I saw my gp as I was struggling to cope and felt stressed. ( I look after my Mum in law who is in late stage dementia and have a stressful part-time job ).
I explained my symptoms - feeling tired, tearful, anxious, aches and pains, breathlessness etc., and he issued me a sick note for stress.He seemed to be in a rush ( I know they are busy ) I said I was concerned that I had an underlying health problem as I`ve been putting a lot of weight on despite eating less and I am active. I said I need to be well to take care of my Mum in law. He said I may have a thyroid problem and said to have a blood test. I had to wait 3 weeks for a blood test and when the results came in the gp said my levels are low which suggest I have an underactive thyroid. He didn`t want to start treatment right away and said to have another blood test in another month. I had hoped to start treatment earlier, as from what I hear it can take a long time to get the doses right. Am I being too impatient?
Thanks for listening,
JLD1.
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JLD1
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Hello and welcome, You are certainly not being too impatient.
Firstly phone the doctor's surgery and ask exactly what your results were and which tests you've had done. Then list them on here and you'll get plenty of comments.
Then go to this page on the main Thyroid UK website:
so that you can be armed with lots of information when you return to the doctor about which other tests he could do for you. Sadly many doctors are woefully ill informed about thyroid disorders and the more information you can give them the better. In fact have a good look through the main Thyroid UK website and you'll find plenty of things to back up your case.
Make sure that they give you the ranges when you contact the surgery for your blood test results as, unfortunately, labs differ throughout the country.
welcome JLD1, you are lucky to have found this website so quickly after having your diagnose. I have leaned so much since joining. Hope you get it sorted out soon
Roslinxx
Hi JLD1.
Yes, get the information and go back to the GP very soon and describe again the difficulties the symptoms have on your well-being, your ability to care for your relative and your work.
I've found the thyroiduk list of symptoms very useful. I fill it in every few months so I can track everything and colour code red all of the symptoms which badly effect my life, my well-being and my ability to work. I've never needed to show the GP yet, but I have the latest colour coded symptoms list in my hand and take this with me.
Best wishes for a brighter future.
Liza
Agree with Jane, you need to be proactive. I was getting fobbed off with blood tests every 6 weeks but no dosage increase. There was no way I could carry on being so ill so opted out of the NHS.
Hi there, I think your GP should have started you on the lowest dose straight away, why wait when your bloods have come back stating your underactive. It takes awhile anyway to get the level of meds correct, so I would go back and ask that they start you on meds asap. Your underactive thyroid is not going to mend itself. I wish you well. Kathc
I agree with what the others are saying, but the reason your GP wants to repeat the test may be to rule out fluctuations due to a virus or something else. It may be that your thyroid function is only slightly low and he doesn't want to start medication if it is just a transient issue. Of course we know that it is probably your thyroid and I suspect your doctor does to.
The fact that he is only waiting a month is good. Many people have to wait another 3 months or more for a repeat test, so I expect he is just covering his back and following guidelines. Do get the repeat test as close to a month as you can. If you have a long wait on your bloodtests at your surgery, book in now if you can.
Try to get a blood test appointment for as early in the morning as possible. Your blood results will look more hypothyroid first thing in the morning than later in the day. This will hopefully ensure that you get the treatment you need.
In the meantime, please have a look at the main Thyroid UK website. There is lots of information on there. Just click on the relevant item on the purple menu bar on the left. There are also lots of case-studies on there.
I know now that I`m not being unreasonable. You have been so helpful and reassuring.
I did ring the surgery again but only managed to speak with the receptionist, who looked at my record and said two gp`s had agreed that I should have another blood test first! I told her that I couldn`t understand why I should wait, as I have been told I have an underactive thyroid.... but didn`t get anywhere.
It makes you wonder why the word `caring` is in the caring profession doesn`t it? The gp didn`t even see me about the results. It was all done over the phone. Nothing has been explained to me about the condition. If I hadn`t have found this website and you guys I`d be totally lost and isolated.
It takes weeks to get an appointment so I`d better make one now for the week after my blood test ( which is on May 17th ), at least that way I won`t have to wait weeks to see a gp.( plus I don`t think it should be sorted out over the phone ) I will take your advice and ask for a printout of my levels.
Sorry for going on for so long...and thanks once again for your support. It means a lot to me. My heart goes out to you all, suffering from thyroid problems and also having to battle to get the help you need.
welcome to your support people who know just how you feel i run a day centre for people with dementia so i do know how it is and to now have all these problems yourself makes it all the worse . all of what you say your feeling your gp should have given you help straight away but as most of us know they dont after over 20 years im still having the same problems and feel as there is no end to it all
we just need to help each other with as much support as we can as the medical people dont have any answers still just medication for what ever comes along even if it does not work for most of us good luck and know that there is always some one here that knows what your going though people on this sight are really helpful i have found that knowing im not alone .best wishes xxx
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