Cytomel and shortness of breath on exertion?

[Meanbeannyc]

Anyone have this? Any remedies?

My FT3 is not over range. My tsh is not suppressed. Why am I having this reaction?

[Yeswithasmile]

On your post 18 days ago your t3 was under range wasn’t it? I would imagine that is your problem. If you have raised your t3 you need longer than 18 days to stabilise. I would at any rate.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

I had taken cytomel in the past and had the same reaction, that’s why it was stopped. I reintroduced it and having the same reaction again.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

I get like an air hunger when raising levo and t3. I get palpations too. It normally starts 2 weeks in and then will last for a couple of weeks. Do you think this could be the sort of thing you’re getting?

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

This is shortness of breath on exertion.If I work out or run up the stairs etc. I cannot workout or do anything active without having severe shortness of breath. When I stopped the cytomel the first time it stopped. Now I reintroduced it and it’s back.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Personally, i would give it time. I get the air hunger but that does copy across to exertion. I would be out of breath doing anything energetic too. That is simply my experience but I think you’ll find others get it too.

I know it’s worrying but I know when it happens to me it does pass.

How much did you up your dose by? Or did you just change brands?

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

I just added cytomel to my current dose of T4.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Yes but how much did you add?

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

5. But they want me to go to 10.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

I find t3 difficult to take. It peaks and troughs. So for me I would get your symptoms. Assuming you’ve added it for around 2 weeks now I would expect it to last, off and on, for another two weeks.

I would however draw your attention to Slowdragons post. Have you had your vitamins tested?

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

What do you take currently?

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

I was taking 25mcg t3 but dropped back to 18. mcg. I have noticed the drop too. I find t3 raises my heart rate and I notice that happens between doses sometimes too. I have been taking t3 all year and would say that it hasn’t been easy for me and has required stamina at times. I think my reaction has been made worse by not having vitamins etc higher. Hence Slowdragons post.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Hmmm interesting. May I ask your reason for hypothyroidism? And your current T4 dose?

[Yeswithasmile in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Autoimmune. I take 125mcg levo. I started at 75/5 early this year and have worked up to current dose.

[Batty1 in reply to Meanbeannyc]

I have this too sometimes and Im also on T4/T3 along with horrendous muscle fatigue doing the simplest task …I feel like my body is under attack.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Batty1]

Are you overmedicated?

[Batty1 in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Definitely not over medicated.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Batty1]

Same. Idk what to do

[PandoraXX in reply to Yeswithasmile]

I'm having the same symptoms after taking cytomel for 3 weeks (thyroid removed due to cancer 15 years ago). Out of breath during exertion (and I do routine intensive exercise and am in good shape). I feel as if my heart is beating 100 m/hour but I have a Fitbit which shows it as normal. Feel more anxious and have trouble sleeping. Despite all this, my numbers all came back normal today. Is it possible these are temporary symptoms? (not sure if I should wait to see doctor)

[Yeswithasmile in reply to PandoraXX]

Pandora, do you know what your results were? What the doctors perceive as normal isn’t necessarily what is optimal for the sufferer. It’s difficult to say if what your experiencing is temporary and because it’s only 3 weeks…. it could well be your body getting used to it but it could also be under/over medicated symptoms.

I notice you’ve only just joined the forum and my advice would be to post with your latest results and medication amounts. Others will be able to give you some help then.

I’m assuming that your journey is a recent one and I can tell you that it can take a while to find your optimal dose. T3 is rarely straightforward and I imagine your doctor dropped your t4 dose when you were prescribed t3?

[PandoraXX in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Hi Yeswithasmile - Thanks for the reply. Yes, my doctor put me on the T3 one month ago after my TSH levels were discovered to be unusually high. For thyroid cancer patients, it's important that TSH levels remain suppressed. He said that the TSH levels rose because my body wasn't converting T4 to T3. So now my TSH levels are way down, which is good, but I have many of the symptoms of being hyper. I was actually feeling quite fine before the T3 infusion. Only positive side, I dropped a few pounds (I have had trouble keeping weight off despite good diet and exercise - but I think this is mostly due to menopause).

Test results

[Yeswithasmile in reply to PandoraXX]

There’s no ranges Pandora. Do you have them?

[Yeswithasmile in reply to PandoraXX]

I would very much encourage you to do your own new post for others to see. There are many experienced people on this forum who will be able to help. They will be less likely to see our conversation as this is an old post.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to PandoraXX]

I have tried to convert your tests results to get some idea but I’m useless at it I’m afraid. It looks to me that your ft4 is rubbish and your tsh isnt surpressed but I am probably way off so the ranges on your new post would be great.

[PandoraXX in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Ah, thanks for trying. I have to click on another key to get the 'normal ranges' for each- but these are all within normal, according to the lab. I believe you're correct about the TSH not being suppressed - but it's definitely on its way down compared to what it was before. But yes, I will create a separate post - good idea.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to PandoraXX]

I was told ‘all normal’ for 20 years when they weren’t. Then undermedicated on levo alone for another 5 years because I was ‘all normal’. I wasn’t. I now get t3 prescribed by the nhs. I am just one story. Everyone on here has theirs and that’s why we are here. Click on the other tab and get the ranges 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Low iron/ferritin frequently results in breathlessness

What’s your diet like

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Low FT3 likely to cause low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels results in low FT3

Too much changing dose is hopeless too

Essential to stay on unchanging dose minimum 6-8 weeks before testing

Always test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything apart from water and last dose Levothyroxine 24 hours before test

On T3 divide dose in 3 day before test and take last 1/3rd approx 8-12 hours before test

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

Hey SlowDragon ..

Ferritin: 46 (8-252)

B12: 555 (211-911)

Diet is … normal I guess. Not vegan or vegetarian.

Currently on Vit D, but it makes me sick so I stop and start and stop and start again.

Me and current endo discussed vitamin D injections to see if that will help with the nausea.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Meanbeannyc]

So ferritin is very low

You need full iron panel test for anaemia

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

Last time I had an iron panel done. All was good. It’s just the ferritin that’s slightly low.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Ferritin at least at 70 minimum and nearer 100 better

Eating red meat, liver once a week, other iron rich foods and daily vitamin C

Vitamin D needs to be optimal too

Low vitamin levels suggests under medicated for thyroid

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

Idk how else to raise ferritin aside from my diet

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Meanbeannyc]

How long ago was iron panel test

Please add results and ranges

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

It was a loooong time ago

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Meanbeannyc]

So recommend getting tested before considering iron supplements

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

Is there a supplement for ferritin only? Would you know?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Meanbeannyc]

No

Ferritin is stored iron

Reread humanbean excellent replies on why it’s essential to test full iron panel

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

I have labs tomorrow for something else, I’ll have them add on an iron panel. A ferritin is already ordered.

[humanbean in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Ferritin: 46 (8-252) 15.6% of the way through the range

B12: 555 (211-911) 49% of the way through the range

Your ferritin (iron stores) is diabolical. Personally I would want mine to be around 50% - 60% of the way through the range which would bring it up to 130 - 155.

The problem with taking iron supplements based on only a ferritin result is that your serum iron result could be okay, and taking lots more iron might raise it above range, and having loads of iron in the blood or loads of ferritin can make people ill because iron is poisonous in overdose.

Ferritin and iron can both be low, both be high, or one could be high the other could be low, and different patterns of results can indicate different things about out health.

As for your B12, it isn't brilliant but then it isn't awful either. Personally, I try to keep my own around top of range up to about 1000.

Low iron can lead to anaemia. But low iron needs to be addressed even if the patient isn't anaemic. And low iron can make people breathless.

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

I forgot to say... Ferritin is raised with iron supplements and there are lots different types to choose from with varying amounts of iron in.

You might find this reply of interest that I wrote for another member. It was written with the UK market in mind, but iron supplements are available without prescription in the US. I know that because I've seen them on US Amazon.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

As for the problems that might arise when taking iron supplements inappropriately, this post might help :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...