Thyroid and Hematology: Just found a very... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid and Hematology

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK
21 Replies

Just found a very interesting item about blood counts and thyroid function.

Most especially that the person behind it has this attitude:

There is so much to learn about the role of thyroid hormones in hematopoiesis and coagulation. ... and IT IS ALL SO INTERESTING!

The link is to a website (despite referring to Twitter):

Thyroid and Hematology

TBP Tweetorial

thebloodproject.com/cases-a...

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helvella profile image
helvella
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21 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

Adding image.

Complex diagram
tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

nice find ....

you know , i'm starting to think someone should check the signs outside the medical college of endocrinology ... are they all pointing in the wrong direction ??

.. why is it that the only people who seem to find thyroid interesting all work in some other Dept. of medicine ?

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to tattybogle

Perhaps because the vast majority only went into endocrinology for what they thought would be an easy life? After all, for thyroid, just look at the TSH number and dole out some levo pills. Or some carbimazole pills. Or cut out the thyroid, then look at the TSH number and dole out some levo pills.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to RedApple

Even when they cut out the thyroid, they subcontract that to the surgeons.

And RAI is subcontracted to the nuclear scientists.

And ultrasound scans are subcontracted to medical imaging.

And blood draws are subcontracted to phlebotomists.

It is a bit like someone who has only ever driven an automatic car being asked to explain a manual gearbox (stick shift, as the USAians say) and clutch and how to drive with them. Some theoretical idea but no real understanding.

I suspect that is we were able to conduct the research, we would find endos end up with some of the lowest rates of thyroid disorder of any grouping of people you could define. (E.g. all doctors, population of a place, or whatever.) If more of them actually knew what it was like to go through, they'd find their clinics extremely challenging.

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to helvella

So true about the sub-contacting, but I'd say understanding the workings and far reaching impact of the thyroid and its hormones is far, far more difficult than the automatic to manual car analogy 😀

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to RedApple

True - it's closer to understanding how to design and build the car from steel in a stockyard.

SilverAvocado profile image
SilverAvocado in reply to RedApple

Although it is complex overall, I do feel like the core important thyroid stuff could fit onto a couple of pages of A4 paper.

What most endos know seems like it would be a handful of sentences. And a few of those sentences would be myths.

samaja profile image
samaja in reply to RedApple

I personally feel they went there for diabetes and discovered they had to deal with thyroid as an (unpleasant) afterthought so they try to minimise contact with the offending part of their career as much as possible.

TSH110 profile image
TSH110 in reply to samaja

Were the gristle in the parsons nose eh? Why is diabetes so sexy and thyroid disorder frigidity?

JGBH profile image
JGBH

Hello Helvella, I thanked for this post saying this was interesting and that I have microcytic anaemia, diagnosed not by an endocrinologist, certainly not a GP but by a gastroenterologist! However I can’t see that post …. So wondering what happened? Anyway sending this post so hope it works this time.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to JGBH

I had a technical problem - my first attempt to post refused to let me add an image.

So I re-posted and deleted my original post. But, though I thought I'd checked, must have missed your reply. Apologies for that.

JGBH profile image
JGBH in reply to helvella

Thanks for replying… not that I feel more important but rather was puzzled. I just noticed your first post had been deleted… so it explains the puzzle.

1tuppence profile image
1tuppence

Was your "Missing Post" the one that included various links to thyroid research papers? If so, thank you. I clicked on one link and found it interesting, tho not easy for me to fully (!!!!!!!) follow. I did really like this image...I'll try and see if I can Post it here....it's a diagram of the impact of thyroid hormones on the human body and mind. tattybogle maybe this needs to be put by the front door of all endocrinolgy departments?

academic.oup.com/view-large...

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to 1tuppence

No - the missing post was identical to this one!

The multi-link one I think you mean was this:

Thematic Issue: Thyroid Disease 2022

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

1tuppence profile image
1tuppence in reply to helvella

Yes, thank you.....I haven't read right to the bottom...concentration got tired :-) but was intrigued by the diagram. ...linked above.

In Endocrine Reviews, Jonklaas ( academic.oup.com/edrv/artic... ) discusses the subtleties of optimal thyroid hormone replacement, including the possible use of liothyronine in addition to levothyroxine.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to 1tuppence

It is better than many. It does try to indicate that things happen everywhere.

1tuppence profile image
1tuppence in reply to helvella

Yes, and for a "visual" person like me, is simpler to see and understand the whole possible impact. So, once more, thank you.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to 1tuppence

That would be good . preferably life size ... with lights and bells on.

1tuppence profile image
1tuppence in reply to tattybogle

I'm now thinking it should be in every GP practice and every medical training centre. Maybe if medics understood just how much impact thyroid has on body and mind, more of them would be interested in studying the thyroid?

TSH110 profile image
TSH110

I totally agree it is very interesting! I hope young medics start to see endocrinology as a cutting-edge area of medicine to be in but until the stupid old reactionary farts are ousted it will remain a stodgy, unrewarding and dreary prospect for them, just as it is for us!

1tuppence profile image
1tuppence in reply to TSH110

It makes my heart sink every time I hear of battles folk face to

a) get diagnosed b) get the treatment they need c) the dreaded "your TSH is below range so you are over-medicated" and "your dose will be reduced"....willy nilly as to how the patient actually feels. d) a diabetes specialist will see you now.

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