# Blood Pressure rising on Cytomel increase-normal?



## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

I upped my cytomel-now taking the 2.5 mcg twice a day, and I notice my Blood Pressure has gone up. It's not ridiculously high-120/80 or 130/80 or so, but when you normally run 90/60 , I'm a bit concerned. I don't really feel sick or anything, but it does concern me a bit since it didn't really raise when I was just on the quarter twice a day. Is it normal for blood pressure to go up while increasing the Cytomel? My resting pulse hasn't gone haywire-it's actually lowered from the 90's-100's to 70's and 80's.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

It's possible that it is causing a temporary rise in your blood pressure. Of course you know that many things can do that such as too many salty foods; maybe over the Super Bowl?

Not enough water? If a person is not adequately hydrated, the BP goes up. Not enough exercise? If your glucose is up, the BP will go up also. How is your glucose? Do you test every day?

Give it some thought and see if you can trouble shoot. If ever in doubt; call your doctor!


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

Andros said:


> It's possible that it is causing a temporary rise in your blood pressure. Of course you know that many things can do that such as too many salty foods; maybe over the Super Bowl?
> 
> Not enough water? If a person is not adequately hydrated, the BP goes up. Not enough exercise? If your glucose is up, the BP will go up also. How is your glucose? Do you test every day?
> 
> Give it some thought and see if you can trouble shoot. If ever in doubt; call your doctor!


 I haven't increased my salt intake any more than usual. I test my blood sugar several times a day since I'm a type 1 diabetic, but now that you brought that up, I have noticed that since being on Cytomel, my blood sugars have gone up, and I otten have to tinker with my insulin pump. Before, I was going low again, but I was told if thyroid is out of whack, your sugars can be too. (which after going through Graves', oh yeah, deinitely happens. I used to eat like crazy and still only need like a unit of insulin or I'd go severely low.) It could be that, but I've had my BP be fine with higher sugars before, but I know everything has changed since getting thyroid disease. After doing some looking, I see that it can be a side effect to the Cytomel, and I've noticed lately as the dose wears off a little (right before taking the second dose or at night after the second dose is wearing off) my BP goes back down. So it could just be the Cytomel. I mean, I just upped it, so it could be my body still adjusting, maybe? I'll definitely keep an eye on my readings and let my endos know.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I'd be curious to see your labs before your increase. The extra amount of Cytomel might be too much for yur system.

When dialing in doses it's a fine line - whether to increase T-4 or T-3 medication in my experiences.


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

I didn't get my FT3 done until about three weeks into the Cytomel, and it was at the bottom of the range-2.0 in a lab range of 2.0-4.0 for directlabs and I know my endos lab range starts a bit higher. At that time, I was taking just a quarter of 5mcg twice a day, my FT4 taken just before then was near the top of the range (1.7 in a range of 0.9-1.8) and my TSH was a 2.98 in a range of 0.45-4.45. I was on an alternating dose of 88 and 100 of T4, but they bumped me down to just 88 when they added in the Cytomel. For a while, I was fine, but a lot of hypo symptoms were coming back so I figured I did need to go up to trying the full 2.5mcg twice a day, especially with such a low FT3. However, I also added a low estrogen birth control and I know that can mess with levo, so it might need to be tweaked. I get blood work soon, so we'll see.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Yes; there you go! Many patients who are diabetic and on any kind of thyroxine replacement find that "tinkering" is necessary and do work very closely with your doctor on this.

Problem solved!! I love a good mystery!

Take good care of yourself; there is only one you! I know many who successfully balance insulin and thyroxine replacement!

Hugs,


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

BC adds even more challenges to the "balancing act!"

Hugs,


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

Add on T1D, and now on hormones, and I have a whole set of challenges to face! I know it's all a matter of balancing everything out, I feel someday I'll get there again like I was in the past. I just have to keep at it. (and at them.  )


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

{{{{{{Prudence}}}}}] Be very regimented in all you do. Those around you will just have to "get it" as you cannot afford to go off schedule w/anything......................period.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Prudence, I've always had borderline low blood pressure. But when I had my thyroid removed and started on Synthroid, by BP skyrocketed. It was temporary...I don't remember how long it lasted, but not more than a couple of months. (I realize you're asking about Cytomel, not Synthroid, but thought I'd share anyway.)


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

Octavia said:


> Prudence, I've always had borderline low blood pressure. But when I had my thyroid removed and started on Synthroid, by BP skyrocketed. It was temporary...I don't remember how long it lasted, but not more than a couple of months. (I realize you're asking about Cytomel, not Synthroid, but thought I'd share anyway.)


Interesting! My blood pressure has always been low-except when I actively had Graves'. It'd shoot up to 150/90 and once I was on antithyroid meds/after my first RAI, it went back down to where I usually sit. I never had ill effects of low blood pressure, I was just always low, and doctors were usually okay with it since I never had any symptoms. On levo, I didn't really notice a difference until December, when I was doing an alernating dose of 88 and 100mcg and suddenly I was having 130/80 BP's and palps and fast heart beats-I think I was getting too much T4 and not conveting to T3 prperly, which was causing a weird mix of hypo and hyper symptoms for me. When I first took the Cytomel, my bp evened out, but I noticed it raising with the increase, so I wonder if it is just a temporary thing with the increase in hormones. My six weeks are up, so it's time for new blood work, and I'm curious if I also need a T4 raise since I went on birth control the same time I started Cytmel/ lowered my T4 dose, and I know that can increase the need for T4. We shall see!


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