Just in case anyone is unaware you can make appointments, order repeat prescription and find your results and medical history (to a certain extent) online. You may have to go to your surgery with some ID and you’ll be sent a login password to use with one of many sites offering this service.
What I found out was that my TSH has been 0.something for the last 15 years! It’s only the last 4 or 5 years that docs have been worried that I’m overmedicated with thyroxine! So far no one has explained why I was on the same medication for 25 years then TSH took a dive - literally - they even show it on a graph!
Doctors have not given me an explanation considering I don’t have a thyroid (due RAI) unless it’s growing back!!
Anyhow it’s worth checking out getting into your personal info. Beats asking for a print out etc. Give it a go!
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Catseyes235
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That’s not good! Wonder why not. Actually I grew up in Scotland and only found out when I applied to look at my records that I haven’t had my records before 1974 sent on... frustrating as would love to access them.
Most of my records have gone missing too. I’d love to know what my thyroid function was during pregnancy—I know they tested it. But alas, I moved 150 miles north in 2000 and it seems like none of my records found their way to my new surgery.
I’m going to try and track mine down. I know from working in the NHS records that they should by rights have been requested by any new doctor but when I worked there I always just assumed mine had. But also by working as a doctors receptionist I know that unless records were requested the surgery just held on to them as they received payment for them!
But I think many feel unhappy about the whole process of making the request and so on. Even with a positive attitude from the staff, you could easily feel you are putting them out - however reasonable you are being.
I’ve always had free and easy access to my GP records - no questions ever asked as to why I want them, I was just asked to call for them in the afternoon when they were quieter.Then when I broke my wrist last year I was given a MyChart link by the hospital - I didn’t even have to ask for it. It links all the treatment I’ve had from then on, upcoming and past appointments, blood and other test results, copies of letters sent to my GP etc, etc.
I’m a Scot but have loved living in the south east for the last forty plus years - I wonder why they don’t have patient access to records up there?
Having a very low TSH or even TSH of zero doesn’t necessarily mean over medicated
You’re fortunate that your GP is not TSH obsessed
Only if Ft3 is significantly above top of range are you over medicated
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
Aware of all the arguments. Some of my docs are TSH obsessed. Main one isn’t. One thing is when my TSH took a dive was after I stopped taking HRT. Wonder if there’s any connection
Appalling ..been available ages in England! Maybe that’s why I can’t access my records from 0-19 from Scotland - won’t let them over the border! I hope I’m not being claimed for by some surgery?? I worked as a receptionist so know a thing or two about how it was in the old days!
Just rung drs and the only way I can get blood results or any results is to email the practice or go and pick them up. It would be so much easier to get them on patient access.
Although online patient access is supposed to be available in GP practices in England, not all practices have fully complied yet, and some only offer certain facilities such as appointment booking, but not access to records. Very often, too, test or scan results returned to consultants are not shown. Also, NHS records are seemingly only kept for 5-7 years, so historic information is almost impossible to find. Some people use the new NHS app, but we have issues getting this to work for some reason. There really should be a simpler and more comprehensive way of accessing our information.
Our practice has not put in historic records, only those from when we registered for online access. Apart from a weird vaccination record from childhood, which, for me, is not accurate, and does not include some vaccinations I had as an adult. Very few hospital communications regarding appointments,tests and procedures are uploaded, and only one or two sets of hospital blood test results. Wanting to access some older results, I was concerned to discover that the NHS routinely discards anything older than ten years at the most, so checking and comparing past issues is often impossible. The NHS app itself was supposed to give access to hospital records, but this facility is no longer advertised, even if we could get it to work!
Blimey where do you live? Records have been computerised for years and not destroyed ...that would be illegal!! A letter of results was always sent from hospital and put in your notes. If anything is missing it’s down to doctors’ then receptionists to file in those large cardboard files.
Hi yes I did ask for this as problems with this GP over my thyroid, but it would let me in..So I had a print off,some details were missing one important one what was the cause of my thyroid condition, and when it was diagnosed which was some20 years ago,this doc had 2013!!!
I am still struggling with this moron,he hasn't followed instructions to check my vit D also other results which I found in the print off.
Also until a month ago when the make of my thyroxine was changed from teva to astro did I ask about the new manufacturer as I started to feel unwell ,to be fair I always suffered being unwell.
I googled teva to see why they were no longer available to me.
Goodness they had been withdrawn some years ago and recalled all doctors and chemists were notified it was the time I was back and forth telling the doctors my thyroid wasn't right .
They asked a few times was I taking my meds of course ,my answer.
These meds teva hadn't the adequate thyroid dose in them ,why then was I still been given them until now!!!!!
And no one said when I was back and forth the doctors,i was getting all sorts of symptoms.
Teva apparently hadn't a good shelf life .
Now issues are more 1 doc increased by 25 the other says its better on the low side!!!!!!
I am awaiting bloods in March,also I ask why my vitD hadn't been checked in 8 years ,I was on them but they upset my tum ,and I was told to leave them off ,now it quite low so this doc said there a type made with shark oil turns out not to be,and again a really bad reaction on my tum.
I am calling that doc today ,I have sent my thyroid reading into one of your team she said they were low and needed increasing.
I am going to try and access my records and want to know why I was kept on a tablet that was of no use!!!!.
The issues with Teva referred to the 100 mcg tablets, which were withdrawn from the market a few years ago.. They were then re-issued with a new formulation, which is what you would have been given if that was your dosage. No-one is kept on faulty medication once a problem is noted. If your pharmacist has dispensed Teva in any of its available dosages, they are doing it quite correctly. Members of our family are prescribed Teva 25mcg and 75mcg with no problems.
Yes it was that time I was suffering as my thyroid was low,I was even asked if I was taking them,and for 25 years I've had teva only4 weeks ago it has changed to astro as the teva are no longer available and all that time no one with drew them.
No-one is kept on faulty medication once a problem is noted.
Not quite correct in this particular case, At the same time as the Teva issue, there were supply issues with at least one other make of levothyroxine. The MHRA delayed the recall in order to ensure that there was sufficient alternative stock available.
Further, from memory, I don't think the recall was down to patient level. Any patient who had the problem Teva tablets was left to continue using them until they got a new prescription.
I know I was taking Teva at the time and, when I went to the pharmacy, they knew nothing about the issue.
These meds teva hadn't the adequate thyroid dose in them
The 2012 Teva recall was NOT because they did not contain the correct amount of levothyroxine. It was because the levothyroxine was not being released properly from the tablet.
(That looks very fussy, but the difference might be important to someone.)
Hi well I was on them at that time with a ???? Why my thyroid wasn't right and time after time I was asked are you taking the meds how long was the recall?As no one told me about them I was always on teva for over 20 years.
Receptionist at my surgery doesn’t think there is any such thing as online access to records despite encouraging patients to download the NHS app. Subject access request in writing - one addressed to reception, and one to the practice manager, ignored so far. Would make a fuss but have no idea what pressures they might be under with vaccines etc.They will print off blood results but a request for historic bloods results in a page of gobbeldygook with very few actual results.
Keep on trying ... I’d actually make a phone appointment (online if possible!) and tell a doctor. They don’t always know what receptionists are like unless you tell them. After all, being able to access your results online takes pressure off reception!! Good luck!
Hi Catseyes235, I don’t know which part of the U.K. you are in but where I’ve am Patient Access and patient knows best are less than useless! There’s nothing regarding conditions, in fact I’m seriously beginning to believe they haven’t even got my thyroid. My levo dosage is incorrect, I’ve contacted the surgery and so has the pharmacy. I’m SO losing confidence in them. It’s all too frustrating.
Sorry are you saying you have got Patient Access? You can definitely find your results there but not obvious at first. Explore the 3 bar menu drop down where repeat prescriptions are?
Catseyes235, Sorry are you saying you have got Patient Access? You can definitely find your results there
No Catseyes235, Some people have very limited patient access. Book appointments and/or order repeat prescriptions. That's it. No access to personal records.
Catseyes235, If you can get on to Patientaccess.com you can access your history of results! ?
No this is not the case! What is available to you depends on the services activated at YOUR individual surgery. Lots of people across the whole of the UK (i.e. not just Wales and Scotland!) cannot see their history of results, even though they may be able to log in for other services.
Just a couple of weeks ago we had a thread about these issues:
I am posting this link to the new GP 2020/21 contract again for people who are still being refused digital access to their online GP records in ENGLAND
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This is a continuing issue and may be made worse by the pressures Practices face with the pandemic. If this is an issue delay to access is acceptable with explanation but not refusal.
Thanks for posting that. That last sentence is sooo true. Accessing my records in the 80s was like pulling teeth. Why on earth should anyone want to see what is written about them?? I had to bring pen and pad to note down everything. What of course was interesting was to see what was or was not included as I tried to find out what was wrong with me early days before thyroid diagnosis!
People in England continue to be refused access. To have limited choice of app. To have to register and separately login to each possible app. And that is just in England.
Furthermore. even if you get access, even if you use the recommended app, you can fail to receive the information to which you are entitled. Recently we had problems due to technical incompetence within the Airmid system.
The end result is that many cannot see what they are told they should be able to.
You don’t get personal comments anymore! I’ve been happy with Patientaccess so far except getting in is sometimes a nightmare because several layers of security. We have to keep on fighting but some don’t even try or just accept that they can’t do anything.
People should write to their MPs etc. There needs to be a campaign. For some reason I felt reassured to see my recent COVID vaccine listed! One of my issues was that you could make an online appointment earlier than by phoning. Great for me but not for those unable to access online facilities.
For those with problems in England, it would probably be better to go through the NHS bodies first.
Members of Parliament, as in Westminster, are not appropriate for the other three nations - political management of their NHS organisations being devolved. Hence:
People in Northern Ireland should write to their Members of the Legislative Assembly.
People in Scotland should write to their Members of Scottish Parliament.
People in Wales should write to their Members of Senedd.
Do you know that patientaccess is a website? There’s also a Co-op one and many others. Instead of arguing that some people cannot access records (which of course I accept) you should be asking why not? Get people who can to fight for their legal rights.
No I’m not - you keep posting about finding a doctor etc not accessing patient information. If you haven’t managed to access your own information for whatever reason please don’t accuse me of something untrue. This may only apply to England but unless there is patient demand nothing changes. I have shared to link to everything I suggest.
Unless you have been given user name and password from your surgery (have you??) you may not have the same links.
Your surgery, when you say you want to get your records online, should send a letter with a password and username etc. to access and change to own password etc. nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-...
I thought that was weird. The NHS are always strict about confidentiality and access to records. E.G the Data Protection Act. To be able to manage access to records would be too complicated if you could access them through different companies/sites where the source is the NHS. It is not structured like that.
Check it out first and see. First go to your doctors surgery. These companies, like Co-op and are only conduits to encrypted info which only you and your doctor can access. (but seem to have links to private health as you occasionally see ads which you can ignore. )
It is not inaccurate information it’s just that some surgeries are choosing for whatever reason to withhold info. I could understand if a small practice maybe but even then ability to access your results online avoids unnecessary calls to the surgery. Some people are not online and some have bad/no WiFi but some just accept what is or is not available . Let’s all push for better access. My surgery receptionists actively encourage patients to go online. I was reticent at first as didn’t see the advantage but I’m a convert now!
Good for you! If I could retrospectively complain to the GMC about doctors/specialists I’d fill a file. I keep thinking arrogant doctors are a thing of the past but sadly not.
In the 80s I sued chemist for issuing wrong pills to daughter. Treatment for Parkinson’s instead of thyroid - she was hallucinating! Told solicitor about my bad thyroid treatment and it was too long a gap otherwise he thought I had a good case. Trouble is it took that long to be fully compos mentis!
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Can your thyroid function get worse even though you take thyroxine?
Please can i have your thoughts on these results
Is this legal and how can we get real results?
