Sonakshi Sharma Endocrinology

Thyroid, adrenal, pituitary and parathyroid conditions

Expert assessment and individualised management

Book a private consultation

About

Dr. Sonakshi Sharma

Dr Sonakshi Sharma is a Consultant Endocrinologist who has been practising at Taranaki Base Hospital since 2017. She has extensive experience in the assessment and management of a broad range of endocrine conditions.

Her care is evidence-based and guided by current research and international guidelines, with each management plan tailored to the individual patient.

Dr Sharma graduated with Honours in Medicine from the University of Western Australia in 2008. During her final year, she completed a clinical elective at Harvard Medical School, receiving a Distinction. Following her internship in Perth, she moved to New Zealand and completed her physician and specialist endocrinology training across Auckland, Waikato and Taranaki.

Alongside her clinical work, Dr Sharma is actively involved in medical education. She regularly teaches medical registrars and general practitioners and supports physicians preparing for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) clinical examination. She is also a National Board Member of the New Zealand Society of Endocrinology.

Contact / Book

Book a private consultation

Private consultations are by referral only, for patients aged 16 and over. Referrals are accepted from GPs and other specialists.

  1. Get a referral from your GP or another specialist

    A referral is required before an appointment can be booked. Ask your GP or another specialist to send a referral letter with your recent results. Many health insurers also need one before they will cover a specialist consultation.

  2. Arrange your appointment

    Once your referral has been received, the clinic will contact you to arrange a time and confirm fees.

  3. Bring to your first appointment

    • Recent blood tests and any scan reports
    • A list of all your medicines and supplements
    • A chaperone or support person, if you would like one present during your physical examination

Contact and referrals

Clinic
162 Powderham Street
New Plymouth 4310
View on Google Maps

Referrals are accepted from GPs and other specialists. Once a referral has been received, the clinic will contact you to arrange an appointment.

Cancellations

If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please give at least 24 hours’ notice so the time can be offered to another patient.

What to expect from your first consultation

Your initial consultation is a 45-minute appointment, allowing time to review your medical history, discuss your concerns and develop an individualised management plan.

A letter will be sent to your referring doctor, outlining the assessment and recommendations for ongoing care.

Your consultation also includes one follow-up phone call or email to discuss the results of any investigations requested during your appointment.

Following this, your ongoing care will return to your GP, who will continue management in accordance with the recommendations provided, including any further prescriptions. If additional specialist review is required, a separate follow-up appointment will need to be arranged.

Clinical note-taking

To support accurate documentation, AI-assisted note-taking software may be used during consultations. This will be explained to you before use, and you can choose not to have it used. Your care will not be affected by your decision.

Patient information

Understanding your condition

How to prepare for your blood tests, and trusted leaflets from leading endocrine societies.

Preparing for your blood tests

Getting the most accurate results

Many hormones change with the time of day, food, stress and medicines, and some vary from day to day. That is why some tests must be done at a set time, and some need to be done twice to be sure of the result.

Fasting tests must be done between 8 am and 9 am, after an overnight fast (nothing to eat; water is fine). Always follow the instructions on your test form or from your doctor, and do not stop any medicine unless your doctor has told you to.

Thyroid

Thyroid function tests

A blood test for TSH and thyroid hormones (free T4, and sometimes free T3).

  • No fasting is needed.
  • Stop biotin (vitamin B7), including hair, skin and nail supplements and multivitamins that contain it, for at least 2 days before the test. Biotin can make results look falsely abnormal.
  • Keep taking your thyroid medicine as usual unless you have been told otherwise.

How many times: If your thyroid medicine dose has just been started or changed, wait at least 6 weeks before re-testing, so the result reflects the new dose.

Pituitary

Testosterone (men)

A blood test for testosterone, usually with LH, FSH and prolactin. Testosterone is highest in the morning and falls after eating.

  • Have the blood test between 8 am and 9 am, after an overnight fast. Water is fine.
  • Avoid testing during or soon after an illness, as illness can lower testosterone for a while.

How many times: Two fasting tests, taken between 8 am and 9 am on different days.

Prolactin

A blood test for prolactin, the hormone that makes breast milk.

  • Have the blood test between 8 am and 9 am, after an overnight fast. Water is fine.
  • At least one sample will also be checked for macroprolactin. This is a large, inactive form of prolactin that can make the level look high without causing any problems.
  • Stress, exercise and breast or nipple stimulation can raise prolactin. Avoid exercise for 30 minutes before the test, and try to be relaxed when blood is taken.
  • Some medicines raise prolactin, including some anti-sickness medicines (such as metoclopramide), antipsychotics, antidepressants, oestrogen and opioids. Keep taking them, but tell us you take them.

How many times: Two fasting tests, taken between 8 am and 9 am on different days.

LH, FSH and oestradiol (women)

Blood tests that show whether the pituitary is driving the ovaries normally.

  • If you have periods, you may be asked to have the test early in your cycle, on day 2 to 5 (day 1 is the first day of bleeding).
  • Tell us if you use hormonal contraception or HRT, as these change the results.

Growth hormone and IGF-1

IGF-1 is a blood test that reflects average growth hormone activity. Growth hormone itself rises and falls through the day, so a single growth hormone level is not useful on its own.

  • No fasting is needed for IGF-1.
  • If growth hormone deficiency is suspected, a stimulation test may be arranged. If too much growth hormone is suspected, a glucose tolerance test may be arranged. These start between 8 am and 9 am, after an overnight fast.

Adrenal

Morning cortisol

A blood test for cortisol, which is naturally highest in the early morning. It is often measured with ACTH, the pituitary hormone that controls cortisol.

  • Have the blood test between 8 am and 9 am. A cortisol level at other times is hard to interpret.
  • If you take hydrocortisone, the test is usually done at least 18 to 24 hours after your last dose, and longer after prednisone or dexamethasone. Only stop steroids if your doctor tells you to.
  • Tell us if you take oestrogen, including the contraceptive pill or HRT, as it raises cortisol results.

Synacthen test

Checks how well the adrenal glands respond to a synthetic version of ACTH. Blood is taken before, and 30 and/or 60 minutes after, an injection.

  • Allow about an hour. The test is usually done in the morning.
  • If you take steroid medicine, you will be told whether and when to stop it beforehand.
  • Tell us if you take oestrogen, including the contraceptive pill or HRT.

Overnight dexamethasone suppression test

Checks whether cortisol switches off normally. It is used to test for Cushing’s syndrome and for adrenal nodules.

  • Take the 1 mg dexamethasone tablet between 11 pm and midnight.
  • Have a cortisol blood test between 8 am and 9 am the next morning.
  • Oestrogen-containing medicines (the contraceptive pill or HRT) can affect the result. You may be asked to stop them for 6 weeks beforehand.
  • Tell us if you take medicines for epilepsy or tuberculosis, as these can make the test inaccurate.

Aldosterone and renin

A blood test that checks for primary aldosteronism, a treatable cause of high blood pressure.

  • Have the test in the morning, after you have been out of bed and up and about for at least 2 hours.
  • Eat your usual amount of salt. Do not cut down on salt beforehand.
  • A low potassium level needs correcting first.
  • Some blood pressure medicines affect the result. Your doctor may change some of them 2 to 4 weeks before the test. Do not stop any medicine yourself.

Metanephrines

A blood test that checks for phaeochromocytoma, a rare adrenal tumour that makes too much adrenaline.

  • You will be asked to lie down for at least 30 minutes before blood is taken.
  • Some medicines can affect the result, including paracetamol, some antidepressants, some blood pressure medicines and levodopa. Tell us about everything you take.

Parathyroid and calcium

Calcium, PTH and vitamin D

Blood tests for calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D, usually with phosphate and kidney function.

  • No fasting is usually needed. If your test form asks you to fast, have the test between 8 am and 9 am.
  • Tell us if you take calcium or vitamin D supplements, water tablets (diuretics) or lithium, as these can affect calcium and PTH.

How many times: A high calcium result is usually confirmed with a repeat test. If PTH is high but calcium is normal, the tests are repeated over 3 to 6 months, after any low vitamin D has been corrected.

Based on guidance from

Leaflets and fact sheets

Trusted leaflets from endocrine societies

Each link opens the leaflet on the organisation’s own website.

Thyroid

Underactive and overactive thyroid, nodules, goitre, tests and treatments.

Adrenal

Adrenal insufficiency, steroid treatment, adrenal nodules, mild autonomous cortisol secretion, Cushing’s syndrome and primary aldosteronism.

If you have adrenal insufficiency, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace so emergency staff know you need steroids. In New Zealand these are available through the MedicAlert Foundation, and Work and Income may help with ongoing membership costs.

Pituitary

Pituitary tumours, including incidentalomas found by chance on a scan, prolactin, growth hormone, Cushing’s disease and water balance. For pituitary surgery, see Having surgery.

Parathyroid and calcium

High and low calcium, and overactive or underactive parathyroid glands.

Having surgery

Thyroid and pituitary operations, and what to do about steroid medicines around any surgery or procedure.

If you take hydrocortisone or another steroid, tell your surgeon and anaesthetist well before your operation and bring your steroid card. You will usually need extra steroid around the time of surgery.

About these sources

This information is general and doesn't replace advice from your own doctor. Some details, such as medicine names or emergency phone numbers, may differ in New Zealand. Please bring any questions to your appointment.

American Thyroid Association
Professional society for thyroid specialists. Its patient brochures are written and reviewed by thyroid experts.
European Society of Endocrinology
The professional society for endocrinologists across Europe. Its Patient Zone has more leaflets, sorted by gland.
Australian Pituitary Foundation
An Australian patient support organisation for people with pituitary conditions.
Australian Addison’s Disease Association
An Australian patient support group for people with adrenal insufficiency.
MedicAlert Foundation (NZ)
A New Zealand charity that provides medical alert IDs and a 24-hour emergency information service.
Work and Income (NZ)
Government agency that may help with MedicAlert membership costs through the Disability Allowance.

For referrers

Referring a patient

Dr. Sharma accepts referrals from GPs and other specialists for patients aged 16 and over. This page explains who can be referred and what to include.

Scope of practice

Who can be referred

Conditions seen

  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Central (pituitary-related) hypothyroidism
  • Adrenal disorders
  • Pituitary disorders
  • Parathyroid and calcium disorders

Conditions outside the scope of this private practice

  • Patients under 16
  • Endocrine conditions in pregnancy
  • Diabetes
  • Primary hypothyroidism
  • Weight management (high BMI)
  • Thyroid eye disease

Referral content

What to include

A clear question and recent results help make the first appointment as useful as possible.

In every referral

  • The question you would like answered
  • Relevant history and examination findings
  • A clear, current list of all medicines with doses, including supplements
  • Any recent dose changes
  • Any steroid use in the past year (oral, inhaled, injected or topical)
  • If the patient has high blood pressure, how long they have had it
Thyroid
TSH, free T4 and free T3. TSH receptor antibodies for hyperthyroidism. For central hypothyroidism, include the pituitary results below.
Adrenal
Imaging report for adrenal nodules. Blood pressure, sodium and potassium. An 8–9 am cortisol if adrenal insufficiency is suspected. Aldosterone and renin if there is high blood pressure or low potassium.
Pituitary
8–9 am cortisol, TSH and free T4, LH and FSH, IGF-1, two fasting 8–9 am prolactin results (at least one with macroprolactin), and in men two fasting 8–9 am testosterone results, or oestradiol in women. Any visual symptoms.
Parathyroid and calcium
Albumin-adjusted calcium (ideally more than one result), PTH, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, phosphate, creatinine and eGFR. History of kidney stones or fractures, and bone density results if available.

Urgent problems

Please refer these acutely to the hospital rather than to this private clinic:

  • Suspected adrenal crisis
  • Severe or symptomatic hypercalcaemia
  • Suspected thyroid storm
  • Suspected pituitary apoplexy, or new loss of vision

How to refer

Please email referrals to axisendocrinology26@gmail.com.

Clinic address: 162 Powderham Street, New Plymouth 4310.

Patients will be contacted to arrange an appointment once the referral has been received.

What a first appointment includes: for new patients, one 45-minute face-to-face appointment, a letter to the referrer, and one phone call or email to discuss the results of blood tests requested at that appointment. Ongoing care then returns to the GP, following the recommendations in the clinic letter, including any further prescriptions. Further review needs a follow-up appointment.

Perioperative steroid cover: for patients with adrenal insufficiency or on long-term glucocorticoids, see the 2020 guideline from the Association of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Physicians and Society for Endocrinology: Guidelines for the management of glucocorticoids during the peri-operative period.

Clinical note-taking: To support accurate documentation, AI-assisted note-taking software may be used during consultations. This will be explained to your patient before use, and they can choose not to have it used. Their care will not be affected by their decision.

Privacy

Privacy statement

How Dr. Sharma’s practice collects, uses and protects your health information, in line with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020.

Who we are

This statement covers the private endocrinology practice of Dr. Sonakshi Sharma in New Plymouth. Dr. Sharma is responsible for the health information the practice holds.

Information we collect

  • Your contact details and date of birth
  • Your referral letter and the information your GP or another specialist sends with it
  • Your medical history, medicines, examination findings and test results
  • Notes and letters from your appointments
  • Your health insurance details, if you are claiming

We collect most of this from you and from the doctor who referred you.

How we use it

  • To assess and treat you
  • To arrange tests and send results to the right people
  • To keep your GP and referring doctor informed about your care
  • To arrange insurance approval and claims, where you are claiming
  • To meet legal and professional requirements

Who we share it with

We share your information only as needed for your care, or where the law requires or allows it. This usually means your GP and referring doctor, other health professionals involved in your care, laboratories and radiology providers, and your health insurer if you are claiming. We do not sell or share your information for marketing.

Clinical note-taking

To support accurate documentation, AI-assisted note-taking software may be used during consultations. This will be explained to you before use, and you can choose not to have it used. Your care will not be affected by your decision. All notes are checked by Dr. Sharma before they are finalised.

How we store and protect it

Your records are stored securely, and only people involved in your care can access them. Health records are kept for at least 10 years after your last appointment, as required by the Health (Retention of Health Information) Regulations 1996.

Your rights

You have the right to see the health information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. To make a request, please contact the practice. We will respond within 20 working days.

This website

This website does not use cookies or tracking, and does not store any information you enter. If the enquiry form is used, it opens a message in your own email app, and nothing is sent until you send it. The website uses Google Fonts, so your browser connects to Google’s servers to load the text styles.

Questions or concerns

If you have a question or concern about your privacy, please contact the practice first. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz.

Last updated November 2026