GP not interested

[Zhr1]

Hello,

I posted some blood results on Thursday that I’d had taken via Medichecks and was offered some good advice.

Yesterday I posted the response from my GP, and hoped someone would respond with an idea of what to do next??

I thought I’d replied to seaside susie via the blue button, but I was very upset so may not have done this correctly. 🥴

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

GP obviously determined to be unhelpful

Iron and ferritin are very low. Can’t believe GP didn’t prescribe iron supplements

humanbean or SeasideSusie may comment on next step

Vitamin D - you will need to self supplement

Coeliac test pointless if you are not eating gluten

Folate don’t start supplementing until had further testing for PA

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Zhr1

I wasn't around much last night to respond, and I see that greygoose has responded this morning in much the same way as I would.

Your GP seems to be actually cherry picking what she wants to accept, i.e.

My GP dismissed the whole blood test, stating it wasn’t a format she understood and therefore irrelevant (Medichecks).

She agreed that the result for enlarged red blood cells (RDW) as stated on the report was higher than normal, but because the reporting doctor had written it’s not a concern, she was prepared to accept that aspect of the report, but dismissed the rest.

*

She said she’d not even heard of the MMA test, suggested on the report.

Is it beyond her to look into it, where she will find that this test is offered at St Thomas' Hospital in London.

*

She said ‘we’ knew your iron was low before,

As you say, why didn't she investigate at the time.

*

Did you go to this appointment on your own?

If so, can you take someone with you next tinme - a partner? Someone who can be assertive on your behalf if necessary. Often taking a male partner has quite a profound effect on the way doctors treat females (it certainly did when my son just sat in the room but didn't even say anything, after 4 previous consultations where the GP said "I don't know what it is", it suddenly became "would you like an MRI scan"?)

If you don't get anywhere then you may need to look for another GP. But do remember, if your private tests are challenged, to mention that they are accredited labs, using the same accreditation services as the NHS use, and sometimes even the same labs. Accreditation details are on Medichecks website.

[Zhr1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much. This was a telephone consultation as she had stated that I’m not ‘unwell’ enough to be seen during Covid. Which, to be honest, perhaps I’m not. I’m still functioning, all be it on a much slower level!

If it had been face to face I would have taken my husband.

I have queried the tests she had now agreed to do with a nurse friend, and she has detailed what they are:-

IAAS - autoimmune diabetes

Fer - ferritin

U&Es - kidney function

ITR - Haemochromotosis (though I don’t understand this one as looking online it’s based on High iron levels?)

TTG - coeliac (even though I told her I eat gluten free to help my Hashimoto’s)

NANAS- for RA

IFA - pernicious anaemia diagnostic

CCP - RA

SFOL - vit B12 and folate deficiency

RPGL - plasma glucose

ESIS - protein immunoglobulin

TSH - Thyroid

LFT - liver function

She did say she would ask for parietal cell antibody test, but I’m assuming the IFA will be similar or better perhaps??

I agree about the MMA test, I looked it up as I didn’t know what it was for so why couldn’t she?

I don’t understand why doctors take it as an insult when you try to help yourself, surely if more people were open to this the GPs could utilise their budgets better. I thought, naively, that she would be pleased!! Silly me! 🙄

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Zhr1]

So if she already knows your iron is low why isn’t she treating this?

List of tests

Thyroid - just testing TSH is useless

Ferritin. She should have ordered full iron panel test for anaemia

And coeliac test not applicable on GF diet

Come back with new post once you get results

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Zhr1]

Zhr1

ITR - Haemochromotosis (though I don’t understand this one as looking online it’s based on High iron levels?)

Yes, you are correct. Maybe your GP just hasn't got a clue about anything. If that was me I'd either be asking the GP (or the nurse if she's allowed to add tests) to do an iron panel (for iron deficiency and to back up your private test results) and full blood count (for anaemia). She already knows about your historic low iron levels so it beats me why she wants a test for Haemocromotosis.

[Zhr1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’m glad it doesn’t make any sense to you guys too, as I really did start to think I was losing my mind! ☹️

[Zhr1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry 1 more question. Should I fast for this test to get a clearer result, as she has offered no guidance? And should I take my thyroxine first thing in morning as normal or wait until after test?

I asked for the form so I could take it to path lab as my dad at hosp at 8.30am Monday for appointment, rather than book it through the surgery.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Zhr1]

Zhr1

Should I fast for this test to get a clearer result, as she has offered no guidance? And should I take my thyroxine first thing in morning as normal or wait until after test?

I take nothing and fast before any blood test (I always book them for early morning) just in case, the surgery never tells me anything so I err on the side of caution and don't let anything interfere with the test or results.

From labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Ferritin Test

Test Preparation Needed?

You may be instructed to fast for 12 hours before the test; in this case, only water is permitted.

and from nhs.uk/common-health-questi...

Common fasting blood tests

an iron blood test (used to diagnose conditions such as iron deficiency anaemia) – you fast for 12 hours before the test

Specific information about haemochromatosis:

nhs.uk/conditions/haemochro...