Need Help Here!!! PLease Fell really Yucky

[katie70]

Here are my test results in canadian which is metric , I can't convert these to use the tracker , and need to know how I am ,as I still have symptoms .

Nov /2009 Free T4 11.0 pmol/L
Free T3 5.7 pmol/L
Tsh  1.24 mU/L

Dec. 2009 Free T4 8.8 pmol/L
total T3 2.8 nmol/L
TSH 1.13 miU/L

Feb 2010
Free T4 9.4 pmol/L
Free T3 4.9 pmol/L
TSH 2.82 mIU/L

on cytomel 12.5 mg only no other meds .. Does anyone konw what this means cause I feel cold and crappy , muscle pain ,fatigue ,weight gain ......

[katie70]

Thanks for all your advice , going to GP tomorrow , and will have latest blood work. Think I am going to ask for Synthroid 25 mcg , and Cytomel 5 mcg and start with that .
Thanks Kate

[gimel]

I was always an advocate of Armour thyroid until their recent missteps.  Now I'll have to wait and see about their new formulation.  Regardless, if a combo is necessary there are other alternatives such as Nature-throid.  Or another option is to use both T4 and Cytomel.  That's what I had to do as a replacement for Armour.  It give you the flexibility to adjust the FT3 and FT4 levels independently.  It was also interesting to me that Cytomel can say that there are no known side effects from Cytomel.  How many meds can say that?

What amount of Synthroid were you given that caused a problem?  It could have been too much or it could have been too much to start with.  Lots of members report that they had to back off to 25 mcg to start and slowly increase to give the body time to accept.

Regarding the antibodies testing, the answer is yes you can be tested while taking the meds.  I suggest that you try to do that to understand possible cause for your being hypo.  Obviously, longer term you need to find a doctor that is willing to treat your symptoms by adjusting FT3 and FT4 levels.  Short term you just need to get some doctor who will prescribe some T4 med to add to your Cytomel and monitor your FT3 and FT4 regularly.

[katie70]

My levels converted to US are TSH 2.82, Free T4= 0.73, Free T3 = 318 , not sure what kind of problem this is thyroid  and or adrenals ?  My hair is falling out , I am always cold ,freezing ..... tired , muscle pain . Can I get these antibody test while still taking my thyroid med , or do I need to come off it for an accurate test . (anitbodies)
thanks Kate

[katie70]

Hi Thanks for your info, I am having aheck of a time up here , I have been refused by our endocrinology dept . and can't see them and my family doc does not know much about this . My prev family doc put me on snythyroid and I ended up in thyroid storm and Atrial fib. So now my new family doc is scard to adjust my dose . And I feel awful , I have been on cytomel for about 6 months , and yes only cytomel as he is scared to put me on anything else . I want to try armour thyroid waht do you know about it ?
Thanks Kate

[gimel]

If the reference ranges from your lab are close to these I have seen for FT4 ( 10.2 - 19.2 pmol/L ) and FT3 ( 3.5 - 7.7 pmol/L ), then your results are borderline/below range. With those symptoms and those test results,  I agree with Sally that you need more medication.  Symptom relief should be all important.  Many members have reported that symptom relief necessitated that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 was adjusted to at least the midpoint of its range, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  What you need is to find a good thyroid doctor that is willing to treat you for your symptoms, in this manner.

Another thing that needs to be done is to test for the possibility of the most prevalent type of thyroid disease, Hashimoto's,  by testing for TPO ab and TG ab.  

Also, when did you start taking the Cytomel?

[katie70]

hi Thanks for your info, my doctor does not know alot about this , he is a GP ,and he didn't even know about cytomel, he does not think it can go together, I am wondering about armour throid ? What do you know about it , and what else should I ask my doc?

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

do yo have the reference ranges for these results?

Are you splitting the cytomel up, or taking it only once a day?

It is more usual to take cytomel plus a T4 med (levothyroxine) than to take cytomel alone.  Do you know why your doc only gave you cytomel?

When I compare your results from Nov - to February, your TSH is going  up and your FT3 and FT4 are going down.  You obviously need an increase in meds, even from the Feb results.

It is  now May, so it may be that by now your levels are even worse.  (your symptoms are those of hypothyroid) Have you had any retesting?  You need to request that already.

Many feel best if the FT3 and FT4 are middle to upper half of the reference ranges. Fine tuning should be done based on how you feel also.


Best wishes.