# Hypo questions



## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

I was diagnosed hypo w/hashimoto's disease about 3 months ago.Was put on levo 50mcg for a few months and never felt any difference.I only have These lab ranges,before i started on meds:

Ft4 1.5 (0.7-2.5)
Ft3 1.6 (2.5-6.5)
TSH 5.3 (0.5-3.0)
TPO 252 (0-150)

From what research i found,my t3 is the worse off of all of them.Anyways,i found a place to get cynomel from and for a month have been on it.I have slowly went from 12.5 to 16.5 then now at 25mcg of cynomel.The thing that is strange i still don't feel relief from being on what i'm on either.

It's strange though cause i had tried one of my sisters 75mcg levo pills(2 weeks before being tested)and could say i felt 50 percent better! I tried it the 2nd day i felt nothing :/I have had an adrenal salivia test done and only high cortisol in the morning.I take supplements to help it out even though they said its fine.

I felt hypo since i was about in 6th grade but never got tested until i was 28.I'm just trying to see if there is someone with similar labs as i do and if they had problems with meds not working.How many points can 25mcg of cynomel/cytomel raise your ft3?Thanks


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I think you are 1) doing yourself a dis-service and 2) really confusing the issue by randomly taking other people's medication and adding t3 without consulting your physician or new blood tests. Your pre-medication t3 level is kinda irrelevant...until you stay on your meds for six weeks and then re-test, you simply can't tell what needs to be changed.

Is there a reason you weren't retested after your first six weeks?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

cadogan said:


> I was diagnosed hypo w/hashimoto's disease about 3 months ago.Was put on levo 50mcg for a few months and never felt any difference.I only have These lab ranges,before i started on meds:
> 
> Ft4 1.5 (0.7-2.5)
> Ft3 1.6 (2.5-6.5)
> ...


That is a huge dose of Cytomel. Who has Rx'd that for you and why have you not had labs prior to getting this medicine?

You could end up in the hospital from taking that much Cytomel w/o the supervision of a doctor.

I only say the above because I am concerned. Don't want anything to happen to you.

Why did the doctor not see you for labs every 8 weeks and continue to titrate your Levothyroxine upward as needed?

Glad to see you back.


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

Part of the reason i wasnt getting retested that it was really hard to see a doctor.I had to goto a free clinic and hope that i could get seen.I just figured that i could self-treat it.

I ordered the cynomel online without a prescription so have been kinda hoping that i done enough research to fix it myself.I just figured it would be better that i do that.All the info i was using to dose was from here:

http://www.thyroid-rt3.com/dosing.htm

I'am kinda worried about taking too much to.Do you think if i cut the dose to like 15mcg until i get retested i should be ok?thanks


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

The thing is...if you keep flipping around your medications and trying to self-treat, your blood tests will be useless because there's been no consistency in medications.

Andros is very much right that you could be doing yourself significant harm in self-dosing T3 medications without a doctor's supervision, let alone T3 "medications" ordered online.

I appreciate that it is very difficult to get properly tested when you aren't able to see a doctor regularly, but doing this blind (based on symptoms only) is very dangerous. If I were in your shoes, I would take the 50 mcgs exactly as prescribed for six weeks, see if you can get re-tested, and then consult with a doctor for medication revisions. It's not a easy solution and it's no fun to feel bad for a long period of time, but unfortunately, very slow changes to thyroid medications over a long period of time are the only way these things go.

I hope you feel better soon!


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

I appreciate the help,and see what i can do about seeing the doctor again.At the moment i don't feel any worse than how i was feeling before starting the t3 med's.Another reason was the doctor would only treat me with levo and other people at another forum said i need to get one t3.

I asked for cytomel, and He told me he has never prescribed t3 for as long as he has been a doctor.So i took it as i was getting lied to.I don't know.It's really frustrating to wan't to get it fixed soon,but guess its better to do it the right way than end up hurting myself.thanks for the help.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

cadogan said:


> Part of the reason i wasnt getting retested that it was really hard to see a doctor.I had to goto a free clinic and hope that i could get seen.I just figured that i could self-treat it.
> 
> I ordered the cynomel online without a prescription so have been kinda hoping that i done enough research to fix it myself.I just figured it would be better that i do that.All the info i was using to dose was from here:
> 
> ...


Lord, honey. I understand this situation so do know that I am not sitting in judgement. And now, you have refreshed my memory about all of this situation which by the way, you are not alone. What mess. No jobs etc..!!

Okay. Since you have been on the 25 mcg., I would urge you to back down to 5 mcg. and get labs in 6 weeks. All you need to get is the FREE T3 test and make sure you get the range for us too.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Our healthcare system is so, so broken. This makes me sad. People should be able to get medical care at reasonable prices. I feel for you...really I do. My husband and I are paying an astronomical amount of money each month for COBRA insurance since he was laid off back in September. It's so crazy. I'm not into politics much, and I certainly don't think any party is much better than another, but I do know that almost none of the politicians are actually working for US anymore. Broken, broken, broken.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Octavia said:


> Our healthcare system is so, so broken. This makes me sad. People should be able to get medical care at reasonable prices. I feel for you...really I do. My husband and I are paying an astronomical amount of money each month for COBRA insurance since he was laid off back in September. It's so crazy. I'm not into politics much, and I certainly don't think any party is much better than another, but I do know that almost none of the politicians are actually working for US anymore. Broken, broken, broken.


I agree it is very sad that people are going with out treatment. Politicians should be in touch with their constituents. I see so many at the library looking for work. Politicians don't realize how hard life is, especially if one is ill.


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

Yeah, i think i'll take your advice and go back down too 5mcg.Not worth risking getting myself worse off.I have about 4 bottles of cynomel coming,so hoping that i can fix it with this.(I thought it was a fast fix so ordered a lot)

Seeing the doctor is another story,but i'll try to get an appt with him.I had went through canary club for my original blood test,so i can get enough money i'll just go that route.

And yes,health care in the u.s. definitely needs an overhaul.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

cadogan said:


> Yeah, i think i'll take your advice and go back down too 5mcg.Not worth risking getting myself worse off.I have about 4 bottles of cynomel coming,so hoping that i can fix it with this.(I thought it was a fast fix so ordered a lot)
> 
> Seeing the doctor is another story,but i'll try to get an appt with him.I had went through canary club for my original blood test,so i can get enough money i'll just go that route.
> 
> And yes,health care in the u.s. definitely needs an overhaul.


Good deal and keep in touch with us so we know how you are doing. Remember, under the circumstances, all you really need is the FREE T3 test.


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

I found a place similar to canary club to get my blood testing done.I was thinking like you said to just get the ft3 (which is an option just by itself)but they had other's that i thought might be important.Of those 2 it was the iron level's and Rt3.Does anyone think i should get that as well?

I can have the blood test done either tomorrow or the next day.Not sure how long it takes to get the results,but the lab is local.I was reading that it will take 7-10 days for a new dose to reflect on the blood results.Is that right?I have been on 25mcg's for about 8 days so i hope my levels adjusted.I guess if anything it would kinda show for when i was on 16.5mcg's which still helps me figure out where i'm at on my blood levels.

I took my last 25mcg dose today so tomorrow i'll start back up on 5mcg.Do i hold off on meds until after the blood test?Thanks for the help.


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

I just ordered the ft3 test so i'll post it when i get the results.


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

Here is my new ft3 level:

3.1 (2.0-4.4)	pg/mL

The reference range is different from the other place i got my labs,but atleast it's higher than the 1.6 before i started 

Don't think i posted this but this is how i adjusted my dose:

12.5mcg 12/21/2011 - 12/27/2011
12.5mcg 12/27/2011 - 01/01/2012
16.5mcg 01/02/2012 - 01/11/2012
25 mcg 01/12/2012 - 01/18/2012

So any idea if i should up/lower my dose?According to the new lab and ranges,where should be the optimum level?I wen't back to 5mcg just to be safe.Still felt like a zombie at 25mcg's but i guess it take's time to feel better.I appreciate the help.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

cadogan said:


> Here is my new ft3 level:
> 
> 3.1 (2.0-4.4)	pg/mL
> 
> ...


Okay...................You do have some wiggle room but we have to get you stabilized first. My very humble recommendation is that you stay on the 5 mcgs. of Cytomel (are you taking T4 also?) and get FREE T3 in exactly 8 weeks using the same lab and as near to the same time of day as you can as well.

Then we can reassess and if needed start to titrate upward in small increments.

But do remember; whatever suggestions we make here are never ever intended to take place of a doctor. The situation is dire but still; none of us are in a position to give dosage or Rx advice. (just putting this as a disclaimer)


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## cadogan (Oct 11, 2011)

So basically i just wasted a crapload of meds along with a blood test cause i rushed it?I didn't think that one out very well.I guess it's better to start off small and get it tested right than end up in the hospital.I was just going by that website so i figured it was right.

I never knew being hypo would be this frustrating.lol.just want to through this bottle at the wall.It's gonna be awhile before i can get money for a blood test but i'll figure it out.I stopped t4 meds because i was going to that free clinic and had trouble getting seen.

Also this person that i talk to that takes on cynomel does great on it by itself.I just figured i could do the same.I'm so ****ed off i was adjusting it all wrong,but your reasoning sounds the best for me.I'll stick with the 5mcg for awhile like you said just to be safe.I appreciate the help.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

cadogan said:


> So basically i just wasted a crapload of meds along with a blood test cause i rushed it?I didn't think that one out very well.I guess it's better to start off small and get it tested right than end up in the hospital.I was just going by that website so i figured it was right.
> 
> I never knew being hypo would be this frustrating.lol.just want to through this bottle at the wall.It's gonna be awhile before i can get money for a blood test but i'll figure it out.I stopped t4 meds because i was going to that free clinic and had trouble getting seen.
> 
> Also this person that i talk to that takes on cynomel does great on it by itself.I just figured i could do the same.I'm so ****ed off i was adjusting it all wrong,but your reasoning sounds the best for me.I'll stick with the 5mcg for awhile like you said just to be safe.I appreciate the help.


We will be here when you need us. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for all good things; especially feeling better.


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