Ping-pong analogy

[Charlie-Farley]

I’m sharing my observations of how GPs and Endos treat patients based on my own experience, the experience of loved ones and having read the experience of others.

How do most GPs and a good few consultants interpret blood tests? They generally don’t. They read off the lab sheets. The labs push through hundreds, if not thousands of samples in a week and the results are printed out on a general information sheet. There is nothing bespoke about it at all. When my lab results have been in range, I have never been asked how I actually feel - I’ve just been told the results are ‘normal’. The range will mean different things to different people - we do not all respond to these tests in the same way.

The trouble is the majority of GPs (and some Endos) don’t understand what the range is there for - it’s a guide only! Sadly most think the range is a ‘cup’ and that the patient is a ‘ping-pong ball’ and if they get the ‘ping-pong ball’ in the cup they win a prize.

***The dangerous application of the ping-pong principal.

I had a GP tell me I was ‘normal’ on 75ug of Levothyroxine (even though I had overt hypothyroid symptoms ) even though she had never set eyes on me before. She couldn’t get her head round the fact I was ‘in range’ and still had symptoms.

I have a buddy down south who is on 75ug and doing really well she is 4’11”” and 6 1/2 stone 🧚‍♀️

I also know another lovely lady who is slightly framed (about the same as my buddy down south) who is on 100ug of Levothyroxine (bit higher).

I’m 5’8” and 15 stone 🐘 (and now on 150ug) 😂🤣😱

We are all different and there will even be differences in levels of medication with people of the same build. We know this, but this seems to fly over the heads of a fair few in the medical profession.

Many Doctors simply do not understand that you can be on completely different doses at either end of the range and be hypo (at the lower end) and be optimal and well (at the upper end) OR, heaven forbid, because of other confounding factors you may sit outside the top of the range before you feel well OR (panic stations) the range might not apply at all! 😱😂

It is also important to distinguish between ‘normal’ and optimal. The term ‘normal’ (note my use of the inverted commas) it is a misused term that you should be wary of. What should be aimed for is OPTIMAL.

Only two little words, but they mean very different things. In fact one could say ‘normal’ is meaningless. GPs who don’t know what they are doing generally tell you that you are ‘normal’ if you are in range.

Symptoms should be the most important diagnostic tool, but it sits at the bottom of the list as an annoyance. Nothing annoys a doctor more than having a lovely set of blood results, all ‘normal’ and the damned patient goes and spoils it all by having symptoms! 😂

Ever been told by a GP “Your symptoms should have cleared up by now” or something similar and made to feel the failure for not having responded to their rubbish treatment??

Vitamins need to be higher than just in the bottom of the range loads of info on this. GPs in the main have no idea on this either - refer back to cup/ping-ping ball scenario.

**Feeling well or good on paper?

The consideration of weighing up what you want. Do you want your bloods to be measured against a range that may (or may not) not bring you to good health, but looks good on paper, or do you actually want to feel well? The many Endos and most GPs will want it to look good on paper. ……….irrespective of how you feel.

Put your wellness first and make them do the same.