After Dr P - Saw My GP

[rosetrees]

Thanks to everyone who posted comments on my blog post about my visit to Dr P. Today I went to see my GP. I took with me the written diagnosis from DR P, along with his recommendations of what I should take. I also took his print-out "understanding treatment of lowered metabolism".

The consultation started like this:

Me: "oh dear, what have you done?"

Him: "I walked into the car boot. The boot won"

Me: "Yes, I can see that"

Him: "How are you feeling now"

I told my GP I had stopped taking thyroxine for 10 days. Bearing in mind what others said, I didn't say that Dr P had told me to take NT only. I'm going to consider that and may go back on 25mg of thyroxine.

He read the diagnosis and has even kept the metabolism print-out so he can read it later.

I said that I now think ME is actually complex endocrine malfunction and that it started becoming prevalent in the 70s when thyroid blood tests were introduced.

You are going to love his reply (I swear, this really is what he said)

"You can't diagnose thyroid problems just on blood tests, you have to go by symptoms"

I didn't ask him why, in that case, it's taken 5 years of hypo blood tests AND symptoms to get a diagnosis of any kind!!! I thought I'd let that pass.

I did say, though, that thyroid isn't the whole answer for. It was the clue I needed to find out where to look.

He says I should come back within 2 months to get another blood test.

A thought came into my head on the way home. If I really do get better - well enough to travel again, well enough to sing again, should I ask the practice if they would give me the opportunity to do a presentation to the doctors. My symptoms and story are not unique. They must have other patients in a similar situation that could, potentially, be helped. Patients for whom thyroid is just part of the problem and who are, therefore, slipping through the net.

[Clarebear]

What a great idea to give a presentation to the doctors Perhaps I should ask to do that too - food for thought!

Hope you improve on Dr P's regime. xxx

[nichola79]

where can I find your visit blog? x

[rosetrees in reply to nichola79]

Here it is Nichola thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

[nichola79]

thanks, im off to see dr p Wednesday, cant wait x

[rosetrees in reply to nichola79]

Good luck.

[nichola79 in reply to rosetrees]

thank you, I hope he can help me x

[mitchell66]

hopefully when he made the remark about needing to go by symptoms your face said a thousand words lol

[cal1971]

Go for it! I have only in the last week found out all the stuff they DON'T tell you about hypothyroidism- and it makes me so sad and angry to think of the thousands of others out there who just keep taking their prescribed levothyroxine without a clue! Just this evening I lent a book I bought last week ( Stop the thyriod madness) to a friend who has also had issues, all because I posted some links to facebook that she saw, so we actually talked about it. The more information the better.

[Barbaraj]

Brilliant idea! - would you be willing to share your presentation? I think if TUK members did mass presentations around the country those GP's who are unaware (most of them it seems) would have the knowledge to relieve so much misery! Barbaraj

[rosetrees in reply to Barbaraj]

Hi Barbara. I actually started putting something together last night. The problem with sharing is that I used to teach adults, and I'm more of a facilitator than a lecturer. I tend just to put key points on a slide and then get the participants to discuss it. However, I could write two versions, I guess. A fuller version for others to use. Don't hold your breath waiting - I'm a very impulsive person. But if there is a serious interest then I could be "encouraged" to continue. My aim for the presentation would be this - for the surgery to have no patients diagnosed with ME. Not because doctors are telling patients to go away undiagnosed, but because they are taking the time and effort required to treat the underlying problem. Probably pie in the sky, but one has to aim high.

[Confused77]

I wonder if GPs are aware of how contradictory they often are and how frustrating and confusing this is for their patients - probably not! Is it possible to get a copy of Dr P's metabolism paper - is it on the net anywhere?

[rosetrees in reply to Confused77]

Hi Confused. I've scanned it, so could email it to you. It's 9 pages and as it's scans I'd split it into 3 lots. No, I don't think Dr P's stuff is available online. I'd say he needs a website, wouldn't you??????

[rosetrees in reply to Confused77]

I hit "reply" while my brain was still thinking. I have an idea that some of his stuff is available on another forum. Try doing a google search.

[waveylines]

go girl go -get the representation our there in the GP surgeries! i am one of load of people who was diagnosed with ME -it just delayed my proper diagnosis of hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue ( due to the hypothyroidism....) vit D & B12 deficiency. Instead of it taking over 10years to get sorted.....maybe with your presentation it might only take 2yrs....And hopefully it will stop the sin bin label of ME being used to get rid of patients who they don't know what is wrong with them cos the blood test doesn't fit....lol xx