Friends thyroid results - unbelievable

[negunslean]

My friends daughter (early 20's) has been suffering from every under active thyroid symptom you can imagine. Her life is miserable. Thyroid issues run through out the family as does auto immune disease.
Her gp tested free t4 and tsh only, results being

tsh 9.24 miu/l range 0.25 -5

t4 11.3 pmol/l range 9-23

No antibodies checked even though autoimmune disease is rife in her family.

She was refused thyroid medication as 'her t4 was ok' instead she was put on anti depressants

I have sent her a link to stop the thyroid madness website and told her to educate herself.

I am beyond words. What can I tell her to say to her GP?

That is honestly shocking. That's out of range no matter who you ask!

Tell her to see another GP who will hopefully know that probably needs medicating and further investigation...

If a second opinion and request for full tests (e.g T3 and both antibodies) fails then she can get a full private panel done for less than £80.

Medichecks do a full thyroid work up for 79 pounds and another more comprehensive one for 99 pounds

www.medichecks.com/thyroid-function-tests/thyroid-check-ultra

My Mum just did it and it was fast and very helpful. You dont need to go to the lab, you just do a finger prick

Get the data and then go back to the GP. If they still wont treat, another GP.

I believe NICE guidelines suggest that an out of range TSH + symptoms should be treated

cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroidism#!scenario:1

I have read that many patients are told that until their TSH goes over 10 they won't be treated, but I know that anything over about 2 and I feel dreadful. The poor girl. STTM is great, but involves so much research and expense, not to mention having to source medication yourself if you can't get your GP on board. I hope her mum is ready to help her out and be her advocate as she probably won't be feeling up to it herself.

It's criminal how badly thyroid disease is treated in this country. Makes me wonder if it would be better if more men suffered with it?

Could you get a copy of STTM to give to her GP? I tried to palm mine off on my GP but she wasn't taking the bait, she did however say she'd monitor my bloods for me.

She needs to see anither practice partner or change GPs. Alternatively a private consultation and full bloods might be worth paying for as that will put a recommendation letter on her file.

Report the fucking GP surgery. In fact, she can sue them.
A TSH at 9 will probably need at least 25-50mcg Levothyroxine per day dose and urgently so. Bloody idiots and incompetent.

I can remember having a t4 of 11 and being told it was borderline (no treatment). A different GP said she always looked at symptoms as well (which I had plenty of) and I’ve been on thyroxine successfully for years now.