Cytomel symptoms
Common Questions and Answers about Cytomel symptoms
cytomel
I had a TT in October '07 due to papillary thyroid carcinoma. I am 40 yo, the nodule was 12mm, there were no apparent metatheses at all, and I underwent radioactive iodine treatment afterward. The endo put me on 125mcg synthroid and up to 75mcg cytomel after the final scan. I then tapered off the cytomel. While on the cytomel, I felt "normal" meaning I had no symptoms either hyper or hypo and I never felt a rush from taking the cytomel.
Hi. My friend has been offered Cytomel by a doc, based on symptoms and labs. She also has multiple thyroid nodules. She is afraid to take the Cytomel because she can't afford to feel worse. Her labs are Free T4 is 1.6, Ref. Range .82-1.16, Free T3 is 3.0 Ref. Range 2.0-4.4. She is currently on no thyroid meds.
What is the daily dose of Cytomel? It may be that since the half life of Cytomel is less than a day, you may already be feeling the effects. I assume you started back on the same dose, right? If so, you should get the effect in a few days.
Adding a direct source of T3 to meds (e.g. Cytomel or dessicated) relieves the hypo symptoms. The best thing you could do right now is ask your doctor to repeat TSHand FT4 and test FT3 as well. Be sure to ask for FREE T3 (FT3) because if you just ask for T3, they will test total T3 (not nearly as useful). Once you have FT3 results, it will be much easier to tell if you are simply overmedicated or need to add T3 meds.
52 (72% of range) and my Free T3 283 (only 28% of range.) The doctor wants me to add back Cytomel, but I am worried about doing so. My most noticeable symptoms are probably low appetite, migraines, and holding on to about 5 lbs that shouldn't be there based on my calorie and activity level. Thoughts? Do you think my T3 is low enough to treat? ANyone know what the common symptoms of low T3 are?
Does anyone know why Cytomel jumps from a 5 mcg pill to 25 mcgs? I thought that was unusual.
I am currently taking this T3 med; a starting doage in addition to T4. I can only hope and pray the T3 addition will lift my symptoms as a lot of you have suggested it may.
Looking forward to your answers.
for Synthroid/Cytomel is only something doctors go by as the INITIAL orientation for the prescription, if patient was never on Cytomel before and with very mild symptoms. Some patients, like me, need larger dose, and the RATIO Synthroid/Cytomel does not always work the same for everyone. So, you cannot say " you need more or less of Cytomel, as your doctor does not know what he is doing...
The problem is since starting the cytomel, my labs actually went lower? Is this common or normal--the problem is I am having the symptoms again since starting the cytomel, my hair is breaking off--ALOT and my energy levels are low and I am holding onto fluids---Retaining lots of water, and my labs went down--my syn dose was not adjusted, doc just added cytomel?? and my labs are like this TSH .40, FT3 1.99 and Ft4 is .64??? borderline low even with syn?? What are your thoughts??
5 and 10 cytomel caused a tsh over 2, he suggested I take 10 cytomel and 75 of syn every day except sunday than take 1/2 75. This is not a good solution for me because I feel I ahve side effects from the cytomel and my ft3 and ft4 are still lower than when I took straight t4 meds.
I thought a good compromise would be more t4 meds and 5 of cytomel along with a switch to a medicine that worked better for me before like Unithroid.
He seemed to treat symptoms more than numbers. His original reason for the cytomel was because my free t3 was low and all others were in the normal range, but i still had hypo symptoms. I also am very unhapoy with the bloat from the levo. I really dont have much intetest in trying to deal with rhis endo. I felt like she was very condecending in addition to the abive complaints.
Hi,
I have many symptoms of hypothyroid but my thyroid levels are normal, so my physician prescribed low-dose (5mg) Cytomel in the hopes of alleviating my symptoms. Has anyone taken Cytomel (not the sustained-release form, just the regular instant-release form) for Wilson's Syndrome? If so, could you please share your story? Did Cytomel work? Did you try the sustained-released form of T3?
Well, I tried a new endo since I still live with all hypo symptoms and asked for Cytomel with Synthroid. He reluctantly agreed to give it a try. He has prescribed lowering my Synthroid to 100 and adding Cytomel 5 b.i.d. for a total dose of 10. I think that seems a little high? My labs are: TSH 1.68. FT4 1.06. Total T4 9.7. Total T3 0.88. Total T3 uptake 37%. I do not know if Cytomel will help or not, but I am willing to try it versus living with the symptoms forever and ever....
Regarding your question on med increase, in my opinion it depends on how long you have been on the Cytomel and whether your hypo symptoms have gone away or not. If no symptoms, why change? If still some symptoms, make sure you have given your current meds enough time to be fully effective, then evaluate. If needed, there is plenty of room to increase, since your free T3 is still below midpoint.
I agree that you should decrease Synthroid & increase Cytomel. I also have been feeling hypo. My last labs showed my FT4 was a little above midrange, FT3 below midrange, & TSH below range. I just reduced my synthroid from 137 to 125. I also increased cytomel from 5mcg twice a day, to 7.5mcg twice a day. It's been less than a week and I already feel a little better. My dr did not want to switch up my meds, but I convinced her.
A number of those symptoms can cross over. The one that's bothering me is the hand tremors...they're almost always from being hyper (overmedicated).
I just can't quite figure out what your endo has in mind. I think your idea of calling her and having a chat is a good idea. It's just odd that she'd have her nurse call you after the fact to tell you you're hyper. IF the doctor thinks you're hyper, then why would she increase your dose?
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