T3 new GP : Just had the dreaded phone call from... - Thyroid UK

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T3 new GP

Jodiedebs profile image
22 Replies

Just had the dreaded phone call from my new GP telling me they are reluctant to prescribe my T3 as there is no record of ever having seen my endo and no record of her advising my old GP to prescribe it after she had given me the first prescription, shocker .. the vanishing paperwork, she refuses to contact her she says its pointless as I need to be referred to the new team in this area so pointless ???? I argued that my endo has all my history , that the new surgery have lost she says I'm not contacting her il refer you to a new endo and they will assess if you need it but I don't know anyone who's been prescribed T3 by a GP so don't get your hopes up as we don't have to prescribe it and you have been taking it for 4 years I think that is too long but I don't really know anything about it.. ???? Seriously ????? I told her I've contacted my endo who's organised a telephone consultation in March as I'm concerned your surgery are trying to stop me having T3 she said no I never said that , it's just VERY unusual to prescribe someone T3 for so long... for goodness sake looks like il be self sourcing again cos I know exactly where this is going , i told her I don't convert ( she had no idea what that meant ) I told her iv barely any thyroid left , 2 strands at last ultra sound , she didn't care ... I'm so fed up with this it's disgusting we have to fight to stay well 😪

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Jodiedebs
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22 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

One thing you can do is request all the records your endo holds for you. These could be held directly by the endo, by the endo department, or by the hospital.

Make sure you state you want any letters sent regarding your care.

They might request you fill in a form or something like that - but get things started by emailing them as soon as possible.

Jodiedebs profile image
Jodiedebs in reply to helvella

Thankyou , I find it worrying she refuses to contact my endo even though I named her and have her number she point blank refused saying no we will organise a referral for a new endo ???

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine in reply to Jodiedebs

She sounds deliberately obstructive, probably doesnt want the cost of prescribing, she sounds as though thyroid health isnt her area of expertise either.

Could you contact your Endo and ask them to write to your new practice? Or follow Helvella's advice and get a copy of your records. It really shouldnt be this difficult.

Jodiedebs profile image
Jodiedebs in reply to Sparklingsunshine

She refuses to go by my old endo says she will refer me and go from there , she's very obstructive that's true and shut me down every time I said I will contact my endo

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine in reply to Jodiedebs

Is there another GP at the practice you could try, just because she's being very difficult doesnt mean they all will be. When my old GP retired, who I'd seen for decades, she was replaced with a snotty madam who I found patronising and rude.

I asked to be taken from her list and put with another GP as I didnt want anything to do with her. I felt sure I would struggle to keep a civil tongue in my head if I had any more dealings with her. My surgery complied.

Maybe complain to the practice manager about her attitude.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Jodiedebs

So do I! But you have every right to get records from everyone who keeps records. Hopefully you can circumvent the obstructionist attitude.

TaraJR profile image
TaraJR in reply to helvella

I agree. Jodiedebs I requested every record the hospital has, from every department I've attended, and I got them all in about 2 weeks. All were photocopies, so a large pile of them!

Here are 2 links of how to contact them: england.nhs.uk/contact-us/c...

and

patients-association.org.uk....

Jodiedebs profile image
Jodiedebs in reply to TaraJR

Thank you so much

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7

i totally agree, i had mine taken away a good few years ago due to the cost i think, but i was fobbed off with ' its dangerous' i kicked up a fuss to no avail. i agree no one cares

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7

agree..

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame

you have been taking it for 4 years I think that is too long but I don't really know anything about it..

i told her I don't convert ( she had no idea what that meant)

Good grief and she is probably making life and death decisions in her daily work

We need what we need and so long as T3 is used correctly (like any other medication) it should be safe.

4 years! Dr John Lowe a T3 expert, took 150mcg of T3 once a day from about the age of 20 until he died in 2012 at age around 66 (he was in perfect health and his was an accidental death).

This GP is obstructive, lacking basic knowledge and totally lacking in empathy.

Speak to the Practice Manager, politely make your feelings known, ask to see another GP and ask for copies of your medical notes including hospital letters....you are legally entitled to request these

I need high dose T3 to function and have to self source it and self medicate. My GP accepts this but cannot help.

The treatment of thyroid disease is a scandal I doubt any other condition is so badly treated!

I hope your previous endo can help but if they are in a different health group they may insist on an endo visit before prescribing.

Prepare your case to fight for a T3 prescription!!

Good luck.

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7

the easiest job in the world is being a general practitioner, just general so that sort of lets them off the hook,

and the easiest consult job is an ENDO because they never have to get it right and if they get it wrong so be it, so they cant it right and dont bother either, my own endo has off loaded me, he doesnt want to know, ( probably because he doesnt know), i have to explain that t4 is inactive and t3 is the active hormone, which looks like it bewilders them and looks like i talk rubbish!

i had a lovely 'hair doctor' who said lets change you to our hospitral and then its all under one roof, but the new endo didnt want me either,

even though i have had mega adrenal problems, which suffice to say, NO ONE understood that either, i was soooooo unwell inhospital on a drip unable to function, so ill i didnt want to be here and i am a tough cookie, but what i was going thru was horrendous and it was a wonderful consultant in the Autonomic dept of a neuro hospital who after a weekend of tests and a tilt table test and blood tests nerve tests said to me-

you have adrenal related POTs. it took a neuro doctor to tell me what an endo should have tested me for. i rest my case.

Jodiedebs profile image
Jodiedebs in reply to bluepettals7

I'm so sorry to hear you have suffered unnecessarily 😔 I have a severely disabled son who I care for 24/7 with zero support, if I lose the T3 il be bed bound like I was the first year , I'm convinced I have problems with my adrenals but have no idea how to access help / diagnosis for that

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7 in reply to Jodiedebs

your adrenals,, i have just bought some biocare adrenal support, i remeber i took b5 i think it was, and also licororice root, not deglycceried, but a really good homepath wil help you also there are natural ways to increase t3 but you have to becareful but it can be done. also look up net doctor Prof shern chew endo in london.

Judithdalston profile image
Judithdalston in reply to bluepettals7

Bit off thyroid….Are you in Uk…just eventually got tilt table test done and falls consultant thinks the high HR on standing is produced by massive drop with BP , and is currently treating me by removing some, and fine tuning, the 5 BP drugs I had been put on. How are they treating you re tilt table finds? Incidentally the falls consultant laid into me about suppressed TSH, and with hindsight not sure she knew I was on T3 ( you never know what GP actually tells the dr.you are referred to!)

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7 in reply to Judithdalston

in UK but i was never treated, i had to muddle thru the most bizarre of the scale weord sensations ripping thru my body day an dnight for months 2010- 2011 ,2013 ,2014 ,2015 , 2016, i do not know how i survived, i couldnt even begin to tell you now- but my story which i printed here in 2012, is no wpropbably in the ARCHIVES, It was horrendous and i am STILL having sensations in my head, although now i am used it but still pressurised.

Judithdalston profile image
Judithdalston in reply to bluepettals7

There are only 4 of your posts ‘archived’, tho it’s says should be 6 , so only last few months, and no biography. Never mind…it has been very difficult to find anyone who has shown problems on a tilt table test as it’s ‘odd’ not being thyroid, heart, etc etc related.

bluepettals7 profile image
bluepettals7 in reply to Judithdalston

oh i wonder if that is because originallly i was just pettals i think or maybe blue pettals, i have had to change user name a couple of times for tech issues and also when i was hounded and stalked by some one very unwell, on another community, that could be the reason , as i know it relaye dmy horrendous time while it was fresh in my mind and that is all those years ago.

Britpol profile image
Britpol

I just wonder if you were contacted by a proper doctor or a physician assistant - a new breed GPs surgeries in the UK are filling up with, replacing GPs,. These are people with just 2 years’ training . It is shocking . Do ask if this person is a proper doctor and demand to speak with a proper GP in your Practice, not someone with hardly any training/experience. This ‘doctor’ should be struck off.

Unfortunately our healthcare in general is becoming a real issue as the government is gradually introducing Americanisation of processes to patients’ detriment. These involve an introduction of software for patient pre-assessment prior to be given an appointment as well as replacing GPs by ignorant assistants . The problem is spreading to other countries, such as Denmark., for example. We really must resist this by demanding a proper care, by demanding to see our records and talk to proper doctors and by raising our problems with our local MPs.

Jodiedebs profile image
Jodiedebs in reply to Britpol

Hi , unfortunately she's a Doctor on the team not an assistant, iv called the endo department this morning requesting my endo records including the letter stating the original endo prescribed my T3 unfortunately my GP insists this is irrelevant and feels I need a new assessment with a completely different team and that's what I find most disturbing is that she's ignoring my endo

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Jodiedebs

Hey there again :

It sounds as though you have changed counties and afraid this comes with these stupid requirements to be reassessed and with different counties have different CCG/ICB boards there are some where financial constraint rather than medical need takes precedence.

serenfach profile image
serenfach

You could try asking the endo secretary to write to the GP stating you need T3. Endos hate being questioned by a GP, They are Gods, remember!

Tell the GP she is there to advise, not dictate. You were prescribed a drug because you needed it. Would she say to a diabetic "oh, you have been on insulin for 4 years, you dont need it any more?"

I have found the more you make a fuss, the more they back down. Look up the name of the person who runs your health board and then say you will contact "Tony, you know, Tony Blank who runs the health board" as if you know him personally.

She is ignorant and dangerous. It is probably about the money. To hell with that, its your life! Good luck.

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