Follow-up number 3...

Hi World,

So, it's been almost 5 months since I had my total thyroidectomy and I thought I would update my blog on how I've been doing since:

In a nutshell, I'm doing well. My scar is healing very nicely in my opinion and my thyroxine levels have, to the best of my knowledge, remained steady and stable. But, that in no way means that I've been perfectly fine.

I had what was supposed to be my last follow-up appointment on the 19th of October and I was kind of dreading it because I know I've had trouble with my hospital (UCLH) to take me seriously when I've had a complaint. But anyway, I went and when my surgeon asked me how I was feeling, I told him truthfully: that the tingling in my hands and feet still hadn't stopped, I was constantly suffering from muscle cramps, and I regularly had bouts of my tummy simply being unsettled. He told me that what I described was common with low calcium levels and sent me for another blood test because no one had tested my calcium levels in time for that appointment - which, I noticed by the way.

Anyway, after waiting almost an hour in the waiting room to get my blood taken, I went home with his instruction of going back on my Sandocal Calcium supplements for the meantime. But, as usual, a week went by and no one had called me about my test results. I called the secretary to my surgeon and the surgical consultant and she was so unhelpful! She clearly didn't want to help me and wanted me off the phone as quickly as possible because she told me that my calcium was normal and there was nothing to worry about. I asked if I could speak to my doctor and she told me "No, he's in theatre all week." So, I asked to speak to a nurse and she said: "No, we don't have nurses here." A hospital with no nurses? Okay, love.

Anyway, I knew that something wasn't right so I asked her to send me a copy of my results (which, they should technically always do) and when I received it, I saw that there were flags on my calcium levels because, in actual fact, they're too low.

 I hate UCLH because they've done this to me twice now and I can never get through to the right person on the phone. I don't fault the doctors and nurses at all, but the administrative staff aren't medically trained professionals and definitely shouldn't be talking patients through their test results.

This happened the last time they tested my calcium; no one called me, I called and literally spoke to anyone who would stay on the phone long enough with me, and the woman told me it was fine and I should probably take the doctor's advice of coming off my supplements. But now, I can see that my parathyroid levels aren't where they should be either, and that needs to be dealt with.

I've had to book an appointment with my GP because, since I can't speak to anyone at the hospital. I'm hoping she can explain it to me and come up with an actual plan.

I have another appointment booked at UCLH for 30th November so I'm hoping I can get answers to my many questions. But this, is real life: life with the NHS.

Staciah xxx