Synthroid AND Cytomel for cancer survivors?

I felt great on cytomel and know younger people who take it for thyroid problems.  I turned 58 yesterday and would rather have thin bones than depression and exhaustion.  Explaining this to endocrinologists is a no win.  I have been following blogs of thyroid patients who are taking synthroid and cytomel.  Their lives have returned to normal.  Saw my endocrinologist last week and asked to be changed to this protocol.  He told me it is not AMA approved.  Looking for a new endo.  I have great bone density due to a calcium rich diet (greens) and should be able to make a choice.

Man, I am starting to realize just how lucky I am.  I'm new to this board.  I was searching for info about Cytomel and Synthroid because my doctor prescribed adding Cytomel to my Synthroid, and I didn't really know what it was.  I had a total thyroidectomy in 1985, and have been on Synthroid ever since.  Around the start of this year, my TSH took a nose-dive to almost non-existant, so my doctor lowered my Synthroid from 225 to 200.  When he re-checked my levels, it hadn't done enough, so he lowered me to 175.  I went way the other way to hypo, feeling hugely lethargic & bloated & gaining 8 pounds in 2 weeks.   Blood work confirmed I'd gone hypo.  But instead of re-raising my Synthroid, he added 5 mcg of Cytomel twice a day.  I'm definitely feeling better, although I still haven't lost the damned 8 pounds.  I go back on Friday for more testing.

 But it was his suggestion, I didn't even know what Cytomel was.  Considering all the people who have posted here about how resistant their endos are to Cytomel, I feel very lucky, indeed that my doctor is forward-thinking enough to go with this.  I wonder if the fact that he's a D.O. has anything to do with that?

Sayhello

 

On 8/17/2009 sayhello wrote:

Man, I am starting to realize just how lucky I am.  I'm new to this board.  I was searching for info about Cytomel and Synthroid because my doctor prescribed adding Cytomel to my Synthroid, and I didn't really know what it was.  I had a total thyroidectomy in 1985, and have been on Synthroid ever since.  Around the start of this year, my TSH took a nose-dive to almost non-existant, so my doctor lowered my Synthroid from 225 to 200.  When he re-checked my levels, it hadn't done enough, so he lowered me to 175.  I went way the other way to hypo, feeling hugely lethargic & bloated & gaining 8 pounds in 2 weeks.   Blood work confirmed I'd gone hypo.  But instead of re-raising my Synthroid, he added 5 mcg of Cytomel twice a day.  I'm definitely feeling better, although I still haven't lost the damned 8 pounds.  I go back on Friday for more testing.

 But it was his suggestion, I didn't even know what Cytomel was.  Considering all the people who have posted here about how resistant their endos are to Cytomel, I feel very lucky, indeed that my doctor is forward-thinking enough to go with this.  I wonder if the fact that he's a D.O. has anything to do with that?

Sayhello

I have been on Levoxyl for 7 years now (had thyroidectomy and Radioactive iodine treatment at age 24).  My TSH levels started to become very suppressed, they currently are .007.  My endo slowly started to lower my dosage from 150 down to 100, I have gained about 15 pounds, am tired all the time, having difficulty sleeping at night and feel agitated alot.  My current labs show that my free T3 is low, T4 is normal.  So my doctor has put me on cytomel.  Started with 5 mcg 1x per day, now just started 10mcg 2x/day.  I feel short of breath somewhat and am wondering if these symptoms will just take some time to go away.  My doctor does not seem too concerned about my bone health with taking the cytomel.  Any one with similar experinece?