New GP: here we go again: I refuse to feel frustrated

[gabkad]

As per what I wrote a couple of days ago and the thyroid test results,

she phoned me today to tell me that I am 'hyper' because the TSH is

0,01. Meantime any dummy can see that an fT4 of 13 (range 9 to 19)

and fT3 of 4.7 (range 2.6 to 5.8) is in no way hyper!

She admits to this being out of her expertise and will refer me to an endo.

I have asked for someone in particular. I will not permit her to

change my dose of T4 for which I have refills to last two years anyway.

She wants bone density test and EKG done because, you know,

I am hyperthyroid. Good, because the old endo kept at me about these

things but never tested either.

It is to despair. However, I guess it's not such a bad idea to find out

about my heart and bones which have served me well now for 65 years.

Are cats purring on ones body good for bone density? I read that somewhere.

I've got the cats and the purrs.

scientificamerican.com/arti....

[Singwell]

I sympathise. At least she's admitted out of her expertise. I find that writing to the surgery addressing the letter to Dear Medical Team works wonders. You could say something along the lines of concerned that. Then give a good reference point (to show she's wrong but without actually saying so) and state you want no change to your medication whilst waiting for the endo appointment.

[gabkad in reply to Singwell]

Nothing will change. I have a very comprehensive record from the previous endo showing quite clearly how the TSH maxes out at 0.64 when both fT4 and fT3 are below range for 6 months. All of the data for 10 years is in my chart transfered from the hospital. So if this GP would have any interest whatsoever in learning anything, the information is right there.

She is going to refer me to the endo of my choice. I gave her the name.

[Singwell in reply to gabkad]

So that's a benefit in fact!

[Batty1]

Bone Density scans are what doctors and Endo’s use to remove thyroid meds from patients without arguments especially if the test shows any kind of bone loss and if your older it probably will.

[gabkad in reply to Batty1]

That would be disappointing since I've taken vitamin K2 and D3 for the past 15 years, and been on HRT for over 20 years.

I've read on an osteoporosis organization site that the primary reason for why mostly women develop osteoporosis is a lack of protein in the diet. So I make sure to get the sort of proteins everyday to ensure that I don't end up losing muscle and bone mass.

So yes, it would be extremely disappointing to end up with a poor result.

From Osteoporosis.ca

osteoporosis.ca/protein/

Too many seniors don’t eat enough protein or other important nutrients. Less protein means more fragile bones. Less protein also means weaker muscles, which leads to poor balance resulting in falls. For those with osteoporosis, an increase in falls can lead to fractures.

It is not unusual to find that people who break a bone also had a deficiency of protein in their diet over a period of several months just before their fracture. In most people who fracture, it is the inadequate consumption of protein that results in broken bones. Many studies show that women and seniors do not consume enough protein daily. In fact, in the elderly, protein deficiency may be an important indicator of weak bone health.

[Batty1 in reply to gabkad]

Osteopenia is what typical older people and people in general will see on a dexa scan. I think genetics has a much larger impact on bone health then doctors give credit to and you can bet that if your scan show osteopenia your doctors will start trying to remove your thyroid meds because to them its the cause and if you have no DEXA scans prior to taking thyroid meds its gonna get complicated unless your doctor doesn’t blink at the scan.

I had a DEXA Scan 10 years before I was diagnosed with thyroid issues and then I had another DEXA Scan 2 years after I started using T4 and T3 and BOTH of the scans revealed the exact same amount of osteopenia it wasn’t worse and it wasn’t better and the crazy thing is my 83 year old mother had DEXA Scan 2 years ago and her and my Osteopenia is pretty similar and I bet if my siblings had the scan they would see similar results…. This is how I fought and won not having my thyroid meds reduced based on a DEXA Scan.

Good luck hopefully your doctor doesn’t blink at the results or maybe your bones are good and your test is clean … either way post again let us know about the results.

[gabkad in reply to Batty1]

From the Mayo Clinic:

'Having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater risk, especially if your mother or father fractured a hip. Body frame size. Men and women who have small body frames tend to have a higher risk because they might have less bone mass to draw from as they age.'

I am 5 feet 9 inches tall and don't have a small body frame. However, I'll find out soon enough if I've got any problem with bone density. According to what I've heard recently, short people tend to survive for longer in calorie deprived situations because they need less food. If the world goes to hell in a handbasket, smaller people will last longer.

Small bodies, according to data, are due to multi-generational low calorie intake. Robert William Fogel's work cites many studies done in the UK and France indicating that low caloric intake results in smaller bodies. (Escape from Famine and The Changing Body: Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World since 1700).

[Partner20 in reply to Batty1]

That is a scary reply!! If DEXA scans are offered the opportunity should be jumped at, as the waiting list for them in many areas is months, if not years. The results of DEXA scans are age-graded, so any deterioration due to age which would be expected is accounted for. Personally, I ask for these scans due to osteoporosis being a contributory fact to the death of my mother. Despite being Vit.D deficient, my DEXA scan results have actually improved, which must be down to levo and optimal thyroid levels. We are all different, and so are GPs!!

[Batty1 in reply to Partner20]

This isn’t necessarily true for people on combo thyroid medication especially if doctor’s are wanting to remove your T3 meds based on TSH levels and a DEXA Scan could give doctors a reason for taking/reducing T3 meds …. Im thinking my comment is being misunderstood… I’m not debating the need for a DEXA Scan or the issues with Osteoporosis or Osteopenia …. Its just my experience that doctors will usually want to reduce or take away your T3 if the dexa scan shows failing bones for whatever the reason… agh

[gabkad in reply to Batty1]

They don't know I've added T3.

The TSH was 0.03 to 0.06 on 150 mcg. T4.

Now it's < 0,01. However, despite adding

12.5 mcg T3 at bedtime, the morning fT3 went

from 4.2 with only thyroxine to 4.7 with T3.

It hasn't had all that much influence on fT3

but did suppress TSH. When range for fT3

is 2.something to 5.8, 4.7 IS NOT HYPER.