Prof Tania Smith looking to formally join biochemistry and thyroid function study/comment fulltime

[diogenes]

Tania sent me a mail today in which she expressed her keen desire to move from the social sciences area to the medical one. If she decides to go ahead, I shall be one of her proposers/reference giver. It might be useful if additionally she had a patient supporter possibly from TUK. Any thoughts?

[Gingernut44]

Thanks for posting - what about lynmynott ?

[Joyya]

I think that someone already conducting / publishing thyroid research would be more help, as a patient supporter would not be viewed as sufficiently credible.

[TSH110 in reply to Joyya]

that speaks volumes

[Joyya in reply to TSH110]

Please don't misunderstand. Generally speaking clinicians in any field do not take anecdotal reports from patients seriously. As it is, and as many here have unfortunately experienced, many clinicians do not even listen to their patients. I really think that an additional clinical reference would provide Tania with the most opportunities.

[TSH110 in reply to Joyya]

No I wasn’t, I’m afraid you hit the nail on right on the head.

I just feel despondent about that being the prevailing attitude of clinicians towards the people they are supposed to be helping.

Not regarded as people, people with real problems, severely affecting their everyday lives but an irritating inconvenience to be treated by their magic numbers and got out the door asap. To be gaslighted if they happen to question anything and have the bare faced affront to use persistent symptoms as evidence that all is not well.

It’s all cockeyed, medicine gone mad.

[RedApple Administrator]

What credentials and/or qualifications would a patient supporter need to have?

Maybe Dr Renée Hoenderkamp - she is both medically qualified and a fellow thyroid patient here in the UK that had to fight for appropriate treatment.

youtube.com/watch?v=QJqWKwI...(Not working as expected?)

[1tuppence in reply to RedApple]

Just watched the video....thank you. Reading some of the comments and answers below, she was asked re NDT. Is she still against it, do you know?

[RedApple Administrator in reply to 1tuppence]

I really don't know, but given that she practises medicine in the UK where desiccated thyroid isn't a licensed medication, she may not feel able to publicly endorse it anyway.

[TSH110 in reply to 1tuppence]

I’d want someone with an open mind on NDT, especially as Tania believes in us having a proper choice in which thyroid hormones we take.

[Musicmonkey]

I am not a member of Thyroid UK, but I hope a patient who is will strongly endorse Tania! She would be a huge asset to help advance thyroid awareness from a very evidence based perspective.

[Tythrop]

Yes

[Musicmonkey]

What about Dr Pete Taylor?

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK]

I would need a lot more info. Not sure she would get any clinician in the UK to back her in regard to NDT.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to lynmynott]

I don't think she is asking for clinician support - at all.

Just a patient who will support her application.