Tirosint, what are you doing to me?

[librarygirl2]

I have been on Tirosint since November but I could not last longer than 10 days in a row on it.  Why? Because it gave me the following side effects:

- Intense sleepiness after taking it
- Hair falling out everywhere I go like it's supposed to be a sweater
- Anxiousness
- Heart beating rapidly
- Sweats and increased body odor
- Buzzing inside body like being really wired
- Teeth pain and dry mouth
- Anger issues
- Muscle pain
- No period

I was taking 50 mcg after being switched over from Synthroid 50 mcg. Not sure why my body reacts so weird to it but I couldn't even take it long enough  (6 weeks) to get a TSH, FT3, and FT4 test.   The sleeps and the hair loss was too much to deal with.

Anyone else have reviews with Tirosint?  I really was hoping that it would work for me but it was not the miracle treatment at all.

Thanks!

Can anybody else

[Barb135]

Yes, I "can" shed some light on the situation... Your thyroid hormone levels are too low, indicating a need for an increase in the Tirosint.

Rule of thumb (where most of us feel best) is for Free T4 to be at/about the mid range point (50%); yours is only at 30%.  

Additionally, your doctor is ordering Total T3, which is obsolete and of little value, since most of the TT3 in your blood is bound by protein and can't be used.  You should ask for Free T3, which is the unbound portion and is the actual hormone that's used by every individual cell in your body.  That said, your Total T3 is only at 17% of its range... of that, approximately 90-95% will be bound by protein so there's only a very small amount left for your body to use.  Rule of thumb for Free T3 is upper half to upper third of its range... We don't know what yours is, but we can assume that it's nowhere near even mid range...

This indicates that you probably aren't converting Free T4 to Free T3 and may need to add a T3 component such as cytomel, but in order to determine that, you'd need to get your FT4 up to the mid range point, then see if FT3 tracks it up, which can sometimes take a while.

Symptoms tend to correlate best, which is probably why you're having so much hair loss - your FT3 is too low... insist that it be tested, along with TSH and FT4, next time you have labs.

Your ferritin is too low in the range.  Ferritin should be about 70.  Your iron is also rather low in the range, as is your % saturation.  These all indicate that you could use an iron supplement.  You can talk to your doctor, but he might tell those levels are good enough... adequate iron is necessary for proper metabolism of thyroid hormones.  Look for an iron supplement that's non-constipating.

[Ongie1975]

Hi Barb135,

I ran some labs by you a while back. I was wondering what your thoughts were based on my new numbers. My hair has not stopped falling out since the beginning of June 2015. I was instructed to start Rogaine because my hair situation is increasingly getting worse. I actually feel pretty good on the Tirosint 25mcg but need my hair to stop falling out. If you can shed some light on my situation I would be so grateful.

TSH, 3rd Generation 1.04 range (.40-4.50)
T4 Free 1.1 range (0.8-1.8)
T3 Total 94 range (76-181)

Iron Total 99 range (40-190 mcg)
Ferritin 33 range (10-154 ng/ml)
%Saturation 33 range (11-50%) calc
Iron binding capacity 377 range (250-450 mcg)

[LeeAnn74]

I think it is sad that these doctors just want us to "take a pill" no one is focusing on this epidemic going on. I have read more people suffer from thyroid problems than heart disease and diabetes, yet we are pretty much ignored. Maybe we need to take this to Washington and have it recognized......there definitely needs to be more research about this autoimmune disease. A doctor with real compassion is what we need. It is so sad there are very few left out there. My doctor really doesn't listen to me. She wants me on Synthroid...I have did ok on it but what does it hurt for me to find out what else may be out there and may work better. I have asked to change to Tirosint. I am on day 2. No changes yet. I have noticed exercise, water, better eating, kosher salt and coconut oil in my cooking and a supplement also help very much.

[Barb135]

Yeah, yo\ur ferritin is way too low, as are your iron levels.

She's really right about retesting later, because you haven't been on the Tirosint quite long enough for it reach full potential - only, at this point, she could do it in 4 weeks instead of 6.  25 mcg isn't very much.

The iron increase might help... Be sure you get plenty of vitamin C with that because vitamin C is necessary to adequate iron absorption.

[Ongie1975]

My new endo wants me to stay on my current dose of 25 mcg of Tirosent. I'm getting retested in 6 weeks to reevaluate. I'm not quite at the 4 week mark so she is hesitant to make any changes at this point. Yes, she tested my ferritin and iron last week too. Here are the results:

Iron Total 78 range (40-190 mcg)
Ferritin 17 range (10-154 ng/ml)
%Saturation 22 range (11-50%) calc
Iron binding capacity 357 range (250-450 mcg)

She increased my iron to 354 mg but I've been on 150 corvita for 1.5 years. I'm assuming it just not enough. I take a biotin supplement for the past 6 months. Along with evening primrose and Vivisal for my hair.

[Barb135]

Both your FT3 and FT4 are still too low in the ranges...Most of find that we need FT4 to be at least mid range (50%) and yours is only at 40%.  Most of us also find that we need FT3 in the upper half to upper third of its range; yours is only at 42%.  You have a ways to go with both of those.

Did your new endo suggest increasing your dosage, based on those labs?  If not, s/he's probably not the right one.  

Also, have you had ferritin tested?  Ferritin is the iron storage hormone and low iron stores can cause hair loss, as can low biotin levels.  You might talk to your doctor about getting those tested.