Colour Code your evidence for visual impact!

Just a thought - I printed off the list of symptoms from thyroiduk. I colour code the symptoms; Red for ones which seriously undermine your wellbeing, yellow for symptoms you are managing, but which could be improved and green for symptoms which have improved. I leave the few which don't apply.

I've done this three times now; at diagnosis (last Feb) for Oct when I felt good, and last week when I suddenly felt very ill again - confirmed by a raised TSH.

The visual effect of this traffic light system highlights immediately any issues and also where improvement has been made - then lost again.

It has a lot of impact to have not only tracked/recorded the symptoms, but to show deterioration/progress.

I'm tracking my symptoms in a methodical way and preparing this for evidence to show my GP if my increase in meds don't have the effect I hope for. The list is here;

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[PinkNinja]

This is a brilliant idea. I am going to try this. I shall fill it out for when I was originally on T3 (lots of green lights there ), when I was on levothyroxine (mainly red lights!) and now on NDT (some green and some yellow). I will be showing them to my doctor and see what he says

Carolyn x

[Hidden in reply to PinkNinja]

Hi Carolyn

Let me know how you get on and good luck!

x

[emma_marie]

Brilliant idea, I'll be trying this also! Thanks for sharing

[GuardianAngel]

great idea printing now and thanks for sharing. x

[RedApple Administrator]

Excellent idea LizaSahara!

And if anyone has any symptoms that are not mentioned in the list, and you're sure they're thyroid related, do submit them to Thyroid UK via the website feedback form here

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/forms/...

[Hidden]

I really appreciate your feedback.

I'd be interested to know how you get on if anyone uses this with their GPs. Since so many fail to listen when we discuss our symptoms, often dismissing them I'm convinced tracking on paper will have more impact.

And it's written evidence of 'neglect' if they continue to dismiss symptoms irrespective of blood results.