# lowering Synthroid dosaage with added Cytomel



## millironk (Jun 22, 2015)

Here are my labs from on July 17,

TSH 0.852 (.5 to 5 ref)

Free T4 1.06 (.8 as the low end 2.8 upper)

Free T3 2.0 (2.3 as the low end 4.3 upper).

New labs came back Aug 29 (6 weeks on 5mc g of cytomel)

TSH-- 0.274

Free t4 -- 1.05

Free t3-- 2.3

doctor upped the Cytomel to 25 a day. today is the 4th day that I have reached the full 25 mcg dosage. No problems what so ever.

I am assuming that my TSH will go down even more at the next labs and the doctor will lower my Synthroid dose. I have been Hypo for 42 years, been on 125 mcg synthroid for many years.My dosages Varied from 250 to 112 during all the years.

During that time on the 125 my TSH's have varied from 0.22 to 6.5 and everwhere in between. Same dosage, same time testing etc. Free t3 and free t4 always low or in the very bottom of the ref ranges. I was wondering what other people have had their Synthroid dosage lowered to after starting on t3. How did you feel? etc Thanks


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> I was wondering what other people have had their Synthroid dosage lowered to after starting on t3. How did you feel? etc Thanks


It took me awhile to add Cytomel. I had been hypo and tried many different Unithroid (Levothyroxine) doses prior to adding Cytomel.

My labs and doses adding Cytomel they read TSH, FT-4, FT-3 Unithroid dosage, Cytomel Dasage - you will also see a T4 lab, my doc insists on running and I notice how it does not seem to mean a darn thing based on FT labs

06/18/08Pres .03 (.3-3.0) 1.7 (.9-1.7) 3.3(2.6-4.8) 125mcg/5mcg Cytomel

T-4 8.0 (5.0-12) T-3 103 (80-200)

8/5/08 Pres .09 (.3-3.0) 1.6 (.9-1.7) 2.6 (2.6-4.8) 112mcg/5mcg Cytomel

10/30/08Pres .22 (.27-4.2) 1.3 (.9-1.7) 2.8 (2.6-4.8) 100mcg/5mcg Cytomel

T-3 97 (80-200)

1/5/09 Pres .40 (.27-4.2) 1.1 (.9-1.7) 2.4 (2.6-4.8) 100mcg/5mcg Cytomel

T-3 84 (80-200)

3/13/09HC .28 (.4-4.5) .89 (.61-1.76) 2.7 (2.3-4.2) 100mcg/7.5mcg Cytomel 2 weeks

5/6/09cmc .113 (.3-3.0) .90(.6-1.6) 2.9(2.3-4.2) 112mcg/7.5mcg Cytomel

7/24/09cmc .041 (.3-3.0) .74(.6-1.5) 2.5(2.3-4.2) 100mcg/12.5mcg Cytomel

11/2/09HC .029 (.4-4.5) 1.14(.82-1.77) 2.8 (2.0-4.4) 112mcg/12.5mcg Cytomel

1/19/10 <.10 (.40-4) not run 3.7 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg/12.5mcg Cytomel

T4 7.2 (4.5-12.5)

4/1/10 <.10 (.40-4) 1.26 (.89-1.76) 3.4 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg/12.5mcg Cytomel

T4, 7.3 (4.5-12.5)

7/23/10 <.10 (.40-4) 1.57 (.89-1.76) 3.7 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg+62.5/12.25mcg Cytomel

1/31/11 <.0007) 1.4 (.8-1.77) 3.9 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg+12.5mcg Cytomel

T4 8.2 (4.5-12)

8/1/11 <.0008) (.45-4.5) 1.4 (.82-1.77) 3.7 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg +12.5mcg Cytomel

T4 6.5 (4.5-12)

4/11/12 .006 (.40-4) 1.18 (.69-1.76) 3.4 (2.0-4.4) 125mcg +12.5/1.25mcg Cytomel

While my labs looked hypo I had anxiety but also alot of abdominal issues to include constipation which probably did not help my issue. Then toss in the food cravings

I had feelings of energy bursts and lows. I still feel the bursts and make a note of what I have planned 2 hours later prior to taking. I often take my 2'nd dose with food.

I had feelings of dizzyness, slight increase in blood pressure... This is a real quote from my dosing notes on Cytomel "I went back to the 4x per day dosing but feel the energy drop about 2-3 hours so I plan to take a pill every 3.5-4 hours until my body can handle it. I may have to take the first 2 doses a little bit closer because I do have a very sleepy feeling by 1. I will give it another week on 4x per day dosing before changing. Digestive issues seem to have resolved and I have not been experiencing constipation, although my stools are hard, they come out with ease.

Some quotes from my dosing notes...

"Thursday(2/26)afternoon, feel like crap, my body is vibrating can't take the 4th dose as we're hang company. Need to be able to function. I had to cut the dose back to 3x per day just to get through the day.

My new dose is now going to be 2.5mcg of Cytomel 3x per day. I will experiment on timing going forward.

I have been unbelievably hungry since beginning the Cytomel and am up 2-3 lbs already. I get really hungry mid day. I have also been exercising so I hope part of the weight is muscle.

My friend SQ says to hang in there and it's my body getting used to having a higher FT-3, I hope so.

Tuesday 3/3 I haven't had any issues and dosed 8:00. 11:00 and 3:45

The extreme hunger is gone and the sugar cravings have subsided. I could say I almost notice my morning dose not being strong enough and need the second dose to give me a boost.

Been eating yellow squash and zucchini for 2 days now so all is good. Abdominal pain has been gone for several days too.

The sugar cravings continue, if I see it I eat it and it's made my system go bad again

3/5 I am now at 1 week on the new dose -yesterday was a bad emotional ay. Bill's been gone for 2 full days, I went to the seminar and my energy level is low. I laid down at 3 yesterday and woke at 1:40. This is the second power nap in the week. My doses were 6 and 4.5 hours apart

3/10/09 I have been sticking to the 2.5mcg of Cytomel 3x a day for I think 12 days or so - anxious feeling has been gone for quite awhile."

As you can see - I kept detailed notes - adding Cytomel was difficult for me

I was on Brand Cytomel. about 1 year ago I switched to lilothyronine ( generic) and noticed feelings of hyper and anxiety. I actually take a smidge lower than prescribed a few days a week. It drops my FT=3 but I feel better. I've also gained about 6 lbs with the switch to generic.

My latest lab's...

05/20/17 .006(.45-4.5)am 1.39 (.82-1.77) 3.0 (2.3-4.4) 125mcg +12.5 4days/11.25 3 days Generic

FT-4 mid 1.295 ¾ 1.53 FT-3 mid 3 2 ¾ 3.8

,


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## millironk (Jun 22, 2015)

Thanks for the very interesting and helpful reply. I cannot say that I feel any "lift" when i take the T3. I have been dividing my doses. I also don't seem to feel any "drop" before I take my afternoon dose. The most noticable thing for me so far is that the extensive joint and muscle pain I have developed over the last 10 years seems to be less severe When the pain is less, my anxiety is less, and the fatigue from the combination of those situations is improved. Like you I have kept a sort of diary over the years, but mine is a calendar with "X"s on it for how bad i was feeling. Big "X" for days I would call non-functioning. There have been days with fewer "X"s this past week.

I have my thyroid, but was told in 1974 that it seemed to have been damaged by all the extensive dental xrays when I was a child all the way thru my teen years. Horrible dental problems ! Doctors always told my parents that "somehing was destoying the roots of my teeth" Early sign of autoimmunity??? Thanks again for your response and Lab values. Very interesting.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

The footnote to my journey is the fact I had untreated Graves for many years - then anti thyroid med's 4.5 years which kept me mostly hypo - then surgery to remove my thyroid - then kept hypo for several years taking replacement (Unithroid only). I was also found to be anemic with low ferritin, low on D and lower range B-12. Based on board postings there appears to be a link adjusting to Cytomel and being low Ferritin.

I first tried Cytomel in '05 when low in all the above - by '09 I had resolved the low Ferritin issue with endometrial ablation.

I think the key point in all of this is - we all react differently. I was hypo for an extended time and like my friend stated - my body was simply getting used to the increased FT-3 result.

For me an increased or over 3/4 range FT-4 has similar symptoms to the FT-3 increase


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## millironk (Jun 22, 2015)

bless you and thank you. Everyone's journey is different and hopefully helps someone along the way. thanks for sharing yours.


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