This was in a letter I received from my GP. He started his letter by saying he had discussed the best way to help me with his colleagues.
This was in response to me passing to him recent blood tests and an ultra sound I had done in Cyprus.
His letter continued that finding a private endocrinologist may be faster for me and he would support whichever decision I made!
Has anyone else had similar experiences?
It is not up the GP to make decisions he can put a referral through for you and the Endocrinologist will see you pretty quickly. Ask him again to do a referral for you ASAP and ask him to give you the password of the referral so you can chase it up. The alternative is to have one session with a Private consultant that works at the hospital you want to be seen, initially he will charge you however your foot will in the door almost straight away to be treated under the NHS. Hope this helps
Thanks for reading. The secretary at the medical centre said in Lincolnshire it is not possible to book an appointment to an encrinologist - the hospital booking system refuses to accept them. The secretary suggested I ring around hospitals in other areas to see if any would accept a referral! I left her looking into whether the tests and ultra sound scan I have can just be sent for advice .
I think hospital endos have a backlog of patients now. If they'd previously consulted with the patient (before lockdown), they woud have made a telephone consultation to discuss.
If they have results of your tests, I would have thought it may have been sent to GP.
I would insist he refers you anyway because he doesn't actually know how long it will take to see an Endocrinologist. Everybody is blaming covid for everything when infact I have just got an appointment at a hospital and it took a few weeks not months. Mine isn't with an Endocrinologist but I was surprised at how quickly it came through. Of course it will be a lot quicker if you pay but I would ask for the list of recommended Endocrinologists from Thyroid UK before making an appointment.
Thanks for your reply. I have the list but no one on it in Lincolnshire.
Have you got the list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists from Thyroid U.K.
Ideally pick one that is NHS and Private, and see them initially on private appointment
NHS appointment for standard hypothyroid issues can take months under normal circumstances, so may be even longer now
Thank you for replying. My gp surgery say they cannot book at all in Lincolnshire. I have the list you mention but there is no one in my county. I am waiting for gp surgery to ring as I asked if they could send all my recent test results and ultr sound to 'e - advice and guidance'. I was prescribed beta blockers when on holiday in Cyprus and using My doctor online told my usual Gp my betablockers were about to run out. His advice via a call from receptionist ' take remainder of tablets every other day then stop'. My symptoms which prompted my visit to GP on holiday have returned. Gp there was also a cardiologist and adamant on my return to uk should see an endicrinologist as he believed my problem was connected to thyroid.
Do you mean there are no Endo’s in the whole of Lincolnshire ? x
Nhs not taking bookings according to secretary at my GPs. Have just got off the phone and got a private appointment face to face next Monday evening.
Thats great youve got a private appt!
However ‘Not taking bookings’ is that to get the waiting lists to look better ?? x
I think there must be a huge backlog due to patients not being able to make appointments during lockdown.
Great news
Is this a thyroid specialist endocrinologist or a diabetes specialist?
Results from previous post
Ferritin 80.08 ng/ml range 10 - 329
Vitamin D 14.9 ng/ml desirable level >30
Folate 3.34 ng/ml 4.6 - 18.7
Vitamin B12 473.5 pg/ml 197 - 221 (range is incorrect)
TSH 0.30 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.2
Free T4 17.34 pmol/L 12 - 22
Free T3 4.18 pmol/L 3.4 - 6 8
Thyroperoxidase >600.0 IU/ml <34
Thyroglobulin 3302 IU/L <115
High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s.
Frequently necessary to be strictly gluten free
Ask for coeliac blood test BEFORE trialing strictly gluten free diet
Folate is deficient - endocrinologist should provide prescription for folic acid.
Though it’s often better supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too
Difference between folate and folic acid
chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...
Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
B vitamins best taken after breakfast
Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)
Or Thorne Basic B is another option that contain folate, but is large capsule
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
Low B12 symptoms
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
B12 under 500 may want to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months, then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
B12 sublingual lozenges
amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...
cytoplan.co.uk/vitamins/vit...
Vitamin D is very low at 14ng/ml - 34nmol in U.K. units
endmemo.com/medical/unitcon...
Endo/GP should prescribe 1600iu vitamin D everyday for 6 months
GP will often only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.
Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol
leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...
GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)
mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...
NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...
vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average
Calculator for working out dose you may need to bring level to 40ng/ml = 100nmol
grassrootshealth.net/projec...
Government recommends everyone supplement October to April
gov.uk/government/news/phe-...
Taking too much vitamin D is not a good idea
chriskresser.com/vitamin-d-...
With your Vit D, are you also taking it's important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7?
Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
healthline.com/nutrition/vi...
The endocrinologist I have booked has previously been secretary to the British Thyroid Association.
I was prescribed beta blockers when on holiday in Cyprus
Which beta blockers?
Propranolol?
How much and how long have you been on beta blocker?
The beta blockers were prescribed in Cyprus. As they were running out I asked GPs surgery whether I required another prescription. The advice from gp - take remainder of tablets every other day until they run out. The dizzy symptoms returned. I bought a heart monitor. Resting is between 90 and 103. I am hoping my appoinment with the endocrinologist will address this too.
Which beta blocker, there are lots of different ones
Thyroid results
Was test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Ft4 is only 53% through range
Ft3 is only 23% through range
Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range
So very poor conversion
Improving low vitamin levels and strictly gluten free diet likely to help improve conversion and and absorption
Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine?
Blood test advice for NHS endocrinologist appointment 
Urgent help please: Getting an NHS GP to agree to blood tests for a private endocrinologist
GP says taking T4 would suppress T3 level 
Urgent help please. Private endocrinologist tomorrow or NHS 2 to 3 months wait?
Shall I write to the Endocrinologist before my first appointment next month?
