Can use some community knowledge...please!

[lll629]

Hello everyone, first I would like to thank you all in advance for your feed back.
My labs are:
T4 6.4 range (4.5-12.0)
T3  69 range (76-181) LOW
Free T4 1.2 range(.8-1.8)
Free T3 2.8 range (2.3-4.2)
TSH .83 range(.40-4.50)
Thyroid Peroxidase 18 normal

My doctor started me on Cytomel 5 mcg once a day in the AM.  She also advised me to take Adreset 2 caps x twice daily bc she said my cortisol levels are mid range (normal) in the morning however at night they elevate at are 12:00-1:00am (which is always the time I wake up from a sound sleep) MAJOR INSOMNIA.  I wake up a few times during the night.  
Symptoms: massive amount of hair loss-I'm down to 1/3 of my hair.  I also have burning scalp syndrome. This started 5 years ago.
Brain fog, forgetfulness, can't concentrate
Numbness and tingling in my feet upon awakening
Sore joints and muscle pain
Ringing in my ears, dizzy when standing up (occasional)
Sad, depressed, agitated at times, burning sensation in my throat...sore at times, and very tired all the time.
Doctors have diagnosed me with fibromyalgia years ago and basically told me to live with it.
I finally found a great doc who is listening to me.  However I see her far and in between.  I have so many questions and I'm hoping to get some advice from you all.  Am I headed in the right direction as far as treatment with Cytomel?  Should I be doing something else?
Oh also I'm very sensitive to medications (chemical sensitivity)...which makes it very difficult to take any medications at a hefty level.
My vit b12 is 399 with a range of 200-1100
Is that on the lower end and should I be taking supplements for that.
Oh I'm so looking forward to your advice and knowledge as I'm new to all this.  
Thank you sooooooo much!!
Sorry for the lengthy post.

[lll629]

lol thats funny, well you sure meet the needs to live there!
I think thats gonna be the case with me...my cells are so out of wack that Im on an elimination diet (almost like the SAD diet) to kind of detox my body and to see if I have any dairy or gluten sensitivities.  I have a massive amount of symptoms with the worse being pain on my scalp and hair loss.
I dont see my doctor until 2 more months which i think is a long time until I go over the 5 mcg Cytomel, if it is working or not.  None the less Im gonna get the vit b12 tomorrow and hopefully that will help.  Thank you for everything =)!!!!

[Red_Star]

Funny that because i live in ROCKhampton. LOL

Well that article is very loooooong. :) But the most sensible article about reverse T3 i've read. A few of my answers regarding RT3 are dodgy by the looks of it.

I tried natural desiccated thyroid but my free T4 was too low in the range. I have no conversion issues since my labs are optimal when taking T4 only. My cellular problems are what cause lingering hypothyroid symptoms. It gets complicated!

I take sublingual B12 spray. A few sprays under the tongue a day and i'm good to go. To add, the pg/mL lab measurement is only used in the US.

[lll629]

Thank you for your advice as it have confirmed my thoughts on starting a t4 and t3 med.  I have been on Cytomel for 1 week...just 5 mcg bc I have to start low with my chemical sensitivity.  I wont see my functional medicine doc for two more months so Im a little afraid that she may be prolonging my treatment by not putting me on maybe a natural t4/t3 med.  Gurrr this is so frustrating...i just want this nightmare to go away.  Anyway, Im gonna start a vit B12 supplement...any advice on a good kind?
Im gonna read more on that article you posted...it sounds very informative.
Ps.  YOU ROCK...thank you for replying back.  This is a true blessing.  Very nice to meet you all =)!!!  

[lll629]

Thank you so much for your reply.  That was very helpful!  My vitamin D was 40 with a range of (30-100).  Would you consider that on the low side?  And should I supplement.
Also im wondering if I was tested for ferritin...is there an abbreviation on my lab work that i can look for?
I will start supplementing my vit b12 which to me seemed a bit low and wouldn't hurt if I got that up a little higher.
I cant thank you enough for your help.  Finding this forum has been a blessing and Im glad there are people like you who care to help.

[Red_Star]

Vitamin B12 should be over 400 pmol/L (550 pg/mL). This is the highest serum level that have been associated with deficient CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) B12 levels and psychiatric conditions.

[gimel]

You certainly have your share of hypo symptoms, along with some that may be related to deficiencies in other areas.  Your Free T3 is way too low in the range.  Many of us say that relief of hypo symptoms required Free T3 in the upper third of its range and free T4 around the middle of its range.  So your doctor has taken a good step in starting you on T3 med.  Not familiar with Adreset, but I know it is for adrenal support.  I would recommend splitting any T3 med and taking half in the morning and the rest in the early afternoon, in order to even out the effect, since T3 acts so quickly.

Since hypo patients are also frequently too low in the range for Vitamin D, and ferritin, I would also suggest that you test for those as well.  Your Vitamin B12 is too low in the range.  The upper third of the range is better.  Ferritin is very important.  Deficiency causes a number of symptoms, including hair loss.  Ferritin levels for women should be in the 70-80 range.   Two good types of iron supplements to take to increase ferritin levels are ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate.  I started with 28 mg of Ferrous fumarate and am now at 84 mg daily, along with some Vitamin C to avoid digestive system problems with the iron.  My ferritin went from 40 to 80.