Guest guest Posted December 14, 2002 Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Michele, my guess is that tricyclic antidepressants would be more worthwhile for depression. They rev the system up. Side effects are stuff like dizziness, blurred vision, and dry mouth. So since we have that already, you might as well go for it. Try nortriptylene or one of the other tricyclics. These things are prescription only and you need to establish a check-up schedule while using these, for blood pressure, etc. The newer types of antidepressants, such as Paxil, have fewer side effects but they don't rev up the body's circulatory system like the tricyclics. So IMHO tricyclics are more effective for us than the newer serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which work on brain chemistry. ---Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2002 Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Michele, my guess is that tricyclic antidepressants would be more worthwhile for depression. They rev the system up. Side effects are stuff like dizziness, blurred vision, and dry mouth. So since we have that already, you might as well go for it. Try nortriptylene or one of the other tricyclics. These things are prescription only and you need to establish a check-up schedule while using these, for blood pressure, etc. The newer types of antidepressants, such as Paxil, have fewer side effects but they don't rev up the body's circulatory system like the tricyclics. So IMHO tricyclics are more effective for us than the newer serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which work on brain chemistry. ---Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2002 Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Michele, my guess is that tricyclic antidepressants would be more worthwhile for depression. They rev the system up. Side effects are stuff like dizziness, blurred vision, and dry mouth. So since we have that already, you might as well go for it. Try nortriptylene or one of the other tricyclics. These things are prescription only and you need to establish a check-up schedule while using these, for blood pressure, etc. The newer types of antidepressants, such as Paxil, have fewer side effects but they don't rev up the body's circulatory system like the tricyclics. So IMHO tricyclics are more effective for us than the newer serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which work on brain chemistry. ---Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 I took cytomel for a long time before I ever knew I had thyca. I was taking it because I was told that it acted synergistically with my anti-depressant (i.e. the benefit of the two working together would be more than the simple sum of the benefits of each) and indeed it worked very well for me for a long time. So when I started on thyroid replacement after my TT and RAI I just kept on the cytomel in addition to my levoxyl since I had already been taking the cytomel and not had any trouble etc. I did very well on the that T3/T4 (cytomel/levoxyl) combo for over a year and a half I think it was. Then after two more neck dissections (my thyca's iodophobic i.e doesn't respond to RAI), and changing doctors I was taken off the cytomel (and dose of levoxyl increased to compensate) and I have never felt good since. So at least for me I am convinced that the cytomel in combination with the other medications DID help with depression. I know some doctors are averse to the T3/T4 combo because they say it causes spikes in tsh that we don't want. But I am almost to the point of thinking that for me the trade-off would be worth it. I mean what's the point really of keeping the thyca at bay if life is miserable anyway? They've had me try lots of other combinations of psychiatric medications and nothing has worked like the cytomel combination did. ....this is just my opinion based on my own individual experience... -Alyssa in Idaho Falls dx pap thyca (FNA) 10/00 with lymph node involvement and neck metastases TT and mrnd 11/00 RAI 206 mci 12/00 no uptake 4/01 tg unsuppressed = 387 4/01 withdrawal WBS no uptake 11/01 bilateral mrnd lymph nodes positive for pap thyca 3/02 suppressed tg = 45 4/02 right side neck disseection to remove scar tissue no more thyca found 4/02 withdrawal for dosimetry RAI 5/02 unsuppressed tg = 1800 6/02 510 mci RAI (with dosimetry) no uptake 8/02 chest CT scan negative 8/02 whole body PET scan negative 8/02 abdominal MRI negative 8/02 whole body thallium scan negative 10/02 tg = 125 with tsh .5 11/02 tg = 75 with tsh .2 12/02 currently taking .237 levoxyl daily Michele Wortman wrote: > > Hi All!! > > Seeing that Cytomel has been a topic of discussion lately .Has anyone > needed > to take cytomel because of becoming more depressed on T4 alone? I have > read > that taking cytomel in addition to a T4 (like levoxyl or synthroid) > helps > with depression because not everyone's body automatically converts T4 > to T3. > I have noticed that I have been more depressed since I started on > Levoxyl > (I've now been on it for approximately 5 weeks or so). I am also > taking > Prozac, but am contemplating asking my endo about taking Cytomel in > addition > to Levoxyl. I see him next week. > > Any thoughts would be helpful. > > 9/27 TT and modified, bi-lateral neck dissection, Clean Scan 10/27 and > No > RAI needed. > > Re: Cytomel and tired > > >Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 19:49:10 -0000 > > > > > >I had my RAI on Nov 5th and my wbs on nov 15 and then put on meds a > > >few days after my WBS i was on cytomel and synthroid. I felt ok, > but > > >my heart was pounding, i felt a little " flu " like, and i was > > >confused.. I cut the cytomel in half, and felt a little better but > > >only had a few days left of it, so i just stopped it all together, > > >and i felt 100% better... I am now going to the endo in jan (13th) > > >to check my levels, but i feel great..... ( but i did not like the > > >cytomel) > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* > > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > > > > > For more information regarding thyroid cancer visit www.thyca.org. > If you > do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a > blank > email to thyca-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2002 Report Share Posted December 21, 2002 I took cytomel for a long time before I ever knew I had thyca. I was taking it because I was told that it acted synergistically with my anti-depressant (i.e. the benefit of the two working together would be more than the simple sum of the benefits of each) and indeed it worked very well for me for a long time. So when I started on thyroid replacement after my TT and RAI I just kept on the cytomel in addition to my levoxyl since I had already been taking the cytomel and not had any trouble etc. I did very well on the that T3/T4 (cytomel/levoxyl) combo for over a year and a half I think it was. Then after two more neck dissections (my thyca's iodophobic i.e doesn't respond to RAI), and changing doctors I was taken off the cytomel (and dose of levoxyl increased to compensate) and I have never felt good since. So at least for me I am convinced that the cytomel in combination with the other medications DID help with depression. I know some doctors are averse to the T3/T4 combo because they say it causes spikes in tsh that we don't want. But I am almost to the point of thinking that for me the trade-off would be worth it. I mean what's the point really of keeping the thyca at bay if life is miserable anyway? They've had me try lots of other combinations of psychiatric medications and nothing has worked like the cytomel combination did. ....this is just my opinion based on my own individual experience... -Alyssa in Idaho Falls dx pap thyca (FNA) 10/00 with lymph node involvement and neck metastases TT and mrnd 11/00 RAI 206 mci 12/00 no uptake 4/01 tg unsuppressed = 387 4/01 withdrawal WBS no uptake 11/01 bilateral mrnd lymph nodes positive for pap thyca 3/02 suppressed tg = 45 4/02 right side neck disseection to remove scar tissue no more thyca found 4/02 withdrawal for dosimetry RAI 5/02 unsuppressed tg = 1800 6/02 510 mci RAI (with dosimetry) no uptake 8/02 chest CT scan negative 8/02 whole body PET scan negative 8/02 abdominal MRI negative 8/02 whole body thallium scan negative 10/02 tg = 125 with tsh .5 11/02 tg = 75 with tsh .2 12/02 currently taking .237 levoxyl daily Michele Wortman wrote: > > Hi All!! > > Seeing that Cytomel has been a topic of discussion lately .Has anyone > needed > to take cytomel because of becoming more depressed on T4 alone? I have > read > that taking cytomel in addition to a T4 (like levoxyl or synthroid) > helps > with depression because not everyone's body automatically converts T4 > to T3. > I have noticed that I have been more depressed since I started on > Levoxyl > (I've now been on it for approximately 5 weeks or so). I am also > taking > Prozac, but am contemplating asking my endo about taking Cytomel in > addition > to Levoxyl. I see him next week. > > Any thoughts would be helpful. > > 9/27 TT and modified, bi-lateral neck dissection, Clean Scan 10/27 and > No > RAI needed. > > Re: Cytomel and tired > > >Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 19:49:10 -0000 > > > > > >I had my RAI on Nov 5th and my wbs on nov 15 and then put on meds a > > >few days after my WBS i was on cytomel and synthroid. I felt ok, > but > > >my heart was pounding, i felt a little " flu " like, and i was > > >confused.. I cut the cytomel in half, and felt a little better but > > >only had a few days left of it, so i just stopped it all together, > > >and i felt 100% better... I am now going to the endo in jan (13th) > > >to check my levels, but i feel great..... ( but i did not like the > > >cytomel) > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* > > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > > > > > For more information regarding thyroid cancer visit www.thyca.org. > If you > do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a > blank > email to thyca-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 I did feel a bit spacy (light headed) the first time I took T3. I got round that by splitting the pills and thus spreading the dose. I did start on 20mcg, which is the smallest pill available in the UK, I think you have smaller pills in the US. At no time did I feel remotely hyper. --- gossimerwingz wrote: > Hi, > First off...what were you last lab results for your > FT4 and Ft3? and > how long ago? and since the docs are stuck on > finding out how the > pituatary gland is doing, how was the TSH? > > As to cytomel making you hyper for 3 to 4 hours > after taking it... > and its effects on the pregnancy this I really don't > have an answer > to....I'm going to leave this up to those who take > it... > > I do know that you have to be monitored, blood wise, > more frequently > to be sure that your system is getting enough FT4 > and FT3 in your > system so that you aren't pulling the stuff from > elsewhere... > > And CONGRATULATIONS on the pregnancy... > > As for the hair falling out....be sure that you are > taking extra > Super B complex, extra Folic Acid, > calcium/magnesium/zinc, keep your > iron intake up, Essential oils/medium-chain > trigl(sp?) and a high > quality pregnancy vitamin, etc.....we have to make > sure that during > pregnancy that we are taking the very best care of > ourselves while > the tiny one is growing... > > Gossimer > > > > > > is it true that when you take cytomel you actually > go hyper for > those > > few hours? been poking around the net trying to > get to the bottom > of > > this no cytomel during pregnancy fiasco, and the > only thing i have > > found thus far that makes any sense at all is that > you (and as a > > result your baby) go temporarily hyper. i wonder > if this is the > case, > > if i can find an ob to approve, if splitting my > dose into say 3 or > 4 > > doses throughout the day could be the answer. i > swear, i'm not > trying > > to be stubborn by disobeying the docs orders to > discontinue > cytomel, > > my thing is this- before i started it, when i was > just on that > huge > > dose of synthroid, though my labs were 'normal', > my body didnt > like > > it. so, if my body is so off that i'm losing my > hair and FREEZING > and > > in a constant fog, how good can that really be for > the baby? who's > to > > say my body could even support a pregnancy in that > state, you > know? > > its about that time for me to see the doc, which i > have not yet > done, > > and i am really nervous. frankly i think its kind > of sad that i > have > > to do their job and all the research for them in > order to be sure > i am > > properly taken care of. lol if i only had their > money! docs suck. > > > > > > > > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 I did feel a bit spacy (light headed) the first time I took T3. I got round that by splitting the pills and thus spreading the dose. I did start on 20mcg, which is the smallest pill available in the UK, I think you have smaller pills in the US. At no time did I feel remotely hyper. --- gossimerwingz wrote: > Hi, > First off...what were you last lab results for your > FT4 and Ft3? and > how long ago? and since the docs are stuck on > finding out how the > pituatary gland is doing, how was the TSH? > > As to cytomel making you hyper for 3 to 4 hours > after taking it... > and its effects on the pregnancy this I really don't > have an answer > to....I'm going to leave this up to those who take > it... > > I do know that you have to be monitored, blood wise, > more frequently > to be sure that your system is getting enough FT4 > and FT3 in your > system so that you aren't pulling the stuff from > elsewhere... > > And CONGRATULATIONS on the pregnancy... > > As for the hair falling out....be sure that you are > taking extra > Super B complex, extra Folic Acid, > calcium/magnesium/zinc, keep your > iron intake up, Essential oils/medium-chain > trigl(sp?) and a high > quality pregnancy vitamin, etc.....we have to make > sure that during > pregnancy that we are taking the very best care of > ourselves while > the tiny one is growing... > > Gossimer > > > > > > is it true that when you take cytomel you actually > go hyper for > those > > few hours? been poking around the net trying to > get to the bottom > of > > this no cytomel during pregnancy fiasco, and the > only thing i have > > found thus far that makes any sense at all is that > you (and as a > > result your baby) go temporarily hyper. i wonder > if this is the > case, > > if i can find an ob to approve, if splitting my > dose into say 3 or > 4 > > doses throughout the day could be the answer. i > swear, i'm not > trying > > to be stubborn by disobeying the docs orders to > discontinue > cytomel, > > my thing is this- before i started it, when i was > just on that > huge > > dose of synthroid, though my labs were 'normal', > my body didnt > like > > it. so, if my body is so off that i'm losing my > hair and FREEZING > and > > in a constant fog, how good can that really be for > the baby? who's > to > > say my body could even support a pregnancy in that > state, you > know? > > its about that time for me to see the doc, which i > have not yet > done, > > and i am really nervous. frankly i think its kind > of sad that i > have > > to do their job and all the research for them in > order to be sure > i am > > properly taken care of. lol if i only had their > money! docs suck. > > > > > > > > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 I did feel a bit spacy (light headed) the first time I took T3. I got round that by splitting the pills and thus spreading the dose. I did start on 20mcg, which is the smallest pill available in the UK, I think you have smaller pills in the US. At no time did I feel remotely hyper. --- gossimerwingz wrote: > Hi, > First off...what were you last lab results for your > FT4 and Ft3? and > how long ago? and since the docs are stuck on > finding out how the > pituatary gland is doing, how was the TSH? > > As to cytomel making you hyper for 3 to 4 hours > after taking it... > and its effects on the pregnancy this I really don't > have an answer > to....I'm going to leave this up to those who take > it... > > I do know that you have to be monitored, blood wise, > more frequently > to be sure that your system is getting enough FT4 > and FT3 in your > system so that you aren't pulling the stuff from > elsewhere... > > And CONGRATULATIONS on the pregnancy... > > As for the hair falling out....be sure that you are > taking extra > Super B complex, extra Folic Acid, > calcium/magnesium/zinc, keep your > iron intake up, Essential oils/medium-chain > trigl(sp?) and a high > quality pregnancy vitamin, etc.....we have to make > sure that during > pregnancy that we are taking the very best care of > ourselves while > the tiny one is growing... > > Gossimer > > > > > > is it true that when you take cytomel you actually > go hyper for > those > > few hours? been poking around the net trying to > get to the bottom > of > > this no cytomel during pregnancy fiasco, and the > only thing i have > > found thus far that makes any sense at all is that > you (and as a > > result your baby) go temporarily hyper. i wonder > if this is the > case, > > if i can find an ob to approve, if splitting my > dose into say 3 or > 4 > > doses throughout the day could be the answer. i > swear, i'm not > trying > > to be stubborn by disobeying the docs orders to > discontinue > cytomel, > > my thing is this- before i started it, when i was > just on that > huge > > dose of synthroid, though my labs were 'normal', > my body didnt > like > > it. so, if my body is so off that i'm losing my > hair and FREEZING > and > > in a constant fog, how good can that really be for > the baby? who's > to > > say my body could even support a pregnancy in that > state, you > know? > > its about that time for me to see the doc, which i > have not yet > done, > > and i am really nervous. frankly i think its kind > of sad that i > have > > to do their job and all the research for them in > order to be sure > i am > > properly taken care of. lol if i only had their > money! docs suck. > > > > > > > > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 i havent had my levels checked since i started the cytomel, i actually have a lab appt wednesday night. i will post labs when i have them though. my labs before i started t3 were 'normal', but my ft3 was on the lower end. i mentioned in a previous post about selenium, but am wondering are there any vitamins or supplements that you can take too much of? i think iron may be one, but not sure. > > > > is it true that when you take cytomel you actually go hyper for > those > > few hours? been poking around the net trying to get to the bottom > of > > this no cytomel during pregnancy fiasco, and the only thing i have > > found thus far that makes any sense at all is that you (and as a > > result your baby) go temporarily hyper. i wonder if this is the > case, > > if i can find an ob to approve, if splitting my dose into say 3 or > 4 > > doses throughout the day could be the answer. i swear, i'm not > trying > > to be stubborn by disobeying the docs orders to discontinue > cytomel, > > my thing is this- before i started it, when i was just on that > huge > > dose of synthroid, though my labs were 'normal', my body didnt > like > > it. so, if my body is so off that i'm losing my hair and FREEZING > and > > in a constant fog, how good can that really be for the baby? who's > to > > say my body could even support a pregnancy in that state, you > know? > > its about that time for me to see the doc, which i have not yet > done, > > and i am really nervous. frankly i think its kind of sad that i > have > > to do their job and all the research for them in order to be sure > i am > > properly taken care of. lol if i only had their money! docs suck. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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