# Finally signed off, consultant free



## kathlav (Mar 26, 2013)

Dear all,

It has been a long time coming, but Last week I had my final endocrine consultation, and for me this is the first time in 11 years that I am consultant free. Signed over to the care of my Local GP I am finally stabilised on 100mcg Levothyroxine.

When I say consultant free.....that includes all the others I have had to see, from before my thyroid journey during and after, including Gastro, ENT, ENDO, Cardio and Ortho.

I would like to add, as encouragement to others that apart from being about 18lbs heavier I am on the whole feeling very well, and I can cope with the daily popping of one little tablet. It takes a little adjustment to get used to that fact that you will need this drug for the rest of your life but I now barley think about it, and it has become part of my normal routine and daily functions.

I am forever grateful and proud of our wonderful NHS system here in Britain, who have never let me down....even under extreme stress and bad press such as they are experiencing now.

For me having a thyroidectomy in June 2016 was absolutely the right thing to do, after suffering with Graves disease for some years

I hope this offers some kind of hope for those that are struggling, that there can be normality in your life again.

Many thanks once again to this wonderful Forum and all the great advice and support I gained from it throughout my Grave days.


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## blackngold (Oct 28, 2011)

so sorry about your parathyroids !! ♡ good that you are now with your gp and stabilized starting to think that's not really a thing :/...for me I still think that TT wasn't my best choice but what good does it do I made the best decision I could with the information I had at the time.. how many years did you have hyperthyroidism ? are you able to convert to t3 with t4 only or does your gp even check t3 just curious today I went to a health clinic that uses some different technologies to see what you are lacking and mine said I had a congested liver and ovaries then they wanted to sell me the supplements to correct these issues not having insurance right now I went to them cause a co worker who gets compounded t4 and t3 suggested them and said she uses some kind of device that helps determine the dosages they wanted half the money up front and can't get me in till October so I'm debating what to do they did tell me levothyroxine causes cavities have you noticed that you've had more cavities?


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## kathlav (Mar 26, 2013)

Hi Blackngold,

Sorry i have taken so long to reply, these days i just pop in every now and then to have a look see.

To answer some of your questions, and also to update on my so called release from consultants (short lived, it was great while it lasted!)

So, went to GP for an unrelated problem and as per norm they took my blood pressure which was high, because as it always has been throughout my thyroid issues.

My cousin of 47 had had a massive heart attack a couple of weeks previously (Younger than me by 2 years )she was fitted with a stent and is doing ok now, but I also wanted my cholesterol tested!

I was asked to do a 24 hr blood pressure monitor and a blood test, after which I was told my average blood pressure was on the cusp of being hypertensive.(slightly worrying as it was my day off, and pretty much sat down all day doing needle craft, nothing taxing!)

My blood test apparently revealed I was over medicated so my thyroxine was dropped, so now I take 100mcg 6 days per week and take nothing on Sunday.

I was asked to do an ECG and to do a fasting blood test, which I did, and am now coming up for 6 weeks later and another fasting blood test due for Sept 6th. I have not bothered asking what the results of the first blood tests are until I go back to GP after 6th sept to get all results, I think they are testing cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid etc

So at the moment I am not seeing a consultant, but by no means free of medical testing.

Very rarely here in Britain do they test FT3 or antibodies! and unless you do it yourself privately it is not routine.

Having said that other than having put on some weight, I am still on the whole feeling ok, even with the so called blood pressure issue.

I am now 49 years old an I have to put down some of my not felling like I used to(or my last normal feeling of normal if you know what I mean) down to just being a lot older now. And having had a very bad accident whilst all this was going on, with a badly broken ankle. I don't exercise like I used to, it hurts too much, I have osteoarthritis in that joint and have had another opp on it since.

Although diagnosed with Graves in 2012, I think I had at least been suffering with it for a good 5 years or so before that.

I have like you, thought about different forms of thyroxine, and suppliments, but I am now more worried what with Brexit approaching and a possible No deal with Europe that there may be a shortage of thyroxine and all other essential drugs and staff......so I am not going to sweat the other stuff just yet.

I am not familiar with the different technologies this clinic is using I would air on the side of caution if money up front is required, I am not opposed to a combination t3/t4 especially if you do not convert T4 well, I have seen various online supplements some of which contain T3!(but I believe this is bovine T3, which I would be very wary about)....with my blood pressure issue it's not something I would like to try without medical supervision.

I have to say the one thing I have never had any problems with are my teeth, I have no fillings, no issues what so ever. However compared to an American set of Gnashers I am sure mine do not come up to par. We Brits are not known for our pearly white's Haha. I have not seen a dentist in many, many years and my way of looking at it, is if it's not broke don't try to fix it.

I have had too much broke lately, and just don't want to poke the bear!!!

Once I have these blood tests done in Septemeber, I may look into getting FT3 done privately.

If you go ahead with this clinic, please post and let me know what they suggest, and how they came to that conclusion, it would be very interesting. I am all for trying something that could be beneficial.

Parathyroids are now working fine all by themselves, and I have no cavities....yey


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