Response from specialist

[Bella426]

So I had my letter from the Endocrine Clinic. He only had a basic blood test from an earlier result from my anaemia nurse. I had to make him look at my private blood results, but he quickly dismissed those. After really standing my ground, he agreed to repeat bloods, but he’s adamant he won’t need to see me again. It seems we have to get to the magic 10 mark, be very depressed, over weight, alongside other issues, before these doctors will help 🤷‍♀️

[Bella426]

Second part of letter.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bella426]

Removed as contains your personal details

Please resubmit with these removed

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous test results from Blue Horizon showed TSH over 5

Ft4 of 12.8 - what was the range….likely low in range

[Hidden]

I think there is a typo in the endo´s letter and that the reference range he is referring is actually for free T4, not FT3. I know reference ranges vary from lab to lab, so we´d need to know the ref ranges to know for sure, but your FT4 levels look low to me. The labs I know of use ref ranges of 10-22 or 12-22 for FT4, which would put your levels at the bottom of range unless your lab uses completely different reference ranges.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

I noticed several typos!

[tattybogle in reply to greygoose]

lol . i know we're used to seeing typo's on here from patients , and that's understandable .. but how can a qualified Endo write the sentence "... and an fT3 of 12.8 which ... well within the normal range" without his brain noticing there's something not right about what he's just written ...

[Bella426 in reply to tattybogle]

Because he was hell bent on saying there was nothing wrong with me, these were my blood results from other sources. I had to fight him, to get him to do his own set of bloods on me.

[tattybogle in reply to Bella426]

yes but an fT3 that high would be well off the scale of any fT3 range, anywhere . i'm presuming you didn't ever have an fT3 of 12.8 , and it's actually an fT4 result

[Bella426 in reply to tattybogle]

I’ve absolutely no idea. The only bloods I’ve got is what I’ve posted.

[tattybogle in reply to Bella426]

Trust me .. you'd know about it if you'd had an fT3 of 12.8 you'd probably feel like phoning an ambulance , as that would be a very hypERthyroid result.

(fT3 ranges are around 2-4 or 3-6 ish )

[greygoose in reply to tattybogle]

Absolutely shocking.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looks like an endocrinologist to avoid

And any patients on levothyroxine are going to likely remain hypothyroid if he aims to keep TSH at 2

Most people when adequately treated on levothyroxine will have TSH around or under one

[Bella426]

1st results

First results from anaemia clinic

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bella426]

Appalling that he thinks Ft4 12.8 (12-22) is “well within range “

Ft4 is just 8% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

[Bella426 in reply to SlowDragon]

I just don’t know what to do now. I’m even thinking of buying my own thyroxine. I just want to be healthy to work, look after my mother who has cancer and support my sister who also has cancer. This doctor keeps saying it’s not your thyroid, I’ll refer you to a fatigue clinic and a skin clinic for your hair. I’ve dealt with lots of consultants, for my parent, and never ever have I dealt with someone like him.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bella426]

Have you been working on improving low ferritin levels by increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

And taking daily vitamin B complex for low folate?

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help maintain B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B or Jarrow B Right are recommended options that contains folate, but both are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)

IMPORTANT......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...

Consider taking separate folate during that week - eg Jarrow metylfolate

[SlowDragon Administrator]

After really standing my ground, he agreed to repeat bloods,

So get these done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

[Bella426]

2nd part of the letter.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Bella426]

I have just removed the letter you had attached. It has personally identifying information which needs to be hidden or cut off. Please do re-add when removed.

[Bella426]

2nd part of letter.

2nd part of letter

[DippyDame]

Reading your post, it's little wonder 121,428 patients have arrived here seeking help after medics have failed them!Yet another medic obsessed by numbers and ignorant of clinical signs and symptoms...appalling!

He won't see you because doesn't know how to treat you....just my opinion!!

The labs you posted a month ago clearly show low thyroid hormones and the raised TSH reflects that.

You are hypothyroid and need to be treated with levothyroxine, starting dose 50mcg. Test after 6/8 weeks and increase again by 25mcg. Repeat until you feel well.

Your TSH should then be 1 or under and your Frees roughly 75% through the ref ranges

Calculator to check %ages

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Results should show if you have a T4 to T3 conversion problem....high FT4 with low FT3

Important that nutrients are optimal....see earlier post ( click on your avatar for this)

FT3 is the most important reading....every cell in your body needs T3 in a regular and adequate supply otherwise you feel unwell. Your level is only 46.3% through the ref range

List of hypo symptoms

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

You will see your symptoms listed there!

Build your case for medication and see another GP....you need to take control!

Best...

DD