# Feeling better on Cytomel (gen) than I did on Synthroid (gen)....?



## teri2280

*Mods- Feel free to move this if you know of a better location. 

I've been on the generic Cytomel for about a week now, and I'm honestly feeling better since taking that than I did after 3+ weeks on the generic Synthroid. I'm sleeping through the night (something I haven't done since about the middle of January when all this started, so I'll admit that may be partially due to stress), and in the past 2 days many different people (who see me 4-5 times a week at work) have commented that I look like I'm losing weight. I'm not stressed out over anything right now. My job is going a lot better than I expected it EVER would (I'm even entertaining the possibility of wanting to move up even further, which even before the thyroid issues, I was like "he** no"), not stressed about the upcoming RAI or body scan, nothing. Thoughts?

I am on the LID already in preparation for RAI (5 wks from tomorrow), have been on it just over a week. I understand that if I am losing weight, it could be due to the LID, but that doesn't explain the sleeping better. I have literally slept through the entire night for the past 5 nights. I even totally slept through a thunderstorm last night with the dog whining like crazy.

I've only been on the Cytomel for a week. How long should it take for me to start "feeling" it? Or do you guys think that it's just stress (lack of) contributing to everything?

I expected to (and was told by endo that I'd) feel like a zombie going off the Levo and on the Cyto, but it's the exact opposite! (Most of you know my issues with my endo already and know that he's not the best one out there...LOL.) But, I never expected this! (I'm not complaining, I'm just VERY surprised....)


----------



## Andros

teri2280 said:


> *Mods- Feel free to move this if you know of a better location.
> 
> I've been on the generic Cytomel for about a week now, and I'm honestly feeling better since taking that than I did after 3+ weeks on the generic Synthroid. I'm sleeping through the night (something I haven't done since about the middle of January when all this started, so I'll admit that may be partially due to stress), and in the past 2 days many different people (who see me 4-5 times a week at work) have commented that I look like I'm losing weight. I'm not stressed out over anything right now. My job is going a lot better than I expected it EVER would (I'm even entertaining the possibility of wanting to move up even further, which even before the thyroid issues, I was like "he** no"), not stressed about the upcoming RAI or body scan, nothing. Thoughts?
> 
> I am on the LID already in preparation for RAI (5 wks from tomorrow), have been on it just over a week. I understand that if I am losing weight, it could be due to the LID, but that doesn't explain the sleeping better. I have literally slept through the entire night for the past 5 nights. I even totally slept through a thunderstorm last night with the dog whining like crazy.
> 
> I've only been on the Cytomel for a week. How long should it take for me to start "feeling" it? Or do you guys think that it's just stress (lack of) contributing to everything?
> 
> I expected to (and was told by endo that I'd) feel like a zombie going off the Levo and on the Cyto, but it's the exact opposite! (Most of you know my issues with my endo already and know that he's not the best one out there...LOL.) But, I never expected this! (I'm not complaining, I'm just VERY surprised....)


Clearly you need the T3. Most of us w/o a thyroid do.

After you have the RAI, perhaps the doc will put you on T4 and T3 permanent?

How much Cytomel are you taking now?


----------



## teri2280

Andros said:


> Clearly you need the T3. Most of us w/o a thyroid do.
> 
> After you have the RAI, perhaps the doc will put you on T4 and T3 permanent?
> 
> How much Cytomel are you taking now?


Not much at all, esp. compared to my levothyroxine dosage. I take 50 mcg of the cyto total, 25 each dose, 2x a day. (Levo was 175 once a day.)

He hasn't suggested T3 and T4 both. In my appt to discuss RAI with him, he said I'd go back on the Levo after the RAI, but nothing about restarting/continuing the Cyto after. I only have one week left of the Cyto before I go off all meds for 4 weeks (RAI 5 wks from today.)

I didn't feel bad on the Levo, or anything, it's just that being on the Cyto is so much BETTER.  I mean, I felt the same on the levo even before I had my thyroid removed. (Don't know my labs from pre-surg at this point in time. The only labs I have are from Jan 2011 and my post surg labs about a month ago.) The doc said they were normal, but I'm learning all too quickly that some docs think that if you fall into the ranges provided, you're normal, even if you're at the super high end.

Is it possible to feel the effects of the Cyto after less than a week? I mean, when I started noticing that things were better, I was only 3 days into it. Or was it all just stress related and I'd feel the same if I were still on my Levo? I've thought about calling my doc and telling him that I feel better on the Cyto than the Levo, and asking if this is normal, but with my endo, that's just a waste of time. I'm learning that he hates people who take their health into their own hands. Pretty much stinks, but he's a 70something year old guy who is hell bent in his ways.


----------



## Lovlkn

> Is it possible to feel the effects of the Cyto after less than a week? I mean, when I started noticing that things were better, I was only 3 days into it. Or was it all just stress related and I'd feel the same if I were still on my Levo? I've thought about calling my doc and telling him that I feel better on the Cyto than the Levo, and asking if this is normal, but with my endo, that's just a waste of time. I'm learning that he hates people who take their health into their own hands. Pretty much stinks, but he's a 70something year old guy who is hell bent in his ways.


I would find a new doctor who is willing to give you both Levo and Cytomel after your RAI.

You absolutely could be feeling the effects after 3 days. I struggled with fatigue after my TT and added Cytomel 12.5mcg to my 125mcg of Unithroid and it's been an amazing difference in how I feel. Some people do not convert their T-4 replacement properly and need the Cytomel. You need to find a doctor willing to give you both. MY doctor has written my request for both as "unconventional" but still gives it to me - just because they had MD or DO behind their name does not mean they know everything.

You must dose your self on how you feel best and Cytomel is obviously what your body needed, I lost a few # when I went on it as well.

Do you have any labs with ranges to share?


----------



## teri2280

Lovlkn said:


> I would find a new doctor who is willing to give you both Levo and Cytomel after your RAI.
> 
> You absolutely could be feeling the effects after 3 days. I struggled with fatigue after my TT and added Cytomel 12.5mcg to my 125mcg of Unithroid and it's been an amazing difference in how I feel. Some people do not convert their T-4 replacement properly and need the Cytomel. You need to find a doctor willing to give you both. MY doctor has written my request for both as "unconventional" but still gives it to me - just because they had MD or DO behind their name does not mean they know everything.
> 
> You must dose your self on how you feel best and Cytomel is obviously what your body needed, I lost a few # when I went on it as well.
> 
> Do you have any labs with ranges to share?


I think that with being this far into it, I'll just wait and see what he does with the meds after RAI. Unfortunately, the most recent lab was 3/28. (Added ranges to the numbers in my signature.) I never got the actual labs from before my tt, but I can probably get those on Tues from my pcp (he's a MUCH nicer guy to deal with, and since he ordered the labs originally, I'm sure he has them). I've only ever had 3 thyroid panels (T4/TSH) drawn in my life. One was over a year ago (not 100% sure on #s right now, but they weren't much off from my last draw on 3/28, and with the same ranges), middle of January when this all started, and end of March for my post-surg visit with the endo.


----------



## Tomgyrl

I was just diagnosed with Hypothyroidism after finally getting the necessary blood work done after many years of fatigue, cold intolerence and low energy. My T3 and T4 levels were within relatively normal ranges, but my Anti-TPO and Anti-Thyro levels were skyrocketed high. (My mother suffers from Hashimoto's)

Right out of the gate, my Endo Rx'ed me both 25mcg Levothyroxine and 5mcg Liothyronine (Cytomel) to be taken in unison. Honestly.....within 1 week, I could feel an immediate change. I am more mentally awake and not foggy and scattered. Each day, I feel more "clear" and all-day "even", if that makes any kind of sense. I feel like I can focus and stay focused at task easier then before.....before I was mentally exhausted and discouraged. Maybe I'm experiencing less fatigue? As each day passes, I just seem to be improving. It's like a light switch has been flipped on and I am so excited to see what happens next! I also feel like I'm sleeping more soundly....I was suffering from insomnia, but lately have been getting 7 hours of straight sleep daily. I can't really tell yet, but I feel like my appetite is changing too - for the better. I'm drinking a lot of water because my body is craving it and as a result, feeling full a lot of the time.

I wholeheartedly believe that it is such a fast result because the drugs are being taken in combination. I am no doctor, but I definitely know that I am feeling rapidly better and on the right road.


----------

