Help Needed Emma with UK Drs

[Guest guest]

Hi I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism since 2003 since I researched it

and begged the Dr for blood tests, in our gps they just test your tsh level and

that was 29.

Since then I have got nowhere and have had a level thats fluctuated between 19

and 9. I feel awful all the time, in the past year I have gained 4 stones in

weight (60 pounds approx) and overall since 2003 I have gained 5 stones. I am 7

stones overweight now. I had a daughter in 2007 while still obviously

underactive and she has developmental delays, and bowel problems and is

disabled.

I have been told after a few years seeing different specialists for her that is

due to me being hypo.

I am struggling to breathe and feel very slow and sleepy all the time. I am

married with 3 children and i can not do anything.

I have begged and cried to be put on something else, (I am on levothyroxine) I

keep being put up on the dose and told to come back in 8 weeks for blood tests.

i have been not been tested for anything else.

Is there any specialists in the Oxford area anyone can recommend or any help. I

have read all the books and help on the net and only from this I feel i have

tons more knowledge then the Drs, They dont care. I have all the symptoms of a

underative thyroid still and feel awful every day.

I am currently on 500mcg of thyroxine, and I feel a natural version or to add t3

might help. i have been trying their way for 7 years and got nowhere.

Thanks for any help. I have been so upset recently.

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:13:37 -0000, you wrote:

>

>I am currently on 500mcg of thyroxine, and I feel a natural version or to add

t3 might help. i have been trying their way for 7 years and got nowhere.

>Thanks for any help. I have been so upset recently.

Ouch, if 500 of T4 are not doing the trick then you have massive

resistance issues and more is not going to help.

You almost certainly going to need to stop all T4 and go onto T3 only,

that T4 will be almost certainly converting to Reverse T3, not

biologically active but still fitting T3 receptors and blocking the T3

you have from getting into the cells.

You may well have low iron and/or low or high cortisol, the adrenal

glands that produce cortisol will have taken a beating from how you

are.

Tests that would help you plan a way ahead are:-

the saliva cortisol test that TPA members get a discount on (see the

files section), this is a DIY test, you order the collection kit and

then post it off for analysis. Post the results here and people will

help you work out a way ahead.

A full iron panel, you need Ferritin of at least 70 and a % saturation

of at least 35%. Without those you won't be able to utilise the

thyroid hormone and may suffer adverse effects if you take anything

containing T3. Your Dr ought to be able to get those ordered.

A " Free T3 test " and a " reverse T3 test " from blood drawn at the same

time, again post the results and we will help interpret. The FT3 is

grudgingly available on the NHS, the RT3 is available privately.

Have a read of this, this is a journey that I have been down, I know

thyroid resistance intimately as it were.

www.thyroid-rt3.com

To take 500 of T4 and it not work there are things wrong and the

chances are that you have the same as me.

Nick

[Guest guest]

Hello *** (do you have a name we can call you)? Welcome to our

Forum and I hope you get all the help and support that you need.

First, have a look at the attached document and see if you could

be suffering with any of these associated conditions that might be stopping

your thyroid hormone from working.

It does sounds as if you could be suffering with low adrenal

reserve. This is a problem that many sufferers of hypothyroidism find they

have, but you need to be tested privately as this is a test that is not done

within the NHS. They check your adrenals to see if you could be suffering with

's Disease (too little or no cortisol secretion) of Cushing's Syndrome

(too high a level of cortisol secretion) but not to see whether you have any

shades of grey between the two. This has a massive connection with low thyroid

and can stop the active thyroid hormone from getting into the cells in your

body and brain. We can talk you through all of these associated conditions,

tell you where you can get tested and what supplements you may need to take

later. However, to start with, you need to write a letter addressed to your GP

and send a copy to the Head of Practice, keeping a copy for yourself.

First, take your basal temperature for 4 or 5 mornings before

you get out of bed. Normal temperature should be 98.6 degrees F. If yours is

97.8 9and it could be very much less) this is an indication your thyroid

hormone is not bringing your metabolism back to normal and you’re the reason

for this needs to be examined further. List these basal temperatures.

Next, list all of your symptoms (check these against those in

our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk under

'Hypothyroidism' Check out the 'signs' too and list these - though your doctor

should already notice these.

Next, ask your GP for the following thyroid function tests, and

mention that in the UK Hypothyroid Guidelines written by the British Thyroid

Association, it says that TSH, plus a measure of free T4 should be used. Ask

also for a free T3 test to see whether the mainly INACTIVE thyroid hormone

thyroxine is converting to the active thyroid hormone T3. It is T3 that every

cell in y our body and brain needs to make them function and NOT T4. Ask also

for blood tests to check the levels of:

Ferritin (stored iron)

vitamin B12,

vitamin D3,

Magnesium

Folate

Copper

Zinc.

Tell the doctor that you have learned that if any of these are

low in the reference range, no amount of thyroid hormone can get into the

cells. Ask for the results of all these blood tests to be sent to you together

with the reference range for each of the tests and then you can post them on

the forum and we will help with interpretation of them. Never allow a doctor to

tell you that your test results are normal, just because they appear within the

so called 'normal' reference range. We need to know WHERE they lie within the

range. A doctor cannot refuse you your results - these belong to you.

Next, ask for a referral to an endocrinologist of your choice (I

have sent you a list of doctors who will prescribe either a combination of T4

and T3, T3 alone or natural thyroid extract.

Make it clear to your GP that you are no longer prepared to put

up with these symptoms and to be given no choice of treatment. A choice of

treatment is every patient's right.

Last, ask for your letter of requests to be placed into your medical

notes. Once such requests are put in writing, doctors have to think twice

before refusing to carry out your wishes. I have not known of a doctor yet, who

has refused to carry out such tests after they were put in writing.

Good luck

Luv - Sheila

PS - meanwhile, read about the associated conditions that go

along with being hypothyroid in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk

and click on 'Hypothyroidism' in the Menu, and in the drop down Menu, click on

'Associated Conditions' and read everything there. This will help you realise

the reason why thyroid hormone replacement stops working and you are left with

symptoms.

Hi I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism since 2003 since I researched it

and begged the Dr for blood tests, in our gps they just test your tsh level and

that was 29.

Since then I have got nowhere and have had a level thats fluctuated between 19

and 9. I feel awful all the time, in the past year I have gained 4 stones in

weight (60 pounds approx) and overall since 2003 I have gained 5 stones. I am 7

stones overweight now. I had a daughter in 2007 while still obviously

underactive and she has developmental delays, and bowel problems and is

disabled.

I have been told after a few years seeing different specialists for her that is

due to me being hypo.

I am struggling to breathe and feel very slow and sleepy all the time. I am

married with 3 children and i can not do anything.

I have begged and cried to be put on something else, (I am on levothyroxine) I

keep being put up on the dose and told to come back in 8 weeks for blood tests.

i have been not been tested for anything else.

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Why thyroid hormone stops working.doc