Newbie help please

[Sunshinesolana]

Hi

Firstly I've never really posted anything on a community site before so please forgive any faux pas on my part if this is not the way to do things but I'm really at my wits end and need some advice and or pointing in the right direction.

I have been showing borderline and normal thyroid problems since October 2011 in that time I have put on about four stone in weight am being diagnosed as having fibromyalgia (I strongly disagree with this diagnosis) I have a neurologist, cardiologist, and respiratory surgeon that I see, and am also being referred to a surgeon for abdominal pain. I have also been referred to a physiotherapist to see about a mobility aid. Possibly all irrelevant but I feel like my body is giving up on me, and the doctors are ignoring my thyroid!!

There is a strong link to under active thyroid on my mothers side of the family, most of her sisters and indeed a few of her nephews are on levothyroxine.

Any advice on whether I should keep pursuing my gp for more tests, or just give up and go along with all these other referrals? Could I have thyroid problems? Should I go private and if so where? Sorry I've probably not explained this well and have rambled a bit but I'm getting desperate, especially if its my thyroid after all and they are just wasteing nhs resources on all these other tests I'm having which generally have the doctors gazumped and thinking its all in my head!

Thanks in advance for any help advice given

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Welcome. You have explained fine.

What might help is to see your test results. I suggest you get the actual test results and reference ranges from the last couple of years and post them here.

Have a look here:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

It would be good if you were also tested for:

vitamin B12

folates

iron/ferritin

vitamin D

All are very often low in people with even slight thyroid issues.

All the best

Rod

[Sunshinesolana in reply to helvella]

Hi

I will ask my doctor for copies and also check if he's prepared to test me for the other tests you mentioned.

Thanks

Chelle

[shaws Administrator in reply to Sunshinesolana]

Your doctor shouldn't refuse to give you copies of your blood tests.

We should keep our copies for future reference.

[Sunshinesolana in reply to shaws]

Ok thanks, I've an appointment on Friday so hopefully will be able to get the copies then and post them on here asap after that thanks again, I was feeling pretty low, but hopefully I can get some help and find some answers soon.

Chelle

[Jackie]

Hi , a proper diagnosis of thyroid disease can not be made without a minimum of tSH, T4, and Free T3. tests. Now, it is all about costs!The weight gain could well be low FT3 as it commonly is. Cardio if good should be thinking thyroid. If you have dozens of medical conditions it does not preclude thyroid. When a diagnosis is made then often doctors clutch at that and do not look any further. Ask the cardio to either test you and then refer you to an endo or refer you any way. Make sure you have the proper tests. A tertiary referral is always best any way. keep fighting!

Best wishes,

Jackie

[Heloise]

Hi Newbie, after reading that the NHS thinks there are inordinate amounts of thyroid diagnoses, it seems another way to tell people like you that you have everything but........Why would they prefer treating five conditions when in reality it is only one? Try insisting on ruling OUT thyroid before continuing any other avenues. And that means the tests that Jackie mentioned above.

[Sunshinesolana]

Thanks for all your replies.

Everyone is so helpful and I appreciate that very much.

Chelle