Hi,

I really hope someone can give me some advice.

My doctor prescribed Cytomel 25 mcg once daily, for symptoms she presumed to be "depression": fuzzy slow thinking, lack of motivation, trouble concentrating, lack of interest and enjoyment, and confused, blunted and distressed emotions. I can't read or focus on hobbies. I can't work.

I started the Cytomel about a week ago, and for 2 or 3 days felt *great* cognitively. I felt sharp, like I had a vocabulary again, I could visualize better, and I was thinking in complete sentences. My thinking went from like a 3/10 to a 7 or 8. Emotionally, I felt less confused, though I was still somewhat sad, and felt a strong sense of frustration. I developed a lot of energy (maybe almost a bit too much?), had "get up and go", and could do tasks without having to think through them laboriously.

Then, a couple days after starting it, the effects stopped. I feel fuzzy and stupid again. Yesterday I was in bed all day because I felt so discouraged.

Anyone know why this might be happening? Here's some more information, if it helps:

Current drugs: Lithium carbonate (bedtime) as a mood stabilizer, occasional clonazepam or zopiclone to help sleep
Current supplements: Fish oil and a multivitamin containing iron (which I'm taking more than 4 hours away from Cytomel), occasional melatonin to help sleep
Last TSH (pre-Cytomel): 5.4783
[Before starting Lithium, my TSH was under 2.]
Last Free T3: 3.6 (2.63 - 5.7 pmol/L)
Last Free T4: 11.4 (9.1 - 19 PMOL/L)
Cytomel timing: The first few days I took the Cytomel at night, but then started scaling it back to earlier in the day. So one night I took it at 11:30 pm, then the next night 9:30, then the next around 8, and so on. I admit I was not very exact. I'm now taking it around 11:30 am or noon.
More potential info: I got my period right as the Cytomel became less effective, but my period's over now (was very short) and it's still not better again.

If you've read this far, can you make any suggestions as to why this might be happening with the Cytomel and what I can do and talk to my doctor about? I've been treated with so many psych drugs over the years and I don't know what to do anymore. I have physical symptoms too, and a family thyroid history, but I don't want to overwhelm any readers.

Thanks,
Sara