Posted by twinleaf on July 2, 2007, at 2:05:10
In reply to Re: Any experience with adding thyroid to an SSRI » Jenn_SD, posted by Phillipa on July 1, 2007, at 20:56:52
Before treatment, I had a TSH of 5- not very high, but over the normal limit of 3.5. At first, I took just synthroid (T4), which brought the TSH down, but didn't help my depression (not that I expected it to). Then I read an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, saying that Cytomel (T3) is actually what one's body turns T4 into- and that it could help with depression. That article also said that some people efficiently turn T4 into T3, and some do not. I brought the article to my endocrinologist, who knew nothing about it (!), but was willing to give it a try. For several years, I took both T4 and T3, but gradually we have switched entirely to T3- for me, it's 5 mcg. three times a day. It has a half-life in your body of about a day and a half, but an "active life" of only about three-four hours. It has definitely helped with the depression. My TSH is about 1, and the T4 and T3 within normal limits. I haven't noticed any increase in anxiety at those dosages. It has helped get my weight back to normal- after 50 pound increases with SSRIs and Zyprexa, I now weigh what I did at age 20, without any particular dieting on my part. I think it is really an excellent help with mood disorders- and probably could be used by many people. The only side effect I know of is bone-thinning. I have a DEXA scan every year or two, and, although I have a slight degree of osteopenia, it's not getting worse (I take calcium and walk a lot).
poster:twinleaf
thread:766651
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070630/msgs/767125.html