Levothyroxine vs Cytomel

[Justi_has_a_booboo]

I had a TT 5 weeks ago. For 2 weeks I was on Levothyroxine 175 1x daily . Then I got the news I "had" cancer and was to stop Levothyroxine and take Cytomel 25 2xs a day.

*Levothyroxine I would take in the morning/empty/with h20 no food for 1 hour
*Cytomel I take one in the morning 8-9am same as above, then one at 9pm

My question is I felt amazing  on Levothyroxine (alive again!) and I feel OK on Cytomel.

My issue is I am really tired between the hours of 2pm and 6pm. My legs ache a lot, mainly in the morning. If I take a nap, then I cannot sleep until 12am-3am.

You have all been so good to me, I'm hoping for a little more good insight and advice.

XOXO

[Barb135]

You will want your cytomel (T3) levels higher during the day because it gives you energy to keep going, but you will want it to wear off in the evening so you can sleep.  Cytomel is fast acting, so when you get up in the morning and get that first dose, you should be ready to go in a short time; it usually wears off in 3-4 hours and whatever is not used by the body is supposedly eliminated, but I don't necessarily find that to be the case.  I find that if I take cytomel after around 11:00 am, I'll sleep very little or not at all.  

Since you are only on cytomel, you  might actually find it beneficial to split your dosage into 4 X/day, depending on what time you get up in the morning.  The idea is to keep a fairly stable level in your blood throughout the day, but you'll want it gone by bedtime, so you can sleep.  You might have to experiment a bit - I find that just an hour or so either way makes a huge difference.  

When I was on 10 mcg/day, I actually asked my pharmacist to fill the script with 5 mcg tabs -- that way I could split the dosage throughout the day without having to actually split the pills.........

[Justi_has_a_booboo]

Also, I don't think you will feel your best until you get back on the Levo. How long until you are finished with treatment and can get back on the Levo?

I have to see my new endo jan 11th then RAI around the last week of Jan is the estimated time, then back on the Levo. I cannot wait to be done with it so I can start working to getting to "normal".

[Justi_has_a_booboo]

Thank you both! I will try splitting up the 2nd dose at lunch and dinner. I really appreciate the advice. Is it ok to have more during the day and less when I sleep? I'm guessing that's how our body would do it if it could.

[Barb135]

I'm on cytomel, along with my levo -- I take my levo when I get up at 3:30 am, then my cytomel around 7:00 am.  I'm only on 5 mcg/day, so with your dosage, you may have to either take that second dose earlier -- before the "2:00 slump" or split it up and take 1/2 at noon and 1/2 in the evening, like Tamra suggested.  If I take my cytomel too late in the day, I don't sleep at night either.  

[TamraW]

I can't take Cytomel past one pm or I can't get to sleep until midnight. That stuff is strong. I suggest taking it earlier, and then breaking the 25 into three or four doses. Maybe 25 in the am. 12.5 before lunch and 12.5 before dinner.

Also, I don't think you will feel your best until you get back on the Levo. How long until you are finished with treatment and can get back on the Levo?

I am thinking of quitting my Cytomel and just going with the stronger Synthroid. I just can't stop these erratic heartbeats when I'm on Cytomel, and I'm only taking 5 mcg. Also, I nap more when I take Cytomel. I'm so much more tired.

:) Tamra