why did the cytomel work so much better than the naturethroid?

[Liz118]

Hello everyone
I switched from 15 mcg of cytomel to naturethroid (armour) about 3 weeks ago. Now I am up to 3 grains and I am still feeling hypo. I do have adrenal issues and other hormone issues and I am treating those now. But I had those same issues when I used cytomel, and it seemed to work better. Has anyone been in this situation?
Thanks

[laura1967]

If you have adrenal issues, then it will get worse on Naturethroid if it wasn't dealt with before the thyroid meds were given. If your adrenals are that weak, then you might be better off with cytomel until the adrenals are strong. The warning on untreated adrenals is on the prescribing information for thyroid meds.

[Liz118]

Hi Laura
Why would cytomel work better with adrenal issues than armour?
Thanks

[laura1967]

Because you are putting the actual active hormone into your system with cytomel. With combo med or t4 meds your body has to convert it and work at it. Your adrenals are major stress glands and are very sensitive believe it or not to the body over working itself. If they are already weak, then any amount of stress or extra work will tear them down even further. That is my take on it anyway.  OR   maybe your T3 level is extremely low and maybe you need more T3 than the naturethroid ratio has in it. When using cytomel with t4 med, it is much easier to dosage to what your body needs for your t3 level to be optimum.

[stella5349]

Can't add a word  :)

She nailed it!

[laura1967]

Thanks Stella!  HUGS!!  :)

[Liz118]

Hi Stella
This is really helpful. Thanks so much. I did an experiment and tried adding 5 mcg of cytomel and I already feel better. I am still confused about one thing, though.
I am on 3 grains of armour, which amounts to 27 mcg of T3 (9 mcg per grain). Before switching I was taking 15 mcg on T3 (cytomel). So theoretically, despite the fact that my body has to convert the T4 to T3, then shouldn't I be getting that same type of readily available T3 in the naturethroid aside from the T4 it has in it? Does the T4 block the T3 from working somehow? Or is it the time release? It seems like I should be bouncing off the walls with all of the T3 in the naturethroid.
I guess I will have to talk to my doc about switching back to cytomel while I take the cortef. But will cytomel stress my adrenals, too?
Thanks so much!

[Liz118]

Oops, I meant thanks to Laura for the explanation, but also thanks to Stella for chiming in too!

[Liz118]

Oh wait...I get it now!
It doesn't matter that there is T3 in the naturethroid, it only matters that there is T4 and that my body is getting pooped trying to convert that to T3. So the higher I go on the nature throid, the worse it gets, because the more my adrenals are getting tired trying to convert the growing amounts of T4.
So ideally I should go to a time release version of T3 only, right?
It seems strange that no one ever mentions that it is okay to do cytomel only while you are healing the adrenals. On every site I have read that you have to go off all thyroid meds for that.
Anyway thanks sooooo much ladies for explaining this to me!!!!

[laura1967]

Let us know what your doctor says! :)

[Liz118]

Hi Laura
I will let you know what the doc says. I have to leave town this weekend and I have decided to go ahead and switch to the cytomel. I can't wait until I see the doctor. Do you think it is best to be completely off of the T4?
Thanks for all of your help. I woulnd not have figured this out if you hadn't explained it to me!

[laura1967]

I think I would wait to see what dosage your doctor is going to put you on. I wouldn't try to self dosage at all. If he had you on cytomel before, then he should have a good idea of what you need.