Hi Annabel,

Thanks for the link. I am not sure if this applies to me as I tend to feel tired pretty much all the time, but will keep a check on how I am feeling. The rest of the symptoms are pretty much in Underactive Thyroid as well aren't they. Its all pretty confusing.

I am seeing my Doctor tomorrow and am going to ask to be referred to Dr Skinner. I agree with you that GP's just do not know enough and I awlays feel try and fob you off where ever they can. I have continually gone back and back with symptoms that all lead to Underactive thyroid, but becaus ethey kept saying my blood tests were normal I didn't think I could persuit it. And the depression that comes with feelign like this and not knowing what can be done about it is extreme sometimes.

I am not looking forward to going tomorrow at all, but I know I have to to try and sort this out once and for all. I wish I could bypass all the GP's and go privately but I presume you still have to be referred?

I will ask for a copy of the blood tests as well.

I will keep you you posted, will probably have a fair amount to write about tomorrow after seeing the gp! :0)

Thanks again,

Becs
x

If you have the money, Becs, you ring up and make the appointment! You don't have to be referred at all, esp not by your GP!
Just ring up and make an appointment... and take your cheque book with you!!!

PS - If you have a thyroid prob, it's highly likely the adrenals are out of whack too, so you should get both treated.

Hi guys and Annabel,

I have just come back from seeing my GP......I have also replied to you on the other threas...

I was made to feel like I was totally wasting the Doctor's time and she was very offish with me. Even when I presented her with all my Food Logs (which she didn't look at), and at first said a direct NO to me being referred to a specialist!

In the end with a whole lot of pleading from me (not hard as I am at my wits end), she gave in, although she will not refer me to Dr Skinner just one in my home town. I am going to call Dr Skinner and see if there is ANYWAY I can get to see him.

I asked for a print out of my thyroid results which she would not give me, and said these would be sent to the specialist. I just can't believe it....I feel so small........I honestly felt like crying when I came out of there....

I honestly do not know what to do...other than try and treat myself and buy meds off the internet.....

Sorry to rant......

Becs
x

Oh Becs .... what a bitch your doctor sounds! My dear, you need to change your doctor immediately and find a new one. If necessary, go and ask at a surgery which doctors they have who deal with thyroid patients specifically and interview THEM for their suitability to you.
Your blood tests belong to you. I suggest you write to the surgery asking for copies of the tests and enclose a stamped addressed envelope for them.
I know you feel lousy but don't let your doctor beat you... she's obviously not up to the job.
Also, if she's referred you then you should go to which ever endo it is she sends you to. Doctors often can't refer outside the home area ... The one you go to may be good, they may be bad but wait and see.

You won't be able to buy meds off the internet unless they're herbal. Thyroxine and armour need a prescription.

I know you're feeling lousy - I've experienced this sort of thing myself as have many of the thyroid people here and elsewhere. Hang in there and don't stress too much. Kick some ass Becs and get an appointment and change your doctor. If she's useless now, she'll be useless when you're diagnosed, so get rid of her.
Don't worry, Becs... you'll be fine and you WILL get treated... you just have to get round the system. I've done it and so will you.
xxx

In the US the doctors MUST give you the blood tests if you ask for them. Sheesh, she acts like there is no such thing as a photocopier and can't make a copy for you? What arrogance!

Well, I am sorry you ran into that but it truly is typical for thyroid patients.

Well here, Nancy, the doctor HAS to give blood tests to a patient if they ask for them. I felt she was arrogant too and the sooner ditched, the better.

Sadly it is typical for thyroid ... We're all 'hypochondriacs' or difficult patients or whatever. But there can be a good result if you keep pushing ... although I know how tired you feel but you can get what you need if you've got the strength to push for it.

Becs I used to do research into autoimmune disease and the average no of doctors one would see before getting the right diagnosis was 4. I had a doctor like yours once, she told me my problem was anxiety and sent me to counseling. You're not alone and its not anything you've done to be treated so poorly. Part of the problem is our society is so weightloss crazy and we're looked at it sceptically because of it. I think the more you present the totality of your symptoms, not just weight issues the better chance you have you have of being taken seriously.

Don't give up. It is totally worth it to get treatment.

There's a channel called Discovery Health on my Cable line-up and there's a program called "Mystery Diagnosis" or some such. Anyway, everyone on this show has some disease that was very rare and difficult to find and they all get treated like they're insane until they finally find a doctor that will take them seriously.

At what point did the doctors lose their desire to help people and become such arrogant paper pushers? It's very sad. My daughter wants to be a doctor and I tell her, 'if you want to you can, but don't ever forget the person behind the illness'...

Well, you know, if they can't figure it out in the 10 minutes they've alloted for each patient, they're just not interested.

There's that old saw, "If you hear hoof beats, think horses". Well... doctors believe that so much they fail to see the herds of zebras and gazelles running past.

ROFL Nancy... That's so true!

Good analogy Nancy!

Hi guys and thank you for your posts, they have made me feel a bit better.

I can honestly say I felt like a child when I was talking to her and a naughty one for 'wasting her time'. At one point I could feel the tears coming and to be honest I think it was then she said she would refer me....!

I am going to put a letter in the post today with a stamped addressed envelope requesting my results. Can you believe she wouldn't give them to me????? I think she wouldn't do this as she doesn't want me questioning what she said. Even when I told her about 'others' who had had normal or borderline results and they had been referred and been given treatment in the end she looked at me like I was mad. Don't these GP's read up on progress within their profession?????! Obviously not.

I ahve had a few problems over the past two years, basically everything started after I had my appendix out 2 years ago, and I have read under going an op can upset your body and can cause thyroid problems.......she didn't think so......... I do believe she thinks I was making it all up and wasting her time......all I can say is I WISH. I don't want to feel like this, I don't want a thyroid problem, all I want is to feel well again and feel better!!!!

I hate GP's they think they know it all, and they don't.

Another rant!!!!! But at least she has referred me now.

Am going to write that letter right now!

Thanks again guys...

Becs
x

Becs, good for you girl. Don't let her get you down. Some doctors just haven't got a clue and some just never bother boning up on the latest research, simply because there's so much of it... where do they start? What subject should they cover. Doctors should get retraining seminars. ... I'm sure these things exist but many don't bother. They're just civil servants pushing paper around and doing an average job. Remember the government pays them at the end of the day!

Those blood tests are yours and the surgery will have no alternative but to give them to you. If they refuse, you have grounds to complain to the GMC. How would they like that, I wonder?

Hang in there for the endo and see what happens. I feel your frustration - I had a real battle with my doc, and eventually switched to another doc in the practice who is treating me now - and had no reason not to. Last time I saw him he told me that I knew more than he did on the subject and is going with what I feel rather than the numbers.

If you find an article that you think your doctor should read, then print it out and present it to them if it will back up your case. Your doctor is simply an arrogant dunce who probably has control freakery issues. SHE is the doctor... blah blah blah.
They're just still regular people, and they put their underwear on the same as all of us. Don't put up with her attitude and find yourself a new doctor after your endo has seen you.

xxx