Treatment of thyroid patients in canada

[gimel]

With all the problems we've heard about from members in the UK, I wondered if we have members from Canada that could give us insight into how they view  thyroid patient treatment from their Nat'l Health Service.  What testing is typically done?  Is TSH usually the only diagnostic?  Is there reluctance to medicate patients beyond just getting their test results somewhere within the range, regardless of symptoms?  After all, we may be facing the same situation in the future.  

[lissamayb]

I live in canada and I cant find a doctor that will do any other test but tsh. i live close to the us border so i have a doctor there, She is great, goes by symptoms and does the frees. i have hashimotos and have been to 5 doctors in canada they dont seem to know how to treat. at least the ones i have seen ?

[nissah46]

I've been away from the computer.  The girl is now 21, and I can't say for sure about other blood work, but I don't think she has had an ultrasound.  

[gimel]

bump

[moody2]

I don't know what tests they have done regularly, but my mother's doctor (in Canada) has been willing to treat her on the basis of symptoms (i.e., increasing medication even when her numbers were "normal").  I can't say the same for my doctor here in the US.  I really think that this kind of thing depends on the doctor much more than the means by which medical care is paid for (i.e., public vs. private insurance).  Personally, I have trusted my primary care physicians in Canada more than my doctors in the US – they just seemed more compassionate to me.  But you really can't judge on the basis of something like that.

[gimel]

bump

[Barb135]

Is TSH the ONLY test they do on your friend's daughter? Or do the do Free T3 and Free T4 as well?  What about antibody testing, ultrasound, etc?  

gimel is right - we may be facing the same thing here.

[nissah46]

I didn't have any thyroid treatment prior to being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I had my TSH tested annually as part of regular check up.  I can't speak for those with graves or hashi. My friend's daughter has had hashi since age 10, and she has her TSH checked every 3 or 4 months.