difference between cytomel and synthroid

I read your question and I am confused. You were on Synthroid and Cytomel. Cytomel is a T3 drug. Why did you want to switch? Why did your doctor allow that switch without testing you appropriately using the Ft3 and Ft4 and trying to just tweak your meds? Switching thyroid meds is difficult and now being on Armour - it may take you quite a while to stabilize on it. Without correct testing - it's a guessing game on where you may need to tweak your meds.

I take Synthroid .1 and 5mcg Cytomel every day for hypothyroidism. I have been taking them together in the morning an hour before any other medications, foods and 6 hours before any iron, calcium, or zinc. Should the Synthroid be taken by itself completely? I can take the Cytomel with breakfast and other meds later in the day, but wondered if taking the Cytomel at the exact same time as the Synthroid was somehow lowering the effectiveness/absorbtion of the Synthroid.

My doctor prescribed cytomel 25mcg and lowered my synthroid to 125mcg...the cytomel is the generic brand,not sure if this will make a difference.How do you take the cytomel?morning,afternoon,evening and do you take it with food?

Usually we do not change from Synthroid to Cytomel alone. Typically if we are using Cytomel, it is in conjunction with Synthroid, for example if you're on 137 of Synthroid a dose change could have been Synthroid 100 along with Cytomel 5 twice daily.

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.

In the last year I went to the endo, who given how I was feeling gave me 1.12 of synthroid and the smallest dose of cytomel, and I am on seasonique. I had only been through one pack of the seasonique at this time with no bleeding/spotting. Once I started the cytomel, the spotting started again. The endo told me I should try a half dose of the cytomel. That made no difference. Now she told me to quit the cytomel and see if that helps. Now I am getting a light period.....

I just hear people say all the time that it is great and makes all the difference. I did noticed alittle difference w/ the synthroid though.

I have been on 200 mcg of synthroid for two weeks now...and 10 days of cytomel at 25mcg, taking 1/2 twice a day....this is day one off and I'm feeling pretty good...Didn't get as tired on my way to work...which has been a huge concern for me....have been in a good mood today and I didn't fall asleep while watching a fairly boring tv show... Endo uses cytomel to make drug transitions easier....so she says...she does not test for free t3, she just expects that I will convert...

Thanks Char4317 the endo sent Cytomel to my pharmacy and will begin taking cytomel as well as Levoxyl. I feel this will do the trick. Taking the cytomel will bump up my T3 and T4 levels and hopefully allow me to feel better with more energy? Thanks for all your advice. FTB4, if I were you, I would try Levoxyl. I didnt have all the horrible side effects I had on Synthroid. Thanks!

I left it at 75mcg Synthroid and had her add the Cytomel. My question is would it be advantagous to increase the synthroid first and stay at 5mcg Cytomel, than if that doesn't help move to increase the Cytomel? I sure appreciate everyones feedback, this forum has been a great source of information!

Is there a difference between the T4 in Synthroid and in Nature Throid/Armour? I was just switched to Synthroid and I'm feeling the difference. All the hypo symptoms are back with a vengence with in 4 days. Took Nature Throid dose to get thru the day. How long does it take for Synthroid T4 to start converting to T3? Is going from 130mg nature Throid to 137mcg of Synthroid normal? It is less T4 that I was getting on NT. Can anyone help me with this? I feel like I'm going crazy.

I am currently on Synthroid 125 and Cytomel 5 to treat my hypo. I have been on thie Synthroid for over 15years. I have been on the Cytomel for about 10 years. I feel like the Cytomel is a waste of money. I was thinking about gradually dropping it to see if I notice any changes. I feel that 5 mg is hardly enough to notice a difference. Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to stabilize or to notice the change.

For those taking synthroid AND cytomel, Please list the dosages you take of each and at what time throughout the day. Also please list any experiences -good or bad- you've had with this combination. Thank you!

Congrats on finding a terrific doctor who listens and works with you! They are hard to come by! What a relief that must be for you! I only took Cytomel briefly between my TT and my RAI, so I don't have any insight to offer, but I'm sure you will find many here who will. Best of luck!

I think you should talk to your doctor about decreasing the Cytomel and increasing the Synthroid. That will get your FT3 and FT4 back in balance. When your doctor took away part of your Cytomel and replaced it with Synthroid, he didn't prescribe nearly enough Synthroid to compensate for the decrease in Cytomel. Overall, your medication level has dropped significantly. What are your current symptoms?

I take Synthroid between 2am and 4 am when I wake up during the middle of the night. I have recently started to take the Cytomel at 8am and again at 1pm. I take my calcium at 6pm and 9pm in the evening. I have always taken my multivitamin at noon. My multivitamin has some calcium in it . Will it interfere with my Cytomel? Should I take my multivitamin at 6 with my dinner?

He has added cytomel to my synthroid, I am taking 100mcg synthroid plus 5 of cytomel and in two weeks add another 5 of cytomel. I already feel better, no more brain fog, tiredness and seems like the extra weight in the middle is disappearing. I only weigh 125 lbs but already 6 days later I feel much more toned. I was wondering who is taking cytomel with synthroid.??

One with Tirosint and the other with a combo Synthroid and Cytomel. And for all practical purposes they are as close to identical as one can possible get within testing variation. So from a purly laboratory technical perspective, you should have felt exactly the same. But clearly you don't. But I guess that is besides the point. This may in part be due to the timing of when you had your blood drawn while you were taking the cytomel (T3).

Hi Fionna, You have a valid point about using synthroid only. Synthroid is T4 only, and cytomel is T3. Armour has both. Since the introduction of Synthroid, and Big Pharma being what it is, has led drs to believe that it is unstable. However, research has proven that to be untrue. I am still wondering WHY he changed you. Were you having problems with the armour, is he a new dr for you, there are several things that could point out more as to WHY he is changing your med.

advice from you guys, so I cut my synthroid in half and taking only 6 mcg of cytomel. but I have been taking 1/2 of cytomel in the morning and breaking the other half in two. so yeah that is 25 mg. the only thing I notice different is at the end of the day I feel like i am carring a huge boulder. apparently I am up to come down so hard. will these meds eventually help? only 3 weeks into cytomel . should I be patient?? my labs are not due for another month. thanks for the help!

Difference between cytomel and synthroid

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