[spoiltmom]

I have had hypothyroidism and depression since I was 16. I only take Synthroid for my thyroid. I've gone through MANY anti depressants and nothing seems to work all that well. Yesterday I came across a girls blog, she has hypothyroid and bipolar. She takes T3 for her thyroid and says it helps with her depression. Now I'm curious and wondering if that would help me and if I could get my doc to order labwork to check my T3 levels. My Psych doc is adamant that we do all we can for my thyroid since it can cause depression so maybe this would help. Any thoughts or experience with this?

[Travelinglady]

I take a thyroid pill for low thyroid, but I don't know about T3. Can you contact another doc about this situation and see what is suggested?

[-jimi-]

T3 is the normal lab stuff you get for hypothyroid. They give you T4 and measure T3. T4 is basically never measured.

Nature works like this; thyroid produces T4 and T3. Then some of the T4 is also converted to T3. When you get T4 as a treatment, you rely on your body to readily convert it to T3 without problems.

In the past, people were treated with natural thyroid that had T3, T4 and even more stuff. Now they are given pure T4 and MANY don't do well with this. Some need a tad of cytomel (T3) but it is basically almost never given. Why? I guess it's too much of a hassle to figure out the proportions needed, better let the patient suffer.

Usually with T4, you only get partial remission from hypothyroid. Some do well on it, but actually most don't get the full health back. The absolute most common is that people on T4 only cannot lose extra weight. But also, those who suffer more, can have an even more incomplete remission with loss of energy and yea, depression.

When I started on T4 my life turned around. I got much less depressed and I got energy back! But as time passed, I'm losing that and getting back to the old stuff. But I can't complain about it because these days my labs are fine. Before, when I started feeling crappy, I had high TSH and they added more meds and I got better. Now my T3 and TSH are perfect and I still feel hypothyroid. My skin and hair is crap too.

In the past before fancy tests, people were tested in two ways if they had enough supplementation. They needed a normal body temp and a normal pulse rate. A too low pulse rate and low BP and they got more meds. These days, when they do blood work, they treat your numbers. Which means you can be undertreated and they still won't give you more meds. You know you are undertread if you have a very low core temp and very slow pulse rate (resting). But they won't know it because they only believe in their numbers.

It helps some people a lot to get T3. Some of course it doesn't help, it depends on the type of problem they have. But if you fail to go into remission I think T3 should always be offered, and it's NOT.

These days, treating thyroid illness might be more exact, but the patients FEEL worse compared to in the past. So it's sad that we took a step backwards and no one dares fixing what is wrong with the current view.

Also there are a lot of things they don't tell you, like rationing your iodine if your hypo is autoimmune, or that supplementing with selenium is a good thing. Also old knowledge lost to the brave new world.

[ECHOES]

If you aren't already, you may wish to consult an endocrinologist for your thyroid treatment.

Another thing is that the 'normal' range for TSH has shifted, and the range is much lower for women than men. It's a good idea to get your results and to know at what TSH level you feel best.

[spoiltmom]

Good post Jimrat! My family doc only tests me twice a year and all she draws is T4 and Tehran. She doesn't check anything else. My family doc is trying really hard to help me with my depression though so I may make an appointment to speak with her about this and see if she is willing to refer me to an endocrinologists for treatment.

[Travelinglady]

All I know is that during a yearly blood work check, my thyroid checked low, and I was prescribed Levothyroxine. Then a later test showed I needed more of it, so I now take 50 MCG a day. Is that good?

I have bipolar and was feeling really tired. I take Wellbutrin, which was doubled at some point. I am able to lose some weight and haven't noticed any particular signs associated with low thyroid levels. I'm not feeling as tired as I once was.

[ECHOES]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyp...-and-diagnosis

http://www.synthroid.com/Hypothyroidism/TSHTest.aspx

http://thyroid.about.com/od/thyroidb.../confusion.htm
From this link:

A major hitch in this connection of TSH to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism is an ongoing disagreement in the medical world. As of 2008, at most labs in the U.S., the normal reference range is approximately 0.5 to 5.0. So levels below 0.5 are considered possible evidence of hyperthyroidism, and levels above 5.0 would be considered possible evidence of hypothyroidism. There is, however, an ongoing, five-year dispute among thyroid experts, because as of late 2002, some endocrinologists believed that the range should be narrowed significantly, to 0.3 to 3.0. Endocrinologists have not yet reached agreement about a standardized normal reference range for the TSH thyroid test, despite the fact that they consider this test the gold standard test to use in diagnosing and treating many thyroid problems.

I know that I feel much better when my TSH is close to .3. I currently take 125 mcg of levothyroxine.

[-jimi-]

I really need to check where I'm at. I know I was within limit with my TSH, but I don't think it's anywhere near 3. I had to read up where my country stands on this, and seems like they are still discussing it. Oftentimes they don't even tell people here, I had to always order out my charts to know where I'm at. They answer me "It's normal" and if I ever ask about numbers they look at me like I'm insane. I think pushing down the limit here for what is normal is a good thing. I hope they decide here that is what they need to do. I don't even think we have endocrinologists...

[Perna]

I would not measure myself against another person and what they are doing but would work with my doctors and their periodic blood tests of my condition.

Medications. A number of medications can contribute to hypothyroidism. One such medication is lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric disorders. If you're taking medication, ask your doctor about its effect on your thyroid gland.

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyp...SECTION=causes

Lithium is often prescribed for bipolar conditions, which you said this other woman had. It sounds like your psychiatrist is paying attention and you can trust him to prescribe for you and well as he can; but do ask him your medical questions, tell him about what you have read and what you know about yourself, etc.