RE: Any advice re referral please.

[Guest guest]

Hi

A GP refused to refer me to Dr S & wanted me to see a

local endocrinologist. I had no choice but to agree, but first I rang the

endo's secretary and asked if he ever treated with T3. She said that she had

definately typed it up but not often. Hence I have an appointment March 26th. Meanwhile

I have been advised here that the BEST I can hope for is a diagnosis, which

would be great, and maybe a trial of thyroxine. Reading Dr P's book I read that

thyroxine could be dangerous and cause a toxic situation if a person cannot

convert the T4 to T3 due to overload of T4 in the circulation (I think I

understood that correctly).

First, you DO NOT have to see the endocrinologist your GP

recommends. Who you see is YOUR choice. Unless you know that the reputation of

the particular endocrinologist is really sound on his ability to diagnose and

treat the symptoms of hypothyroidism well, then run a mile. It is ALWAYS

better to see a specialist that has been recommended to you. I have sent you a

list of doctors who have been recommended by our members, privately.

However, whoever you see, if they give you a diagnosis of

hypothyroidism, they will start you on synthetic levothyroxine-only. Only if

this doesn't work for you will they probably discuss with you the possibility

of trying a combination therapy using the active thyroid hormone T3.

The majority of people started on T4-only appear to do well on

it, and some people are happy with it for years, but there are others who

cannot do well and need a combination therapy of T4/T3 or natural thyroid

extract.

My question is: I would love to get this sorted and feel

better, as I guess most people here have felt, but I wondered if I could refer

myself to Dr P while I am still waiting for this appt with local endo? or would

this confuse things? I don't know the local endo - he may be ok, but if the

best I can expect is a trial of thyroxine could I not just use this appointment

to have a diagnosis that may be useful to have with my GP and meanwhile see Dr

P - OR wait and see the endo and then wait to see Dr P or Dr S afterwards (as

GP said if I did not get on with endo she would reconsider referral to Dr S

after all!). I don't know which one would be best.

I very much doubt you will be able to get an appointment to see

Dr Peatfield before your appointment with the endocrinologist. He is very busy,

and I do know all his clinics are full. However, telephone Jo or Lynn (01883

623 125) and see if you can be squeezed in in his Crawley Clinic. You might

stand a better chance of getting an appointment if you went to see Dr Skinner

but this requires a GP referral.

Basically I would like to avoid poor treatment & side

affects from thyroxine if its not the best, but I would like to settle a

diagnosis incase I need prescriptions in the future.

Remember that if you do get a diagnosis, you are then entitled

to free prescriptions for all medicines (even those unrelated to thyroid

problems).

, read the attached document which gives some of the

reasons why thyroid hormone might not be working for you, in case this should

happen, but please be positive, because it might work for you. For those where

thyroxine-only does work, you will not find them on forums such as this,

because here, we pick up the NHS failures who mainly need support and help to

find out what thyroid hormone replacement might work for them etc.

Meanwhile, ask your GP to test your levels of iron, transferrin

saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and

zinc. Get your son to get these tested too.

Luv - Sheila

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