cytomel and t4

I wouldn't advise adding cytomel without knowing what your actual thyroid levels are -- that's Free T4, Free T3 and TSH. T3 med (cytomel) is about 4 times more potent than the T4 med (synthroid) and it can really throw you for a loop if you don't need it. It can cause very rapid heart rate, palps, etc. Whenever cytomel is added, the T4 med should be dropped accordingly. Did you receive the cytomel from your doctor or as a script? What did your doctor say about adding it?

2) and I was only on 125 mcg T4. So decreased T4 to 100 and started Cytomel 2.5 mcg, apparently because Cytomel is 3-4 x stronger than T4. So repeat T4 1.1 and T3 2.6 went up to 5 mcg T3, 100 mcg T4, now T4 .9 and T3 2.7, so no T3 has been increased to 10 mcg. He only wants to change one thing at a time since my T4 are pretty stable, however they are rising. Probably will eventually need higher T4 again too. I do feel better splitting the dose.

5 (32-100) ~ low Will the dosage I was supposed to take improve my labs and feeling? (upping Cytomel only, not adding T4 at all). On the wrong dose, I still felt tired although better than before... probably because the RT3 got normal again. I inquired about the low T4 and he almost wanted to add Armour to Cytomel, but I said I didn't feel well on it. He said okay, Cytomel only is fine, he said T4 should not worry me (even though it's low). He told me to take iron and vitamin D...

m sure you will have to lower your T3 meds some to accomodate the addition of some T4. It takes time for T4 to build in your blood because it is very slow acting and takes 4-6 weeks to reach its full potential as reflected in FT4 levels. It can take longer than that to reflect in FT3 levels.

She wanted to put me back on Synthroid with Cytomel added as well. Would this be the same as taking armour because I would be getting both T3 and T4? And Is it possible to just add Cytomel in while taking the Armour. I am on 120mg now of Armour and have no side effects. I have taken as much as 240mg and still not side effects. Can you suggest what to do?

If your body converts T4 adequately, and there are no adverse reactions, I think that using only a T4 med is simpler all around. If, for whatever reason, your FT3 level is not adequately in balance with FT4, and you need to get your FT3 levels higher to alleviate hypo symptoms, then that's when adding a direct T3 source such as Cytomel, or one of the desiccated T4/T3 combo meds works better.

25 mcg of Cytomel to start is huge! And, when you start cytomel your suppose to cut your T4 med back by 20 mcg I believe. Second...you cannot treat with a T3 med without testing your Free T4 and Free T3...that is how you dosage and treat. T3 will supress the TSH and you cannot go by this whatsoever when on both meds. You should be having a Free T4 and Free T3 done with your TSH EVERY time. Cytomel and generic comes in 5mcg dosages for easier dosaging.

I was up to 125 mcg synthroid, then dropped back to 75 synthroid, then switched to 75 generic levo and added 10 mcg cytomel. That was too much cytomel, so dropped back to 5 mcg cytomel and switched to generic; then up to 88 mcg levo, staying with 5 mcg generic cytomel. Am currently on 100 mcg Tirosint and 5 mcg generic cytomel. I take the Tirosint first thing in the morning, per instructions (my day starts 3:30 am). I take my T3 med about 7-7:30 am.

So, out of network, I saw a doctor willing to work with supplements and hormones and returned to a combo of Levoxyl/Cytomel, will bring in Selenium, some B12 and an Adrenal Support. Also recommended was a very small amount of liquid Iodine 1-2 x a week. Here are the past two labs and the medication doses I was on. Since the change to Tirosent and the increase to 30 mcg Cytomel, I am more tired. And can't seem drop an ounce of weight, despite a really strict diet.

Half in the morning and the other around 12 noon. The cytomel has proven to be good and as you can see in my labs my t3 is good. I had the same problem even before cytomel. Anxiety with synthroid and itching with levo. I know I need more t4, I just don't know how to go higher without side effects. I'm wondering will the itching go away if I continue to go up, or can I take Xanax together through the anxiety? I need more t4 even though my doc said my labs look great.

Instead of switching, why not just continue to slowly increase your Levoxyl and Cytomel doses in order to get your Free T4 to around the middle of its range, at minimum, and your Free T3 high enough n the range to relieve remaining hypo symptoms? Also would be good to increase your B12 to the upper end of the range, and your d to about 60. Also, what is your ferritin level?

Free T3 levels must be checked regularly, along with TSH and Free T4, when taking cytomel. Cytomel is usually not recommended unless you have a conversion problem or for some other reason, your Free T3 is out of line. In addition, you should constantly be aware of any symptoms that might indicate that you are taking too much. Oldie - I, too, have heard that cytomel should not be used by persons with heart issues.

Before this, my medication was 50 mcg Synthroid and 15 mcg Cytomel (I increased the Cytomel from 10 to 15 mcg on Friday). Now, the doctor wants me to do 50 mcg Synthroid and 25 mcg Cytomel on a daily basis. What do you all think? The only recent labwork is this: (TSH range 0.40-4.50 // free T4 range 0.8-1.8) 07/07/11 TSH 2.91 -- Free T4 0.9 T3 Uptake 34 (Range 22-35 Percent) Free T3 2.9 (Range 2.3-4.

I have not been symptom free since going Hypo because initially (for three years) I was given T4 medicine only despite my T3 being below range. I need both T4 and T3 and need to find a doctor that will give me both, test my FT3/Ft4 and consider my symptoms. If you have a doctor or UK website (similar to this) you can recommend, please send me a message. At this point I'm afraid to move to London and think my health will suffer there.

I got a call from my gynecologist stating that my thyroid levels came back very low. We were trying to identify some of the symptoms since I have PCOS. My doctor stated my TSH level was at 0.29 and Free t4 level was at 0.24. I've been on daily 50mg of Cytomel since 2005. What all does this mean? I have symptoms of hypothyroidism (hair loss, fatigue, weight gain, muscle aches, etc). Everything that i read is very confusing.

Also, your current dosage averages 57 mcg of T4 and 25 mcg of T3 daily. Since T3 is 3 times as potent as T4 that is equivalent to about 132 mcg of T4 which is equivalent to two grains of Armour (120 mg). The proposed new dosage of Armour that you listed would average only 50 mg per day, which would be a huge drop and would be far worse for you. To switch to Armour from you current med/dosage you really need to start with two grains (120 mg) and then increase from there.

The only thyroid option is to consider combined T4 (synthroid) and T3 (cytomel) - in this case reducing synthroid to 75 and adding 5mcg of cytomel in the am along w/ the synthroid.

If your Endo put you on 5mg Cytomel and 75mg T4, then that woould make sense...then slowly increase the 5mg Cytomel to 10mg over a period of probably 4 weeks. What she is basically doing is as Stella says...... Shes putting you on one massive 'high' when you feel the need for some 'get up and go' then stopping you in your tracks 10 days later once the T3 has 'kicked in'. This is madness.

I had a TT in Sept. and RAI in Nov. During the time between the TT and RAI, I took only Cytomel and did fine on it. Currently I take 137 of Levothyroxine and 25 mcg of Cytomel. I was taking a half tablet in the morning and once in the early afternoon, but I couldn't manage to remember to take the afternoon dose in a timely fashion, and sometimes was kept up at night.

I have thought about Cytomel or NDT but I have tried those in the past with T4 medication and I still felt horrible and could never get the dosages right. I just wanted to see other people's experiences with Levoxyl, especially with the new Levoxyl.

My doc told me to take the100 mcg snythroid with 5 mcg cytomel in the morning and then after 2 weeks to take another cytomel around noon. He said if I get any palputations to back off the second one. He orginally prescribed 30 mcg of amour but the drug stores said that it wouldn't be avalible untill October. So then he gave me the cytomel, so far I feel much better especially with the brain fog and fatigue, I still work full time so I still need my energy.

I tried and decreased my NT up to 1.5 and increased Cytomel, and that are the numbers you see in my original post. My Free T4 is in the lower range and Ft3 in the upper, but as I said, I really was having a terrible time, I thought I was going nuts, and after two or three months I thought I should feel better in that regime, I think. My doctor never wanted me to have me on Cytomel only.

I too have bee suffering horribly since the return of Levoxyl it was my perfect T4 med while I also added Cytomel and felt great for 9 years. But the recall left me chasing another T4 med and I haven't been the same since. They have obviously added more fillets and I'm reacting to the fillets they put in it. I remember the good days when it' was slightly chalky and dissolved quickly on my tongue if I used water but today it's coated really well and really hard to break.

This week my TSH was 1.09 while on 125 synthroid lab ranges are .450 - 4.0 free t4 1.57. Ranges are .82-1.77. And t3 result 3.0. Lab ranges are 2.0 - 4.

You should request that tests for T3 up[take and Total T4 be discontinued, since they are somewhat outdated and not very useful, compared to the tests for the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4. So be sure to get tested for Free T3 along with the Free T4. I say this because scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms.

Common Questions and Answers about Cytomel and t4

cytomel