Amount of T3 to start with when currently on T4 only

[hopenajar]

I am working with a doc who is probably clueless about thyroid treatment so if she will let me I will guide her in my treatment.  
I have been on 100 mcg/dy of Synthroid for 10 weeks, my FT4 is at 50% of the range and FT3 is at 34%.  I would like to continue with the Synthroid and add a T3 only med such as Cytomel and am wondering if anyone has a thought about what a good starting dose would be for Cytomel?  Is it recommended to dose twice daily for Cytomel and will adding this med cause my need for Synthroid to be reduced?

Thanks!

[Barb135]

Has you doctor agreed to give you some cytomel?  Your other thread says you have an appointment on the 19th.  

As flyingfool said, a typical starting dose is 5 mcg, split into 2 doses/day.  It's also recommended that T4 med be decreased by 25 mcg for every 5 mcg of T3 added.  You can always increase later if you need to.

For those not familiar with hopenjar's situation, here's a link to her other, ongoing thread:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/change-from-T4-only-med-to-T3-T4-combo/show/2094087

[flyingfool]

We here and I am NOT a Dr.  

But a rule of thumb is that if you want to not want to change your FT4 level but increase the FT3 level.  You should reduce the T4 dosage by about 25 mcg for each 5 mcg of T3 you add.

You also want to start off adding T3 at a very small rate.  Which means 5 mcg a day or less to start.  Certainly not over 10 mcg.

With these rules of thumbs a possible small starting change would be to reduce the T4 dosage by about 12.5 mcg and add in 5 mcg of T3 and I would recommend splitting the T3 into halves and take half (2.5 mcg) in the morning and the remaining 2.5 mcg in the early afternoon not later than about 2PM.

Another reminder that these are based COMPLETELY on the rules of thumbs that were learned here by other non Dr's.  So undersand that if you take this advice or rule of thumb it is totally at your own risk and certainly you should get as always your Dr's approval after a discussion with your Dr.