Re: Am I ramping up Cytomel too slowly?

[Guest guest]

Dose-wise, it varies from person to person, but a dose under 50mcg/day may not

clear RT3. To stop the formation of RT3, the T3 dose needs to be high enough to

suppress the body's own production of T4. More on this at Moderator Nick's web

page:

http://www.thyroid-rt3.com/howisit1.htm

There's also a thread discussing this; specifically mentioning that 17.5 mcg/day

probably won't do the job. Here's the link:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/message/26934

Time-wise, increasing dose more slowly will likely take longer to achieve

clearance, but as long as the dose is eventually adequate, RT3 has to eventually

clear. Nick's website mentions a group member who could not tolerate any

increase greater than 6.25 per week, here's the link:

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

Hope this helps.

>

> Yesterday I met with my Naturopathic doc. I even printed out the the dosing

schedule you have on this site. She was concerned that ramping up at the speed

you suggest would be too much for me (I had a kidney transplant so she wants to

be sure to not tax my system). She did agree to go from 10mcg per day to 15

mcg per day (5 mcg three times a day).

>

> She agrees with you that I could start taking my pulse and temp to see if the

15 mcg will be okay.

>

> I must admit the thought of ramping up quickly makes me a bit nervous; and,

yet, I also want to get better.

>

> Do you think 15 mcg/day is enough to eventually get the RT3 out of my

system....even if it would take longer than had I ramped up to a higher dose?

>

> Thanks for any thoughts you can send my way,

>

> Jen

>

[Guest guest]

If the T3 dose is adequate to prevent the formation of additional RT3, blood

tests should show RT3 levels going down. My own RT3 decreased from 319 to 35

when I was on an adequate dose of T3.

Unfortunately, there is no test available for actual clearance...blood levels of

RT3 can be very low (for example, at 6 weeks into T3-only treatment) but the

receptors still blocked with RT3. As long as new RT3 is not being formed, the

receptors will clear eventually, at about 12 weeks on the usual dosage increase

schedule; likely somewhat longer on a slower increase schedule.

The stomach cramping I am not familiar with. I have read other posts on

digestive issues, some resolve themselves fairly quickly, some are improved with

a slower rate of T3 dose increases.

> >

> > Yesterday I met with my Naturopathic doc. I even printed out the the dosing

schedule you have on this site. She was concerned that ramping up at the speed

you suggest would be too much for me (I had a kidney transplant so she wants to

be sure to not tax my system). She did agree to go from 10mcg per day to 15 mcg

per day (5 mcg three times a day).

> >

> > She agrees with you that I could start taking my pulse and temp to see if

the 15 mcg will be okay.

> >

> > I must admit the thought of ramping up quickly makes me a bit nervous; and,

yet, I also want to get better.

> >

> > Do you think 15 mcg/day is enough to eventually get the RT3 out of my

system....even if it would take longer than had I ramped up to a higher dose?

> >

> > Thanks for any thoughts you can send my way,

> >

> > Jen

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Difficult to say, some people have a smoother time than others.

Many group members report feeling slightly hypo right before they are due for

their next dosage increase.

Some encounter T3 intolerance or other bumps along the road (such as low iron,

low or high cortisol or other adrenal issues).

The best way to lay good groundwork for the smoothest possible T3-only progress

is to first make sure that iron and adrenals are in good shape, as per Moderator

Nick's excellent web page, here's the link:

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

In addition to a ferritin of 70-90, we now also recommend getting an iron panel,

for best thyroid utilization, % saturation should be 35-45.

Also worth noting is the importance of electrolyte balance, here's the link to

Nick's page on that:

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

> > >

> > > Yesterday I met with my Naturopathic doc. I even printed out the the

dosing schedule you have on this site. She was concerned that ramping up at the

speed you suggest would be too much for me (I had a kidney transplant so she

wants to be sure to not tax my system). She did agree to go from 10mcg per day

to 15 mcg per day (5 mcg three times a day).

> > >

> > > She agrees with you that I could start taking my pulse and temp to see if

the 15 mcg will be okay.

> > >

> > > I must admit the thought of ramping up quickly makes me a bit nervous;

and, yet, I also want to get better.

> > >

> > > Do you think 15 mcg/day is enough to eventually get the RT3 out of my

system....even if it would take longer than had I ramped up to a higher dose?

> > >

> > > Thanks for any thoughts you can send my way,

> > >

> > > Jen

> > >

> >

>