Emergency doctors appointment or not?

[spacecadet1]

Hi, hoping someone can help me. I'm showing all the symptoms of having an overactive thyroid & have been feeling rotten (more than usual) since last week & losing weight even though I'm still eating.

I obviously need to get to the docs for a chat & a blood test & was just wondering (knowing how long it usually takes to get a normal appointment) should I call up tomorrow & get a same day appointment. I've never used up an 'emergency' appointment for myself before but am starting to get quite panicky & don't think I can wait a couple of weeks to get a regular appointment & then wait for bloods on top of that.

So basically what I'm asking is do you think it's ok to get an appointment asap & try to get this sorted or will the doc frown on me for this?

Thanks in advance for any help!

have also posted on health board!

We are trying to help you - you are using, and encouraging others to use a medical doctor who has been proven to have acted against his patients' best interests and to have done them harm. You are currently breastfeeding, so there is reason to be concerned for more than just you.

Not familiar with Peatfield, but Sarah Myhill?

macdoodle sorry you've been jumped on, health professionals get a hard time on here...

Me i have to don a bullet proof vest, I work in CAMHS .

OP hope you get your problem sorted soon. When i had thyroidy type symptoms on a few occasions over the years my GPs sorted all the necessary tests out for me. Turns out it was as a result of extreme stress which had screwed up my hormones.

It has made it clear that you are not rational, at least when it comes to this subject.

Shame for your dd.

I have been reading up on Dr S and everything I have read so far seems to indicate that Dr. Skinner has not been treated fairly by the GMC. This is an opinion expressed by a fair few people involved in the proceedings.

OP, I went to my GP a few years ago experiencing many of the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism. She aranged a blood test the next day and the results were back later that week. She started me on the relevent medication and refer me to a specialist at the hospital. It all happened very quikly and I was feeling a lot better within a relatively short period of time

Meemoo - by his own patients, you mean?

why not try to get an emergency telephone appt? In this way, you can speak to a GP, arrange a routine appt and get bloods done before you go.

See the GMC report linked above for details of the cases where harm was proven.

And if you want a separate thread about them, by all means start one

OP - hope your appointment went well, and you get some answers soon.

thanks unwind. doctor was quite non commital but is sending me for bloods & ecg (re the palpitations) next week so will take it from there.

Thanks again

Hope it gets sorted soon it's good they're onto it :)

Tthanks guys, hadnt really wanted this to be about thyroid problems but had to say what I thought the problem was initially - obviously I wouldn't have needed a quick appointment for an ingrowing toe nail (although I know how bloody painful they are!

I've heard that thyroid problems often take a while to be diagnosed (not meant to be a dig at dr's, have some in my dh's family & know how bloody hard they work) but I've a family link, I believe I have another auto immune condition (vitiligo) which started after ds1 was born & I know things like this often happen post natally & I've also read that maybe 95% of the population develop thyroid issues. So I think there's a strong chance I have a thyroid something with all those factors along with other symptoms I have.

I've never read about Dr Skinner but from what I've read about it often aking a long time to diagnose, it must be a relief for those of you who've been made to feel better. I've been made aware that often antibodies aren't checked which can tell what kind of thyroid problem you may have (graves or hashimoto) so if I don't get these tested initially (not sure exactly what I'm being tested for), I will be pushing to get them tested.

Thanks again everyone & will let you know what happens!

Just thought I'd update (in case anyones interested). Saw docs today to get the blood results & I'm definitely hyperthyroid. My TSH was 0.02 & free T4 81 so got propranolol for palpitations & as we are lucky to have private health cover through dh work, I'm off to see endocrinologist on saturday .

Thanks for the advice & re-assurance

Aw spacecadet - glad you know now though and you can get the right treatment. You kind of knew it was over active didn't you.

Leonie - two of my friends are patients of Dr Skinner's. One said he was "brilliant" and well worth the consultation fee, the other Dr Skinner restored to health after her GP told her she'd be in a wheelchair for life and would "have to get used to it".

Obviously it's critical for people for people to make their own minds up re. doctors, but I've heard so many rave reviews about him.

Interestingly, satisfied journalist patients of his tried to highlight the irony of endocrinologists' attempts to put one of the most successful thyroid doctors in the country out of business in The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail. They've since been silenced by their editors, who don't want to be seen to be confronting the medical establishment.