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Just found that my endocrinologist hasn't been testing my T3 total. In Oct. another doctor said was only 58 and it dropped 11 to 47 since then. I'm an ex patient of Dr. Atkins, the only Dr. who ever helped me. I have maintained for about a year now about a 100 lb. weight loss (which I could loose only by eating low carb, very low calorie, and low fat too), and this maintenance for me is a record, as in the past, I've always gained back weight that I lost.

The problem now is that I'm longing to eat all the time, and I'm chronically tired and depressed, and dealing with debilitating brain fog. I'm 66. The low and getting lower T3 is running parallel to my worsening synmtoms. I'm usually in ketosis but honestly I do binge between my strong efforts to loose.

Dr. Atkins (years ago) used to constantly playing with my thyroid, much of it revolving around cytomel and Proloid. I did very well then. My current endo. doctor is much more conservative and has had me on 175 mcg. of synthroid for a long time. However, after my recent complaints, he lowered the synthroid to 150 and added 5 mg. of cytomel. It's only been 2 days, but I have noticed an improvement in my concentration and a much needed smidgen of depression lift.

I'm still worried, though, knowing that the cytomel might put me at risk because of my age.

I seem to get a little endurance and flexibility from all the exercise that I try to do, but my muscles seem to grow increasingly weak in spite of my low total T3.

If I gain this weight back I will have no self respect, and honestly, I don't think that even my body could take it again.

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What part of the country do you live in? What other medical issues do you have and what other meds are you taking? Did you go LOW FAT because you were medically advised to do this, or did you do this on your own? Anyone doing lowcarb AND lowfat is headed for a crash. I think you are correctly "feeling" that you cannot sustain this, and you are right, imo. Good fat intake is ESSENTIAL for hormone production and endocrine health, for the regulation of multiple systems. You need to be working with a provider who can help you, which is why I ask about where you are located. – Atkins-witha-loincloth Mar 1 2012 at 23:22
Additionally, if there is no provider who can ably help you in the larger/comprehensive way you need (not just thyroid!) then there are providers who will do long distance consults that we can recommend to you. – Atkins-witha-loincloth Mar 1 2012 at 23:24
Recommended reading for you:chriskresser.com/thyroid – Atkins-witha-loincloth Mar 2 2012 at 5:50
Chris Kresser will also do consults via Skype. Check out his site for info, should you be interested. – Atkins-witha-loincloth Mar 2 2012 at 5:51

3 Answers

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I went through this.

Get off Synthroid as fast as you can! Get a new endo.

This is your key to health.

Ask any follow up questions you want... Synthroid ruined my leptin resistance and metabolism worse than it was before. I switched drs and got it sorted out.

You can not get health sorted out properly on Synthroid.

BTW-I switched to a so-called bio-identical T3 that comes from a dispensary, not pill with a brand name.

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I take synthroid and it has been a lifesaver; depression, fog and lethargy disappeared after starting it.

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Give it time. I felt the intial "boost" in the beginning. Sythroid is a synthetic T4 thyroid replacement. I think people can have good experience with it if they are a simple case of a mildy poor fucntioned thyroid. Sythroid is why the site stopthethyroidmadness.com was started. After a few years on Synthroid, I was heavier, more messed up, and leptin resitance shot to hell. – DFH Mar 1 2012 at 15:53
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I hope you get a chance to listen to Dr. Cate at Paleo Summit. If not check her blog or podcast on Jimmy Moore's new experts series. She explains a lot of what leads to reverse T3 levels.

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