My adult daughter, diagnosed after many symptoms were ignored by the GP, has PCOS, and has suffered with heavy , painful periods, poor skin, greasy hair, hirsuteness, since she was a student with no support from the medical profession. Her weight continues to increase but eats very little and has intolerances to lactose, gluten, garlic, orange, has severe migraines, eats a low Fod map diet, and her TSH is at the low end of 'normal' but no-one will look further. Hypothyroidism runs in the family, I and my two sisters, and possibly my mum too.
I think the only option is a functional doctor, but where to find one?
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AtoZ24
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Can you share your daughter’s blood test results (TSH/ FT4/ FT3) and any results for key vitamins (ferritin/ folate/ B12/ vit D) I would certainly look to check all these and share with us, before considering a functional practitioner.
If your daughter’s GP is unable to complete all the above (eg if TSH is within range, some surgeries may not be able to access FT4 and FT3 tests), you could look to do this privately, as many forum members do, for a better picture of your thyroid health:
From what I've read on here, functional doctors have no more knowledge or understanding of thyroid than conventional doctors. But they do have some very funny ideas about it! Be very, very careful when choosing any sort of doctor. They may call themselves 'thyroid specialists' but they very rarely are.
Come back with new post once you get results for advice on next steps
Assuming thyroid is an issue
Then book to see a thyroid specialist
Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists
Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations so that might eventually transfer to NHS
I have at last persuaded her to have an advanced thyroid test via medichecks, with a blood draw at a local clinic as she is needle phobic. I will get the results up as soon as it’s been done together with her other recent results. Thanks, I see an Endo but although he did prescribe t3 for me to add to the thyroxine, I don’t much like or trust him!
Who diagnosed her PCOS and did they recommend any treatments? In younger people it is usually the contraceptive pill unless she wants to get pregnant then Metformin is often used, there are a couple of others including Inositol available over the counter.
All the symptoms you list are attributable to PCOS although low T3 would not help. Has she had regular blood sugar tests as this is likely also to be glucose intolerance caused by PCOS. High Testosterone levels cause most of the other symptoms. An Endocrinologist referral should help.
In the meantime, I would recommend a lot of exercise, walking, perhaps a gym, and keeping a food diary. My daughters have had some success, and this is all good evidence for a GP appointment. GPs seem to see overweight females and think they sit on the sofa all day eating donuts, so you need all the facts to persuade them otherwise and preferably a female doctor who knows a little bit about female problems.
Thanks. She is a vet, with a horse, so gets exercise!. It was a locum at the surgery she was at at the time, no treatment, they told her as she was early 30's that she couldn't be on the pill because of blood clots/cancer etc! o partner anyway. So she struggled. She's had Metformin to no avail. Yes, I did contact one who had been on TV, and she prescribed Spironolactone, 50mgs, with some respite from heavy perods, but no weightloss, and she eats very little-she has lots of intolerances, gluten, lactose, eats Low Fodmap, I think maybe it's the not eating much that might be holding her up. Thanks for the advice. Will come back after the Blood test.
Spironolactone, 50mgs is an introductory dose, needs increasing if she is able to tolerate it, watch Potassium levels. Depends on Metformin dose but is likely to upset her stomach. Assuming testosterone and blood sugars are high which create these symptoms. There are some newer injections on the market being used for diabetics and being taken for weight loss, worth investigating.
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Hi, Im new here, but need help for my daughter .Hashis with very,very high TSH(250) and low T4,T3?? Docs stumped. 
At last! The doctor I have waited 18 years to find.....
I went doctor shopping and couldn't find one and
