I am new here. I have just had a doctor's appointment where I felt bullied. I have been diagnosed over the last couple of years with a low Zinc levels. It started with my dentist advising me to go for blood tests when I complained of a very painful tongue and mouth. My optician has also said to me "if you were my mother I would want you to have a blood test". The doctor was quite dismissive, saying, we are taught this at med school but I have never seen a case. He did a Zinc test and it came back very low. It took a long while and lots of repeat tests and increases in medication to get the levels up. The symptoms have improved slightly but not gone away and I have had other symptoms that, when I report them, are not taken seriously. The latest symptom was double vision and I mentioned the Zinc levels and, perhaps, a thyroid problem. The doctor was very dismissive and clearly thought I was a time waster. She even spoke very sharply to me, when I mentioned poor temperature control, telling me that I should have a thermometer to hand because we are in a global pandemic! She had not listened to me telling her that the symptoms were all long term!
Battling doctors: I am new here. I have just had... - Thyroid UK
Battling doctors
Welcome! Sorry you are having problems.
If you suspect a thyroid problem you can test privately which many of us do, because we have also experienced similar ineptitude amongst medics.
The thyroid tests carried out by GPs are usually TSH and perhaps FT4, these do not provide the whole picture. For that you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tests, additionally, good thyroid function depends on optimised Vit D, Vit B12, folate and ferritin.
It is also important to have antibodies tested to check for thyroid autoimmune disease/ Hashimoto's.
See link below for more info
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...
Your treatment falls far short of the professional approach we expect/deserve. You can complain, and/or you can take control.
Feel free to come back and ask about any thyroid matters that may be concerning you
Suggest you see different GP or get FULL testing privately
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 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 .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Thriva also offer just vitamin testing
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
vitamindtest.org.uk
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
List of hypothyroid symptoms
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...
Zinc deficiency can cause hypothyroidism or be caused by hypothyroidism
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/239...
hypothyroidmom.com/my-favor...
Thank you so much!
Do get yourself tested privately then you can post here for advice before going back to your doc, armed with information. Ensure tests done first thing and no vitamins with biotin in.
Thank you so much!
Exactly what vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Important to stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results
I take a Zinc supplement that I buy from Just Vitamins. I got a terse response from the doctor that I should buy it from Boots to be sure it is a good one! They used to prescribe it for me but once the levels got high enough it got taken off repeat and they never offer it now. I have been taking Vit D3 because of Covid. I have recently started taking B12 after doing some research and more recently some B6. I eat lots of zinc rich foods alongside a reasonably healthy diet.
Come back with new post once you get results
Members can advise on next steps
Different doctors telling me different things...
Abnormal liver function+
Is this normal behaviour for the doctors surgery!!!
Test results "borderline"
Can low blood sugar be an issue in an underactive Thyroid? Do you know what your HBA 1c number is?
