RE: New to group with a TSH result of 10.49 - a couple of questions

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam, so sorry to hear of your problems but you need to start

out by writing a good letter to your GP, sending a copy to the Head of practice

and ask for the letter to be placed into your medical notes so your doctor

knows that you mean business. In the letter, start off by telling him how bad

you feel and that you are no longer prepared to go on suffering without being

given a diagnosis as to the cause of your problems and tell him that you would

like him to help you find the cause.

Start off by listing all of your symptoms and signs. You can

check these against those in our web site www.tpa-uk,.org.uk

under 'Hypothyroidism.

Next, take your basal temperature for 4 or 5 mornings before you

get out of bed in a morning if these are less than 97.8 degrees F (36.6 degrees

C) or less.

Next, list all of the members of your family who have a thyroid

or autoimmune disease.

Next, list all the thyroid function tests you need which are

TSH, free T4, free T3, TPO and TgAb. Ask for these results to be made available

to you together with the reference range for each test done.

Ask also for the following specific minerals/vitamins to be

tested to see whether any of these are low in the reference range: ferritin,

vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc. You can tell your

GP that you have learned that should any of these be low, your thyroid hormone

is unable to be fully utilised at the cellular level until whatever is low has

been supplemented. Ask that these results be made available to you too,

together with the reference range so you can post the results here and we can

help with their interpretation, because for many doctors, should your results

be returned anywhere within the so called 'normal' range, you will be told that

you don't have a problem.

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

You do not have to see the one your GP recommends, so if you have a name and

hospital you would like to attend, give this to your GP in writing.

next, again, remember to ask for your letter to be placed into

your medical notes and keep a copy for yourself in case you need it at a later

date.

Don't discuss this with your GP in his surgery, POST the letter

to him and ask for a response in writing. Getting things in writing nearly

always works with doctors because they can deny anything that was said behind

closed doors where there is never a witness.

Once you have been given an official diagnosis, ask for the exemption

certificate so you don't have to pay any prescription charges for any

medications because Myxoedema (hypothyroidism) is considered a long term illness.

Good luck Pam.

As a matter of interest, why hasn't your GP already given you a

diagnosis and started you on thyroid hormone replacement?

Luv - Sheila

My sister and mum are being treated for thyroid

disfunction. I've been unwell for a few years but recently felt worse with

cysts, mouth ulcers, pains in feet and more symptoms... . My sister (also a

member of this group) said I need to get my blood checked.

I have now had four sets of repeating tests with the results of High Platelets

and the last TSH result was 10.49. I'm back at the GPs next week and need to

know my rights. Am I entitled to demand a diagnosis and treatment immediately?

The test were a few weeks apart but the TSH level has now increased to over 10

so I'm unsure on where I officially stand?

The GP also put in for another test on my antibodies so do I have to wait for

that or should I now press for treatment and official diagnosis?

My sister said if I'm diagnosed and treated I'm then entitled to free NHS

prescriptions so if the GP prescribes for me on my next visit what do I do to

register for the free prescriptions?

[Guest guest]

Pam,You can change the way you receive the messages so that you do not get so many.     At the moment you are on individual mail, that is why you get so many.You can change this to digest, which means you will get one message which has 25 messages within it.

Another way is to change to Special Notices and in this way you will not receive any messages at all and will have to go to the website to read them.     You will of course receive any special notices from Admin.

You do this by going to the home page, click on edit my membership, scroll down and click what you want to do.Lilian

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam (sis)

Hope you can take all the information in. I think perhaps another letter wouldnt

do any harm.

I know you like some of the drs at your practice, but they are not treating you

are they, I personally do not care if i like them or they like me, i just want

the job done.

Love

Carol

Have you managed to change your notifications to digest?

>

> My sister and mum are being treated for thyroid disfunction. I've been unwell

for a few years but recently felt worse with cysts, mouth ulcers, pains in feet

and more symptoms... . My sister (also a member of this group) said I need to

get my blood checked.

>

> I have now had four sets of repeating tests with the results of High Platelets

and the last TSH result was 10.49. I'm back at the GPs next week and need to

know my rights. Am I entitled to demand a diagnosis and treatment immediately?

The test were a few weeks apart but the TSH level has now increased to over 10

so I'm unsure on where I officially stand?

>

> The GP also put in for another test on my antibodies so do I have to wait for

that or should I now press for treatment and official diagnosis?

>

> My sister said if I'm diagnosed and treated I'm then entitled to free NHS

prescriptions so if the GP prescribes for me on my next visit what do I do to

register for the free prescriptions?

>

> Thanks for any help and advice.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

A TSH of 10.49 is definitely too high, they should also have looked at your free

T4 (thyroxine level) as well. This is normally between 12-22 (may vary slightly

according to the lab). At 10.49 with a fT4 below 12 you would most definitely be

classed Hypotyroid even by the NHS's strictest guidelines on diagnosing

hypothyroidism. Even if you fT4 is still in the so called normal range I believe

you would still be diagnosed at this. Having positive results for anti-TPO

and/or anti-Tg would add even more weight to the diagnosis. So don't be fobbed

off or let this one go if they try to tell you it is normal. A TSH of 10.49 is

NOT NORMAL! I was recently given thyroxine medication with a TSH of 5.5 and fT4

of 12.8 but with high anti-TPO antibodies, although this required a bigger fight

on my part. I too have been unwell for some time.

Re the prescriptions, when my GP gave me the prescription form she also got out

a pad of forms to fill in for the free prescription. It is form 'FP92A'. I

didn't need to ask, but not all GPs would be like this so if they don't offer,

ask for it. The GP is supposed to fill it in and send it off as it requires

their signature, however mine put my name, signed her bit and I filled in the

rest. She gave me a pre-paid envelope to send it off in.

Good luck getting a diagnosis

All the best

>

> My sister and mum are being treated for thyroid disfunction. I've been unwell

for a few years but recently felt worse with cysts, mouth ulcers, pains in feet

and more symptoms... . My sister (also a member of this group) said I need to

get my blood checked.

[Guest guest]

Carol (Pam's sis) opened another thread here:-

thyroid treatment/message/88147

Bob>> My sister and mum are being treated for thyroid disfunction. I've been unwell for a few years but recently felt worse with cysts, mouth ulcers, pains in feet and more symptoms... . My sister (also a member of this group) said I need to get my blood checked.