cytomel

[bree]

I began taking 100 mcg of cytomel 22 years ago when synthroid failed to work for my symptoms ... including not being able to get pregnant ... cytomel was great and I got pregnant immediately after starting the drug ... also all of my other symptoms vanished ... no more terrible dry skin, constipation, fatigue or depression ... Problem: now that I have moved to a new city, the doctor here does not want me to continue to use cytomel because the bloodwork is abnormal ... he wants to put me back on synthroid ... now taking the synthroid (100) and cytomel (50mcg) many of the original symptoms have returned ... I am very unhappy on this new regime .... I want to find a doctor that will continue just my cytomel therapy .... HELP .... any recommendations .... my thyroid ultrasound is normal and my bone scan is normal ... I am a 53 year old, post menapausal woman ...

[Kate]

I'm sorry I cant help you with your question but i am very interested to know if you were on cytomel only for your whole pregnancy? My Dr is suggesting I go on cytomel only due to poor T4 to T3 conversion, but I am concerned as I saw on a website that you can't take T3 only if pregnant as you need T4. I am going to do an IVF cycle in 6wks and really need to get this straightened out.

Thanks, Kate

bree wrote:

I began taking 100 mcg of cytomel 22 years ago when synthroid failed to work for my symptoms ... including not being able to get pregnant ... cytomel was great and I got pregnant immediately after starting the drug ... also all of my other symptoms vanished ... no more terrible dry skin, constipation, fatigue or depression ... Problem: now that I have moved to a new city, the doctor here does not want me to continue to use cytomel because the bloodwork is abnormal ... he wants to put me back on synthroid ... now taking the synthroid (100) and cytomel (50mcg) many of the original symptoms have returned ... I am very unhappy on this new regime .... I want to find a doctor that will continue just my cytomel therapy .... HELP .... any recommendations .... my thyroid ultrasound is normal and my bone scan is normal ... I am a 53 year old, post menapausal woman ...

[Olivier]

I am similar to you Bree, I react very badly to T4 increases. Nausea, dizziness, feeling depressed, moody, etc. It stabilizes after 6 weeks but I prefer T3 increses. I have small heart palpitations for a day or two and then feel ok.

Cytomel has done wonders for me. My goal is to get rid of all my hypo symptoms with Free T4 and Free T3 figures in the upper range and I will not start going ape if my TSH level gets below 1,(like most ignorant doctors seem to do).

Go with you symptoms, go with how YOU react to medication. The body uses T3 as the active hormone. T4 is merely a pro-hormone.

Take care!

[Olivier]

I am now at 100 mcg Synthroid and 37.5 mcg Cytomel. My sleep pattern is almost there. Sleeping 3 hours a night. I'll wait for 2 weeks and if the sleep pattern stays the same, I know that by lowering 5 mcgs or 6.25 mcgs of Cytomel will put my circadian rythm back on track. I am just slightly hyper because my adrenal glands just recently started back their normal production. That is oftenly the case with hypothyroid states. One must raise slowly the dosage, wait a while, look at the symptoms, raise again as needed.

My TSH one year ago was at 6. My doctor told me nope: "your thyroid is fine". Yeah, right.

No, I don't consult that quack anymore.

Olivier wrote:

I am similar to you Bree, I react very badly to T4 increases. Nausea, dizziness, feeling depressed, moody, etc. It stabilizes after 6 weeks but I prefer T3 increses. I have small heart palpitations for a day or two and then feel ok.
Cytomel has done wonders for me. My goal is to get rid of all my hypo symptoms with Free T4 and Free T3 figures in the upper range and I will not start going ape if my TSH level gets below 1,(like most ignorant doctors seem to do).
Go with you symptoms, go with how YOU react to medication. The body uses T3 as the active hormone. T4 is merely a pro-hormone.
Take care!

[tiffany]

Which product is better T3 or T4? Will I get easily angry or depressed?

[spring]

I also take cytomel and I feel nothing different at all. Can I take more than 50mcg a day?

[Janie]

I have been on Synthroid 0.025 for little over a year and in that year I have steadily gained 2 lbs a month ...
7/18/07 I had blood work done at the endocrinologist & based on the numbers he does not want to change my meds, although my internist prescribed 1mg Synthroid for me based on my blood work a week later (7/24/07)
I went back to the endocrinologist 11/1/07 and showed him the lab results from the other doctor and the recommendation for 1mg ... he still said I should stay on the lower dosage ...
He also told me that I would not lose weight on the higher dosage ... that is not why I want to change the dosage. I just want to feel better.

He also suggested that I go back on the antidepressants that I no longer feel I need ...(I was on them due to my husband's unexpected death 5 years ago)...
Is an endocrinologist the right place to be? Or would a general practitioner (my internist/cardiologist) be better. From what I have been reading, an endocrinologist is mostly for diabetes ...

[teresa]

Olivier wrote:

I am similar to you Bree, I react very badly to T4 increases. Nausea, dizziness, feeling depressed, moody, etc. It stabilizes after 6 weeks but I prefer T3 increses. I have small heart palpitations for a day or two and then feel ok.
Cytomel has done wonders for me. My goal is to get rid of all my hypo symptoms with Free T4 and Free T3 figures in the upper range and I will not start going ape if my TSH level gets below 1,(like most ignorant doctors seem to do).
Go with you symptoms, go with how YOU react to medication. The body uses T3 as the active hormone. T4 is merely a pro-hormone.
Take care!

sounds to me you may have some adrenal issues thats giving you those weird symtoms.

[teresa]

Janie wrote:

I have been on Synthroid 0.025 for little over a year and in that year I have steadily gained 2 lbs a month ...
7/18/07 I had blood work done at the endocrinologist & based on the numbers he does not want to change my meds, although my internist prescribed 1mg Synthroid for me based on my blood work a week later (7/24/07)
I went back to the endocrinologist 11/1/07 and showed him the lab results from the other doctor and the recommendation for 1mg ... he still said I should stay on the lower dosage ...
He also told me that I would not lose weight on the higher dosage ... that is not why I want to change the dosage. I just want to feel better.
He also suggested that I go back on the antidepressants that I no longer feel I need ...(I was on them due to my husband's unexpected death 5 years ago)...
Is an endocrinologist the right place to be? Or would a general practitioner (my internist/cardiologist) be better. From what I have been reading, an endocrinologist is mostly for diabetes ...

hi janie,i would switch doctors.you have a right to choose what meds are right for you,its your body:)..have you tryed armour thyroid?i used to take it and it was wonderful,until i got adrenal issues witch sucks,im starting t3 only at only 7.5mcg im havin problems due to my adrenals has to be cus i hear everybody saying they feel so good on t3 only instead of t4 i cant take arour nomore cus of my high reverse t3 (t4meds make it worst)

[Kat]

Hi--I have been taking cytomel for 5 years. It changed my life. My doctor is Jerrold Sharer in Washington, D.C. He's an excellent endocrinologist and might be able to give you a referral in your area.

bree wrote:

I began taking 100 mcg of cytomel 22 years ago when synthroid failed to work for my symptoms ... including not being able to get pregnant ... cytomel was great and I got pregnant immediately after starting the drug ... also all of my other symptoms vanished ... no more terrible dry skin, constipation, fatigue or depression ... Problem: now that I have moved to a new city, the doctor here does not want me to continue to use cytomel because the bloodwork is abnormal ... he wants to put me back on synthroid ... now taking the synthroid (100) and cytomel (50mcg) many of the original symptoms have returned ... I am very unhappy on this new regime .... I want to find a doctor that will continue just my cytomel therapy .... HELP .... any recommendations .... my thyroid ultrasound is normal and my bone scan is normal ... I am a 53 year old, post menapausal woman ...

[Robin]

Can I take my wellbutrin and lexapro at the same time I take my cytomel?

[tarra]

does anybody have a dr. who will treat hypothyroidism with cytomel only? i'm sure synthroid does not work for me. how can i get cytomel only??? anybody?

[Phyl]

tarra wrote:

does anybody have a dr. who will treat hypothyroidism with cytomel only? i'm sure synthroid does not work for me. how can i get cytomel only??? anybody?

I tried for almost a year to get my Dr to prescribe Cytomel. He was so stuck on Synthroid, which made me feel lousy) and he refused. Finally, I decided to assert myself... I didn't 'ask'... I 'told' him the following: "Dr, I know you don't want me to have Cytomel, but with all due respect, it's MY body and if so many other people are doing so well on it, I at least want the opportunity to just see IF it makes me feel better because I can't take feeling so bad. I promise that IF it doesn't work for me, I will tell you & go back to Synthroid, but I NEED to TRY. Please give me that chance." He did. We're still working on doseage adjustments, but so far, some of my symptoms are better. I 'weaned off' my antidepressants (Cytomel has helped my depression) and I'm not so fatigued & unmotivated anymore. And my skin/hair isn't quite as dry/flaky. What I AM experiencing now is edema (all-body puffiness & fluid retention, therefore some weight gain... and some joint/ muscle aches. Anyone else have these symptoms?? Maybe some doseage adjustment experimenting is needed. Hope we find it soon. Good luck to you.