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Is it OK to Add Cytomel T3 but NOT adjust Synthroid T4 and Hair Loss / Breakage Questions Related to adding Cytomel T3?
My Doctor Prescribed T3 today….(Cytomel). He said to take 5 mg 1x per day. He did not reduce my Synthroid, which has been 100MCG for the past 5 months (lowered form 133 mcg on 6/21/11).
Based on what I read, I feel as though my doctor should have reduced my Synthroid to 75 or 88 mcg and given me 10 mg Cytomel 2x per day instead.
I dont know about how I feel about taking the Cytomel without having a lowered Synthroid T4 dose, because I had serious hair breakage on the Synthroid (which has gotten "MILDLY" better because I am taking so many supplements to counteract it)....but I have heard that taking Cytomel, has the same side-effect (ie. Hair Loss/Breakage), if your thyroid is thrown out of balance (?)
I have also read that adding Cytomel T3 can HELP a hair loss / breakage problem, too!! All of this has made me seriously confused.
I cannot risk any more hair loss. Hmmm. NOt sure what I should do here….
My October 9th labs were FT3 (2.5), FT4 (1.57), TSH (1.36)
My November 2nd labs were FT3 (3.0), FT4 (1.67), TSH (.826)
…..Do you think 5 mg of Cytomel is enough? Shouldn’t I lower my Synthroid? I know that adding T3 Cytomel makes your TSH go down anyways. I want my FT4 in the mid-range and my FT3 in the mid-to-high range, based on what I have read as "optimal", although I know a lot of adjusting one's thyroid depends on the side effects and how one feels, first and foremost.
I am interested in similar experiences and also comments about the hair loss/breakage topic and non-adjustment of the T4 upon prescribing T3.
Thanks!! :)
Based on what I read, I feel as though my doctor should have reduced my Synthroid to 75 or 88 mcg and given me 10 mg Cytomel 2x per day instead.
I dont know about how I feel about taking the Cytomel without having a lowered Synthroid T4 dose, because I had serious hair breakage on the Synthroid (which has gotten "MILDLY" better because I am taking so many supplements to counteract it)....but I have heard that taking Cytomel, has the same side-effect (ie. Hair Loss/Breakage), if your thyroid is thrown out of balance (?)
I have also read that adding Cytomel T3 can HELP a hair loss / breakage problem, too!! All of this has made me seriously confused.
I cannot risk any more hair loss. Hmmm. NOt sure what I should do here….
My October 9th labs were FT3 (2.5), FT4 (1.57), TSH (1.36)
My November 2nd labs were FT3 (3.0), FT4 (1.67), TSH (.826)
…..Do you think 5 mg of Cytomel is enough? Shouldn’t I lower my Synthroid? I know that adding T3 Cytomel makes your TSH go down anyways. I want my FT4 in the mid-range and my FT3 in the mid-to-high range, based on what I have read as "optimal", although I know a lot of adjusting one's thyroid depends on the side effects and how one feels, first and foremost.
I am interested in similar experiences and also comments about the hair loss/breakage topic and non-adjustment of the T4 upon prescribing T3.
Thanks!! :)
Cytomel 10 was added to 100mcg T4 and my T4 wasn't reduced. I was concerned about it initially, but my doctor said we could go either way with my T4.
He was right. Over four weeks later I feel about 10% better, but still have many hypo symptoms.
One of the things that I think my have improved is that I think I'm losing less hair. I hadn't realized how much hair I'd lost recently since I have/had a lot of it, but now I know that I have lost about 2" diameter if I hold it in a tight ponytail and I use five less rollers when I set it last. I was really surprised by this and realized that I vacuum an awful lot of hair up and lose loads in the shower. In paying more attention to it - I think I'm losing less with the addition of Cytomel. I hope it's because my T3 is getting closer to the upper 1/3 of the range. It has always been at the bottom or below range.
I hope this helps
He was right. Over four weeks later I feel about 10% better, but still have many hypo symptoms.
One of the things that I think my have improved is that I think I'm losing less hair. I hadn't realized how much hair I'd lost recently since I have/had a lot of it, but now I know that I have lost about 2" diameter if I hold it in a tight ponytail and I use five less rollers when I set it last. I was really surprised by this and realized that I vacuum an awful lot of hair up and lose loads in the shower. In paying more attention to it - I think I'm losing less with the addition of Cytomel. I hope it's because my T3 is getting closer to the upper 1/3 of the range. It has always been at the bottom or below range.
I hope this helps
I didn't expect the T3 to reduce the T4 - rather that I feel I should have been told to reduce my T4 when I went on to T3.
I now realise I was started on way too high a dose.
I have just posted another question regarding the necessity of me being on T3 in the first place.
I am still questioning the advisability of remaining with my current Endo.
I now realise I was started on way too high a dose.
I have just posted another question regarding the necessity of me being on T3 in the first place.
I am still questioning the advisability of remaining with my current Endo.
Adding a T3 med would do nothing to reduce your T4's. In fact I would expect them if anything to be raised.
20 mcg of T3 is a HUGE dose. No wonder you went Hyper.
I hope you did NOT take your T3 meds before you had your blood drawn. Since T3 is almost immediate it would affect your blood test showing it higher than otherwise would be. T4 meds it doesn't matter because it is such a slow acting medicine. But T3 (Cytomel) is immediately available.
Please post your labs including the reference ranges when you get the results back.
20 mcg of T3 is a HUGE dose. No wonder you went Hyper.
I hope you did NOT take your T3 meds before you had your blood drawn. Since T3 is almost immediate it would affect your blood test showing it higher than otherwise would be. T4 meds it doesn't matter because it is such a slow acting medicine. But T3 (Cytomel) is immediately available.
Please post your labs including the reference ranges when you get the results back.
I was started on 20mcg of Cytomel and didn't reduce my T4. Some three months later my numbers are off the scale - I'm severely hyper and I'm dealing with a whole heap of different symptoms.
My T3 has now been reduced (slowly) down to 5mcg and my T4 from 150mcg to 100mcg. The symptoms are certainly not as bad as they were, but I certainly don't feel right yet.
I had another blood test today.
Don't mean to be negative; just sharing my experience.
Good luck.
My T3 has now been reduced (slowly) down to 5mcg and my T4 from 150mcg to 100mcg. The symptoms are certainly not as bad as they were, but I certainly don't feel right yet.
I had another blood test today.
Don't mean to be negative; just sharing my experience.
Good luck.
Couple of thoughts.
First I believe you have a typo. Are you really taking 5 mg or is it 5 mcg. There is a HUGE difference between the two!
1000 mcg (micrograms) = 1 mg (milligram).
I've never heard of a person on 5 mg which would be 5000 mcg. However it is relatively common for people to get on 5 mcg of Cytomel (T3). So I am assuming it was a typo.
Next I agree with Barb, we need the reference ranges. I agree further that your hair loss is a result of being Hypo, not medicine. Although I have read several people report that initially they may have lost more hair, which like you they believe is a side effect of the medicine. But it probably is just the shock to your system that you ACTUALLY have hormone now and your body is trying to adjust.
Third did the Dr recommend that you take the Cytomel in two dosages of 2.5 mcg each? If not that would be something that I would recommend or at least you talk to your Dr about.
The Dr may not decrease your T4 medication if you need to raise your FT4 levels some more. By adding in the T3, that would result in less T4 needing to be converted which would then result in your FT4 levels to increase. And that may be what the Dr is attempting to do. But without the reference range information we can't determine that.
First I believe you have a typo. Are you really taking 5 mg or is it 5 mcg. There is a HUGE difference between the two!
1000 mcg (micrograms) = 1 mg (milligram).
I've never heard of a person on 5 mg which would be 5000 mcg. However it is relatively common for people to get on 5 mcg of Cytomel (T3). So I am assuming it was a typo.
Next I agree with Barb, we need the reference ranges. I agree further that your hair loss is a result of being Hypo, not medicine. Although I have read several people report that initially they may have lost more hair, which like you they believe is a side effect of the medicine. But it probably is just the shock to your system that you ACTUALLY have hormone now and your body is trying to adjust.
Third did the Dr recommend that you take the Cytomel in two dosages of 2.5 mcg each? If not that would be something that I would recommend or at least you talk to your Dr about.
The Dr may not decrease your T4 medication if you need to raise your FT4 levels some more. By adding in the T3, that would result in less T4 needing to be converted which would then result in your FT4 levels to increase. And that may be what the Dr is attempting to do. But without the reference range information we can't determine that.
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Please post the reference ranges from your lab report for the FT3 and FT4, as these vary from lab to lab, so must come from your own report.
Once we know the ranges and can compare your values within them, we will be able to answer your questions more fully.
I addressed the hair loss issue in the poll you posted; however, here are my comments again:
Hair loss/breakage is a symptom of being hypothyroid. It's not the cytomel or synthroid that causes the symptom, it's the fact that thyroid hormone levels are not where they need to be, and you are still experiencing hypo symptoms.
Many people find when adding/increasing a medication, symptoms get worse for a period of time, while the body adjusts to having hormones it's not used to having.
If you would post your most recent thyroid test results, which should, at the very least, include TSH, Free T3 and Free T4, but also maybe antibody tests, members would be able to help assess your situation and comment more fully.
When posting lab results, please be sure to post the reference ranges listed on your lab report, since these ranges vary from lab to lab and must come from your own report.
Once we know the ranges and can compare your values within them, we will be able to answer your questions more fully.
I addressed the hair loss issue in the poll you posted; however, here are my comments again:
Hair loss/breakage is a symptom of being hypothyroid. It's not the cytomel or synthroid that causes the symptom, it's the fact that thyroid hormone levels are not where they need to be, and you are still experiencing hypo symptoms.
Many people find when adding/increasing a medication, symptoms get worse for a period of time, while the body adjusts to having hormones it's not used to having.
If you would post your most recent thyroid test results, which should, at the very least, include TSH, Free T3 and Free T4, but also maybe antibody tests, members would be able to help assess your situation and comment more fully.
When posting lab results, please be sure to post the reference ranges listed on your lab report, since these ranges vary from lab to lab and must come from your own report.
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