Weight Loss - Is it Liothyronine?

[baysider]

Hi, I had a total thyroidectomy after thyroid cancer.  I recently came off my thyroxine drugs (Eutroxsig 150 mcg per day) to have a follow up scan since radioactive iodine treatment. I had to stop taking thyroxine for 4 weeks before the scan and the hospital gave me Liothyronine drug to take for the first two weeks and then two weeks with no drugs at all.  In the first 2 weeks I lost 5 pounds in weight. Amazingly the weight seemed to come directly off the most stubborn area, my lower abdomen!!   My GP had put me on the anti-depressant Zoloft (Setraline) 2 weeks before I started taking Liothyronine because I was so anxious about coming off my thyroid medication. She was surprised when I reported the weight loss at our 4 week check up so I am presuming that weight loss is not normally a symptom of Zoloft..  Do you think the Liothyronine was the reason for the weight loss? If so, can I replace my Thyroxine drug (T4) with the Liothyronine? Is Liothyronine a T3 drug?  Thanks....

[jo1121057]

A related discussion, Thyroglobulin was started.

[jessica1122]

:)

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Liothyronine is T3.  You probably were on a high dose (25mcg 2-3x/day) in preparation for thyroid cancer scanning -- this is too much for most people long-term.  It is not a weight loss drug, but anything that causes high thyroid levels (graves, hot nodules, too much medication, etc) can cause this type of weight loss.  It is possible to combine some T3 with the T4 (Eutroxsig in your case) for maintenance replacement.  The usual dose is 5mcg 1-2x/day.