RE: New to forum with Hashimoto's

[Guest guest]

Hi Mazzy,

Welcome to the forum;

it sounds like you may have a case in disability discrimination

(loosing your job).

You need to get better before you can embark on something like that.

Recent published work shows that 'methylation problems' in such as

dementia affect memory. Both long-term and short-term memory are

affected and my experience (though without a formal diagnosis of

thyroid disease) indicates intellectual functioning also goes downhill.

I used my intuition to get folic acid treatment for my obviously

declining short-term memory about a year ago, despite lab results that

said everything was OK(?).

Well, now I KNOW BETTER.....

best wishes

Bob

>

> Hi

>

> I am new to the forum in that this is the first time I have posted. I

> read everything avidly however and it's brilliant. Last week I asked

> my GP if I could have my thyroid test results and was given the TSH

> (3.8) and the T4 15.9 but when I asked for FT3 and anything else such

> as antibodies, she told me their lab don't test for those. I am

> intending to see Doctor P in January and

[Guest guest]

Hello

Mazzy and welcome to the group - and I am pleased you have put pen to paper at

last. I am happy also that you are reading everything avidly and that you feel

the information is " brilliant " - Long may this continue.

You can

get your FT3 tested on its own through Genova Diagnostics, but as you say, with

Christmas coming along, you have to prioritise - but don't put your health on

one side for too long. Can I ask which town you are seeing Dr P in January

please?

As you

have already been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, you don't need to have the

thyroid antibody test done again so you don't need to waste your money on that

one.

What

you need to do is to write a letter to your GP listing all of your remaining

symptoms and signs (check these out on our website www.tpa-uk.org.uk under 'Hypothyroidism'.

Also, take your basal temperature before you get out of bed for 4 to 5 days and

write what these are next to your symptoms and signs. If your temperature is

97.8 or less (and it could be much less) this means the dose of thyroid hormone

replacement is insufficient as your metabolism is still low. In the letter, as

your GP if s/he will test your ferritin level (stored iron), your Vitamin B12,

vitamin D, zinc and magnesium. In hypothyroidism, all of these can go very low

and will stop your thyroid hormone replacement from getting absorbed. Tell your

GP in the letter that you are determined to find out the cause of your

remaining symptoms and would like a referral to a thyroid specialist (not a

diabetic specialist which most NHS endocrinologists are). Ask your GP to place

your letter in your medical notes - this is important as it may be needed at a

later did if s/he refuses to refer you. I can send you a list of 'good' doctors

- at least, these doctors will prescribe T3 in combination with T4 or Armour

thyroid if their patients are not doing well on levothyroxine alone - though I

know little of their 'bedside manner'.

Your

doctor (if willing) could actually get a test to see where your Free T3 is if

s/he wrote on the blood request form 'Free T3 ?hypERthyroidism'. Ask if s/he

will go along with this. This test is important because levothyroxine is a

mainly inactive hormone, it has to convert through the liver mainly to the

active hormone T3. It is the T3 every cell in your body and brain needs to make

it function. There are many reasons why some of us are unable to convert this

mainly inactive hormone and in such a case, thyroxine has nowhere to go and can

cause symptoms of toxicity. Meanwhile, your body is not getting the active

thyroid hormone and you are left to suffer. Doctors prescribe antidepressants

because they believe their patients are depressed, but it is often the fact

that insufficient thyroid hormone is getting to the brain, causing 'brain-fog'

short term memory and depression. Once on the right thyroid hormone(s), this

lifts naturally and doctors would not be handing out antidepressants so readily

if they did a little research themselves, or if they were taught about thyroid dysfunction

properly in med. school. In the same way, doctors should be aware that many

people have a higher cholesterol level when hypothyroid, because of the slow

metabolism. Statins are a horrible drug potentially with many awful side

effects, and if possible, I would recommend that you come off them and replace

them with CoEnzymeQ10 (300mgs) and also Niacin (vitamin B3) 350gs. These will

help lower your cholesterol naturally and you will not have side effects.

Please

be assured that this particular forum (and I believe it is probably the only

forum in the UK that is actively involved in serious campaigning to help bring

about changes within the NHS in both the diagnosing and treatment protocol

metered out by the well known 'gods' in high places). Right now, and I

have been working on two serious official complaints - one on the unfair trading

practices of endocrinology and it's guidance of practitioners (40 pages) which

right now is in the hands of Trading Standards Office and also the governments

Solicitor General, and another Human Rights complaint

on the practices of endocrinology and its guidance of practitioners regarding certain

ignored maladies for which government approved medications are available but denied

(60 pages). We are awaiting further legal advice regarding the latter as such

complaints have certain official procedures and we have to get it right first

time. Be assured, we will not give up and will continue to do everything we

possibly can to help sufferers get the medical justice they deserve.

Luv - Sheila

The final straw was just now when I read 's email about losing

her DLA in Feb09. After all she has been through. What can be done

about this short of storming the headquarters of the NHS or Downing

Street? I feel very sad and angry. All it would take is the correct

treatment and diagnosis to save thousands from a lifetime of illness

and being told they are just neurotic, depressed or just tired

mothers.

Mazzy x

[Guest guest]

Hi Mazzy,

Welcome to the forum. I can totally understand your frustration and

anger.

You are doing the right thing seeing Dr P I saw him in Oct and have

not looked back since. I discovered this site after looking up

symptoms of palpitations from being on too high a dose of Thyroxine.

The Gp was trying to pigeon hole me as depressed.

Take care,

Love ALi xxx

<christie484@...> wrote:

> Hi

> I am new to the forum in that this is the first time I have posted.

> I read everything avidly however and it's brilliant. Last week I

> asked my GP if I could have my thyroid test results and was given the TSH

[Edit Abbrev Mod]

[Guest guest]

Hi

Mazzy

It is

always best to reply to the forum - we have almost 840 members and if everybody

replied to me personally, I would need 50 hours in a day. This is what forums

are for because you have no idea how many others have similar problems to you

and they read everything and learn from what is written and from the responses.

Many of our members never write, but they learn a lot, and I often get

messages from members who have never written telling me they have now got their

health back because they have read all of the information and self treated.

This is the beauty of support forums.

Dr

Peatfield is a lovely, lovely gentleman, almost everybody who has seen him will

tell you this, and he has given the health back to hundreds of sufferers who

have been rejected by NHS medical practitioners, so be assured, you are in the

best hands possible with him. Please read everything you can in our files

and in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk

Luv -

Sheila

I hope I have replied to the right place as I

am not sure where I am to reply to, but thank you so much Sheila for your very

valuable reply. It is more appreciated than you will ever know (although you

probably do!!) I will act to carry out your instructions. I haven't made the

appointment with Doctor P yet, but hoping to January 09. I will be seeing him

in Crawley as that's nearest to me (I am in Ewell. Surrey)

I will help your campaign in any way I can (I

am so annoyed myself) no matter what it takes.

My very best to you and all the women and men

on this forum who are ill and patients everywhere with thyroid or endocrine

disease who are so deserving of help.

Mazzy xxx