Posted by Pfinstegg on July 8, 2004, at 19:10:43
In reply to Re: Cytomel vs. Synthroid, any opinions? Oops, posted by SLS on July 8, 2004, at 16:41:35
There was an article in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1999 saying that, because some people do not convert T4 ( Synthroid) into T3 (the form that is actually used by the body), that, in people with unipolar depression which is not totally responsive to medication, adding T3 to T4 may help with controlling the depression. It may also simply aid in better thyroid function, for the same reason.
In your situation, where you are taking it in order to enhance your chances of getting pregnant (is that right?), I am puzzled by one thing. When you take T4 or T3, the result is that your TSH is LOWERED. It doesn't raise it. Usually, those two medications are only given when someone's TSH is high or borderline high. Having a low TSH means that you have a well-functioning thyroid, so I'm not clear on the reason you are being given it. If your TSH becomes very low (under 0.5), you have an increased risk for osteoporosis. Has your doctor explained his reasons clearly to you?
poster:Pfinstegg
thread:363672
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040704/msgs/364178.html