thisAngelBites

Look Fadi, no one can answer this for you, because no one knows. No one would study this, because when most people find themselves hyperthyroid they treat it – not leave it. When people are hypothyroid and on thyroid replacement, doctors check it a few times a year to make sure the levels are not too high, and if they are, they lower the dose. And all these things will be variable from person to person where one dose that causes a problem in one person might be well tolerated by someone else, and you have no way of knowing what causes the difference in the responses, and which one you are more like.

I think Jimmy and I probably agree that if you know you are in good health, and run it at reasonable levels, you will probably be okay. If you use it for years and keep raising doses to counteract weight gain due to a crappy diet etc., that’s probably raising the risk. I understand you are concerned and want some definitive information, but I just don’t think it exists.

If you choose to take it, educate yourself about the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and go slowly and watch carefully, and you can check your blood levels, watch your blood pressure and pulse, etc. I think that is as careful and responsible as you can be apart from not using it. Sorry that’s the best I can tell you.

I’m sure the doc is being conservative, because no one can make definitive statements about what will or will not be 100% safe for any individual.

Using cytomel means you are, in effect, causing yourself to be (temporarily) hyperthyroid, which is a way of keeping your body running extra fast. In the short term, it’s not a super serious thing for someone healthy and the side effects reverse when you stop taking it. In the long term, depending on how hyperthyroid you become, you can suffer long term risks of hyperthyroidism, because you will be, in fact, the same as a long term, untreated hyperthryroid case.

Hyperthryoidism causes your pulse to be raised and your heart to work harder. If this carries on at a sufficient level for a sufficient time you may develop heart beat abnormalities (arrthymias, atrial fibrillation) and your heart cavities may dilate, which causes the heart muscle to thin. Your blood pressure might increase, and you may have a heart attack. No one can say what the amount for what duration would cause problems for you – the lower the amount you use, and for the shorter duration, the less the risks would be, and the opposite for higher doses for longer durations.

I’m conservative about this stuff, and I think if anyone takes anything with risks (I do – and let’s face it, anything that has an effect has a risk) one should go in with eyes wide open, rather than relying on comforting statements about safety. Older people with undiagnosed heart problems, or family histories of difficulties might be in a different situation than younger people with no such problems, and of course people like your doctor will have seen the worst case scenarios.