One man's life with hypothyroidism

This is a transcription of an appointment with a doctor in April 2015. My aim was to get an increase in my dosage of levothyroxine, which is my hypothyroidism medication. This isn't an unreasonable request, considering I still had symptoms of hypothyroidism. 

By the way, I saw the doctor at Erdington Medical Centre. At the time of writing, Erdington Medical Center had an average score of 1.6 out of 5 on Google reviews. Whether that is relevant is up to you to decide.

Doctor: Take a seat please.

Me: Thanks. How's it going?

Doctor: Great. How can I help you?

Me: I've been in Canada for the past three years and I started feeling bad every day, but I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with hypothyroidism.

Doctor: Oh right?

Me: So I've been on medication for that for the past year. So really, I'm here to get more medication for that, really.

Doctor: So we've given you medication so far. Okay. How did respond to taking the levothyroxine? Has it worked out with that?

Me: Yeah, so far over the past year, it has been a big change actually. Before, I was feeling... it's hard to describe it. I was feeling tired and feeling ill everyday and things would annoy me, but now, that doesn't really happen anymore. But I still think I've got some symptoms of it though. Like, like my sense of smell's not as good as it was before I had it. And I'm still feeling tired some days as well. So I was hoping for a dosage increase.

Doctor: Well, we need to do a blood test. (So this is a doctor who doses by blood test results rather than symptoms.) The last one was probably done annually. Have you had a blood test for your thyroid ever that long?

Me: I came into the doctor's last month, which was the first time I came in since I came back from Canada, and he prescribed me with 125mcg. He didn't do a blood test, but the doctor in Canada, he was doing blood tests every time. I've got the results of the blood tests if you want to see them.

Doctor: When was the last one, roughly?

Me: It was December.

Doctor: Yep, okay so that's over four months. So we need an up-to-date one now. So if we get that done, we could then see from that whether you are finally on the right level, or if you need an increase. We could increase it based on that.

Me: Yeah, I'm fine with that. (I was desperate because of my hypothyroidism symptoms, and just wanted a dosage increase.)

Doctor: What I'll do is I'll give you a month's supply. But we need the results. If the results are low we'll increase it, and if the results are normal, then we'll put it on repeat and you can get your thyroid...

Me: Um, yeah, okay. Sounds good. When's the soonest I can have a blood test? I suppose I'd have to speak to the receptionist?

Doctor: You'll have to speak to receptionist to make that appointment.

Me: Okay.

Doctor: I'll give you a form for the blood test. *Prints form.* Right, okay, so for that blood test I'll give you your supply for thyroxine.

Me: By the way, the doctor, he said to take 125mcg everyday, but he gave me 150mcg instead. Though he said to take 150mcg on the days that I felt bad.

Doctor: I would just continue taking it regularly at the same dose until we do the blood test. It won't be useful to change your dose without knowing where your results are. So what have you been taking?

Me: Honestly, I've started taking 150mcg. He told me just to take it on the days I felt bad, but I was feeling bad every day.

Doctor: So were you taking it consistently or what? 150mcg or...?

Me: It was consistently for the past month.

Doctor: It will affect the.. we'll go with it, and see what happens. Usually, we say at least six, give it, uh, I would, uh...

Me: How long do you have to wait...

Doctor: You have to be six weeks before the blood test.

Me: Oh right. The um... I mean, six weeks ago I was on, uh...

Doctor: Well you were given that four weeks ago.

Me: Yeah, then he increased it to...

Doctor: I'll give you the same thing. Wait two weeks before you take the blood test. (This is bad news for me because I had plans to leave the country a few days later. But I don't tell the doctor that.)

Me: Okay. Sounds good. So I'll go back in two weeks and ask them. Okay. Well, thank you. Oh, and last time I went, he said he could be free, the medication, if I get the doctor's certificate or something.

Doctor: For thyroxine replacement? Yes. I'm not sure which way you have to apply. You have to apply for that and we decide it for it. What I would suggest, if you ask to speak to either the practice manager or one at reception. Or you ask at reception now if you can get a certificate for the prescription, and you would apply for that, and we would complete it for you.

Me: Okay, great, I'll ask about that. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Doctor: Cheers.

I had to leave England a few days later, so I never did get that blood test, nor that dosage increase. Here are my lessons learned:

1. Tell your doctor if you're leaving the country. Don't be shy like me.
2. Some doctors will not increase your dosage without a blood test. I call these "shit doctors".

If you want to listen to the conversation yourself, then here it is: