These Really Are, Trying Times!

[Ellie-Louise]

Yesterday I wanted to speak to the doctor about my blood test. I had received a letter from another doctor in the practice telling me to book an appointment for a TSH blood test. So I wanted to find out what they were actually going to test for.

I rang the surgery and was questioned by a snotty receptionist who wanted the ins and outs of why I wanted to speak to a doctor. In the exasperating end I was told she would pass a note on to a doctor, I asked her which doctor ( honestly you would be better off accessing a real witch doctor) and she didn’t know so I told her the one I wanted. No one rang back.

This morning I was called by one of the admin staff who had been asked to call me by the doctor. So I asked him which tests they were going to do and he wouldn’t say, so I told him those I wanted done and he said the hospital wouldn’t test for T4 unless the TSH result is abnormal and then they would. Personally I think he got that wrong and had meant to say T3 but who knows! Then he told me he would get back to the doctor and ask him to add on Ferritin and Folate as they weren’t there.

So now I am waiting for another call for them to make my appointment when/if my request has been approved.

When the heck are things going to be back to normal again?

Edit:

Was called back later and told doctor was adding my vitamins so blood test appointment was made.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Increasingly common that only TSH is tested and very rare to get vitamin D tested

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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Ellie-Louise in reply to SlowDragon]

I have actually got one of those D3 kits, bought over a year ago. It’s just the pricking of finger to get blood that puts me off using it.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Ellie-Louise]

Only 4 drops required

Very easy to do

How much vitamin D are you currently taking

Important to test twice year ideally, once year minimum

[Ellie-Louise]

I have no idea, I keep forgetting to take any. But they have usually included a D3 test anyway and the last one did..

[serenfach]

The medical profession really does not understand that the TSH test alone is of no value, unless it is your first test. They are told this is all you need, and stick to that no matter what. They are wrong, but they are not going to shift this idea, leaving many of us ill. They then come up with prescriptions for all sorts of stuff, including anti-depressants, because then they feel they have done something. What they have really done is ensure you stay ill.

(slowly slides soap box away).