Had bloods done middle of last week up at my GP's on hospital headed request form, so naturally I thought that the results would be copied to my hospital doctor but no, silly me, they weren't. Thanks to my GP at least being on the ball it turns out my TSH (that's the bit that makes the thyroid stuff apparently, oddly known as the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is way up at 51! I know! It should be no higher than, erm, 5; so you see why I'm so worried that things are not being done as they should. The GP though rang at 18:25 on Wednesday last and told me I should speak to the hospital 'in the morning' and take it up with them as I'd had no word from them. Thanks SO much for telling me when it's too late to do anything about it TONIGHT!!! and instead, leave me wondering (I've given up worrying over med stuff now, there's just no point) all night as to what's going on, or not as the case may be. In the absence of any telephone calling to be done I do the next best thing and send off an email to my hospital doctor and left it at that, telling her all I had just been told and giving her all the facts as I had them. That was that for the night, cue next morning 08:45 call the hospital and get the secretary, she asks if I am who I am and I said yes (who else would I be for ****'* sake???). She then tells me they have not had the results back 'otherwise we would have been straight on to you.' Taking a deep and very calming breath, I tell her that I need the doctor there to sort this out pretty sharpish as my own GP's surgery closes at lunchtime Thursday, so if I am to get another prescription for a higher dose of thyroxine (or to give it it's full moniker: Levothyroxine Sodium). The secretary gets a bit snippy at that, as if I'm telling her to do her job and it gets a bit much how precious some of these women can be. They are probably not suffering the effects of an underactive thyroid and will argue back and forth for as long as they like over one issue or another. My notes are not where they should be (shocker!) and they take great delight in saying the doctor 'won't speak to you unless she has your notes as she won't know who she is talking to.' I thought - get her on the phone and she'll soon know; we have such a good consult me and her she would remember me. Secretary then takes my number and promises to call back (I send positive vibes to her to lose the 'tude' hon) and it works, because when she calls back she is as nice as pie. She says the doctor has dictated a letter and they are waiting for her to sign it. I ask how much the dosage is for and she says oh 50mcg! When I say I'm already on that, they get all worked up again 'oh we didn't know that' she says. COME AGAIN???? You are dispensing thyroid meds and you don't know what dosage I'm ALREADY on???? Doesn't surprise me anymore but that's how so many people die or are mismanaged in this hopsital. They rely on paper notes but surely where thyroids and nuclear medicine are concerned would it be too much to ask if they could have a computer record in the absence of notes, which hold things up royally, to see what they are prescribing - apparently, yes it would. I leave everything to the GP now and then a scrip is ready for 100mcg, I go and get it and everything runs as it should.
What really makes me laugh is the letter I got from the hospital this morning where they thank the GP (if you please) for faxing my results to them, NOT ME for starting the ball rolling with my email which preceeded that!!! The they take the initiative and say 'she is clinically hypothroid' (didn't know they had suddenly started treating the cat's mother but never mind) and to take bloods again in four weeks to see if 'she' needs the dose increasing further. I am heartily sick of having this medication because I am bloated, having migraines almost on a daily basis and am geting fat, even though I'm not over-eating into the bargain. I have spine issues so weight gain is NOT an option for me. I am tired, I am cold, I am lethargic. Periods all over the shop, and sometimes consti as well, not nice at all. Then they go on about increasing the dosage, it is a horrid drug to be on but a necessary one, so I'm now having to go through the swollen and dry throat business again as the drug is increased and I'm really hoping they will sort this out SOON because I really can't be doing with being like this for years while they get the dose right - I won't have any veins left for a start I can tell you that.
Apart from that the sun is shining - incandescently bright, migraine inducing bright, so I'm reduced to being indoors today with all the curtains drawn, I'm a happy little camper today aren't I?
© silversapphire 2010
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.