- 18 weeks on T3 only and no better, advice please?

[Guest guest]

My labs are better but I am not. I would really appreciate your input on what I

should be doing differently. I still feel exhausted almost to the point of

being bedridden, have low temps, can't lose weight, terrible heel and leg pain,

leg pressure, can't walk very far, shortness of breath. The test results are

incomplete on ferritin, temperature and Vitamin D, but I am hoping you can give

me your opinion on what's here now.

Sorry this is so long but here's history in relation to current:

Oct. 2009: T3/RT3 ratio 13, stopped taking Armour, started taking Cynomel only.

Cynomel dosing: Oct-Dec 30mg/day. Jan-Feb, increasing 6.25mg every 3 days,

currently at 100 mg/day.

Thyroid tests, October 2009 vs. February 2010

Reverse T3: Oct 319, Feb 35, range 90-350

Triiodothyronine, Free, Serum: Oct 4.1, range 2.3-4.2, Feb 4.3, range 2.0-4.4

TSH: Oct not tested, Feb 0.021, range 0.450-4.500

T4, Free, Direct: Oct not tested, Feb 0.17, range 0.82-1.77

Waiting for Ferritin results; however, had 3 Venofer IV’s in last 2 months,

that usually brings it up to about 70.

Temperatures, taken as per Dr. Rind’s graph, every 3 hours, starting 3 hours

after waking, then averaged (I am on day 2 of a 5 day tracking)

Day 1: 96.3/98.1/98.1 = avg 97.5

Day 2: 96.8/98.1/98.1 = avg 97.7

Resting Heart Rate: between 80 and 84. Never varies much.

Never had a single hypERthyroid symptom, either on my current Cynomel or in the

past, when I was at times on over 300mg Armour/day. No fast pulse, no high

temp. Pulse always same, temp always low. Between when I started on Armour in

2007 and when I stopped in 2009 I gained 40 pounds (searching for the reason for

this is what opened my eyes to RT3.)

I was diagnosed with AF 2 years ago (symptoms + saliva test), and have been on

Cortef ever since. I have not have my cortisol levels tested lately because I

understand those tests are invalid while on Cortef.

I am taking

Cortef, 35 mg/day, divided into 4 doses (15/10/5/5)

Cynomel, 100 mg/day, divided into 5 equal doses (last dose 2 hours before

bedtime, to avoid conflict with Iron)

Florinef, .1 mg/day, divided into 2 equal doses

170 mg elemental iron daily (Hema-Plex), all at once at bedtime

Sea salt, celtic gray, 1.5 teaspoons a day, divided into 3 equal doses

Potassium, 1500 mg/day, divided into 2 equal doses

Vitamin D, 10,000/day

Vitamin D: tested low last year, waiting for current results.

Electrolytes: I increased my potassium from 600 mg/day to 1500 mg/day in early

January. My IBS improved but nothing else changed.

January vs. February 2010

Sodium, Serum: Jan 139, Feb 138, range 135-145

Potassium, Serum: Jan 3.9, Feb 3.9, range 3.5-5.2

Chloride, Serum: Jan 103, Feb 104, range 97-108

Carbon dioxide, total: Feb 24, Jan 22, range 20-32

Potassium, RBC: Jan 73, Feb not tested, range 42-150

Magnesium, RBC: Jan 5.2, Feb not tested, range 4.2-6.8

Thank you very much for your help.