Aa
Cytomel and heart
Gimel goolarra smiler and all
I upped my levo by 12.5 to 112.5 six weeks ago. But my FT3 dropped from 2.56 to 2.40 (lab range 2.2-4.43). dizzy, sick, fatigue symptoms continue with new ones such as two-hour sweats but cold skin at night. I am taking propafenone 150 twice/day for heart arrythmias. You warned me off Cytomel becasue of this and my age, 81.. Now I find several researcher or doctor opinions that i I could take it at minimal dose and constant blood tests. All levels have been within the range for eight months now but with T4 at the high end and FT3 and T3 at the low end. How about 5 Cyto and reducing levo by 20??? I'll try anything to get out of ten intermittent days a month sick.
I upped my levo by 12.5 to 112.5 six weeks ago. But my FT3 dropped from 2.56 to 2.40 (lab range 2.2-4.43). dizzy, sick, fatigue symptoms continue with new ones such as two-hour sweats but cold skin at night. I am taking propafenone 150 twice/day for heart arrythmias. You warned me off Cytomel becasue of this and my age, 81.. Now I find several researcher or doctor opinions that i I could take it at minimal dose and constant blood tests. All levels have been within the range for eight months now but with T4 at the high end and FT3 and T3 at the low end. How about 5 Cyto and reducing levo by 20??? I'll try anything to get out of ten intermittent days a month sick.
I'm sure Smilerdeb is right...Cytomel is prescription-only worldwide. However, there are Canadian pharmacies that will provide a doctor who will prescribe meds. I still want you to talk to your doctor first, however. Don't be a bad patient!
Cytomel is prescription only Worldwide to my knowledge.
I do understand where you are coming from with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as I was diagnosed with that myself back in 1991.
Its hard to tell if the heartrate is from the meds, the panic disorder or the levels.
I'll let you into a little secret lol.....
When you have the fast heartrate...hold your hand on your tummy...breathe in counting 1-2-3.
Then hold for 3 seconds.
Slowly release the breath counting 1-2-3.
Do this for a couple of minutes......if it is anxiety the heartrate will slow somewhat.
If its the thyroid or meds...it wont slow down.
Thats how I learned to distinguish between anxiety or heartrate high from thyroid.
I had an Echo Doppler Cardiogram done (extensive ultrasound) and it picked up prolapse of 3 valves.
I suggest you ask for a Doppler Ultrasound as this shows the oxygen levels going through the heart valves and chambers, the good oxygen, the used oxygen, the valves functions etc.
It shows up ANY abnormalities.
Dont be fobbed off by your Doc saying it is anxiety.
Rule out the possibilities one by one.
heart
Meds
Thyroid
Anxiety
Good Luck with your task and maybe a red wine would be more approriate lol (hehehe)
I do understand where you are coming from with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as I was diagnosed with that myself back in 1991.
Its hard to tell if the heartrate is from the meds, the panic disorder or the levels.
I'll let you into a little secret lol.....
When you have the fast heartrate...hold your hand on your tummy...breathe in counting 1-2-3.
Then hold for 3 seconds.
Slowly release the breath counting 1-2-3.
Do this for a couple of minutes......if it is anxiety the heartrate will slow somewhat.
If its the thyroid or meds...it wont slow down.
Thats how I learned to distinguish between anxiety or heartrate high from thyroid.
I had an Echo Doppler Cardiogram done (extensive ultrasound) and it picked up prolapse of 3 valves.
I suggest you ask for a Doppler Ultrasound as this shows the oxygen levels going through the heart valves and chambers, the good oxygen, the used oxygen, the valves functions etc.
It shows up ANY abnormalities.
Dont be fobbed off by your Doc saying it is anxiety.
Rule out the possibilities one by one.
heart
Meds
Thyroid
Anxiety
Good Luck with your task and maybe a red wine would be more approriate lol (hehehe)
thank you for the quick reply. I have tried five cardios so far and none look beyond 'normal' lab results, for both heart and thryroid, to symptoms. In any case there's no Cytomel in Guatemala so I will have to get contacts in the US to bring or send it. Big question: Is it sold prescription only?
Smiler: my cardio is surprised and diappointed that I'm not tip top. Why? because my EKG is normal. He is honest about my two-hour, one-foot- in- the-tomb episode last night, the third in two months, ie. he says he's not sure what we can do except try an echocardio to look again at my conduction problem (RBBB and L anterior demibloc). My confusion is I can't tell if my symptoms are the side effects of Levo or Propafenone or low T3 or all three because they are similar in the product warnings . Also they are similar to the strong stress symptoms I developed working for ten years in the 80s dirty wars in Central America and have never left off even though the conflict stopped in the 90s. Maybe I have them all together. But try to tell this to a heavily scheduled cardio! That's why I'm pouring it out to you good souls in the forum. Anyway, I dropped the extra 12.5 levo as from this morning and will get Cytomel. Or maybe a quart of Jack Daniels. Coupla doubles always used to cut out the stress demons long ago. Trouble was, I couldn't stop after two snorts. Couldn't stop now either, I imagine, although I haven't tried since 1999.
Smiler: my cardio is surprised and diappointed that I'm not tip top. Why? because my EKG is normal. He is honest about my two-hour, one-foot- in- the-tomb episode last night, the third in two months, ie. he says he's not sure what we can do except try an echocardio to look again at my conduction problem (RBBB and L anterior demibloc). My confusion is I can't tell if my symptoms are the side effects of Levo or Propafenone or low T3 or all three because they are similar in the product warnings . Also they are similar to the strong stress symptoms I developed working for ten years in the 80s dirty wars in Central America and have never left off even though the conflict stopped in the 90s. Maybe I have them all together. But try to tell this to a heavily scheduled cardio! That's why I'm pouring it out to you good souls in the forum. Anyway, I dropped the extra 12.5 levo as from this morning and will get Cytomel. Or maybe a quart of Jack Daniels. Coupla doubles always used to cut out the stress demons long ago. Trouble was, I couldn't stop after two snorts. Couldn't stop now either, I imagine, although I haven't tried since 1999.
The reason I advised you not to take omel is that sometimes it can make you hyper or heading hyper and the strain on the heart muscles can actually make the heart weak.
I would advise a full checkup with a Cardiologist before taking a T3 med wiht taking your age into account.
I hope you find a solution soon .
All the best :)
I would advise a full checkup with a Cardiologist before taking a T3 med wiht taking your age into account.
I hope you find a solution soon .
All the best :)
I should have added that, for me, there was no good reason to be on T3. My FT4 was still on the floor. It was just my inept PCP's stab at putting a dent in my TSH.
Talk to your doctor before you do anything! I have to confess that even though I have an arrhythmia, I was on 5 mcg Cytomel briefly way back before I knew what I now know. I asked my crazed PCP about Armour, which made her rabid, and she decided I should try some Cytomel to get my TSH down. She wanted to lower my T4 from 44 to 25 and add 25 mcg of Cytomel. She'd probably have killed me!
That maneuver made my FT4 go down (what a surprise!). My FT3 didn't budge. It also didn't generate any new heart issues. I gave it up after about six weeks because I also thought it did absolutely nothing. Knowing what I know now, I would be terrified to take it at this point.
Your math is right. If you add 5 Cytomel, you should reduce T4 meds by 20 to compensate and keep overall dosage equivalent. Even though it's a very small amount of Cytomel, I'd split it into two doses during the day since it's so fast-acting and out of your system in a few hours.
However, as I said, ask your doctor before you try any of this. Is your cardio up on thyroid issues at all?
That maneuver made my FT4 go down (what a surprise!). My FT3 didn't budge. It also didn't generate any new heart issues. I gave it up after about six weeks because I also thought it did absolutely nothing. Knowing what I know now, I would be terrified to take it at this point.
Your math is right. If you add 5 Cytomel, you should reduce T4 meds by 20 to compensate and keep overall dosage equivalent. Even though it's a very small amount of Cytomel, I'd split it into two doses during the day since it's so fast-acting and out of your system in a few hours.
However, as I said, ask your doctor before you try any of this. Is your cardio up on thyroid issues at all?
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