I've been on synthroid for 18 years, with doses slowly being increased due to ongoing symptoms. My doctor only ever tested TSH. This August she finally agreed to send me to a endocrinologist who tested a bunch of things. My T3 was very low. In addition to my 137mg synthroid, she added 10mg cytomel. Within 3 days, my body pain disappeared (I had no idea this was a symptom of hypothyroid, I just assumed everyone was in pain all the time as they aged) and I began having more energy. Not much, I was still requiring a nap every afternoon, but when I was awake, I felt more alert than I had in years. After 6 weeks on this combo, I had blood tests done.
TSH 0.15m/ulL(range 0.35-5)...low
FT3 5.2pmol/L(range 3.4-5.9)...normal
FT4 25pmol/L (range 12-22)...high
My endo decreased my synthroid to 125 but kept cytomel the same. I told her I was still having issues with feeling extremely cold all the time, very dry skin, sluggish, continued weight gain (which is the most troubling, as I'm an athlete and eat a very healthy diet).
Then she told me I needed to stock up on cytomel as there were issues with supply and she wrote me another prescription in addition to the one I already had at the pharmacy. I filled it. And then I decided to see what would happen if I took another 5mg a day. What a difference!!! I was able to get off my antidepressants, I stopped sleeping with a heating pad and my winter jacket, I sleep well and wake feeling refreshed, no longer constipated, and I have energy. I wear a heart rate monitor on my sports watch which takes a reading every 10 minutes. My resting heart rate remains in the high 50's/low 60's and my BP hovers around 95/50. I haven't felt this well in 20 years.
My question is, is it possible to have blood tests indicate you have too much thyroid hormones, but not actually BE hyperthryoid? My endocrinologist said something about there being a problem with me converting T4 into T3.im so scared when I go for my next round of blood work that my numbers will be so far out of the normal range that she will take me off cytomel. I have NO signs of being hyperthryoid (she checked when I was last in her office).
Some additional info: I have a problem absorbing vitamin D, so I take high doses (under medical supervision) and have a hard time holding on to B12 (I require weekly shots to maintain my level). I also take iron daily.