i'm sure i'm not alone with this

[alangardner]

just a quick update on my lady's referral to barts [ after using the choose and book system ].....1st apt for bloods etc -------what a difference to our local trust . upon asking exactly what they would be testing/screening for I was told 'everything -from t3/t4/tsh and also for calcium and also vitamin==== otherwise the consultant [ apt 29th aprill ] would not be able to make an informed diagnosis====I was also informed that my local trust that had been 'treating my partner ' had an endo' dept BUT to their knowledge they didn't have ANY specialist endocrynologists [ beggers belief ] the knowledgeable staff nurse was not only helpfull and efficient but also took on board the previous results....which I had to hand ......stating that the consultant would find these very interesting after being made aware that the patient had been prescribed carbimazole AND levothyroxine at the same time [apparently this is unusual and they refrain from this practice ] I know ,after reading most of the blogs on this site that there are a lot of hosp.trusts and indeed gp's that give us crap treatment , but on this evidence I would have no hesitation in pointing anyone in the direction that I have taken THERE ARE SOME GOOD UNITS OUT THERE as not all gp's are as useful as a chocolate teapot in a forest fire [ my own is excellent ] so some endo units at hospitals are superb. I will give a further update after the consultants appt.

[Hidden]

Have you left a hospital review please? Thanks!

Louise

x

[alangardner in reply to Hidden]

hi louise, no I havn't .....as a 'techno-idiot' please let me know how to do this.....I would have NO problem in ' singing their praises' for my/our experiences so far------I feel it's even better to praise than to castigate---everyone will remember when they got a blue peter badge but who remembers when they 'got a size 12 where they sit down '------they deserve it !!!!!

[Hidden in reply to alangardner]

Hi Alan

Click on Hospitals in the purple bar, then 'take the survey'. Simples! xxx

[alangardner in reply to Hidden]

hi again loiuse, I got here in the end and have done the survey......it may be a bit long winded [ but i'm getting a bit crochetty with my own probs after today [ severe arthritis--spine/neck/hip etc----hey ho what a shame ] I only wish there was a site for my probs like this one --------keep up the good work and please pass on a few brownie points to ALL

[Tony63 in reply to alangardner]

I love a positive story! If you don't mind Alan I've sent you a PM with a couple of queries.

Tony

[Hidden in reply to alangardner]

It was really good!

Thanks!

Not sure if these groups would be of use....

nras.healthunlocked.com/?re...

arthritisfoundation.healthu...

foggys.healthunlocked.com/?...

L

xxx

[ging]

St. Barts saved my life !! The staff in the Endo ward are superb and I had stays of three weeks sometimes and I felt safe and 'at home'. Apparently this ward has been threatened with closure!! Please do all you can to show your support. Ging

[alangardner]

thank you so much for your blog,just goes to prove vindication for my personal impressions so far. incidently my lady has already had a stay--and an op--at barts [ although a totally different department----thoracic/chest-- and we found them to be nothing short of SUPERB.......really pleased with your news and if there will be anything that WE can do to support them I am certain that the people on this site as well as us will never be found wanting..........as we read of others on this site this IS one site that needs to be exempt from the dreaded closures / cost cutting etc. ------just think of the savings to the nhs for treating other conditions that don't need treating because of miss/incorrect diagnosis/treatment......let alone the personal cost to us the sufferers ---- which in some case cannot ever be measured.....just read some of the horror stories on this site that have already happened and are still happening.......but also remember that in your case an indeed mine there is a great big light at the end of that damn long tunnel for everyone if we fight for it !!!!!!

[JJ43]

Hi Alan

Just wanted to say that my hubby was diagnosed with parathyroidism ( I think that is right- it is the calcium glands that sit behind the thyroid) he had too much calcium which was found at a routine blood test for gout. Anyway he was referred by our local hospital to Barts where he had his op to remove the parathyroid gland that was causing the problem. This had moved into his thyroid and so had half his thyroid removed. The care he received prior to his op by Barts was second to none. They tested him fully for a whole host of things apart from the parathyroid problem and found a couple of other health issues that will need to be looked into. I highly recommend them and when I finally get referred to an endo for my own thyroid issues will def use Barts under the choose and book system. Good luck with your appointments.

[nightingale-56]

Good to hear there is some good treatment at some hospitals. In a roundabout way I am under one of the hospitals attached to Barts (The Royal London) and will being seeing a top Dermatologist from Barts there at the end of April. This is long-drawn out problem attached to my thyroid condition, which will hopefully be rectified soon. Very impressed, also, with the treatment I had recently at The Royal London for my initial check, which took place with about 20 doctors , a kind of brainstorming, over the course of 1 1/2 hours with my Dermatologist from my local hospital. Two or three doctors would come in at a time to ask questions, take notes and look at the spots. Will blog once the appointment has taken place.

[alangardner]

what can I say further to what I have already said ------ the comments above go in some way to prove that not all gp's/drs/hospitals are the same JUST REMEMBER ALL YOU BLOGGERS OUT THERE ALL WE NEED IS THE CORRECT INFO TO GET THE PROPER TREATMENT----IT IS OUT THERE and with the good people on this site we may all get where we would like to be [ treated correctly no matter where we live or whatever hosp.trust we come under ] so that we can live reasonably together with our pains/aches/ and more importantly with our sanity

[DEN53]

Hi Alan

<<<<waves to Alan>>>>>

The London teaching hospitals are, in my opinion, the best for specialised treatment (obviously if you live in other parts of the country, then this will not apply). Our local hospitals (Queens, Romford) are not equipped to give this specialised treatment. My neighbour has recently undergone chemotherapy for Hogkins Lympoma at Queens, her treatment was terrible. She was kept waiting 3 hours while the prescription of chemo was sorted - they had lack of staff and despite being prone to infection, she had to have her 2 weekly blood tests sitting with the other hundred people (with god knows what infections) instead of the blood being taken in the cancer unit. She was given no back up support at home i.e.. Macmillian nurses etc, but basically left to just 'get on with it'. She has finished her chemo now and is awaiting the result of her scan, but has said to me, if the cancer has not gone, she will not have anymore treatment.

I had my thyroid gland removed 7 years ago and at the time was under Oldchurch Hospital, which has now been replaced with Queens. I had a lovely consultant Dr. Graham Toms, he was brilliant - very pro NHS and never did private appointments. They cut his budget back so much, he left Havering and went to work at Newham Hospital (not sure if he is still there).. He was replaced with some Nigerian Endo, who on one of my appointments, asked 'would you like to be discharged' with a laugh liken to the Doctor in 'The Simpsons'......I said I wasn't cured, so why would I be discharged....he said 'not much more we can do for you. I went private, as hubby has private work insurance and had my thyroid gland removed. I couldn't face anymore years of no treatment from these mickey mouse doctors.

Den

[Nicola-Jane]

How great to get this sort of treatment on the nhs. My own nhs endo seems quite knowledgeable about thyroid issues but his hands seem tied. Too frightened to prescribe NDT in case he is struck off although he has told me off the record that he has no issue with it and is happy to monitor me should I go down this route... privately of course! I am seeing him in 3 weeks and want a full hormone/vitamin/mineral check. Don't hold out much hope of getting it on the nhs though as I have to call the lab every time the consultant orders a t3 level - and I take t3 medication!