Dr G Skinner: I have an appointment with Dr G... - Thyroid UK

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Dr G Skinner

bennion666568 profile image
31 Replies

I have an appointment with Dr G Skinner tomorrow I have been taking levothytoxine for 30 years and the last five I have felt so ill and I was diagnosed with CFS as the levothytoxine has not been converting. I was given levothytoxine and t3 together by a local endocrinologist 12 months ago there has been only the tiniest of improvement I still feel awfull. So I have made an appointment to see Dr Skinner and u am praying he can help me I have read such good reviews . Has anyone else been under Dr Skinner and what has been the outcome ?

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bennion666568
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31 Replies
Clarebear profile image
Clarebear

Hi - I haven't seen Dr Skinner myself as I have managed to get my endo to treat me with Armour, but I have heard really great things about him on here.

Here is a link to other people's questions/blogs where they have put "Skinner" as a tag:

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

Good luck tomorrow - I'm sure it will go really well. It maybe that you need to go onto T3 only or NDT such as Armour or Erfa.

I'm sure lots of people will answer your question who actually have seen him :) xx

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to Clarebear

I have read that long term use of levothytoxine can cause reverse T3 which stops the body converting the Levothyroxine and the . It says that you have to come off levothytoxine altogether and take higher dosage of T3 only and rid the body of the reverse T3

I wonder then if this is what maybe suggested tomorrow we shall see

Clarebear profile image
Clarebear in reply to bennion666568

I suspect the rT4 thing happened to me last year. I seem to have managed to clear it with NDT though, although I have heard that T3 only would be better/quicker for doing this.

What are your latest thyroid test results and T3 and T4 dosages?

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to Clarebear

My last one in July was Tsh 0.22 and T4 10.4 I am on 50mcg Levothyroxine and 20mcg liothyronine . When I first visited the endocrinologist in November 2011 my Tsh was 0.018. And then in

May 2012 Tsh 0.22 T3 6.7 and T4 8.6

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to Clarebear

What is NDT ?

Clarebear profile image
Clarebear in reply to bennion666568

Natural desiccated thyroid - basically from pigs :D Quite a few of us are on it and feeling better , although it doesn't suit everyone Xx

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to Clarebear

Aaarh ok it that armour or is that totally different thing ?

How much does it cost you to buy or does your go prescribe it ? X

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to bennion666568

Oh I see your previous comment NDT is armour or erfa X

Clarebear profile image
Clarebear in reply to bennion666568

Hi - I'm very lucky that my GP is prescribing it for me. Prior to that I was getting it on private prescription and I can't remember exactly how much it cost me but I think it was in the region of £0.50 a day. xx

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Dr S is a very down-to-earth no airs and graces and will do his best for you.

Sometimes he believes that we are not given enough thyroxine by GP's and sometimes initially tries to see if an increase will do the job. This makes it better for patients as GP's will then not be reluctant to prescribe for them and we don't have to purchase ourselves. He will prescribe others if necessary

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to shaws

It's so nice to hear Dr Skinner is such a lovely guy really looking forward to meeting him. It will be a long journey though from Falmouth to Birminghan think I will be a little bedraggled by the time u arrive lol

If you get time, try and take a typed history he can refer to. Good luck tomorrow. XXX

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to

Yes I will do that later thank you X

ritz profile image
ritz

i went to see him 3 years ago, i was on levo for 4 years and getting worse and worse, he added in t3 which helped a bit and then swapped the levo for armour which made an enormous difference and i am now back at work full time

i think i could say he saved my job & home and life, if i had remained on levo i would certainly have lost the first 2 by now

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to ritz

That is so encouraging to hear u also cannot work before I got sick I used to work go to college look after my home children and still have energy to socialise I just about get out if bed at the minute and dress myself and drag this poor excuse of a body around the house like a snail lol x

ritz profile image
ritz in reply to bennion666568

very best luck, i hope it works for you :)

i am not 100% still cant run, but i am awake and functioning

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to ritz

Running was the first time I knew something really wasn't right as I collapsed when I got home and it was all down hill from there, not to bothered about running again . Really happy to hear that you are feeling much better than you did though, do you cope well with working etc or is it a struggle?

ritz profile image
ritz in reply to bennion666568

well it's just about ok and better in the summer than it is now and i am very prone to catching colds that go round the office, so i would say its an effort rather than a struggle

waveylines profile image
waveylines

i have seen Dr Skinner over a number of years and i have a very high regard for him. he is a down to earth humorous astute, clever physician who always believes in doing the best for his patients.

he has been brilliant and really helpful for me -i was extremely poorly when i first saw him -on levothyroxine but not thriving at all! I took a little potted history with a list of all my symptoms and felt too ill to talk so just handed them to him. he was so sweet and kind to me. And yes he wrote to my GP and supported me very step of the way. My GP's have listened and responded to his advice. Having tried levo and then levo and T3 I found the NDT ,Erfa the best for me...but we are all different!

Good luck tomorrow - xx

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to waveylines

Thank you I have also typed a letter with my history for Dr Skinner to read thank you to everyone for your support and kind words X

Clarebear profile image
Clarebear in reply to bennion666568

Don't forget to let us know how it went :) x

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to Clarebear

I have had my consultation with Dr Skinner what a lovely fella he listened and understood all of my symptoms, he took a look at photographs before and even explained how my facial features had changed i wasnt imagining it apparently it's called the face of thyroid . He also detected that my skin was yellowish and has for full blood count at my G.Ps . He has increased my thyroxine to from 50mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 to 100mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 for the first three weeks and then upped to 150mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 for the following 6 weeks so I don't know how long it will be before I feel improvement I sure hope that I do though . We will just have to see

Once again fingers crossed

nobodysdriving profile image
nobodysdriving in reply to bennion666568

am really happy you got to see this 'clever man' (dr skinner)

I am a patient of him, diagnosed hypothyroid january this year and FULLY FIXED by August (7 months later) by this wonderful man!

He is VERY patient focused and will always do what he can to make you happy and healthy.

In my case we worked very much 'together', he took my thoughts/opinions in consideration and led my therapy the way I preferred it to be, so long that I asked for something which was 'reasonable' and 'indicated' he was happy to help me.

He listens and looks at you and your symptoms.

When I saw him in August and declared me 'fully healed' he gave me a big hug and I could see how happy he was for me :)

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to nobodysdriving

Oh that is such good news I am so happy for you. I really feel I can trust him to help me fingers and toes crossed . Could I please ask did your GP continue to prescribe for you or did you end up having to pay for your own private prescription ? X

JillBailie profile image
JillBailie in reply to bennion666568

Hi have just been reading your posts re. Dr.Skinner. I am considering making an appointment to go to see him as I have been feeling terrible for a while on Levothyroxine. I will have to travel quite a distance but if I thought he could help me it would be worth it. Have you been back to see him and have you seen an improvement? thanks

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568 in reply to JillBailie

Hi I also travelled a long distance to see Dr Skinner from Falmouth to Birmingham. I have seen Dr Skinner three times now and will be due to see him in July again . Each time I have visited my medication has been increased gradually and I touch wood and pray I am starting to feel much better now. I am even contemplating taking steps back into work . This clever kind gentleman has saved me and I could never thank him enough . Everyone is different but I would recommend that you see him if possible . X

JillBailie profile image
JillBailie in reply to bennion666568

Thank you for sharing this info. with me. I would be travelling from Northern Ireland. I was diagnosed with M.E./ CFS 20 years ago and then finally managed to get a diagnosis of an under active thyroid about 8 years ago. My Dr. thinks I have both....I'm not so sure. I think I have just been poorly managed. I also think my adrenals are not functioning correctly. Had the usual bad experience of an endo who was patronising and unhelpful and recommended antidepressants. I would like to try T3 or Armour. I would actually just be grateful to talk to a Dr who knows what he is talking about and listens to me! I wasn't sure if Dr.Peatfield or Dr. Skinner would be better for me to see. Flying to Birmingham will be expensive on top of the Dr's fees but if I thought it would help me sort out my health it would be worth it! This web site has been very helpful. I will let you know how I get on, thanks again,Jill

flow profile image
flow

Glad it went well :)

How HAS your face changed, if you don't mind me asking? I've been wondering about changes in my own face...

in reply to flow

See reply below...

x

bennion666568 profile image
bennion666568

Sometimes it's puffy and my eyes look like slits and other times u just look like I have a sad face all the time strange but it's the truth x

in reply to bennion666568

Hi

Just a pointer, if you want to reply to someone in particular, you have to make sure to click on 'reply to this' otherwise they will not get an email letting them know you have responded.

Louise

x :-)

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