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903476 tn?1242237037

Cytomel

I receved a letter from my endocrinologist recently saying that he was switching me from desiccated thyroid to cytomel, I had only been on the desiccated thyroid for 6 months with what looked like normal thyroid levels. Before that I was on synthroid for 6 years with again what seemed like normal thyroid levels but I still had meny of the symptoms of hypothyroid, fatigue, weakness, weight gain, increased difficulty losing weight, coarse, dry hair, dry, rough pale skin, hair loss and major cold intolerance. The letter stated that theres a small subsect of hypothyroid patiants that may seem to have normal thyroid levels but there body's and brain's are lacking a enzyme to handle synthroid. Even tho I had normal thyroid and TSH levels with both of the meds I was on I was switch again to cytomel. I'm just very confused about this new diagnosis since theres nothing on the web about it.
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Avatar universal
Please post your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also, what is your daily dosage of Synthroid?  Please tell us about any other symptoms you have noticed beyond the weight gain.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I synthroid low dose for months. Continue gaining wait. The dr keeps saying we have to take it slow. One of my other doctors said I needed cytomel instead. Will the cytomel regulate my thyroid back to normal?  I've been 110lbs my adult life then all of sudden I'm 150 and aging a pant size per week. Cut out all sugar grains flour. All other labs are normal hyponatremia under control. What do I di
Helpful - 0
903476 tn?1242237037
My meds have been switched to Cytomel and they did increse my synthroid last year before they switched me to desiccated thyroid and they nearly over dosed me I have a heart problem and it nearly gave me a heart atack they had to drop my dose back down then they tryed giving me diffrent doses with desiccated thyroid every 6 weeks dicking around with my meds and getting blood tests. I have had my T3 over 4.0 and my T4 over 2.0 and I sill felt all the symptoms of hypothyroid. For the past 2 years I had my dose changed nearly every 6 weeks to try and get rid of all my symptoms and it wasent till recently my dostor sent me a little about this new study but he didnt give me any details in the letter. I know all about how they have been doseing me I have had this problem for nearly 7 years I think I figured this out by now. All I want answered is what is this enzyme I'm missing and why dose it it make me not able to handle synthroid? All I know is it's a new study out of great brittian it was just recently published which is why I cant find anything about it on the web and I was hopeing someone here had access to this study to explane it to me. I would have asked my endocrinologist but he has parkinson's and hasent been in the clinic in a few weeks.
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Avatar universal
I've never seen anything about such an enzyme; however, the doctor is right that you need more medication.   Your FT3 and FT4 are both too low. We hear from many people that have the same problems because doctors look at the FT3 and FT4 within range and decide they are "normal" and then ignore symptoms.   Meds need to be increased until symptoms are alleviated.  Frequently this requires that  FT3 is in the upper part of the range and FT4 is at least midpoint of its range.  Some patients are able to get there with a T4 med, others require a T3 med source, such as Cytomel, or a combo T4/T3 med.  If I were you I would find out if the doctor is willing to adjust your FT3 and Ft4 levels until symptoms are alleviated.  If that is the plan then stick with that doctor.  Symptom relief should be all important.
Helpful - 0
903476 tn?1242237037
It's the free T3 and T4 and 4 diffrent endocrinologist said I was perfectly healthy was totally under control for almost 7 years II kept changeing doctors cuz no one would listen to me that I still felt crappy I may have been a little on the low end but they had me on a higher dose before and I ended up being over medacated my doctor said it was better to be on the low end of normal then above normal. This is my 5th endocrinologist and he was the first one to say there was something wrong and my meds needed to be changes again to the Cytomel what I would like to know is why and whats with the enzyme that i dont have the makes me not able to handle synthroid?
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I don't know about this "subsect" who's body and brain can't handle synthroid, but from the looks of your lab results it would appear that you are under medicated.  

Are the T4 and T3, Total or Free?  The free results are what's important because that's what's available for use.  But even so, your T4 is at the very bottom of it's range and so is your T3.  But if those are Total, then you may be further off than it appears.  Total shows the total amount of hormone but does NOT show how much may be bound up in proteins and unavailable for use; that's why you need to have the "FREE" T4 and "FREE" T3.  

Just "being in range" does NOT mean that you are "normal", because what's normal on the lab report may not be normal for YOUR body.......

If you can clarify whether the T4 and T3 are Free or Total, that would be a great help.  
Helpful - 0
903476 tn?1242237037
My TSH last test was 1.3 my T3 was 2.2 and my T4 was 0.8 all almost perfect levels and for the past almost 7 years being on meds I have always had normal results but I havent felt much better being on the meds. The labs ranges are TSH 0.5 to 5.0 T3 2.0 to 4.0 and T4 .7 to 2.0 you can see there within the normal range.
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
What are your latest thyroid test results?  Can you post them, along the lab's reference ranges?  Without knowing the levels, it's very hard to comment.  
Helpful - 0
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