Crying with confusion

[Karmine]

I am pretty close to screaming, crying or both. I really just do not know what to do at this point. If I am depressed, its because my GP's and the NHS put me in that state.

It seems like everything I gained, I just lost by one no-so-little pill. Last endo appointment, she put me on metformin and was supposed to give me the dietician my GP wouldn't. Still havn't heard a peep on the dietician. Well, I've done it their way and its not working. If anything my blood sugars are worse than they were before I started on it, and I can't get anywhere near the full dosage without constantly throwing up or feeling weak. Also, all of the symptoms I was having that were stopped by an increase in my levothyroxine, including the reactive hypoglycemia, are now back to square one since I started the metformin.

Its all well and good telling me that my bloods are just fine, but can I get the tests for adrenal insufficiency? No. The one single test I did have run, a short synathen, was run on a day when I was so stressed due to family issues, it may as well not have counted for anything.

As much as I want off the metformin, I can't see a GP about it at the moment because I refuse to go back to that clinic. And as hopeful as I was about seeing that new GP, the one that is really good in the area and listens to their patients, I am not allowed to go see them, while at the same time being told that I can.

The NHS lists the doctor I need to see as inside my cachement area, and the actual GP clinic lists me as just outside or on the boundary of their cachement area. So of course I've called the NHS complaints about it, and they tried to clarify it with the practice manager of the GP office I want to get into. They got the same story I did from the practice manager.

The practice manager's reason to the NHS caseworker is that even tho it is around 3 miles away from me and only around three blocks from my current gp surgery, if they had to send someone out to me it would take over an hour. It is a poor excuse because they refer all the minor A&E service cases to the surgery which is just down the way from me. A place I won't go to if I don't have to because I have been there before, and the doctors there aren't much different than the ones at my current surgery. Also they don't have the doctor that has been suggested to me by three different people.

I'm left in a state as much of confusion as it is frustration. Where one party says yes, the other says no, and nothing so far is being resolved properly so I can get the care I need. At this rate, I'm just gonna end up self treating because these people in this broken system are just stressing me out to a breakdown point. We don't have the money for me to see a private gp/endo and I am not getting proper care under the NHS which is failing me. I really havn't got the energy or the health to keep going like this and trying to argue with the NHS system.

Its comming to a point I really don't see alot of choices available. The doctors in my cachement area don't listen to their patients, do the proper tests, and will not grant NDT or T3 or monitor it. So I either self treat without doctor supervision, which I really detest the idea of, (I wish I was the only one with this complaint) or I keep going as I am and watch things get worse.

How much worse can it get than when you have a cup of coffee in front of you ready to go, grab the spoon to stir it with, and then stare at the spoon wondering why and what you grabbed it for. Or having to slowly piece together thoughts like a jigsaw just to do a simple action of Put spoon in cup. Stir. Enjoy.

[rosetrees]

Don't detest the idea of self treatment. There is loads of info available online and lots of products you can purchase quite legitimately. Start by getting a copy of Dr P's book "your thyroid and how to keep it healthy". There's lots of stuff you can do for yourself. We all "want" our doctors to help us, we all want them to listen to us. But sadly most of us know that neither will happen.

Taking control is empowering. Read up and take control.

[Karmine in reply to rosetrees]

I'm just not comfortable with the idea of taking a drug like NDT or t3 without some supervision of a doctor. Even if its only to be watched over as I do it. This is something the gp's in the clinics I have been to won't do, given their stance on t4 and on my blood tests.

They may have to tolerate me doing it anyway. I don't really see where the choices are wide for me after any ideas of getting a good gp being put in the can. I'd love it if my cachement area had a gp who would just listen to their patients but you are right it isn't going to happen. Far as I see it after everything I've been through, the NHS itself failed to protect my rights.

I'll check the book out, thank you. Finding accurate information on everything else involved, may be a bit tricky.

[Stourie in reply to Karmine]

Thyroid meds are not drugs, they are hormones and are just replacing what your body is missing.

Jo xx

[Hidden]

Many of us have to resort to self-medicating, it's either that or feeling ill for ever more thanks to useless GPs.

Do take control of your health by taking one step at a time.

[Karmine in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I guess study a little, and give it a go. My health isn't going to change any, and i really am left without choices, despite what the NHS says. I really appreciate the responses left by people on here.

[Hidden]

I certainly don't want to self medicate! If that's the only route I can take, then so be it x

[Karmine in reply to Hidden]

I don't want to, but really choices aren't open at this point. All I can do is read up on it and give it a try. Its not like the thyroid problem is going anywhere.