Medical ineptitude. Your life in their hands.

[ecie]

This refers to my post yesterday (if I am violating any rules by posting this, many apologies: thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co... ), in which my GP told me I did not have Hashimoto's.

I saw him today and found out not only did they NOT test my free T3, they also only did one thyroid antibodies test instead of two. I asked to look at my results over the last two years and now I'm going out of my mind with worry because of what I saw (which is only further exhausting my pitiful adrenals). First of all, apart from the numerous abnormalities which clearly indicate serious problems, my TSH, FSH, LH and virtually every other test I've had has been dropping every time I've had a test. Add to this that my thyroid antibodies from last year tested POSITIVE for Hashimoto's (they were well in the red), yet they NEVER informed me of this, now I'm wondering how I can ever trust my GP again. Granted I've seen numerous GPs over the years, but not one of them ever noticed anything suspicious?

He also tested my blood pressure, which did not fall when standing, but both readings (seated and standing) were very low (64/105 and 70/110 respectively). How can he look at all these tests, with the notable abnormalities and the consistently falling levels, alongside very low blood pressure, and not refer me to an NHS endo immediately?

Now I have to go to an endo (probably privately because the NHS will take at least 6 weeks) and request a whole load more tests (which may mean yet more money that I don't have). If I cannot obtain those tests I'm scared I won't even be here next year, or that my quality of life will be so poor (and it's deteriorated drastically since my December posts here) it would better to end it. Sorry for the melodrama and hysterics, I know it's hardly conducive for getting taken seriously. I have a lot of trouble containing my emotion and when i'm stressed and literally feel like death I just lose it.

Hope anyone can offer any advice or something. Sorry if I come across like a ranting and raving loony.

[PoppyRose]

Sorry about your bad experience. It seems you're not alone.

I'm afraid I've just returned from my GP after requesting a referral to a consultant and she wouldn't. !!

In my surgery you book into whoever is free - today was a visiting GP.

She insisted that all my results were normal, and to 'pacify' me agreed to VitD, Cacium, Ferrous and a couple of other tests. She suggested Depression or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome., but then when asked agreed that they didn't account for my physical symptoms. ?? aid a lot of what you read o the internet is rubbish apart from patients.co.uk - which I will now compare.

She then assessed me on the computer for Depression (I agreed to prove my point) and the score came out low. Stupid programme, unreliable, not valid in any way as it only asked how you felt in the past 2 weeks!! and gave ridiculous choices of " every day, never, several days & more than half the time" work that one out for professional assessment!!

So for example " have you thought you might be better off dead or wanted to harm yourself"?

I really hope you get somewhere as I am really not sure what to do myself now. Apart from posting on this site to vent myself.

Best wishes.

[Hidden]

Been there and done that. It's because the NHS reference ranges for tests are too broad - so broad they will only so something when it is probably too late.

I was also told my tests were 'normal' when i had pernicious anaemia (no, your b12 levels are fine), iron deficient anaemia (hair falling out? no, your ferritin levels are fine). My adrenal dysfuntion was denied (my private test was ignored because i didn't yet have Addisons disease), they refused to test thyroid antibodies, so i did a private test and found i had Hashimoto's. When i told them they said 'so what?".

The best thing you can do is educate yourself, help yourself as much as possible by getting all your vitamin and mineral levels up. I was also refused referrals to an endo (because i was euthyroid despite being too ill to work!), a gastro (for debilitating gastric symptoms - had coeliac diagnosed privately), etc etc

I changed GPs 3 x in 9 months and all were useless. Ended up going private for all my diagnoses. I'm afraid the problem you will find is that NHS will not recognise your private diagnoses even when presented in writing

You are not alone, but you will find alot of support and advice online. I felt just like you do. NHS GPs were happy to keep signing me off sick but no one would do anything.

Staying well is a work in progress.

NHS GPs lack the interest, motivation and ability to join the dots between associations and diseases. I saw a private GP who in 15 minutes figured out more than the NHS had in 15 years.

My view - and other may disagree - is to get as many tests done on the nhs as you can, get copies, then take them to a private GP or endo. That's what i did