Urgent help please: Getting an NHS GP to agree to blood tests for a private endocrinologist

[Zazbag]

Hello,

I have a GP appointment in about an hour and it's to discuss having a blood test that has been ordered by a private endocrinologist. The person who recommended the private endo to me told me to try to get as many of the tests done on the NHS as possible.

I'm not sure how to approach this with the GP though – is it best to be fully transparent and say "these tests are for a private endocrinologist" or should I keep that to myself and just tell them symptoms that would prompt them to order those tests anyway?

I'm a 36 year old woman on levothyroxine and T3. I am slightly overmedicated currently and trying to titrate down my dose of levo from 175mcg to whatever brings me back in range.

I have been dealing with symptoms like fatigue, irritability, non-existent libido (very unusual for me), PMS, constant hunger, poor sleep, hair loss, heat intolerance/sweating.

These are the tests the private endo wants:

TSH

FT4

FT3

Vitamin D

(I know I can get the above tested by my GP)

FSH

Oestradiol

Progesterone

Testosterone

DHEAs

Glucose

HbA1c

Insulin

SHBG

LH

Many thanks in advance!

[GlowCoach Administrator]

Has your private Endo written to your GP requesting these tests? I have found my GP usually has no issues doing tests for private doctors although you may still struggle with FT3 due to the lab.

I would tell your GP that you are seeing a private Endo, they are usually very supportive.

Have you had recent tests for ferritin, folate & B12 too?

What are you supplementing with?

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks for replying so quickly!

I have a written letter from the private clinic requesting these blood tests. Should I take it with me to the GP appointment?

I have an NHS endocrinologist who is overseeing my thyroid treatment and they have ordered TSH, T3, T4, folate, ferritin, B12 and vitamin D.

I'm currently supplementing with:

LDN

Methyl B12

Methyl folate

Vitamin D3 + K2

Ferrous fumarate

Berberine

Selenium

Zinc

Omega 3 fish oil

Saccharomyces boulardii

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Zazbag]

Yes take the private clinic letter with you although I would hope that they have also copied your GP into that letter anyway.

If your NHS Endo finds out you are seeing someone privately they might get upset about that. Just a heads up. Consultants of any type don't like anyone else questioning their treatment and it can also be confusing for you as a patient. Is this because you are unhappy with your NHS treatment?

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

Yes the treatment I have received has been abysmal. No one listens, no one understands, no one believes, I'm educated and intelligent and get treated like an ignorant child 99% of the time. Sick of it

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Zazbag]

I do understand.

You are aware though that you may end up having to self fund your T3.

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

I'm already self-funding my T3!

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Zazbag]

Probably best to just disengage with the NHS Endo then and not put yourself through any further distress.

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

I need to keep the NHS endo so I can get my T3 tested without the GP whinging about it

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Zazbag]

Monitor My Health offer a finger prick blood test for £32 minus Thyroid UK discount which is pretty reasonable. Many people here including myself end up buying private tests to be sure to get FT3 tested. It would save you unecessary unpleasantness.

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks but I know about those and they're not necessary because I have an NHS endo who orders T3 for me.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Zazbag]

Just be aware that if NHS Endo discovers you are seeing a private doctor then they may discharge you anyway.

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

I'm not going to tell them

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks so much for your help earlier, I took the clinic letter with me and the GP very kindly agreed to test almost everything.

[nightingale-56 in reply to Zazbag]

It is also a good idea to stay with your NHS Endo, so he can monitor you and knows what is going on in case you have an admission to hospital.

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

I just realised I can call the surgery and ask them without saying who I am and so I did and they said it's fine as long as I bring in the letter, the GP should be able to request the tests for me. Thanks for your help

[Zazbag in reply to GlowCoach]

I'm not planning on telling the NHS endo about it. I'm not concerned about how they feel about it though – as far as I'm concerned it has nothing to do with them. They had an opportunity to provide the right care and they failed to do that.

[soppysokes]

Have always found that if its a private consultation then it was expected by the gp that the bloods were done by them privately not nhs gp but praps thats just our area, good luck hope you get yours to help.

[Zazbag in reply to soppysokes]

Thanks for your reply – that's what I'm expecting as well, which is why I'm thinking it might be a bad idea to be transparent with them. I'm in London.

[FancyPants54]

It's too late now I suppose, but I just rang up the surgery and said I needed to arrange a blood test for my upcoming Endo. appointment. I didn't say it was a private endo. I booked the appointment first thing and took in the list of tests the endo. had asked for and that's how I've done it 2 or 3 times a year ever since.

I think you just have to be brazen and arrange it through the reception. Perhaps I'm just lucky though.

[Zazbag in reply to FancyPants54]

Thanks for sharing this, I didn't realise you could get away with doing that.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Zazbag]

I never consciously thought about "getting away with it" I just phoned up and said what I needed and it happened. My surgery is very good though.

[Zazbag in reply to FancyPants54]

It must be lovely to have a GP that doesn't make you feel like you need to hoodwink them into giving you healthcare 😂

[FancyPants54 in reply to Zazbag]

They are still rubbish about thyroid, but they accept me going privately for HRT and endo. and support what both private doctors ask them to do. Also, it's quite easy to get an appointment. But we are a rural practice, not a city one. They are over-prescribed with patients though. I can't really fault them, apart from the thyroid hopelessness.

[arTistapple in reply to FancyPants54]

Ooh that’s clever.