This is a good thread with helpful anecdotes. I started TRT about 7 years ago to address a variety of issues (mood, libido, energy). Over the years, I have been in the middle of a tug-of-war between actual TRT benefits and lack of tolerance of the treatment.
I consulted with Dr. Crisler (RIP, my man) and more recently with
Defy. One of the things we discussed was the overlap between symptoms related to hypogonadism and thyroid and that TRT alone may not always solve a guy's issues. My labs support the concept of subclinical hypothyroid (an establishment doctor would almost certainly not prescribe thyroid meds, but most functional medicine/hormone docs would). After consulting with
Defy in March, I embarked on a new TRT protocol and started sustained release liothyronine.
For the last 4-5 months, I kept a fairly thorough log with moderate discipline so I could actually figure out what was helping/what was hurting/where I've been, etc. Looking back, the TRT protocol was for sure causing me a lot of problems (cream put me over the top). Unfortunately, I started both the new TRT protocol and a thyroid protocol simultaneously. So, it's hard to say if thyroid meds helped, hurt or made no difference.
Now that I am on a steady TRT protocol (essentially what I have been on for a long time - hCG and Natesto), and I can control one variable at a time, I am considering giving thyroid another try. Why? I
think (but am not sure) I could have better focus, energy, clarity, etc.
Soooo, that brings me to my polling of the audience:
- What are you on?
- If T3 alone, sustained release or regular cytomel?
- If you have tried both sustained release and standard cytomel, why did you go with the one you stuck with?
- Dose?
- Once a day?
- How long do you wait before eating/drinking?
- Do you consider coffee "eating"
- Have you achieved your goals?
- Any problematic side effects?
I think it is important that any treatment has sound scientific support, but I also believe anecdotes can be quite helpful when you are working in some gray areas.
Thanks in advance.