Barbara

Barbara was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 9 years ago after experiencing excessive tiredness. She was prescribed thyroxine which helps with her symptoms. She attends annual check-ups for her thyroid and asthma, but was unaware that the blood tests also check her kidney function. She has a good relationship with her GP and trusts him to tell her what she needs to know.

Shortly after retiring from her job as a care assistant, Barbara experienced excessive tiredness. After some blood tests, her GP diagnosed her with hypothyroidism, i. E. an underactive thyroid, and prescribed her thyroxine. She started taking 50mg every day and soon felt less tired. More recently her dose was increased to 75mg a day, so she now takes two tables each day and feels fine with that. Barbara also has asthma which she manages with an inhaler. It does not cause her any problems at the moment.

Barbara has a very good relationship with her family doctor who has known her for a long time. In the past, he has supported her through a difficult family situation. She likes the fact that he is straight to the point and trusts him to tell her what she needs to know about her health.

Barbara generally likes to take as little medication as possible. Her pharmacist has recently alerted her that she needs to be careful when buying over-the-counter medications as some of them may cause negative side effects when taken in combination with her thyroxine. She now makes sure to mention the other medications she is on when visiting the pharmacy.

Barbara was not aware that her kidney function was being monitored as part of the yearly check-ups she is attending for her hypothyroidism. She agreed to take part in an interview on the encouragement of her GP. She has not had any advice on diet or exercise from her GP or nurse. While she does not walk as much as she used to, looking after her grandchildren keeps her active and she describes herself as eating a balanced diet including lots of chicken and vegetables.

Barbara does not think of her kidney function as anything to worry about. She thinks the annual MOT she has at her surgery is a good idea and feels sufficiently reassured when she is told that her blood test is fine’ without the need to know the full details. She trusts that the surgery staff would contact her if there was a serious problem.

Barbara had never thought about her kidney health before being invited to take part in this study. She would only get worried if she started to experience symptoms.

Age at interview 69

Gender Female

So before you were invited to take part in this interview you hadn’t really thought about your kidneys?

No, no. No because I’m fine. I mean if I wasn’t what can I say if I wasn’t passing urine or anything like that then I would have been worried and obviously I would have went to the doctors and said, “Well look I’m not passing urine like I should be,” but I’m fine [laughs]. I’m fine on that one.

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Barbara cannot walk as much as she used to but does walk every day when taking her grandchildren to school and back or to the shops.

Age at interview 69

Gender Female

And have you also had discussions about your lifestyle you know diet and exercise and those kinds of things? Is that something you’ve discussed with your GP?

No because I do walk quite a bit. I mean I take my grandchildren to school and then go and fetch them and I do that three times a day or I’ll walk to the shops and walk, you know, walk back and everything else like you know? so

So you feel you’re getting quite a good bit of exercise?

Well I don’t walk I’m saying I walk but I do not walk so much as I used to. I mean when they were small I used to walk from here right down to [name] Road and I used to walk from here right down to [city area]. Down by [city area] and walk all the way back home. I mean I don’t do that now, that is a bit too much for me now like you know? But I do try and walk quite a bit.

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