I saw the GP today and we had a "discussion" on prescribing and testing T3. She has been forbidden by the health authority to prescribe or test, and i can only discuss this with an Endo. She agreed I knew a lot more than her, but even so regarded T3 as unnecessary and dangerous, and warned me I was unlikely to get the Endo to agree to continue supplying it. She did say I could get a private prescription so is it all about the money?
I was then told I was pre-diabetic as my blood sugar was raised. I pointed out the level they had used was for the 40-50 age group and I was well below the level for my age. I also pointed out that my low potassium (side effect of blood pressure pills) meant that I was making less insulin, so my blood sugar would be raised. I got a shrug.
She then wanted me to try statins as my cholesterol was slightly raised. I pointed out when my thyroid levels were good, my cholesterol was good, but we would not know now...
We then moved on to raised blood pressure and she thought I was doing it wrong as her cuff monitor had shown normal levels before. I asked her to try the full machine, she tested me 9 times and those readings agreed with the readings I had given her. She then tried the cuff and the readings were a lot lower. No apology.
We did not part on the best of terms, although polite throughout. I am just left wondering if I had not done any research or stood my ground what would have happened. On T4 only, statins, booked into the diabetic clinic, and unable to think!
I have calmed down now as I had to chase some sheep who hid behind a hedge and giggled at my efforts!
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serenfach
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good on you - you gave her a run for her money and no doubt she was very embarrassed at her lack of knowledge. Can you get an endo referral? Or have you already gone down that route? Loved the bit about the sheep - made me think of Sean 😂😂
Good for you! She'll think twice next time and encounters you. She will remember you and perhaps try and challenge you a couple of more times before she bows to your knowledge about your body. I don't have many problems with the GP these days, he knows I know more than him and he listens to me, which makes me feel like he at least cares.
My issues tend to be with the NHS endo who tells me that all my symptoms are from hyper-activity and not hypo. I respectfully correct her and always stand my ground. The NHS endos can perscribe T3 and do the full thyriod panels. Although I do my testing thro medichecks as I want to know exactly what's going on with me. sadly, thyroid issues can be difficult to correct.
The lack of good healthcare with the NHS is alarming. It used to be the best in the world and now we're reduced to this nonsense. The lack of good pay for top professionals and the lack of funding over the years has left us with a second rate health care system.
Hi Serenfach, I am very pleased that even though you did not get what you wanted ( a well informed and knowledgeable professional) you did stand your grounds and you did not put up with rubbish.
However, I feel very very sad (profoundly sad) because those that are not in the same knowledgeable place like yourself are being treated for symptoms rather than illnesses and overall, doctor can potentially cause more harm than good. I know they dont mean it, but the lack of holistic knowledge deteriorate peoples health rather than improving it. It is appalling really.
I have all my sympathy for you. Try and get a referral to an Endo and do not give up despite being so uncomfortable and frustrating to have to challenge your doctors. I know what I am talking about. I am shy and I dont like confrontation or conflict so it is really hard for me and still not used to it despite being in my mid-forties.
My Blood sugars are raised but not pre diabetic as soon as I question anything, I got that thrown at me, and other than my weight it’s all they can throw at me, as my cholesterol is very good, to the point they don’t bother testing now (I’ve been asked to take statins too it’s a joke, and they got lecture off me regarding that) my BP is good so the following year before my next annual review I set about reducing that blood sugar some more… right what was they going to say now!
My GP surgery have tested FT3 and FT4 for my endocrinologist (seen through health insurance) they’ve been pretty good …however my next appointment in 2wks is asking about T3 prescription or shared care… not holding out for anything but I need to rule out before paying a hell of a lot of money out.
Ridiculous we have to be as informed or more so to get basic care.
Would you mind sharing your cholesterol test results? Mine look fine, but I still get tested, and it's not the first time I've had the nurse at my annual review say my record states I'm taking a statin, when I'm not! Surely my surgery wouldn't claim some funding based on patients taking statins???
I will, when get on laptop to wade through my health records, so I’ll randomly pop a message to you you if don’t mind.
If you have other conditions it might be source of them asking that was last excuse I had as my creatinine is slightly elevated… it’s a drug for very few I feel, and causes less quality of life for the year or two extra you may get after being on them a decade or so… I already have muscular problems, definitely not taking even if had cholesterol problems… we need cholesterol I’ve been tad concerned mine was very low decade ago, I was told this at a health review… the last few years it’s never been in my annual review, maybe they will do every 5 yrs now 🤷🏻♀️
Way to go, serenfach! We really have to be on our toes when dealing with the medical profession. Sometimes I really wonder whether their education has deteriorated (maybe due to it being funded and/or led by pharma) or their restrictions through government and/or their association have them gagged and bound or whether they are so overworked that they really don't care anymore or maybe all of the above plus a list of factors I haven't even thought off. As a librarian I do story time and I was about to read a story to the kids about ill dinosaurs. It ends with the phrase ..."because doctor knows best". It is a very funny story, but I cringe at the thought of helping indoctrinate young impressionable children.
Fun fact (not really that much fun): A recent Johns Hopkins study claims more than 250,000 people in the U.S. die every year from medical errors. Other reports claim the numbers to be as high as 440,000. Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.
Also, serenfach, if that would have been my GP I would have not made it out of his office alive. Last time I went to see him I'm sure he would have beaten me to a pulp if he would have been allowed to. He was so angry I became really afraid of him. I will not go back unless I really, really have to and only accompanied by my son, which is still not possible at this point because of COVID (what an excellent excuse for not having witnesses to the abuse!). Your doctor is a real angel compared to that.
I feel for you. I could only get a diagnosis of Central hypothyroidism by paying an NHS consultant a private fee. The GP refused to entertain there was anything wrong that want ‘in my headI’. The Endo wrote to the GP explaining what Central hypothyroidism was and the peculiarities of that, which is low TSH and low T3/4, so TSH is even less of a Gude for what dosage is required. Only for my GP to say ‘ohh look low TSH, must lower your dosage 🙄’
Talk about 'old wives tales' many of us get comments from the 'professionals' that are definitely wrong or plucked out of 'thin air'.
I have no faith in any doctors with regard to my dysfunctional thyroid gland due to my blood test for TSH showing at 100 and GP phoning to reassure me that I had no 'problems' and didn't even enquire about symptoms.
Sometime later one of the GPs phoned and following is my conversation.
GP - your TSH is too low and T3 too high and T4 too low".
Me - that's because I take T3 alone so T4 will be low. T3 is high because I take T3 only.
GP - "but T3 converts to T4" - No doctor - it is the other way around. T4 should convert to T3!
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