Furious with Endocrinologist thyroid

[jacksfullofaces]

I have waited for an appointment with a specialist at a leading London hospital having been referred by my GP. I had private testing which showed raised antibodies indicating Hashimoto so my very decent GP decided to start me on a low dose of Levothyroxine which has made quite a few improvements to my well being.
This morning my GP gave me a copy of the letter from the specialist which can be summarised as patient has normal TSH - I don't want to see her and it is quite common for women to have raised anti bodies. Do not commence treatment until two TSH tests are abnormal.
I am disgusted and furious. This fool of a specialist has not suffered increased abdominal fat, eyebrow loss, depression, tiredness, lethargy, feeling the cold, hard skin on feet, and foggy thinking. All he is interested in are blood reference numbers.
Fortunately my GP is ignoring him and is happy to treat Hashimoto Disease.
My family have a strong history of auto immune disease and this was the response from the stupid endocrinologist.
Jacks

[susan]

That is really disappointing jacks, thank goodness you have a good GP who is listening to you and taking on board your actually symptoms and dealing with them accordingly. Are you going to write and complain to the specialist?

xxxx

[jacksfullofaces]

Susan
I can't be bothered with him. Just added him to my blacklist of stupid arrogant doctors. I have always done better with general practitioners rather than specialists.
It could have been worse. If he had given me an appointment and I would have listened to him telling me that it was great to feel rotten without thyroxine. I might have hit him and as my father taught me how to pack a wallop I would have landed myself in the slammer
Jacks

[susan]

Sounds like you have the best outcomes with your GP. Don't want to go on a rant about Specialists but I do know what you mean to a certain extent. I think it is something to do with the fact that phycologically a referral to a Specialist can make you think you are actually getting somewhere with an issue and then it can lead to disappointment. So it's a bit if an emotional rollercoaster for many. If you go on various health forums you can almost feel the relief and expectation of posters who have finally managed to get a referral it raises expectations.

I did have a good rheumatologist at one point although I slipped off his list by not going to one of my routine follow ups, but hopefully could get referred again.

Another issue though and I am sure it happens to many, was he was so good plus had an excellent manner in dealing with people that he was often pulled off to go and lecture and run massive projects as happens all over the place with folk who are good at what they do.

xxxx

[jacksfullofaces]

Susan
My experiences with specialists has been complicated by my EDS. They have their protocol and if you don't fit it they often shunt you to another doctor or inform you regretfully (or not) that they would like to help but unable to treat because of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
Ofcourse when I have seen them privately they have a different attitude ..... which makes me think they are pursuing FRAME targets.
That wretched specialist wrote a really snotty patronising letter to my GP more or less reprimanding him for daring to suggest he might see me. Completely appalling for my doctor who is trying to ensure I get the best treatment.
I know my doctor was annoyed or he wouldn't have given me a copy of this correspondence.
Jacks

[susan]

I would imagine a few GPs get fed up with specialists.

The thing that I find frustrating is that if you are having a problem with an initial diagnosis as I was(unexplained Cronic pain) you get referred to one specialism and they consult, test etc then if hey feel it isn't their area they can't refer you on to another specialism, you have to go back to the GP and get referred again. It is a system that seems to be designed to slow down diagnosis. But what do I know, that's how it comes across to me as an end user anyway.

xxxx

[gobe]

Good that you have such a good GP.