Thinking of increasing Cytomel without doctor's permission

[sissaphus]

By 5mcg and refusing to test TSH in the future. I just got my lab results today and talked to my Dr. over the phone in lieu of an appointment. He didn't lower my dose, but wants to give it a few more months to see if my TSH increases. I've been on this dose for six months now. At first I felt like there might have been some improvements when he reduced my Tirosint to 88 from 100 because of TSH of .03, but in retrospect my FT3 and FT4 were better before. I've also not been feeling well for weeks with a slew of mild to moderate symtoms and am now wondering (thanks to Barb) if they're hypo symptoms. My back hurts despite two massages in two weeks, my muscles hurt, especially my feet first thing in the morning, until recently I was having night sweats (again) a hypo symptom for me.

Please can I have your opinions on weather or not I should increase my Cytomel by 5mcg a day or my Tirosint back to 100. Easier to increase Cytomel since I have extra, but I could convince him to up my Tirosint if I say I'm reducing my Cytomel (but not). I know it's dishonest, but he's looking too heavily at TSH and I'm suffering! He's a great doctor otherwise and I don't want to switch doctor's. I've tried and not found someone better and more compassionate than him.

TSH3    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    TSH 3RD GENERATION    L    0.07    uIU/mL    0.40-4.00
FT4    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    FREE T4        0.8    ng/dL    0.6-1.6
FT3    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    FREE T3        2.9 pg/mL    2.4-4.2

COPP    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    COPPER    L    61 ug/dL    80-155
ZINC2    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    ZINC    L    59 ug/dL    60-120
VTD    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    VITAMIN D, 25-HYDROXY    L    29 Deficiency: Less than 20 ng/mL
Insufficiency: 20-29 ng/mL
Optimum Level: 30-80 ng/mL
VITAMIN B12        716       180-914 pg/mL

LDL (CALCULATED)    H    177
According to NCEP (ATP-III) Guidelines:
Less than 100 mg/dL   Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL   Near Optimal/Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL   Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL   High

29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    HDL CHOLESTEROL    H    78
According to NCEP (ATP-III) Guidelines:
Less than 40 mg/dL   Low HDL Cholesterol
A major risk factor for heart disease
Greater than or equal to 60 mg/dL   High HDL cholesterol
Considered protective against heart disease    mg/dL    See Below        Final    HDLT    41081080    410810802273    I9290180
FLP    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    TRIGLYCERIDES        83
According to NCEP (ATP-III) Guidelines:
Less than 150 mg/dL   Normal
150 to 199 mg/dL   Borderline-high
200 to 499 mg/dL   High

FASTG    29-Sep-2012 08:26 EDT    GLUCOSE    H    100    mg/dL    70-99
Reply

[sissaphus]

Hi Mschelie,

Even though I'm asking about doing the same thing, I wouldn't recommend it. That's a lot of Cytomel! Have you had recent bloodwork done? For example, my labs show both low FT4 and  FT3 and I had many (exclusively) hypo symptoms.

Have you talked to your doctor about the increase? Or maybe ask him if you can increase by 5mg? Might exercise help?

I did increase my Cytomel by 5mg for a total of about 8 times over a two week period while waiting for the (prescribed) increase Tirosint to kick in.

I also have high cholesterol and as much as I dislike exercising, I believe it's an important part of being healthy along with what you eat. I'm a vegetarian and eat very little high cholesterol foods outside eggs. Still, it's very high.

Please reconsider your increase without speaking with your doctor and by that large a dose.

[goolarra]

Be careful increasing Cytomel like that.  T3 is much more potent than T4, so doubling your dose is roughly equivalent to adding in an extra 50+ mcg of T4.  

Do you split your current daily dose (12.5 mcg) into two half doses and take one in the morning first thing with your levo and the other sometime in the late morning or early afternoon?

Given the potency of T3, increasing in 5 mcg increments is the MAX you should try.

[mschelie]

I am thinking of doing the same thing. My triglicerides are at 300 and I am reading if I increase cytomel that might help. I can't take the satin drugs to lower them, so I am going to try another approach. Right now I have a prescription for 25mg cytomel that my dr has me split in half to take daily...so I thought, what the heck, take the whole pill and see what happens!

[sissaphus]

correction

"I might have two more refills of Cytomel 100 I can pay out of pocket for"

should read

Tirosint 100 NOT Cytomel 100

[sissaphus]

Hi Barb,

Thanks for your response. I know you're sensible and I know it's not the right thing to do for various reasons, but ..

I'd have enough enough Cytomel to get by for a year if I increase by one 5mcg tablet. I also have about four months worth of Levoxyl 100, but am now on Tirosint and don't want to go back to Levoxyl and I might have two more refills of Cytomel 100 I can pay out of pocket for. Just a few dollars more than what my insurance covers anyway.

I took an additional 5mcg of Cytomel last night right before bed and I slept the whole night through. Didn't wake up once, didn't have to put socks on till morning before my morning dose of Cytomel warms me up again (hopefully).

I'm going to try talking to my doctor. I usually email him, but don't know if he'll agree to increasing my dose despite TSH via email. Since I'd be asking him to ignore results.

[Barb135]

Self medication is never recommended.  Besides, if you increase your dose, you won't have enough pills to get by.