Re: Getting Armour in the Colchester area

[Guest guest]

Sorry I can't answer your question, but I was wondering if with a name

and email addy like that if you are a Redsox fan?

Best wishes Dee

>

> Hi I am a new member and am trying to obtain armour as I aam so unwell

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue - and welcome to our Forum where I hope you will get all the help and support you need.

The problem in getting your doctor to give you a trial of natural desiccated porcine thyroid extract (Armour) is that it is not a licensed drug and doctors are not covered by their insurance if anything should go wrong - and you tried to sue them. Thyroid extract has been used for over 100 years and has been proved safe and effective. For that reason, it never required a license and as it is so old, it has never needed to go through the licensing procedure that all new drugs now have to go through. Unlike levothyroxine which has had numerous potency problems and is now licensed. Drug companies and organisations like The British Thyroid Association try to rubbish Armour and say thyroxine is the drug of choice. Not the patient's choice, their choice. It is a very difficult job trying to persuade them that some sufferers cannot convert the inactive hormone thyroxine (T4) into the active hormone triiodothyronine (T3) - and so therefore, these folk need either additional synthetic T3 or they need Armour which contains ALL the hormones the body needs.

You should ask your GP to refer you to an endocrinologist as very few GP's will give you a trial of Armour or T3 unless it has been recommended by a specialist. That way, it takes the burden from off their shoulders of prescribing you an unlicensed medication. Go to our files from the Home Page of this website and look under "First visit to Endocrinologist" - but use what is recommended tol persuade your doctor you need to see one first. Write down all the symptoms you are still suffering and the signs (see our website www.tpa-uk.org.uk and click on 'Hypothyroidism's then click on Symptoms and Signs and compare what you have got with those. Explain to your GP that the thyroxine is not working for you and that you need to work towards finding the reason why it isn't

Ask him to do a full thyroid function test. This includes Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) a Free T4, a Free T3 (the latter two show the level of these hormones circulating in your blood). Ask him also to test your ferrition level (stored iron). If this is very low, your thyroxine will not work and you need to start taking some iron like Ferrous Sulphate. If you do need iron, NEVER take it anywhere near your thyroxine. Take it about 4 hours away. There are other conditions that might stop your thyroxine working as it should, and these are conditions your doctor probably won't have even heard of. You will learn more about these on the forum from others.

It might be better (if you find it difficult to talk to your GP) to write a letter putting everything down with your request to be referred tol an endocrinologist, and using posting it to him. That way, it saves you any embarrassment if the GP doesn't listen to you and tries to tell you there is nothing wrong with you, and it also gets put into your medical notes, so doctors usually take more notice of anything that is written down. Don't talk to your GP about using Armour, talk to your endocrinologist when you see him. It might be suggested that you try synthetic T3 first, as very often T4/T3 combination, or even T3 alone, work really well for a lot of sufferers.

Can you get the results of your last thyroid function test and post them on the forum, together with the reference range for each test.

My sister lives in Great Clacton and she gets Armour thyroid prescribed by her GP. She originally had it recommended by Dr Bodmer who is an endocrinologist at Clacton Hospital and Chelmsford I believe.

Luv - Sheila

Hi I am a new member and am trying to obtain armour as I aam so unwell still on synthetic. I have been told by my GP on Mersea that the surgery has another patient on armour but it was prescribed by a specialist. does anyone know of any in the area that are sympathetic. I cannot bear to go to another doctor who i need to fight against.Any help would be greatThanksSueits so good to find so much help and information in one site. I am not mad after all! Thanks so much Sheila

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[Guest guest]

Any idea on whether or not he also treats adrenals? I ask because Chelmsford is not too far from me (50 miles?) and I have been told that the one I was hoping to see may not in fact prescribe armour (I am waiting to hear before I get referred). I am still in limbo on this.

Val

My sister lives in Great Clacton and she gets Armour thyroid prescribed by her GP. She originally had it recommended by Dr Bodmer who is an endocrinologist at Clacton Hospital and Chelmsford I believe. Luv - Sheila

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I believe there is an endo who will prescribe Armour in this area, the chap who succeded and got a prescription for Armour sadly refused to tell me his name. I was very sad as I am near Ipswich and therefore would be easily able to go see him too.

Can you ask your doc who is prescribing for this other patient?

I've visited Mersea a couple of times - nice place!

I have been told by my GP on Mersea that the > surgery has another patient on armour but it was prescribed by a > specialist. does anyone know of any in the area that are sympathetic. .> > Any help would be great> > Thanks> > Sue> > its so good to find so much help and information in one site. I am not > mad after all! Thanks so much Sheila> > > > > > Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. >

[Guest guest]

Hi Dee. Yes, my husband's from Massachusetts, and I've become a diehard

Red Sox fan, too - but I haven't had to suffer - two championships in

four years.

Regards,

Sue

> >

> > Hi I am a new member and am trying to obtain armour as I aam so

unwell

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi I too live on Mersea Island it is a nice place to live, I have been referred to an endo my GP is in Rowhedge, the endo is Dr Bob Skelley and go to see him on Valentines day so will let you know how I get on?!!If I got an open referall would it cost me to go and see Dr Skinner? or is he only private.Angie

Hi,

I believe there is an endo who will prescribe Armour in this area, the chap who succeded and got a prescription for Armour sadly refused to tell me his name.

I've visited Mersea a couple of times - nice place!

I have been told by my GP on Mersea that the > surgery has another patient on armour but it was prescribed by a > specialist. does anyone know of any in the area that are sympathetic. .> > Any help would be great> > Thanks> > Sue> > its so good to find so much help and information in one site. I am not > mad after all! Thanks so much Sheila> > > > > > Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. >

[Guest guest]

Insist on seeing Dr B and no one else Val. There is only ONE endo at my district Hospital who will recommend Armour - the others scoff at it and you have to be sure you don't get sent to one of them. I have heard that Dr B has not a particularly good bedside manner, and I have also heard that he doesn't really know how to prescribe Armour and what dose a patient should have, BUT, he DOES recommend it if you are adamant enough that you cannot tolerate the NHS synthetic one....and NO, like the majority of NHS endocrinologists, unless you have 's disease or Cushing's syndrome, he will not treat your adrenals. Sorry!

luv - Sheila

Any idea on whether or not he also treats adrenals? I ask because Chelmsford is not too far from me (50 miles?) and I have been told that the one I was hoping to see may not in fact prescribe armour (I am waiting to hear before I get referred). I am still in limbo on this.

Val

My sister lives in Great Clacton and she gets Armour thyroid prescribed by her GP. She originally had it recommended by Dr Bodmer who is an endocrinologist at Clacton Hospital and Chelmsford I believe. Luv - Sheila

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.7/1234 - Release Date: 20/01/2008 14:15

[Guest guest]

Hi Angie,

            

                 Dr. S is only private. I’m

not sure of his current ‘new patient’ rates, but last year it was £90

for a follow up.

Keep us posted on how you get on with the

endo.

                                                      

I have been referred to an endo my GP is in Rowhedge, the endo is Dr

Bob Skelley and go to see him on Valentines day so will let you know how I get

on?!!

If I got an open referall would it cost me to go and see Dr Skinner? or is he

only private.

Angie

Hi,

I believe there is an endo who will prescribe Armour in this

area, the chap who succeded and got a prescription for Armour sadly

refused to tell me his name.

I've visited Mersea a couple of times - nice place!

I have been told by my GP on Mersea that the

> surgery has another patient on armour but it was prescribed by a

> specialist. does anyone know of any in the area that are sympathetic. .

>

> Any help would be great

>

> Thanks

>

> Sue

>

> its so good to find so much help and information in one site. I am not

> mad after all! Thanks so much Sheila

>

>

>

>

>

> Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always

consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication.

>

[Guest guest]

Dr Skinner is only private Angie - so sorry, you will have to pay.

Luv - Sheila

Hi I too live on Mersea Island it is a nice place to live, I have been referred to an endo my GP is in Rowhedge, the endo is Dr Bob Skelley and go to see him on Valentines day so will let you know how I get on?!!If I got an open referall would it cost me to go and see Dr Skinner? or is he only private.Angie

Hi, I believe there is an endo who will prescribe Armour in this area, the chap who succeded and got a prescription for Armour sadly refused to tell me his name. I've visited Mersea a couple of times - nice place! I have been told by my GP on Mersea that the > surgery has another patient on armour but it was prescribed by a > specialist. does anyone know of any in the area that are sympathetic. .> > Any help would be great> > Thanks> > Sue> > its so good to find so much help and information in one site. I am not > mad after all! Thanks so much Sheila> > > > > > Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. >

[Guest guest]

What a shame that the person you know wouldnt share his good fortune and tell you who it was - shame on him! What I would do Sue is to ring the consultant's secretaries if they prescribe Armour - they will know and hopefully will be happy to tell you, think that's the easiest way.

Gill

..

[Guest guest]

Hi Gill,

I think that he was afraid that

the consultant would be inundated and lose his nerve and stop prescribing

Armour. I was very cross as my GP won’t , but I think she might if a NHS

consultant backed me up!

-----

What a shame that the person you

know wouldnt share his good fortune and tell you who it was - shame on

him! .

Gill

..

[Guest guest]

Hi - unfortunately I think that the more of us who go to the 'Endos who will' the sooner the ones not getting referrals will be asked questions as to why not. I think this is one of the ways the message will get out!

Gill

Hi Gill,

I think that he was afraid that the consultant would be inundated and lose his nerve and stop prescribing Armour. I was very cross as my GP won’t , but I think she might if a NHS consultant backed me up!

-----

What a shame that the person you know wouldnt share his good fortune and tell you who it was - shame on him! .

Gill

..

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