Letter to GP

[Guest guest]

Can anyone help me put together the letter to my GP requesting the full set of

blood tests and listing my symptoms? I've got one written but don't think it

reads very well.

I'm ok with listing my symptoms and saying what tests I want done but am unsure

how to start and finish it. As I've seen two doctors about this should the

letter be sent to them both?

Thanks

[Guest guest]

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of santamonica2002uk

Sent: 18 March 2011 21:04

thyroid treatment

Subject: Letter to GP

Can anyone help me put together the letter to

my GP requesting the full set of blood tests and listing my symptoms? I've got

one written but don't think it reads very well.

I'm ok with listing my symptoms and saying what tests I want done but am unsure

how to start and finish it. As I've seen two doctors about this should the

letter be sent to them both?

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr ****

I hope you will read this letter and understand my reason for

writing it. I have struggled for so long now to find the reason for my symptoms

and continuing ill health as I feel I have reached the end of my tether. I have

now decided that I must play a very active part in finding the reason for this,

and I hope you will continue to help me all you can.

I think that by putting pen to paper, we might start to see

things in a different light. Please would you place this letter of requests

into my medical notes.

First, I am listing all of my symptoms and signs as I am

experiencing them at the moment. (here check yours against those in our web

site www.tpa-uk.org.uk under

'Hypothyroidism' - list also the 'signs'. Signs are what you can actually see,

and your GP should be seeing them too. Don't leave any of one out - however

long the list might look).

I have taken my basal temperature for 4/5 mornings before

getting out of bed and before having anything to eat or drink and these are: (list

these - normal temperature is 98l6. If yours is 97.8 and they could be much

less - this is an indication your metabolism is not working as it should, the

cause usually being hypothyroidism.

(NOTE: If you have other members with a thyroid or autoimmune

disease - this is where you should list them as this can run in families and

your GP should be made aware of this)

I am aware that there are other associated conditions that go along

with the symptoms of hypothyroidism and would like to eliminate these as being

a possible cause of my symptons. I have learned that should any of the

following levels be low in the reference range, thyroid hormone cannot be

properly utilised at cellular level and some of the symptoms I am suffering may

be related to these.

·

Low iron/ferritin: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm

and http://www.ithyroid.com/iron.htm

..

·

http://www.femail.com.au/iron-levels-tony-pearce.htm

·

Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

·

Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329

and

http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

·

Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

·

Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738

and

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

·

Low copper/zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf

and

http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

I would also appreciate a full thyroid function test to include

TSH, free T4, free T3 and tests to see whether I have TPO and/or TgAb

antibodies. I appreciate that the laboratory may not test Free T3 if TSH and

FT4 are within the normal reference range, and if this is the case, would it be

possible to get my free T3 and TSH tested separately as they would do, if you

were querying my diagnosis as hyperthyroidism. I would really appreciate this

being done so we can get a full picture of what might be happening. I would

also appreciate a copy of all the above blood tests, together with the

reference range for each of the tests done.

Please would you help me further by referring me for a second

opinion to an endocrinologist of my choice as I am aware that many NHS

endocrinologists have diabetes as their specialty and thyroid specialists are

few and far between. The doctor I would like to be referred to is Dr ***** of

***** Hospital. I appreciate s/he is outside of this area, but I understand

that I am allowed a referral outside of my area either within the NHS or privately.

I know that you are extremely busy, and likely to get busier

with the new rules coming in, but I am sure you will appreciate my need to do

whatever I can to find the answers that will eventually help me return to good

health once again. Please will you work with me and help me where you can?

I await hearing from you in due course.

Kind regards

***** *****

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of santamonica2002uk

Sent: 18 March 2011 21:04

thyroid treatment

Subject: Letter to GP

Can anyone help me put together the letter to

my GP requesting the full set of blood tests and listing my symptoms? I've got

one written but don't think it reads very well.

I'm ok with listing my symptoms and saying what tests I want done but am unsure

how to start and finish it. As I've seen two doctors about this should the

letter be sent to them both?

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Wow! Sheila, you are an answer to a prayer!!

Ive tried like " santamonica " to draft a letter but brain fog so bad its been

near on impossible & ive got into a right muddle.

So thank you so much for taking the time to do this - will go to my GP after

sending this letter and the knowledge the NHS do do the tests I need armed with

renewed confidence.

Thanks millions

Beki x

>

> Dear Dr ****

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for this Sheila, this reads so much better than mine ever would.

Will take my temp this week and send the letter on Friday.

Gillian xx

>

> Dear Dr ****

>

> I hope you will read this letter and understand my reason for writing it. I

> have struggled for so long now to find the reason for my symptoms and

> continuing ill health as I feel I have reached the end of my tether. I have

> now decided that I must play a very active part in finding the reason for

> this, and I hope you will continue to help me all you can.

>

> I think that by putting pen to paper, we might start to see things in a

> different light. Please would you place this letter of requests into my

> medical notes.

>

[Guest guest]

I have just sent an outline to Adam and another one to

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of northsheree@...

Sent: 20 July 2011 20:16

thyroid treatment

Subject: Letter to GP

HI, WOULD ANYONE BE KIND ENOUGH TO SEND ME A

DRAFT/EXAMPLE OF THE LETTER I SHOULD SEND TO MY GP/PRACTICE MANAGER WHICH WILL

BE INCLUDED IN MY RECORDS? THANKS, JO

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr ****

I hope you will read

this letter and understand my reason for writing it. I have struggled for so

long now to find the reason for my symptoms and continuing ill health as I feel

I have reached the end of my tether. I have now decided that I must play a very

active part in finding the reason for this, and I hope you will continue to

help me all you can.

I think that by

putting pen to paper, we might start to see things in a different light. Please

would you place this letter of requests into my medical notes.

First, I am listing

all of my symptoms and signs as I am experiencing them at the moment. (here

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

under 'Hypothyroidism' - list also the 'signs'. Signs are what you can actually

see, and your GP should be seeing them too. Don't leave any of one out -

however long the list might look).

I have taken my basal

temperature for 4/5 mornings before getting out of bed and before having

anything to eat or drink and these are: (list these - normal temperature is

98l6. If yours is 97.8 and they could be much less - this is an indication your

metabolism is not working as it should, the cause usually being hypothyroidism.

(NOTE: If you have

other members with a thyroid or autoimmune disease - this is where you should

list them as this can run in families and your GP should be made aware of this)

I am aware that there

are other associated conditions that go along with the symptoms of

hypothyroidism and would like to eliminate these as being a possible cause of

my symptoms. I have learned that should any of the following levels be low in

the reference range, thyroid hormone cannot be properly utilised at cellular

level and some of the symptoms I am suffering may be related to these.

·

Low iron/ferritin: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm

and http://www.ithyroid.com/iron.htm

·

http://www.femail.com.au/iron-levels-tony-pearce.htm

·

Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

·

Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329

and

http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

·

Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

·

Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738

and

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

·

Low copper/zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf

and

http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

I would also

appreciate a full thyroid function test to include TSH, free T4, free T3

and tests to see whether I have TPO and/or TgAb antibodies. I appreciate that

the laboratory may not test Free T3 if TSH and FT4 are within the normal

reference range, and if this is the case, would it be possible to get my free

T3 and TSH tested separately as they would do, if you were querying my

diagnosis as hyperthyroidism. I would really appreciate this being done so we

can get a full picture of what might be happening. I would also appreciate a

copy of all the above blood tests, together with the reference range for each

of the tests done.

Please would you help

me further by referring me for a second opinion to an endocrinologist of my

choice as I am aware that many NHS endocrinologists have diabetes as their

specialty and thyroid specialists are few and far between. The doctor I would

like to be referred to is Dr ***** of ***** Hospital. I appreciate s/he is

outside of this area, but I understand that I am allowed a referral outside of

my area either within the NHS or privately.

I know that you are

extremely busy, and likely to get busier with the new rules coming in, but I am

sure you will appreciate my need to do whatever I can to find the answers that

will eventually help me return to good health once again. Please will you work

with me and help me where you can?

I await hearing from

you in due course.

Kind regards

***** *****

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of northsheree@...

Sent: 20 July 2011 20:16

thyroid treatment

Subject: Letter to GP

HI, WOULD ANYONE BE KIND ENOUGH TO SEND ME A

DRAFT/EXAMPLE OF THE LETTER I SHOULD SEND TO MY GP/PRACTICE MANAGER WHICH WILL

BE INCLUDED IN MY RECORDS? THANKS, JO