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Sodium Selenium/Hashimoto's
Has anyone taken Sodium Selenium for Hashimoto's? Side effects? Help or hurt?
If I'm interpreting correctly (?), you had a blood test to check your iodine levels. That should in no way impact taking selenium. If your iodine levels should come back low, however, be sure to research iodine and Hashi's before considering a supplement. Iodine supplementation can often make Hashi flareups worse.
T3 (Cytomel) is very fast-acting and quickly neutralized by your body if not used promptly. If you were taking first 5 mcg in the morning, then 10 mcg, it's no wonder that you had a T3 "rush" (that speedy feeling) in the morning, then crashed and probably felt even more hypo in the afternoon. Yes, definitely, you can split a 5 and take half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Depending on your personal schedule, you don't want to take the second dose too late, or you might find it difficult to sleep. You can experiment with what time works best for you.
Are you saying you are sensitive to ALL meds? I am, too, and thyroid meds are no different. I have to make changes very, very slowly...6.25 mcg per day MAX.
I'm still curious to know what your FT3 and FT4 levels were when your TSH spiked. Did they test the frees, too, at that time?
T3 (Cytomel) is very fast-acting and quickly neutralized by your body if not used promptly. If you were taking first 5 mcg in the morning, then 10 mcg, it's no wonder that you had a T3 "rush" (that speedy feeling) in the morning, then crashed and probably felt even more hypo in the afternoon. Yes, definitely, you can split a 5 and take half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Depending on your personal schedule, you don't want to take the second dose too late, or you might find it difficult to sleep. You can experiment with what time works best for you.
Are you saying you are sensitive to ALL meds? I am, too, and thyroid meds are no different. I have to make changes very, very slowly...6.25 mcg per day MAX.
I'm still curious to know what your FT3 and FT4 levels were when your TSH spiked. Did they test the frees, too, at that time?
the edema comes on at the lower dose of 75. I have a refill of 75 waiting to be picked up and waiting for the iodine (blood)? results? I am nervous about taking the selenium. Cytomel, I was taking a 5, morning with the Levoxyl, then they upped it to 10 (2-5's same time a day) too high! I became very aggitated and constantly sick with fluid in lungs. They dropped it back to one 5 a day but still sick with colds and flu? I can split a 5 and take 1/2 morning, 1/2 afternoon?
I know all of this sounds really weird, for some reason I have had really strange med reactions and they never could determine what was going on? ( No allergies IGE is 5)Doctors "well your thyroid labs look fine so your symtoms must not be your thyroid?"
I literally had doctors arguing with each other in a hospital confrence room, I finally got up and left!
I hate taking meds, but if taking out my huge thyroid would help, I would do it. They (doctors) just need to make a decision.
I know all of this sounds really weird, for some reason I have had really strange med reactions and they never could determine what was going on? ( No allergies IGE is 5)Doctors "well your thyroid labs look fine so your symtoms must not be your thyroid?"
I literally had doctors arguing with each other in a hospital confrence room, I finally got up and left!
I hate taking meds, but if taking out my huge thyroid would help, I would do it. They (doctors) just need to make a decision.
My first question is how were you taking your Cytomel? Were you splitting it and taking it more than once a day? 10 mcg may have been too much for you. Many of our members take as little as 5 mcg per day (split) and that makes all the difference in the world in how they feel. T3 (Cytomel) is approximately 4 times more potent than T4, so 75 Levoxyl and 10 Cytomel is roughly equivalent to 125 Levoxyl...sounds a little high sine you can't tolerate 100 Levoxyl.
When your TSH spiked, were FT3 and FT4 tested as well? Do you know how those compared to previous labs?
There are alternatives between 75 mcg Levoxyl and 100. There's an 88 mcg tablet. Also, you can achieve other interim doses by altenating or splitting and combining, e.g. altenating 75/88 gives you 81.5 perday average. You can also split the 88 and the 75 and take half of each every day for an even 81.5. You might need to move very slowly at this point because you're very close to reaching your tolerance level.
So, the edema goes away when you are on the higher (100) dose?
Which iodine test are you referring to?
When your TSH spiked, were FT3 and FT4 tested as well? Do you know how those compared to previous labs?
There are alternatives between 75 mcg Levoxyl and 100. There's an 88 mcg tablet. Also, you can achieve other interim doses by altenating or splitting and combining, e.g. altenating 75/88 gives you 81.5 perday average. You can also split the 88 and the 75 and take half of each every day for an even 81.5. You might need to move very slowly at this point because you're very close to reaching your tolerance level.
So, the edema goes away when you are on the higher (100) dose?
Which iodine test are you referring to?
I was taking just the Levoxyl 75 mcg before and during these labs. Endo dropped Levoxly (last year) from 100 to 75 and added cytomel at 5 mcg daily for a week then to 10 mcg daily. It was like taking speed. It seemed my ammune system dropped and I became sick with the flu and pneumonia off and on for a year on Cytomel, had to sleep at a slant because it felt like I was drowning? Last summer, took me off Cytomel and just stayed at Levoxyl 75 and kept eye on labs. I recently had a spike in TSH, doctor raised Levoxyl to 100 again, wow! I am ichy, covered in rashes, emotional, hot flashes... doctor said go back to 75. Honestly, I don't know which is worse, the major edema at 75 or the other stuff at 100. The edema is really bad in the face, neck, ears and body, it makes me dizzy and sick, but I am peeling with dry skin at the same time? I was waiting for the iodine test result befor starting the selenium?
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
You don't mention what you were taking just before these labs. Your FT4 could be a little on the low side. Midrange is the recommendation for FT4, and yours is just barely in the middle third of the range.
FT3, on the other hand is very low. It's way down in the bottom of the range, and upper half to upper third of range is recommended here. In addition, your profile is kind of "upside down". FT3 should be higher in its range than FT4 is in its, and yours is the other way around.
I have to say that I agree with your doctor trying you on Cytomel. It appears you need to add a direct source of T3 to your meds. Do you think the pneumonia was related to the Cytomel? Why were you taken off the Cytomel? If FT4 levels are too high and FT3 levels are too low, you are still going to feel hypo since T3 is what your cells can use.
If your doctor has recommended trying selenium, I think I'd follow his suggestions. However, I also think you need to add Cytomel back into your meds, which may necessitate your dropping your Levoxyl a bit at the same time.
FT3, on the other hand is very low. It's way down in the bottom of the range, and upper half to upper third of range is recommended here. In addition, your profile is kind of "upside down". FT3 should be higher in its range than FT4 is in its, and yours is the other way around.
I have to say that I agree with your doctor trying you on Cytomel. It appears you need to add a direct source of T3 to your meds. Do you think the pneumonia was related to the Cytomel? Why were you taken off the Cytomel? If FT4 levels are too high and FT3 levels are too low, you are still going to feel hypo since T3 is what your cells can use.
If your doctor has recommended trying selenium, I think I'd follow his suggestions. However, I also think you need to add Cytomel back into your meds, which may necessitate your dropping your Levoxyl a bit at the same time.
ok let's see...
Free T3 2.7 ref range is 2.5 - 3.9,
Anti Thyroid Ab is 78 range 0 - 40
Thyroid Perox Ab >1000 range is 0 - 35
TSH 0.96 range is 0.40 - 4.00
Free T4 0.9 range is 0.5 - 1.6
Taking Levoxyl 100mcg, for 5 years, then one day my whole body when into some kind of rebelious attack, swelling, sickness, doctors freaked when they saw my neck, they raised to 150 mcg, then I started with cysts around my eyes, face and under arms, thyroid got even larger, protruding out of my neck. They took me down to 75 and added Cytomel 5mcg, Got phenmonia 5 days later and all the other side effects, but thyroid did shrink a bit, they decided to not do surgery, just wait. Stopped Cytomel, just been on the 75 Levoxyl, with all the edema, still large thyroid. Then just before Christmas had another attack, raised me to 100, and it was like a hormonal rage, rasheson my face and inside my mouth, sickness, swelling, aches and pains, hot flashes, So...100 is too high, 75 too low, I guess. Besides my huge thyroid the edema is the worst, facial swelling, eyes swollen shut and really dehydrated at the same time? I went to see this immunologist on my own, he is really surprised I haven't had surgery and is running tests, said if selenium doesn't work, surgery is a must.
I am 43, very active, my husband and I coach youth sports, I work out 4 days a week, but all of this has been dabilitating! I can barely drive when I am so swollen it's aweful.
I want my life back! Help?
Free T3 2.7 ref range is 2.5 - 3.9,
Anti Thyroid Ab is 78 range 0 - 40
Thyroid Perox Ab >1000 range is 0 - 35
TSH 0.96 range is 0.40 - 4.00
Free T4 0.9 range is 0.5 - 1.6
Taking Levoxyl 100mcg, for 5 years, then one day my whole body when into some kind of rebelious attack, swelling, sickness, doctors freaked when they saw my neck, they raised to 150 mcg, then I started with cysts around my eyes, face and under arms, thyroid got even larger, protruding out of my neck. They took me down to 75 and added Cytomel 5mcg, Got phenmonia 5 days later and all the other side effects, but thyroid did shrink a bit, they decided to not do surgery, just wait. Stopped Cytomel, just been on the 75 Levoxyl, with all the edema, still large thyroid. Then just before Christmas had another attack, raised me to 100, and it was like a hormonal rage, rasheson my face and inside my mouth, sickness, swelling, aches and pains, hot flashes, So...100 is too high, 75 too low, I guess. Besides my huge thyroid the edema is the worst, facial swelling, eyes swollen shut and really dehydrated at the same time? I went to see this immunologist on my own, he is really surprised I haven't had surgery and is running tests, said if selenium doesn't work, surgery is a must.
I am 43, very active, my husband and I coach youth sports, I work out 4 days a week, but all of this has been dabilitating! I can barely drive when I am so swollen it's aweful.
I want my life back! Help?
Just try one a day for the moment. There is research to indicate that selenium can lower thyroid antibodies. Just in my case it didn't! I never had any side effects, just never felt any benefits in the first place!
The max you can take is up to 400mcgs daily before it becomes an issue of too much.
There are lots of foods you can eat to obtain selenium naturally, just google it and you will find lists.
The max you can take is up to 400mcgs daily before it becomes an issue of too much.
There are lots of foods you can eat to obtain selenium naturally, just google it and you will find lists.
If your medication is adjusted properly, it could help shrink your thyroid. Also, if properly adjusted, you shouldn't have all that edema any more or be tired and cold.
Is your doctor testing free T3 and free T4 or just TSH? If you have recent test results, please post them along with reference ranges (these vary lab to lab and have to come from your own lab report).
Would you provide a brief history of your medication changes?
Is your doctor testing free T3 and free T4 or just TSH? If you have recent test results, please post them along with reference ranges (these vary lab to lab and have to come from your own lab report).
Would you provide a brief history of your medication changes?
Thanks, my antibodies are only 1000+, my thyroid is huge! Doctors say it is 6 times it's normal size! Endo and surgeon said TT may not help symptoms and could make worse. So surgery, given high risk, would only benefit because of size? I have unfortunatly gotten used to the size, I just want to feel better. The face and full body edema is terrable, so tired and cold. So dry all the time and just plain sick. I am so afraid of doctors anymore, and of having surgery. If they can just tell me I will feel better and get rid of this swelling I will do what ever they day. I am sick of the Levoxyl dose changes and what comes with it The selenium I got at the store is 250? He said to get 200 and take 2 a day? I have not taken any as of yet, too worried. Thanks for letting me vent on here.......
I started taking selenium because I have a pituitary issue that keeps my TSH around 20.0 (even though my FT3 and FT4 are in range, and I'm euhyroid) and wanted to see if it would do anything for that (it didn't). However, my recent bloodwork has shown the highest levels of FT3 that I've ever had, indicating that conversion might have been enhanced by the selenium. This makes some sense since the enzyme that catalyzes the convesion of T4 to T3 is a selenium-based enzyme.
Red, could it be that selenium only helps if you are deficient in it to begin with? I was very naughty and didn't have my levels tested before supplementing, so I'll never know what they were before. However, it makes sense that correcting a deficiency will have much more benefit than throwing excess at the issue, especially since selenium can be toxic in high doses.
Another benefit of selenium supplementation reported by many of our members is that it helps with pain or "fullness" in the neck.
Aside from the fact that it can be toxic, and as Laura pointed out should not be taken in doses higher than 200 mcg, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about selenium. It might not do anything, but I've not heard of any side effects.
Red, could it be that selenium only helps if you are deficient in it to begin with? I was very naughty and didn't have my levels tested before supplementing, so I'll never know what they were before. However, it makes sense that correcting a deficiency will have much more benefit than throwing excess at the issue, especially since selenium can be toxic in high doses.
Another benefit of selenium supplementation reported by many of our members is that it helps with pain or "fullness" in the neck.
Aside from the fact that it can be toxic, and as Laura pointed out should not be taken in doses higher than 200 mcg, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about selenium. It might not do anything, but I've not heard of any side effects.
I did but it made no difference to me. Others will swear by it. Doctors tend to think there is no connection, but the more I read the more I see the medical research saying it does. Not sure why it didn't for me.
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