Dr then that means you are not on the list.

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to posthinking01

Hi, which government form is this please?

bantam12 profile image
bantam12 in reply to Lisajane7

The form is the one to fill in on the gov site if you have either got one of the listed conditions OR you have had the shielding letter, if you can't tick either of those then you can't go any further with it. Have you asked your GP ? but honestly is there any point unless you need food boxes because supermarket delivery slots are as rare as hens teeth and I have still not been offered anything at all.

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to bantam12

I am shocked by all these failings! the Government make it sound like the vunerable are getting help and support...

Stay safe and well

If the medical associations are saying there is no link, then there is no link!

These very same associations say that levothyroxine is the "gold standard" and that NDT is useless but I KNOW that the genuine truth is the exact OPPOSITE of this.

Therefore why should I believe what these associations declare when I am very well aware that they MUST and DO know that NDT is a lifesaver?

I have every reason to believe that having no thyroid gland at all caused my kidney cancer 9 years ago whilst taking Levothyroxine alone and still having severe hypothyroid symptoms.

It is most fortunate for me that I discovered the reason for this, which is that NDT alone was capable of giving me some degree of good health,eliminating these symptoms and mending my immune system, the weakening of which had nearly killed me.

My CCG has lied to me and given me an incomprehensible reason for not granting my IFR for NHS prescribed NDT whilst failing to give me any proof whatsoever for the blacklisting of NDT other than the biased opinions of "experts" seemingly under the control of the pharmaceutical companies.

You can make up your own mind who you want to believe. NHS surgeons and nurses have saved me on the multiple occasions that I have trusted my very life to them, but I wouldn't trust the medical associations and their "experts" one iota.

If you still have symptoms when your GP tells you that your blood results are "perfect", you need to take the greatest care to avoid this virus, the consequences could be severe.

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to

Thank you for your reply. It is unbelievable that this is where we are and our only crime is being unwell with a chronic and life changing disease.

Take care

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Lisajane

What is it that you are hoping for if you get a personal diagnosis of vulnerability?

A food box from the government?

An online shopping slot?

Something else?

If you've been isolating for nearly 9 weeks and haven't been out, have you had help from someone to bring your shopping, medication, etc?

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to SeasideSusie

I have a number of medical issues and while Ive tried to access help they have asked if I have been told to shield, which I havent. I feel like I have to justify to them why Im isolating and go through my medical history.

Its just me and hubby and he is doing shopping etc.. apart from that I really dont know what Im trying to achieve. Feeling alittle let down by medical professionals and everyone lately 😪

Ellie-Louise profile image
Ellie-Louise

Lloyd’s in Sainsbury’s were very good to me last week. I’d only had my prescription once before from them having changed my chemist because of almost constant errors.

They arranged my prescription (2 different items inc Levo) over the phone, all I’d done was ring to find out how to go about getting one, then when it was in stock one of the assistants brought it round to my house out of “goodwill to their vulnerable customers”.

When the young woman arrived she told me about Lloyd’s online service that arranges your prescription from the doctor and then delivers it free. It’s called Echo.

echo.co.uk/how-echo-works/

If we are in the same situation next time I shall do exactly that.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01

The Government couldn't possibly render everyone they would probably like as vulnerable the whole system would keel over. I was considered vulnerable before this happened unfortunately - believe me I wish that was different.

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7 in reply to posthinking01

Me too.... but the fear is still there.... 😪

Batty1 profile image
Batty1

Just wear a mask when your out and avoid crowded situations.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply to Batty1

Hi there I was wearing a mask and surgical gloves years before this - I once had someone sneeze near me in Marks and Spencer and I caught a cold and ended up with Sepsis and at death's door because my recurrent UTI went out of control as my already weak immune system marched off to help the cold and left me wide open to the UTI going into the bloodstream - if only that woman who did that knew that she nearly killed me.

Lisajane7 profile image
Lisajane7

Did your daughter just recieve the letter or did she need to approach her gp for it please?

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01

HI there

I forgot to add you have to be careful wearing masks - if they are disposable throw away after every use - sensibly and hygienically of course - but you also have to remember how to remove it without touching the front of the mask - take off from the ears and hold with one finger and dispose of.

If wearing a cloth mask you will have to have several of them - wear once and wash in an antibacterial way -separate from anything else that it can contaminate - apart from the virus being on the mask - there are bacteria up our noses that would and could cause illness if you allow it to stay on a mask hour after hour day after day they will multiply. Staph and Strep in particular - so don't think just wearing a mask is enough - there are also personal responsibilities for your own health in wearing and in the use of one.

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