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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by denise1966 on September 23, 2005, at 11:20:03
Hi all,
I know that Gabbix2 has had good experiences with adding T3 to an SSRI, I was just wondering if anyone else (with normal thyroid levels) who has had good experiences with using this as an augmenting agent?
Thanks........Denise
Posted by gardenergirl on September 24, 2005, at 0:26:30
In reply to T3 Augmentation experiences?, posted by denise1966 on September 23, 2005, at 11:20:03
I wish I could say I had a good experience. But when I was on Cytomel, my TSH dropped off the charts, and T3 went through the roof. I had a terrible headache constantly, as well as other hyperthyroid syptoms.
I tried Armour Thyroid after that, and it also messed up my labs, although I did not have as many symptoms.
gg
Posted by Phillipa on September 24, 2005, at 12:52:35
In reply to Re: T3 Augmentation experiences? » denise1966, posted by gardenergirl on September 24, 2005, at 0:26:30
So that's what cytomel is used for T3. Does it affect TSH? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by gardenergirl on September 24, 2005, at 14:40:46
In reply to Re: T3 Augmentation experiences? » gardenergirl, posted by Phillipa on September 24, 2005, at 12:52:35
It did for me. Since I had so much T3 in my system, along with the T4 from Sythroid, my hypothalamus (or is it pituitary?) essentially shut down making TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) since it wasn't needed.
gg
Posted by Phillipa on September 24, 2005, at 18:35:41
In reply to Re: T3 Augmentation experiences? » Phillipa, posted by gardenergirl on September 24, 2005, at 14:40:46
gg Did it cause you to feel anxious? It did for me when my TSH was 22 I was crawling out of my skin! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Cairo on September 24, 2005, at 20:02:54
In reply to Re: T3 Augmentation experiences? » gardenergirl, posted by Phillipa on September 24, 2005, at 12:52:35
T4 (Synthroid) is converted to the active form, T3 by the body. The problem may not lie with your thyroid gland not producing enough, but with faulty receptors or a hypofunctioning HPA axis where the gland is "normal" (thus normal lab values) but which cannot pump out enough thyroid in response to stress because of messed up feedback loop. Same can be said for the adrenal gland and cortisol.
So it's not that simple for many folks. Some do great on Synthroid supplementation, but you can argue that maybe they were hypothyroid to begin with and their symptoms were secondary to that.
I personally went on Synthroid for a slowly elevating TSH level, but despite bringing the TSH down, I don't feel any better.
Long term use of T4 or T3 may also shut the thyroid gland down due to negative feedback, so you need to be careful.
I found it interesting that 5mg of Cymbalta seemed to make some of my thyroid-like symptoms improve (feeling cold, lack of energy, thinning hair, acne). My feeling is that it revved up the HPA axis. My only problem is that at that dose it didn't do what I wanted it to (pain control and atypical depression), so I went off it and the symptoms returned.
Cairo
> So that's what cytomel is used for T3. Does it affect TSH? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Ilene on September 24, 2005, at 21:33:17
In reply to T3 Augmentation experiences?, posted by denise1966 on September 23, 2005, at 11:20:03
> Hi all,
>
> I know that Gabbix2 has had good experiences with adding T3 to an SSRI, I was just wondering if anyone else (with normal thyroid levels) who has had good experiences with using this as an augmenting agent?
>
> Thanks........DeniseI've had a non-experience with it (i.e. it does nothing either good or bad) and want to either get off it or try a higher dose. However, my regular doc just had me get a blood draw to see if thyroid malfunction was behind a tremor I've had for a few months.
I.
Posted by denise1966 on September 25, 2005, at 3:42:00
In reply to T3 Augmentation experiences?, posted by denise1966 on September 23, 2005, at 11:20:03
Hi,
Thanks for responding, it seems that the general consensus is that T3 and T4 doesn't really help.
Denise
This is the end of the thread.
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