Raising cytomel and side effects

[toots_jwu]

Here are my results for reference..

Free triiodothyronine 4.5 RANGE 3.5-6.5
Senstitve TSH 1.37 RANGE 0.35-5.00
Free T4 16 RANGE 9-23

ANTI -PO 48 HI RANGE <35
ANTI-TG <20 RANGE <40

ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY POSITIVE
TITRE 1:320 HI
ANA PATTERN Speckled and homogeneous pattern


My doctor really wants me to up my dose of T3 (cytomel) because I am low in it.  But I can't go any higher than 5mcg.  I take it by splitting it in half through the day, so its 2.5mcg in the morning and then 2.5mcg in the afternoon.    I tried going up by adding a quarter to each dose, 3.75mcg, and I just couldn't handle the effects.  I had a constant headache, dizziness, nausea, heartburn and sweating like crazy.  No heart palpitations though.  What should I do? I am afraid to continue but will this go away?  Should I just stick to it for now? I'm feeling really crappy :-| thanks for reading...

[dany1982]

have you found anything that worked?

[toots_jwu]

OMG this is just insane..I just went out for a birthday party (haven't been out in a longgg time like this) at a karaoke bar and found my stress level a bit high.  I totally sweat through my clothes.  Everyone was having fun and dry and there I was sweating without even moving...even my seat was wet.  There is something seriously wrong...

[dany1982]

have you found anything that worked?

[gimel]

From what you said, that only makes me think you never got to the right dosage of Erfa, so your FT3 remained too low.

[toots_jwu]

oh forgot.. when I was ERFA I was gaining weight rapidly and was bloated..now on T3 I am losing weight on my own without even trying..so that's a bit of happy news.

[toots_jwu]

No i have not had a RT3 test so that is something I have to bring up at the next appointment.  But don't they treat RT3 with doses of T3 anyways?  Also I tried upping ERFA but the coldness never went away..I only felt warm when I started T3..

[Barb135]

I agree with gimel, that raising the ERFA and letting you acclimate to each slight increase would have done more good than straight T3 med.  Looking at your labs, your T4 is almost exactly mid-range, so it might not hurt if that went up a bit too.  

Unlike gimel, the levo/cytomel worked great for me; I'm now on Tirosint/generic T3, which is working even better.  

Have you had an RT3 test done?

[gimel]

I have tried  a combo of Synthroid and Cytomel in the past.  Don't understand why, but never did work well for me.   I switched back to a combo T4/T3 med (Armour) and after some tweaking, feel best ever.  I'm surprised that your doctor would put you on only T3 med.  I would have thought that to increase your FT3 level, it would be much better to increase the Erfa very slowly and allow time for you to acclimate between every increase, rather than switching to T3 only.  Just my opinion.  

I notice from your prior posts that there are questions about the adrenals also.  I understand even less than I know about adrenal problems, but wondered what is happening in that area?

[toots_jwu]

I did take cytomel with ERFA but i seemed I was getting too hot on the combo before I could feel any effect of the cytomel.  So out came the ERFA to try to increase the cytomel due to my low T3.  But its not working either.  I'm still dizzy from increasing the dose and I think I will have to go back down in order for this to go away.

[toots_jwu]

well I had all of those on the list except for the joint pain, swelling around eyes, enlarged tongue, high blood pressure, and infertility/miscarriage (I've never been pregnant).  The ones that kept me from living my life was the extreme cold temp(felt like hypothermia) and the fatigue.

My doctor started me on ERFA to see if my symptoms would change.  I was attached to my portable heater in the summer and it was just not right.  I also slept my days away.  Add on top of that a slightly enlarged thyroid and weight gain and we had nothing to lose.  

This doctor who put me on ERFA is a new doctor...My old doctor just kept telling me everything was normal.

[Barb135]

ERFA is a T3/T4 combo.  Were you taking 5 mcg cytomel, along with the ERFA?

What symptoms do you have?  

[gimel]

Before taking any thyroid medication at all, what hypothyroid symptoms in this link were you having?

http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html

Did the doctor start you on Erfa because of symptoms, or because your TSH was high, or because of your TPO ab test results?

[toots_jwu]

I did take 15mg of ERFA not too long ago for about 5 months and it never helped me in any way.  I also developed those side effects when I tried to go higher than 15mg.

[gimel]

Are you taking a T4 med along with the Cytomel?  If so, what is the dosage?

[toots_jwu]

I forgot to add...although I take my doses in the morning and afternoon it seems like my hypo symptoms, mainly cold body temp, get worse towards the end of the night.  I am afraid to take T3 later in the day as I have enough insomnia but wondered if sustained release T3 might help.