update on my switch from cytomel to armour and levo

[Liz118]

Hi everyone
I am back with another update. I was having problems switching from T3 only to T3 and T4 (naturethroid and levo.).
I am now on a mixture of the two, but I still feel like I have an easier time with the cytomel. A couple of times I have felt like the armour was working when I took iodine, but that sort of went away. I am only on one grain but when I try and raise I don't feel too hot. I saw my doc and he is going to check my reverse T3 level to see if I have a conversion problem. He is alwso going to switch me from cytomel to a time release T3. I will probably end up taking the T3 and a little levo and drop the naturethroid. I just feel like it is not working out well for me. I don't know why!

[stella5349]

If you have a T3 med  only- you can function well . It is a short lived hormone and depletes quickly. I also read and was told recently by my endo  with T3 meds it sometimes can suppress normal thyroid function. The thyroid - in a way gets lazy- when T3 meds are taken and then decides to sit back and let the med work instead of itself. That is scarey to me when a person still has their thyroid and it may just be in a non functional level - but could bounce back - if not in autoimmune distruction.

T4 meds require a conversion - so that is why sometimes T4 meds are only given too. Again the liver does produce levels of conversion - but if the gland is still available - it may help it kick start proper function again if enticed. I think T4 meds are great to start - if a person has their gland still without autoimmune antibodies and has a chance this abnormal function is possibly a temporary situation.

If you have no thyroid - like I - then it can be very beneficial to have T3 given to assist in proper hormone balance for low thyroid symptoms.

I don't think Cytomel comes in time release - but there is T3 meds that are available for an 8 hr cycle - how much T3 is distributed - is anybody's guess and if it works as the shot lived other does. Again it is a trial and error situation.

[Liz118]

Hi Stella
Right now I am in a holding pattern with a combination of the meds. I feel like I should keep the armour and levo in my system until I get tested and then maybe try once again to raise the armour. It has been over a month now on both meds. The problem with the cytomel is that it isn't time released so I tend to get sweating episodes with it. Otherwise I do seem better on T3 only.
I worry that if I don't have any T4 in my system that I will be missing something important. My doc said that there is probably a reason for the T4 but he isn't sure what it is, exactly. I wish I could make the T3 naturally

[stella5349]

Hi Liz

Are you tracking everything too.

Your trying things and that is good - rushing is bad - not sure if you are falling under that - but time is important in the whole balancing wihich ever way you go.

If you feel the T3 in Cytomel was better - maybe work toward that again - but realize a switch again may drop you back until things get rolling again