Help and advice needed

[Guest guest]

I hope you will be able to help. I have been experiencing these symptoms for the

past 4 -5 years

Excessive tiredness, weight gain in fact i am now clinically obese (bmi 32),

feeling cold most of the time and particularly cold extremeties, and excessive

hair loss, mood swings, tearfulness to name only a few symptoms of which link

to hypothyroidism, i have thyroid function tests done in the past which always

result in a normal level, last April i had a TSH of 1.3 (normal). however the

symptoms persist infact many are worse. I have once again made an appointment

with my GP and would like to go pre- armed with some information to help my

cause, as i really do not want to be dismissed again as it being nothing. They

have previously put me on antidepressants which did help the mood swings and

tearfulness but nothing else, and i have stopped taking them as i felt they were

not the answer.

I have read on your website about Dr Skinner and would love to find a doctor who

maybe able to offer me more help and support, although i live in Northumberland

and someone in this area would be preferable, I am prepared to travel to get to

the bottom of this, and see someone who can genuinly help.

Both my mother and grandmother are hypothyroid and both had the same problems in

getting diagnosed it took nearly 30 years before my grandmothers TSH was within

an abnormal range and her gp actually started treating her, but she suffered all

those years inbetween.

I hope you can help, I have an appointment with my Gp this friday and if you can

recommend a specialist i would appreciate it then i can get my GP to refer me. I

hastened to add that i am prepared to pay for a private consultation.

[Guest guest]

Hello Kim and welcome to our forum where I hope you get all the

help and support you so obviously need. Unfortunately, we are learning more and

more that very few doctors trained within the NHS know little to nothing about

the functioning of the thyroid gland or the associated conditions that go along

with those suffering the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Excessive tiredness, weight gain in fact i am now clinically obese (bmi 32),

feeling cold most of the time and particularly cold extremeties, and excessive

hair loss, mood swings, tearfulness to name only a few symptoms of which link

to hypothyroidism, i have thyroid function tests done in the past which always

result in a normal level, last April i had a TSH of 1.3 (normal). however the

symptoms persist infact many are worse. I have once again made an appointment

with my GP and would like to go pre- armed with some information to help my

cause, as i really do not want to be dismissed again as it being nothing. They

have previously put me on antidepressants which did help the mood swings and

tearfulness but nothing else, and i have stopped taking them as i felt they

were not the answer.

You should prepare for your next visit to your GP by writing him

a letter, and telling him that after 4/5 years of suffering all of these

symptoms and signs, you are no longer prepared to put up with not getting a

proper diagnosis and being given the treatment that will give you back your

optimal health.

First, you need to list all of your symptoms and signs and it

matters not how long the list is. Check yours against those in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk under 'Hypothyroidism' in

the Menu.

Next, take your temperature before getting out of bed for 4 or 5

mornings. List these if these are less than 97.8 (an indication your metabolism

is running too slow and the cause of this is very likely to be hypothyroidism.

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

autoimmune disorder as this runs in families.

Next, list the blood tests you want done, and ask for the

results to be sent to you giving the reference range for each of the tests

done. NEVER allow a doctor to tell you that " your results all came back

within the 'normal' range and therefore, you do not have a problem " .

Doctors CANNOT withhold these results from you - they belong to you under the

Data Protection Act. The first tests you need to be done are TSH, free

thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3) and tests to see whether you have

thyroid antibodies. These tests are called TPO and TgAb.

Next, ask for the following blood tests to be done to check your

levels of certain minerals and vitamins to see whether any of these are low:

Ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, folate, magnesium, copper and zinc. Because

many doctors will try to tell you they cannot and will not do these tests

because there is NO association with low thyroid, I have cited some references

to the scientific evidence to show that there IS an association. Show these to

your doctor :

Low

iron/ferritin:

Iron deficiency is shown to significantly reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase

reverse T3 levels, and block the thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties

of thyroid hormone (1-4). Thus, iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron

saturation below 25 or a ferritin below 70, will result in diminished

intracellular T3 levels. Additionally, T4 should not be considered adequate

thyroid replacement if iron deficiency is present (1-4)).

1.

Dillman E, Gale C, Green W, et al. Hypothermia in iron

deficiency due to altered triiodithyroidine metabolism. Regulatory, Integrative

and Comparative Physiology 1980;239(5):377-R381.

2.

SM, PE, Lukaski HC. In vitro hepatic

thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat.

Life Sci 1993;53(8):603-9.

3.

Zimmermann MB, Köhrle J. The Impact of Iron and Selenium

Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry and Relevance to

Public Health. Thyroid 2002;12(10): 867-78.

4.

Beard J, tobin B, Green W. Evidence for Thyroid Hormone

Deficiency in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats. J. Nutr. 1989;119:772-778.

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

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

have already sent you a copy of my list of doctors who will treat using T4/T3

combination therapy). Your GP can refer you to doctors outside of your area if

there is not a thyroid specialist there, and you will find most

endocrinologists have a speciality in diabetes.

Next, send a copy of this letter to the Head of Practice and

last but  not least, ask for your letter of requests to be placed into your

Medical Notes and keep a copy for yourself, just in case the letter

'accidentally' goes missing - it has been known.

I have read on your website about Dr Skinner and would love to find a doctor

who maybe able to offer me more help and support, although i live in

Northumberland and someone in this area would be preferable, I am prepared to

travel to get to the bottom of this, and see someone who can genuinly help.

Check on our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk

and look in the right h and column for Dr Peatfield's Clinic Updates. You will

see that he does have a clinic in Morpeth, but he also does a clinic at my

cottage in North Yorkshire where you would be most welcome. Telephone or email

if you want an appointment at either of these.

Both my mother and grandmother are hypothyroid and both had the same problems

in getting diagnosed it took nearly 30 years before my grandmothers TSH was

within an abnormal range and her gp actually started treating her, but she

suffered all those years in-between.

There is always the option of diagnosing, treating and self

monitoring if you can't find a doctor who will do this for you, but I am sure

we can help you find a doctor who will. However, many of our members have been

forced to look after their own thyroid health and doing well. It is possible

and you would do well to buy Dr Peatfield's Book *Your Thyroid and How to Keep

it Healthy* where he helps you do this. We also have lots, and lots of

information in our FILES section which will help you also. You don't have to

continue to suffer now that you are a member of TPA. So many people have had

their lives ruined by being refused a proper diagnosis and treatment.

I hope you can help, I have an appointment with my Gp this friday and if you

can recommend a specialist i would appreciate it then i can get my GP to refer

me. I hastened to add that i am prepared to pay for a private consultation.

Good luck Kim and let us know your doctors reaction and whether

he is prepared to refer you to a good endocrinologist.

Luv - Sheila