[donnabgraves]

in reply to: For those of you who have used Cytomel #1176892

mykena wrote:

Hello there. Have you had your labs checked? I started with 5 mcg of Cytomel and experienced itching and eventually became hyper. Though I was just a little hyper, I didn’t like it and didn’t feel very good. So, we adjusted my Levothyroxine. I am now taking 75 mcg of Levothyroxine instead of 88 and 5 mcg of Cytomel. I made the adjustment about 2 weeks ago and have felt pretty darn good this week. It’s the first time in a long time. That said, I am cautiously optimistic. The itching went away so maybe it wasn’t the Cytomel.

If you feel hyper, I would get labs. If you are hyper, then maybe they can adjust your Synthroid/levothyroxine dosage.

I too experienced some itching for the first week. I started taking Cytomel 2.5 mcg (half tablets of 5 mcg). No more itching. So, I do believe it was the Cytomel.

Additionally, the first thing I experienced was slight palpitations periodically throughout the day, which has now subsided and a couple of nights of not sleeping as well. However, I have healthier skin, healthier nails, and most important healthier ME!

I have to say post RAI in May 2013, Synthroid was no good for me. I wanted to give up and and just lay down, even after upping dosage to 112 mcg for 2 days. I definitely could not handle that dosage. 1 day off Synthroid, next day on Armour (last part of Oct. or first part of Nov.) slowly working my way up to 90 mcg and new me for awhile. Then terrible joint pain for about a week and started feeling tired again until Cytomel. I love Cytomel I have been on it since 12/05/13 and next day joint pain went away completely and I feel fabulous!!! Old me other than 2 years prior to being diagnosed 2013 with Graves Disease, unlike others who lost I was one of the rare ones to put on weight 30 pounds. Actually, today I see my doctor to address the issue of weight. I’ll keep everyone posted.

I highly recommend the combination of Armour and Cytomel. I take 60 mcg of Armour in the a.m. 6:30 – 7:00 with 2.5 mcg of Cytomel nothing to eat for an hour or more. Then around 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. I take an additional 30 mcg of Armour. This really helps in keeping me very very stable throughout an entire day. Also, I sleep like a baby every single night! It is awesome…hope I continue doing well like this.

One major thing that I have found out since having RAI while taking meds is my diet. I have cut out all refined sugars and refined flour. I have been eating paleo. If I cheat, I experience heart palpitations or faster heart rate and I also experience bad gastric issues as hate to say it this way expelling of bad gas. As long as I cook everything at home with raw honey, coconut oil, coconut flour or almond/tapioca/teff…flour, raw cacao, most important grass-fed beef, organic chicken or pork. I also did away with all dairy products and use full canned coconut milk. If I elect to use butter, I only use KerryGold which is an Irish Butter from grass-feed cows.

Good Luck!

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Combination Therapy T3/T4 #1181650

MiTh wrote:

Hi All: I am currently on T4/112mcg
Recent blood work has shown that my free T3 is lower than I would like it to be
I am assuming this is why I am having trouble losing the 10 lbs I have gained once going hypo post RAI.
My doctor and I decided to try Cytomel 2.5mcg (I believe I will be cutting a 5mcg pill in half) in addition to reducing my current Synthroid dosage to 100 mcg.

My question for those who tried combination therapy:

1. Should I take the Synthroid and Cytomel at the same time?
I read somewhere that it is best to take it twice a day. Should I therefore be cutting the half pills into halves?

2. If so, what is the best time in the pm to take it?

Also, if anyone can share their personal experience regarding Cytomel, I would really appreciate it.
If anything, this disease has taught me to take lead in my own treatment by advocating for myself through education. This forum is extremely helpful in accomplishing that.

MiTh

I had an RAI in late May 2013 and went to my endo and was put on Synthroid, which I didn’t do well with. I went to another doctor and they put me on Armour, which I love. I was started of on a low dose and then worked up to 90 mg daily, this was over about a month time frame. A couple weeks later, I started having severe joint pain, my hips, elbow area, and even down in my feet upon standing hurt. I couldn’t take it, so back to the doctor I go….now Cytomel 5 mcg half a pill a day. It was like magic! I feel fabulous, the pain went way by the next day. No brain fog, no more being tired. Thanks Cytomel for getting me out of bed.

Since late August after finishing a remodel on my son’s home to put it up for sale, which I felt terrible and I do mean terrible while perfuming this hug overtaking. I was still on Synthroid 100 mcg. I laid in bed everyday all day long and felt terrible. Went to endo late October and was put on 112 mcg. 2 days on this and I couldn’t even stand to hear any noise and pretty much felt like ending it all. Stop taking all Synthroid the next day. Call my other doctor who believes in natural med’s no synthetic and was put on Armour.

I know this is several months after your post, but hopefully, others will read this and it will provide them some insight on getting some relief. I’ve only been on Cytomel for a few weeks now and I haven’t lost any weight, which I wish I would, but Wow do I feel like me again finally! I go today to talk to doc about my weight. 2 years prior to being diagnosed with Graves Disease in 2013 to present I have put on 30 pounds and that part really sucks.

Hopes this helps someone, because Armour and Cytomel are AWESOME!!

Also, while on Synthroid I experienced slight hair loss and it is pretty cool to watch all the baby hair come in. I watch it come in around the hair line area. My dry skin is also getting better and my nails are turning chalky white not translucent like they had been for several years.

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: I chose RAI Treatment #1061710

Kimberly,

I have a question for you. I had RAI back in late March and now I have 2 doctors telling me different things. My endo wants me to remain on Synthroid and I keep gaining weight, so she ups my Synthroid from 100 mcg to 112 mcg and informs me that it will make me lose weight. I have another doctor that wants me to take Armour. So, I filled the prescription of Armour, but listened to my endo tell me Armour isn’t FDA approved and it makes your body work harder. This occurred on 10-30-2013 and on 10-31-2013 started taking the increased prescribed dosage. As of today I am experiencing anxiety, over the last several day experienced leg burning and leg swelling, and again additional weight gain. Oh, and severe depression and inability to get out of bed due to fatigue, which I’ve been experiencing for the last 3 years even prior to being diagnosed with Graves Disease.

I have a friend that I haven’t seen in years and ran into her about 1 month ago, she goes to the same doctor that prescribed me the Armour. She is no extremely thin and feeling wonderful, which she was a my current weight prior to starting Armor.

My sister used to take Armour and she began having heart palpitation and her cardio doc instructed her to stop the Armour.

So, I guess what are your thoughts? As of right now, there is no way after what I’m experiencing this depression and anxiety today I will continue with Synthroid.

Let me know what your thoughts are on these issue’s and again what your thoughts are on Synthroid vs Armour.

Thank you,
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Leg swelling #1179096

Kimberly,

Thank you so very much for your support. I am so happy that I found this forum. It is so helpful. My T3 currently is 6.0. I see the eye doctor on Wednesday and the Radiologist on Thursday this week for a consult for my RAI procedure. My Thyroglobulin came back positive and confirmed the scan. The antibodies were positive for GD.

Hopefully, the RAI will correct the high T3 level and the antibodies or however it works. Again, still extremely new to this.

I would love to talk to the board members. I haven’t notified the FAA, but plan on doing so after I have my consult on Thursday.

I would like to thank you again for the support and articles. I’ll start reading!

Sincerely,
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Meds: once a day? #1179218

Harpy – Just curious, do you feel the Paleo diet is helpful with managing GD? My niece is a strict Paleo eater. She tells me it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change and she swears it regulates your entire metabolism, emotions, weight, etc.

I have been thinking about making the lifestyle change and I guess if I knew it helped with GD I would definitely make the change.

Thanks!
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Leg swelling #1179094

Kimberly,

Thank you for your answer! I am truly scared and confused. My sister (middle sister) just told me yesterday that someone else she knew of had Graves Disease, but failed to tell me she know has cancer. Thanks to my other sister (oldest sister) I just found that part out and that really scared me. I love them both dearly and I know they are both very worried.

My oldest sister knew a lady with Graves and she is now deceased. My middle sister informed me today to be sure to research the RAI procedure because she just read that it can cause more problems with my eye issues. Three years ago I started having problems – dry eyes, torn corneas, etc. I’ve been on Restasis drops twice a day. So, needless to say now I’m extremely worried. I just got my medical back not to long ago and I used to fly airplanes commercially and do flight test now. My health and eye sight are extremely important to me. I guess they would be even if I didn’t want to fly.

Have you ever heard anything pertaining to RAI treatment affecting the eyes and creating additional or potential problems?

Thanks again for all your help and support!

I love this website.

Sincerely,
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Well, here goes! #1173626

Azgravesguy,

Sorry, that you aren’t sleeping well and I’m truly heart broken and ashamed of the women at your work.

I have over come many things in this life and I can say “I understand how it feels to be made fun of” Many years ago I had a airchair accident and was paralyzed from the waist down and was told I would never walk again. I left the hospital with a walker and had to sling my lower body (legs) in order to walk. I had to learn to support my body with my arms. Once I concurred the bars and the ability to perform this act, I was allowed to be released from the hospital.

Months later I began gaining feeling back in my upper quadrant of my right leg and progressed to walking with a cane. The doctor at the rehabilitation facility called me her “Miracle Girl”. My friends talked me into go out with them one evening to cheer me up and I will never forget how heart broken I was when the guys made fun of me for walking with a cane. I remember arriving there so proud that I was able to walk with a cane and how I couldn’t believe how someone else could destroy any self-esteem or confidence I had just regained. That is when this really good looking guy came over and asked me to dance and I thought he was being mean, when I realized he was being sincere and he bent over and helped me up from my chair and helped me to the dance floor and picked me up and set my feet upon the top of his and danced me around the floor. I felt like a princess and I know in my heart that the creeps that made me feel heart broken felt bad for their actions.

Morale to this story is no matter how shallow some people are there will be someone out there to make up for hurting you. So, AzGravesGuy you hold your head up high and you look at your self in the mirror and tell yourself how handsome you are every day. Because, if you tell yourself this enough times you will believe it and you will become a better person inside and love yourself for who you are.

Thanks for sharing when you couldn’t sleep!

Sincerely,
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Well, here goes! #1173620

AzGravesGuy….Wow, I have read all your post this evening. Diagnosed with this lovely disease today and waiting on RAI to be scheduled. Sorry, to hear that the RAI didn’t completely work. I was so excited seeing the progress you made and all the weight you lost.

I hope my RAI works and I loose the weight and feel good like you did for all those months.

Just curious, since you’re hyper again, has any of your weight that you have lost came back?

Thanks for sharing! You truly have missed your calling, you should have pursued a career in writing. I would have read all your books!

Let me know about the weight gain, if you wouldn’t mind. I hope your TT goes well when you have it.

Sincerely,
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Am I the only one who is Hyper and have gained weight #1179036

You are not the only one who has gained weight with Graves disease. I have put on 35 pounds. I have yoyo’d up and down, but always end up around gaining a grand whopping total of 35 pounds. March 22, 2013 I was 15 pounds lighter from extreme dieting and stopped due to heart palpitations and tachycardia and put 15 pounds right back on.

It is heart breaking to work for 4 1/2 months to loose 18 pounds and put it right back on when stopping the diet. It is just not fair. I wish I was like everyone else and have lost weight. I always do the exact opposite of everyone else.

Darn!

Hopefully, the RAI will correct this yoyo effect.

Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Another “I can’t take it anymore” thread :( #1179056

Sue,

I’m new to all of this, just diagnosed today with this lovely disease. I went to my cardiologist due to severe tachycardia, heart palpitations, heart stopping, etc. and he put me on a beta blocker. The beta blocker caused me to be severely depressed and to feel so hopeless. I was only on the beta blocker for 5 days and now I’m am off. I’m happy again and my heart feels like it is going to pound out of my chest.

All I can say is I’m no expert and I’m extremely new to all of this, but I think I could have possibly ended this wonderful precious life if I would have continued the beta blocker and I was so extremely exhausted also. Hopefully, the RAI when ever my doctor schedules me will help with the heart issues.

Cheer up and just a suggestion maybe see if you have to take the beta blocker. I am very happy again, other than feeling yucky…the exhaustion.

Do you know if this disease can make your liver enzymes to be very high? Both ALT and AST are high. I’m not sure if this has any impact on the liver. I have never taken any thyroid meds.

Cheer Up!
Donna

[donnabgraves]

in reply to: Leg swelling #1179092

I also have leg swelling and have gained 35 pounds over the last 2 years. I was just diagnosed with Graves disease today. I know my Dr. wants to do RAI.

Will I feel better and possibly loose weight after this procedure is performed? More importantly, does the heart palpitations and tachycardia end and the hopeless feeling of extreme fatigue go away?

Thanks for anyone input.

Donna

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