Frustrated

[Pattyisha]

About 3 months ago my naturopath lowered my armour by 43% from 105 to 60 to see if some of the symptoms I was having were due to my low TSH.  Symptoms have included chest pain, breathing problems, lump feeling/swallowing issues and some other strange things. Long story short, my symptoms abated slightly, but I think I was thrown into hypo again.  I've gained 10 pounds, lost motivation, am tired and puffy. I went in to see her at the beginning of October and at that time she upped my Armour to 90 with an appt to check labs 6 weeks later.

Here are my most recent labs taken 12/16 before my daily dose of 90 Armour;

TSH 1.36 (.40-4.5)
Ft4 1.3 (.8-1.8)
Ft3 2.9 (2.3-4.2)

After I met with her, she decided to keep my armour where it was and to add 5mcg cytomel in the am and 2.5 cytomel in the afternoon with an increase to a total of 10mcg daily in the cytomel after one week with no problems.

After 4 days of adding the cytomel I've had hot flash like symptoms, depression, feel like I can feel my body expanding with weight gain daily and have been having some very strange dreams. I also don't seem to have the same amount of stamina which presents a problem along with the weight gain as I teach an indoor cycling class at the local fitness club.

Any thoughts or ideas? I'm set to go back in at the end of January to see my doc. She also does a great job of communicating by email so I can reach her if necessary.

[goolarra]

I do think your FT4 is fine.  Most people have a really hard time getting FT4 to 50% on desiccated.  

With too much T3, you will feel hyper.  You could have diarrhea, increased HR and/or BP, anxiety, hand tremors, increased appetite, all the usual hyper symptoms. T3 is pretty fast acting, so you should see some improvement soon, but it still takes a while for everything to settle out again after any meds change.

You might still have to make an effort to lose the weight.  We often find that better FT3 levels ALLOW you to lose weight, rather than making you lose weight.  It's all very individual.

[Pattyisha]

I believe I was at 105 at the time.  I'll ask my dr next time I communicate with her about the rt3.

So you think the Ft4 is fine on the 90 Armour? Are there any symptoms I should look out for on taking too much ft3?   So far, I can't tell any difference and it will be a week on Friday.  I'm just hoping that this weight will come off.  Swear I gain weight just looking at food these days!

[goolarra]

What was your dose before those labs immediately above?  Was that on 105, 90 or 60?

In your 12/16 labs, posted in your original question, your FT4 looks really good.  It's right at 50% of range.  FT3 is low, and it looks like you might benefit from added T3, but you might have to introduce it a bit more slowly.  You could ask your doctor about adding just 2.5 (total) in per day and increasing as tolerated.

I agree that an RT3 test would be in order.    

[Pattyisha]

Previous labs were

TSH .13(.40-4.5)
Ft4 1.2 (.8-1.8)
Ft3 2.8 (2.3-4.2)

Taken after first dose I believe. :)

[Pattyisha]

I never picked up copies of those labs as she told me she had only done a TSH test which was unusual for her. I know that my TSH test was .188 (.550-4.780).  She  just told me to get back on 90 total daily armour and that after 6 weeks to do a lab again which is the one above. She said we had never done a lab on the 90 Armour and wanted to see what it was.

I can't find any record of rt3 being done even though I thought I remembered talking to doc about it. I will call clinic next week to find out.  

[bedheadblonde]

I agree with goolarra, with you already on Armour, that might be way too much Cytomel to add on. What were your labs on 105 of Armour? Do you know? Because unfortunately, some of the symptoms you describe can be hypothyroidism as well as hyper. I don't take Armour, but it's my understanding TSH will often be suppressed on it or NatureThyroid or those taking T3.

[goolarra]

That's quite a bit of Cytomel to add at once, especially on top of the already relatively heavy amount of it in your Armour.  You might ask her about working into it a little more gently.

Low TSH causes no symptoms.  TSH is nothing but a messenger from your pituitary to your thyroid to tell it to make more hormone.  It's your FT3 and FT4 levels that cause symptoms.  Also, a 43% decrease in meds is huge.  TSH is often suppressed by meds, especially meds containing T3.  When that happens, it has to be ignored.  What were your FT3 and FT4 levels (with ranges) when your meds were lowered from 105 to 60?

Have you ever had RT3 tested?