Recommendations for thyroid specialist in London?

[Cyclingmama85]

I’ve had an underactive thyroid for around 6 years, since shortly after my first child was born. I’d say my symptoms are largely under control - I keep my TSH extremely low (maybe that’s part of the issue) - but in winter they get markedly worse.
The Raynaud’s syndrome that occurs when it’s really cold has been horrific the past week or two in the really cold weather. I’m keen to see a specialist to see if I can optimise my medication. The GP’s are largely useless and disinterested when I raise my quite vague and varied symptoms!

The symptoms that are really bothering me atm are the ‘thyroid face’, the puffiness under one eye in particular, the Raynaud’s and the general brain fog.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a thyroid (endocrine) specialist I can see privately in central or SW London? When I was first diagnosed I saw Professor Gerard Conway, but I wonder if there are any new names on the block? Particularly interested in specialists who recognise we’re not crazy hypochondriacs and the weird symptoms are real and affect how we feel!

thank you 🙏🏼

Mark Spring, Parkside Hospital, Wimbledon. Very holistic and very interested in cfs alongside auto-immune issues.

Thank you, Parkside is local to me so that would be ideal. I just had a look at his page and he definitely sounds more like what I’m after.
I don’t know if it’s true but I feel like in America they have more specialists who take a more holistic/functional medicine approach. Here it just seems all about the TSH and other ranges, regardless of the presence of all the weird & wonderful symptoms of hypo.

He's definitely a supporter of T3 investigations and making sure other stuff that inter-relates is also considered, vitamin D for example.

He focuses on how people really feel and is very jolly and down to earth. He will make you laugh at something or other.

Good luck!

Oh and BTW, the approach to thyroid disease here is rubbish unless you can afford to pat.

The British Thyroid Foundation has helpful stuff available to support through the optics of the UK NHS.

I have recently found that I'm much better if my tsh is around 0.8/1.

I was having a lot of the symptoms you describe. I think some people do need tsh to be low, around 0.3 or even lower, but not everyone. My t3 was lower when my tsh was really low; I loose the moon face when it's nearer 0.8/1. I can exercise better and I don't get as many aches and pains. It's hard getting the consistency though.

Lots of other hormones and enzymes are involved such as reverse t3 which I think is designed to keep the t3 low - I think as a result there's a sweet spot for each of us depending on how we metabolise and what other hormones are going on.

I've also just started to take it consistently a full hour or more before I have any breakfast, or even in middle of the night if I wake up, as I think more things interfere with it than you think (eg walnuts which I do have as part of breakfast) in order to get a really good consistent base line. I currently take two extra 25s a week, and am going to ask the Gp to double check where I am at again before I make any other changes as tsh was 2 a few weeks ago and symptoms were a bit rubbish. I am feeling better just with that adjustment though. (I'm also now on some medication that does affect it hence the recent tweaking.)

However it does take so bloody long to work out what works for you. And there are certainly a few people who need t3. But just don't rule out that you may be a little bit over replaced if you keep the tsh low.

Obviously vit d, 12, folate and ferritin also help.