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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ddev99 on April 13, 2004, at 23:49:39
Hello all,
I've been reading some old posts by people with experience and seeming expertise in using T3 and/or T4 for depression (Pfinstegg, are you still out there??). Having lost my health insurance a year ago, I'm on my own now in dealing with my depression. While I don't feel a tremendous loss here, as no doc has ever successfully treated me, I am rather nervous about trying thyroid hormone "without a net," as this is entirely new territory to me and I have no access to the testing protocals.
However, I'm desperate enough to try some of this T3.
I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone willing to lend their experience, advice and expertise to me as I contemplate this next move.
Thank you all very much for all of your valuable contributions. --ddev
Posted by Bill LL on April 14, 2004, at 12:16:49
In reply to T3 for Depression, posted by ddev99 on April 13, 2004, at 23:49:39
I have read posts where psychiatrists have discussed experiences with their patients.
They felt that T3 can only help sometimes with depression if taken with an antidepressant, not by itself.
Also, the blood has to be monitored. Otherwise, too much T3 (or T4) can lead to osteoporosis later in life.
If your TSH blood level is abnormal, then either T4, or a combination of T4 and T3 is used. If it is normal (and you are on an antidepressant), then T3 can be tried (but only with blood monitoring).
Please note that many docs refuse to treat euthyroid (ie normal TSH) patients with either T3 or T4. Psychiatrists are more likely to try this.
Posted by noa on April 14, 2004, at 13:02:19
In reply to T3 for Depression, posted by ddev99 on April 13, 2004, at 23:49:39
I think that you need to get some thyroid tests before you go the route of using thyroid hormone to treat depression.
I myself am not aware of people being treated with T3 alone for depression.
If you have hypothyroidism, thyroid treatment could help at least some of your symptoms. This might be with T4, or with a combo of T4 and T3, depending on your thyroid needs.
There has been discussion of people whose depression is treated with antidepressants, and augmented with T3 to help boost the effectiveness of the AD meds.
Keep in mind that T3 can cause heart palpitations in some people. It is best to split the dose (ie dosing twice a day at half strength) to make it more even.
I'm going to refer you to Mary Shomon's site at about.com, which is a great resource.
main page: http://thyroid.about.com
--the basic overview: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/thyroid101.htm
--Hypothyroid symptom checklist:
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm--key tests and result ranges.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/newsinfo/l/bltest_values.htm--more about interpreting tests:
http://thyroid.about.com/library/howto/htthyroid-test.htm--an article about thyroid test interpretation:
http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthy.net%2Fhwlibraryjournals%2Fnaturopathic%2Fvol1no1%2Fthyroid.htmAlso--here is the link to Dr. Bob's Psychopharmacology Tips page, where pdocs discussed thyroid and depression--
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Thyroid-replacement.html
Posted by ddev99 on April 14, 2004, at 14:39:42
In reply to Re: T3 for Depression » ddev99, posted by noa on April 14, 2004, at 13:02:19
Thank you for your posts.
I do have some Lexapro which I tried to ramp up on a while back, but it was making me feel awful. Maybe with the T3? Should I start them together?
Posted by noa on April 14, 2004, at 16:06:34
In reply to Re: T3 for Depression, posted by ddev99 on April 14, 2004, at 14:39:42
>Thank you for your posts.
I do have some Lexapro which I tried to ramp up on a while back, but it was making me feel awful. Maybe with the T3? Should I start them together?
I don't know. Talk to your psycyhiatrist. If Lexapro made you feel awful, it's possible it isn't the med for you. OTOH, there might be initial SEs that wear off--I am not familiar with Lexapro, so maybe you can look at some of those threads.I don't know about starting thyroid meds at the same time as ADs. It really depends on what you find out when you get your thyroid checked out thoroughly.
See an endocrinologist and talk to your prescribing psychiatrist.
Posted by T_R_D on April 14, 2004, at 16:17:42
In reply to T3 for Depression, posted by ddev99 on April 13, 2004, at 23:49:39
I took T3 for quite some time to augment Effexor. I can't really say whether it helped me or not as at the time I was misdiagnosed as unipolar (I/m actually BPII.) I would be willing to wager that it didn't help me but it's not an unheard of therapy. But I do concur with others here...doubtful that it will do anything on its own.
This is the end of the thread.
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