Posted by softheprairie on August 10, 2009, at 3:25:20
In reply to T3 for Bipolar Depression, posted by gibbons482 on August 9, 2009, at 19:07:53
I really like having Cytomel (T3) in my coctail to help my depression and severe fatigue. I don't have the bipolar component, though. My TSH labs have moved more towards the hyperthyroid side, but are still in the normal range. I am on a pretty high dose of it (50 mcg/day), and I do worry about my own thyroid getting too lazy from this that it stops knowing to make enough on its own, but I feel like it makes such a difference for the better for me now, and I'm in bad enough shape (on disability for my psych issues) that, so far, I believe the risks are worth it. (There can also be risk of bone loss, but I do take supplemental calcium.) I am pretty lucky that my psychiatrist will go along with my request to take this.
I just within about a week ago got a letter from my drug insurance saying that they will be changing their categorization of Cytomel in the tiers on their formulary because a generic of it just has or will soon be released. Oh, how I hope the generic is as good.
There may be some risk of it pushing one to the manic side if bipolar. I haven't read your link(s), but I would expect some to say that.
> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/08/07/thyroid-hormone-helps-treatment-resistant-bipolar-depression.htm
>
> I'm still hunting down the actual study cited, but has anyone ever heard of this and knows how/why it appears to work? I'm considering asking my doctor if he's heard of this and if I could try it. But wouldn't that make you hyperthyroidism (or is that not T3)?
poster:softheprairie
thread:911196
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090801/msgs/911264.html