Iritu1021
Breaking Through The Fog
- Messages
- 586
So you now only use T4?
Yes, I now take 100 mcg of levothyroxine. I had to start at tiny doses and it wasn't pleasant at first. I don't think I was able to tolerate T4 at all prior to taking lithium. Although I suspect that if I was started on T4 instead of Armour in the first place, it could have been a very different story for me. But in my experience, once you've been on T3, it becomes extremely difficult to switch to T4. Which is why I now recommend that nobody should start with T3 and NDT unless they failed a trial of T4 first.
According to Dr. Phelps who has a site about bipolar 2, T4 has a mood stabilizing effect while T3 has mood destabilizing effect. (I think for me this destabilizing effect extends not just to mood but also to the parts of limbic system that control autonomic regulation). Phelps writes that he only uses T3 for treating unipolar depression and T4 if he suspects bipolarity. Although I guess taking a small dose of T3 along with lithium or other mood stabilizing agent might be fine too.
I should also note that vast majority of people with bipolar 2 are not aware that they have it. The hypomanias in bipolar 2 usually manifest only as enhanced intelligence, drive and creativity and may disappear completely in the later stages of illness. It can also manifest with "mixed hypomanic state" which is just overstimulation and anxiety.
POTS was a much bigger issue for me when I used high doses of Armour (especially sublingually, which might have something to do with calcitonin in NDT).
Last edited: