First endo appt - any advice on questions to ask?

[LittlePlum3]

Hi everyone, I'm new here but have been reading lots of stuff recently and am grateful to have found you all!

I take 175mcg thyroxine but the last few months have been very symptomatic. TSH in July last year was 1.8, two weeks ago was 3.58 (range 0.3-3.5)

I asked the doctor for a referral to an endocrinologist and luckily he agreed. He ordered some bloods but I also have to go for blood tests ordered by the endo. Interesting results from the first set of bloods are:

Cholesterol 6.7 (ref 3.6 - 5)

Egfr 68 which indicates stage 2 CKD if kidney damage confirmed

Ferritin 46 (ref 23-300)

I also have chronic rhinitis and bouts of sinusitis which have always been linked by docs to allergies but my blood allergy tests have come back negative.

To sum up, after reading lots I have realised that all these things are related to hypothyroidism!

Do I just point out all these things to endo? I don't want to come across as a know it all but I really need help and I feel that this is my one chance to get it sorted as I don't feel GPs have managed my condition very well. Any advice much appreciated!

Oh, finally, I am also asthmatic and take anti depressants (Escitalopram).

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I suggest you have a look at this paper (abstract):

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/208...

Could be that the escitalopram is important.

Rod

[shaws Administrator]

Maybe your GP gave you anti-d's instead of T3. You definitely need a raise. Hopefully your Endo will be a sympathetic one.

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

[Jackie]

Hi I find it best to take a prompt list for yourself. A lot of consultants do not like being given lists themselves! Also be wary of mentioning about the WEB, TUK ,first give them a chance!You do not want to get on the wrong foot! I also find that if you mention not sleeping, they automatically assume you are hyper,so I always avoid that. We know better but doctors do not seem to know about Hypo, lack of sleep etc.Tell them all the symptoms you can thing of, write them for yourself.

Best wishes,

Jackie

[LittlePlum3 in reply to Jackie]

Thank you for the advice. I am going to write it down as my memory is shocking at the moment - at my last docs appt I forgot to tell him I have been forgetful! ;o)