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Author Topic: Underactive thyroid  (Read 20162 times)

CLKD

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #75 on: December 05, 2016, 07:27:21 PM »

My Husband is the calmest person you will *ever* meet, but he has white coat syndrome  ::)
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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #76 on: December 06, 2016, 10:24:45 PM »

Dyan - grrrrrr to your DR :(    Every thyroid patient should be tested every 6 months as so much can change in 6 months let alone a year!   
At my surgery I can book direct with a phlebotamist for a blood test which i do every 6 months and I just turn up for the appt and tell her I need a thyroid function test as its 6 month since my last one and she does it.  If i have a dose change I turn up 3 mnths later and say I need to have it checked to see if the dose is correct and again its done.
See if you can book blood tests with a nurse without going through the Dr and if you can't can you see a different GP at the surgery and explain that thyroid uk and other thyroid charities have advised a sooner follow up test after a dose change.
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babyjane

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #77 on: December 07, 2016, 09:22:26 AM »

countrybumkin you are lucky.  My surgery does not take blood tests now and they have to be done at the phlebotomy clinic at the hospital.

My endo always gives me a repeat blood test form at every 6 monthly review and he also gives me one extra in case I feel things are slipping and I can get a retest sooner if needed.

Dyan, I don't think I like your GP  :rant:
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #78 on: December 07, 2016, 05:46:04 PM »

Yes I agree with you both CB BJ.
I thought I'd maybe found the right GP but Monday I did feel a bit put off by his attitude.But again I think it's all to do with budget & guidelines so I don't blame him entirely.
I wish GPs would just listen and treat the patient accordingly without always referring to 'guidelines'.
I'll give you an example. When I was put on Fluoxetine 12 years ago for my OCD my psychiatrist started me on 20mg and slowly increased to the level that I needed to make me well. I now take 100mg daily. The guidelines in most GP surgeries is up to 60mg and they always comment on how high a dose I'm taking and have a little laugh. I had to go private for this treatment because I was only ever given 20-30mg of any SSRI and it just wasn't enough to get me well so I suffered for years.The NHS didn't really know what was wrong with me and neither did I until I went private.
I'm so glad I did otherwise I dread to think what could have happened................... :'(
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Katejo

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #79 on: December 07, 2016, 07:22:15 PM »

countrybumkin you are lucky.  My surgery does not take blood tests now and they have to be done at the phlebotomy clinic at the hospital.

My endo always gives me a repeat blood test form at every 6 monthly review and he also gives me one extra in case I feel things are slipping and I can get a retest sooner if needed.

Dyan, I don't think I like your GP  :rant:
  My surgery also offers no blood tests. They do take place in the same building (run by a separate phlebotomy service) but don't involve the nurses/doctors at all. They can't be booked either. You have to turn up and queue well before the building opens to avoid a very long wait.
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Melbury

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #80 on: December 07, 2016, 08:59:26 PM »

My thyroid gland decided to start playing up in 2007.  I just couldn't stay awake - as soon as I came in from work I went to sleep and generally felt awful, plus I was piling on weight for no apparent reason, really scary. Also I lost most of my eyebrows :'(

Anyway blood tests showed TSH level was very high at about 57 and so I was started on 50mcg Eltroxin and gradually increased up to 125mcg.

I didn't feel too bad on the thyroxine, but losing weight was impossible.  I asked endo if I could try some T3 alongside the T4 and surprisingly he agreed.  I have now been on the combination for about three years.  I can't honestly say that it made a lot of difference - losing weight is still nigh impossible - but I generally don't feel too bad and reckon that it has to be better having the combination therapy than just the thyroxine.

I also missed the Eltroxin when that disappeared, I am sure it was better than the generic.  The make I get is Almus whatever that may be.

As I am on T3 the endo sees me once a year to check on how things are going, which is nice.  However, he is one of those endo's who is adamant that the only important test is the TSH level and FT3 and FT4 don't count.  Trouble is he specializes in diabetes - why are there so few thyroid specialists around.

Out of interest, does anyone know of thyroid specialist in the South West of England?



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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #81 on: December 07, 2016, 10:32:53 PM »

Living as I do in the frozen north of the country thankfully at the moment the Dr's surgery in my very little town is still operating well. If we need to see a GP we just ring at 8am and I have always got appt that day if you can't wait a few days for an appt.  We also have choice of telephone appt and they still do home visits!  I am sure this is all on borrowed time and things will change for the worst but making the most of it while we have it ;)

I only have one arm that they can get blood out of due to a cyst in my other arm and my veins go into hiding but thankfully this one phlebotamist can always get blood out of me, just to add to the excitement I faint at the drop of a hat or the sight of a needle ::)
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Katejo

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #82 on: December 08, 2016, 12:26:12 PM »

Living as I do in the frozen north of the country thankfully at the moment the Dr's surgery in my very little town is still operating well. If we need to see a GP we just ring at 8am and I have always got appt that day if you can't wait a few days for an appt.  We also have choice of telephone appt and they still do home visits!  I am sure this is all on borrowed time and things will change for the worst but making the most of it while we have it ;)

I only have one arm that they can get blood out of due to a cyst in my other arm and my veins go into hiding but thankfully this one phlebotamist can always get blood out of me, just to add to the excitement I faint at the drop of a hat or the sight of a needle ::)
My surgery does phone appts  but I am not keen as the receptionist  cannot give even a rough time so I miss them. At work my phone stays in my drawer.
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #83 on: December 13, 2016, 03:36:07 PM »

Just an update on my increased thyroxine.
It has been 8 days since I increased from 25mcg to 50mcg and I think I'm starting to feel an improvement. My mood has lifted a bit, I don't seem to ache so much although I'm still felling very tired. Feeling a little bit more myself so hopefully on the right road :)
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CLKD

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #84 on: December 13, 2016, 04:17:03 PM »

 :bighug:
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babyjane

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #85 on: December 13, 2016, 04:17:50 PM »

so pleased for you Dyan, thank you for updating us.  The improvement does come slowly but it sounds as though you are going in the right direction  :)
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #86 on: December 13, 2016, 04:57:42 PM »

Thank you CLKD & Babyjane
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littleminnie

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #87 on: December 13, 2016, 06:02:40 PM »

Don't forget to take it on an empty stomach Dyan and wait at least 30 minutes before you eat.
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #88 on: December 13, 2016, 09:00:54 PM »

Yes I do thank you LM :) X
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