I recently posted that my thyroid gland suddenly enlarged - sore neck, buzzing ears, v tender joints & had cough for weeks. (Also had years of tiredness, aches/pains & have rheumatologist appnt booked) . Couldn’t get GP appnt but sent photo & blood tests immediately organised by GP before a f2f appnt. Tests all back but only specific thyroid done was Serum TSH level (4.19 ) so in range. All others were FBC, & for liver/kidney/diabetes/bone profile - all within normal ranges (good to know!)
Apart from insisting on ultrasound for goitre, should I be asking for more thyroid related blood tests - or could just do privately for ease. Since reading up about thyroid problems & matching my symptoms, I do feel this is a possibility that needs further exploration.
All new to me, so apologies if sound naive!
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Weedslayer
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Hi Weedslayer, welcome to the forum. When can you come round and slay a few weeds for me? 🤣
You don't need a range for the TSH because a TSH is always a TSH and it should be around 1. So, yours is high, even though it's within the useless range - just being 'in-range' is pretty meaningless anyway. And your TSH is saying that you're hypo.
You do need a lot of other tests to get the full picture, but unlikely your GP would ever do them all, so getting them done privately would be the easiest solution. You need:
TSH
FT4
FT3
TPO antibodies (very likely that you have autoimmune thyroiditis=
Ha! Can you tell how I spend most my free time?! Thanks for the response. I’ve booked private bloods but now struggling to contact anyone at GPs to push for a scan. 10 days since goitre appeared.
Yes, I've heard it can be difficult to get an appointment in the UK. Here in France, where I live, we hardly have any doctors to get an appointment with! It seems to be a wide-spread problem.
Thank you. I’ve ordered blue horizon’s gold. My immediate concern is persuading GP to arrange ultrasound on the enlarged thyroid! Annoying thing is I’ve also had a referral in Jan for tingling / weakness left neck to hand & fingers - been triaged & waiting next steps. Sounds like that could even be connected from reading articles on here.
If it’s too difficult to see a GP (this is a terrible state of affairs) can you write asking for an ultrasound. We have a new system at our GP where every morning you have an opportunity to fill out a ‘triage’ style form. A doctor then views your form and will decide what to do. It’s not a perfect system but it’s better than phoning and getting an appointment two weeks to a month in advance!
Otherwise I would arrange privately as SlowDragon advises. At least then you could get a move on. All this stuff just stretches out and takes forever. Good luck.
Thanks. We do have the same system but GP suggesting as bloods are ‘normal’, scan unnecessary. I’d have thought all more reason for scan as no known cause for enlargement. No f2f yet so hasn’t been examined - not sure they can make that decision? Longstanding cough, pain both sides neck, buzzing ear, tingly lips, tightness, feel like something in throat & today, whilst teaching , voice went croaky. Booked 1st available appnt - mid June☹️ Probably viral/bacterial thyroiditis but I’d like to rule out anything more sinister.
OMG that’s ridiculous! The problem off course is that nothing thyroid (short of unconsciousness) is considered important. And off course ideally an examination would be good, but you know you have a goitre. From the sounds of it (and your history) it’s unlikely to be an infection - and if it was, I don’t think waiting for all those weeks is going to work! A&E?
I dont know if this would work, as I have never tried it, but just a suggestion. Phone 101 and lay it on thick - trouble breathing, dizzy, tingling lips, feel faint... Tell them you are having trouble getting a GP appointment and are now scared you will pass out.
A friend, a few years back, was having a lot of pain and very heavy continuous periods. GP not interested. So me carrying a bag with essentials and her trotted off to M&S, and she lay down and I started screaming for help. Ambulance arrived, long story short, she saw the Gyni within an hour and had a small op later that day. M&S sent flowers!
We joke about it now as we are two old hags, would probably be locked up somewhere now!
update: managed to see a different GP who has referred me to endocrinologist. He said goitre & top of normal + symptoms warrants further investigation so hopefully all will be fine in the end.
Thanks to everyone for all the advice - really appreciated.
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When can you come round and slay a few weeds for me? 🤣
Gazdad,questions to ask gp ,please..
Re GP and private blood testing, again, and a Genova question.
Referral from GP to BUPA
GP not doing regular thyroid bloods.
GP response - just as predicted!
