My doctor is blackmailing me.

LegacyUser

Let me start by saying that I am NOT asking for medical advice. I am asking only for LEGAL advice. Therefore, mods please don't delete this thread.

When I was 18 I got thyroid cancer. I was pushed into having a total thyroidectomy. Since then I need to take thyroxine. It's not a choice, without thyroxine I will die. I've had terrible trouble with it, it's always either too high or too low and has given me awful symptoms. The doctors are useless. I have blood tests to check my levels, and no matter what the level they just say "It's fine." The level has come back as low as 11 and as high as 37 and they just say it's fine. The endocrinologist and oncologist are equally useless. If I complain about the symptoms and ask for help they just say "If you're not happy with it, change your dose." I've changed the dose many times and just get different but equally bad symptoms with different doses. Because of this, it is a total waste of my time getting blood tests and keeping my appointments with the specialists and I don't want to do either any more.

Also, last year, just out of interest I asked for my B12 levels to be checked. It showed my levels were just slightly below the acceptable level. The doctor started me on B12 injections. They've made no difference to the way I feel and barely raised my blood B12 levels at all. also I've read a lot about the dangers of B12 injections and have decided that I don't want to have them any more.

Here is the problem - the doctor won't let me stop. As I've said, I NEED thyroxine to survive, and I need to get the prescription from the doctor every month. The thing is, every time I fill out a request for a repeat prescription, they attach a threatening note telling me I must get my blood test and B12 shot first or I won't be allowed any thyroxine. (apart from anything else this means I am getting these blasted blood tests done way too frequently.)

Now I know that many people may disagree with my decision to stop the blood tests and B12 shots, but you aren't the ones who've lived with this for 12 years and done a ton of research into it. Anyway, I just want to say that your personal feelings about it are beside the point. This is what I need help with - I am a 31 year old adult of sound mind. Surely I have the legal right to accept the medical treatment that I choose to have (in this case the thyroxine tablets) and reject the medical treatment that I don't want (in this case, the blood tests, B12 injections and oncologist/endocrinologist appointments.)

Can anyone tell me if my doctor is allowed to blackmail me this way? If I refuse to have any more blood tests or B12 shots and if I refuse to go to my hospital appointments, can they refuse to give me any more thyroxine (which will result in my death)?

Big Bag of Chips

OP, Posters are not allowed to offer either medical or legal advice here on Boards.ie for the simple reason, we as moderators cannot verify their qualifications to offer such advice to you. So rather than risk people offering you bad advice that you might take as true and factual, the blanket rule is no professional advice.

This link will show you how to go about making a complaint against your doctor if you are not happy.
http://www.healthcomplaints.ie/gp/

Thread locked.