What do you do if your doctor won't take your symptoms into consideration and just goes on the blood test results?

[Catjos]

I've got a list of symptoms but keep getting fobbed off by my GP

[SarahJane1471]

Do you have any blood test results you can share with the forum?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Catjos

Have you had any tests? If so what?

Ideally you'd need a full thyroid panel

TSH, FT4, FT3, Thyroid antibodies

but also key nutrients because low levels or deficiencies can have symptoms which overlap with symptoms of hypothyroidism so test

Vit D, B12, Folate, Ferritin.

So that we can offer the best guidance and suggestions, please post any results that you have along with their reference ranges (ranges are important as they vary from lab to lab, results without ranges are meaningless).

[Catjos in reply to SeasideSusie]

I will get in touch with the GP next week to get the results. I should have thought about it sooner.

[Anthea55 in reply to Catjos]

If available at your GP's surgery, ask for internet access, then you can see your results once they are posted. Speak to reception - the GP won't know how to do it.

You'll also be able to see previous results as well.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

welcome to the forum

Are you trying to get diagnosed, or already on levothyroxine and trying to get dose increase

First step always ….

Get full thyroid and vitamin testing done

Ideally via GP but if they are unhelpful, privately

If on levothyroxine…..Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and if on levothyroxine……last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

come back with new post once you get results for advice on next steps

[Brightness14]

Change your GP if possible.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I had this and so I quoted NICE and said I’d been advised by Thyroid UK experts to ask for a trial as their experience was that people like me might benefit from a slightly higher dose. This was a phone consult with a locum and she said, bear with me I’m going to look that up, then said… yes you are right regarding NICE and ok let’s try it. I did this 4 times from 25 up to 125mcg. My advice is just push your luck, you have nothing to lose, my regular GP said she was so pleased I was feeling better a few months later 🌱

[Cornwaller]

Interestingly and perhaps ironically the replies have asked you for your blood results.

Could you share your symptoms with us. Your symptoms and how you are feeling are the most important thing in a diagnosis - blood work can then refine the diagnosis and treatment.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Cornwaller]

Ha ha yes... but it comes down to a matter of interpretation as the range is rather wide, we rather narrow that field to find optimal rather than normal (possibly a bit crap) symptoms often then guide us which way to adjust to fine tune things

[Catjos in reply to Cornwaller]

I actually thought my GP was taking it seriously with my last blood tests.My results were out of the range, he said that if it was up to him he would put me on the medication but he had to follow procedures and conduct another blood test in 8 weeks.

Fast forward to the second results which were slightly better and he had changed his mind completely.

Symptoms I have are

Fatigue

Weight gain and I can't shift it no matter what I do.

Physically shivering, freezing cold hands and feet and lower legs.

Pins and needles.

Numbness if I sit for too long.

Chronic constipation since Jan 2020

Slow Colon transit confirmed by consultant recently.

Cysts

Heavy period

Muscle and joint pain lower back pain

Wrist and hand pain

Burning feet and a few things I've probably forgotten 🤦

[Catjos in reply to Catjos]

I sound like a hypocondriact 🤦

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Catjos]

Yes and No! You sound hypo-thyroid! Need to get your vits and mins optimised and probably an increase in T4 or maybe some T3 if it turns out you still don't convert well

[Catjos in reply to TiggerMe]

I'm not on anything at the moment.It cost me £200 to see a private consultant to get them to put me on HRT 🤦

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Catjos]

Ah interesting! My thyroid struggled even more once I started on HRT ( I too went to a private clinic to get sorted, well worth the money and NHS now know what to prescribe!) and it really highlighted my poor conversion... so back to the jolly old blood tests, have they tested your thyroid at all and anything else?

Blood results are a starting point 🤗

[Catjos in reply to TiggerMe]

Yes, I need to get a copy of the results for you to see, will try and sort next week.The fact that he was going to try the medication and then changed his mind even though the results weren't great is very frustrating.

I have a consultation with the colorectal consultant on 8th August so will see what he says. All information says under active thyroid can affect your Colon transit 🤦

I'm just fed up of feeling like crap and not being able to do anything about it.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Catjos]

I used to poop every 3-4 days (for years) before treatment, yes it slows everything down! 😕

Burning feet suggests low B12 pins and needles low B vits, hows your ferritin?

Vit D and folate are probably pants too which are generally easy to remedy but make you feel dreadful

[Robinface]

I wrote to my Gp on paper in black & white- that way there is evidence they have to act upon! I stated symptoms as ‘previously discussed ‘ relating to thyroid and quoted Thyroid UK & Nice guidelines etc and requested increase or response before next prescription due. Good luck! We have to be strong advocates for our iwn health these days! X

[Catjos]

I've been trying this for about a month and a half no change apart from in my bank balance

.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Catjos]

We don't really rate multi vits as they tend to have conflicting ingredients and not enough of the things we really need... also a dose of iodine is often worse for a failing thyroid.... lets see what your bloods come back as 🤗

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Catjos]

Catjos

Ditch it.

It's a multi vit/mineral with added iodine. Iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid before the current radioactive iodine treatment, therefore it can cause hypothyroidism or make existing hypothyroidism worse. It's not recommended to take iodine unless you've tested with a non-loading iodine test and know that you are deficient or low.

[jgelliss]

If you feel that your Dr only goes by labs and not symptoms it's time to find another Dr that will be a *good listener * and *out of the Box*. I hope you feel well soon.

[DJR1]

A number of years ago I had a similar issue. GP refused to accept I still had hypothyroid symptoms as the blood results were in the reference ranges. He repeatedly refused referral to an Endo. He said the NICE guidelines were just that- guidelines. I was out of area for another GP Practice. Fortunately I had a hospital consultant in another speciality and I showed him the TFT results, he listened and he referred me to Endocrinology himself. The Endo said he could see I was still hypothyroid when I walked into his room from my appearance. He recommended NDT but that’s another story. My point is you may be able to get a referral to an Endo who might have more sense than the GP via your colorectal surgeon.

[Tginger]

I kept asking for a different GP. It was the 6th GP I saw, who finally admitted the treatment they were giving me was not helping with any of my symptoms and referred me to an endo. However, it also took me a while to find a sensible endo as well. There are some endo's in our hospital, who openly said "I don't care about your symptoms, I only look at TSH levels". I rang the clinic coordinator I asked for a different consultant.