Drug Ratings for CYTOMELAverage Rating: 3.6 (253 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 |
Charts & graphs: Reviews Summary for CYTOMEL | Top 10 Adverse Effects (reported to FDA)
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR CYTOMEL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 4 | Thyroid ablation | Just balanced me out | F | 62 | 0 days 5mcg | 5/22/2017 | 4 | Thyroidectomy/Thyroid Cancer | Better energy, happier, no more acne, no more dry skin. | Added 5mg of cytomel to my 75mcg of levothyroxine. I feel much better on the combo. The only downside is that I gained weight. But that can be different for each individual. | F | 31 | 1 months 5mg 1X D | 3/4/2017 | 1 | To supplement 150 synthroid | The side effects were debilitating leg cramps, constipation, headache. | I stopped taking it and am not taking the 150 synthroid to see if I can function on that alone. Armour is great but I'm still cold. | F | 66 | 7 days 5 3x-day | 2/27/2017 | 5 | Conversion issue | At first my doctor gave me 20mg with 100mg T4 I got dizziness and could not sleep. I was on 125 T4 only originally. I backed off for a while then slowly added it 2.5 each week. Doing really well. | Have to have a really good pill cutter and take my T4 At 6am .5 T3 at 10am 3 pm and the .25 at 6pm. A pain but my life is normal again:) | F | 52 | 8 months 6.25mg | 2/3/2017 | 5 | Conversion Issue with T4 | At 10 I had a rapid heart and vertigo. | Love it!!! I spent 16 months after my surgery in a horrible mental fog, weight gain, hair loss, generally miserable. Tried every dose of T4 from 175 to 112. Had to go to an internist and I take 100 T4 and the 7.5 T3. The brain fog was severe and that started getting better within days. Had to stop the T4 for a few days and then started the Cytomel at 2.5 and worked up 2.5 every 10 days. Saved my job and am not anxious or depressed anymore. Was a lifesaver for me...even though the endo stated my labs were fine. My life was not. LOVE it!!! | F | 52 | 3 months 7.5 | 9/15/2016 | 3 | don't convert T4 to T3 | Extreme nausea | Cytomel definitely helped improve my thyroid numbers but the nausea became too much and I discontinued it | F | 90 days 5 mg 1X D | 7/28/2016 | 5 | Hypothyroid/Major Depressive Disord | Increase in energy, no longer feel like all I want to do is sleep, daily crying has greatly reduced | Have been on levothyroxine for about 8 years and just never felt any benefit to being on it, had crazy weight gain of synthroid (18lbs in 3 months). After a ton of research and lots of debate with in primary care doc, I went off of synthyroid, she wouldn't even consider cytomel. My shrink prescribed the cytomel for depression and so far I am very optimistic. I will never go back to synthroid or any other T4 drug. If cytomel continues to lift my depression and hopefully my panic attacks, my goal is to get off of lexapro/buspar. | F | 45 | 4 weeks 25 mcg 1X D | 7/6/2016 | 1 | Hashmotos | I had horrible time taking cytomel. I had this weird feeling in my head, I was so tired and sore. I felt like I had the flu not to mention was very panicked while taking it. | I know it's helped others but it wasn't for me. I'll stick to synthroid. | F | 30 | 10 days 5mg twice | 5/26/2016 | 4 | Hashimoto's thyroiditis | I've only been on it two days, but already feel a difference: more awake, more energy! I have been hypothyroid for DECADES, and given Synthoid (a.k.a. "Syncrap") for decades, by TSH-obsessed, ignorant doctors. I never felt much better on Synthroid and physicians always told me "your TSH is fine", and insinuated that my complaints were 'all in my head'. What jerks! Endocrinologists were particularly useless and especially uncaring. Last winter I discovered Stop The Thyroid Madness book and website & learned about NDT (natural dessicated thyroid). I found a naturopathic doctor who was knowledgable about NDT, and got on it asap. What a HUGE difference! People, if your doctor focuses on 'what your TSH level is", RUN! Find a good healer who prescribes NDT! Recently my dr said I needed to add T3 to my NDT, and I started. Cytomel 2 days ago. I feel my brainfog lifting & am thinking more clearly already! Good stuff! | I have no side effects, so far. I may need to up my dosage level over time. This stuff is great (for me)! Be sure to check out STTM- google it, it will change your life if you have thyroid disease! (stop the thyroid madness dot com) | F | 53 | 2 days 5 2X D | 5/3/2016 | 4 | hypothyroidism/ weight gain | stomach cramps approx. 5-6 hours after taking. It goes away after an hour or so. May or may not be related, but only occurred since I've been taking it. Sometimes I feel hyped up mentally. | For three weeks I've been on 25mcg once a day 30 mins. before lunch, or 2 hours after lunch. Seemed to work right away for me as far as energy and feeling good. I don't take afternoon naps anymore and instead of falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm awake longer. It hasn't helped with my weight gain this far,which was what I was hoping for. I've gained 40lbs since December 2014 and no matter what I did I couldn't lose it. I workout and never stopped, because my thyroid was out of whack I slowed down. I went longer to compensate, but I kept gaining. I'm hoping this kicks in so I can start losing. My endocrinologist said this should jump start my thyroid /metabolism. Nothing yet though. | F | 44 | 3 weeks 25 | 3/15/2016 | 5 | Hypothyroidsm (Hishimatoso) | Sleepiness, weight loss, | F | 53 | 2 times 7.5MG | 12/25/2015 | 5 | hashimoto | Love it.I take Cytomel only 60 mcg. Did very poorly on Synthroid. Experienced massive hair loss. As soon as I was given Cytomel only my hair loss stopped within a week. I can function normally. When my hypothyroid gets worse and I need to increase my dose I start loosing more hair . I adjust my dose and hair loss stops. It's a life saver. Love it, love , love it. | F | 54 | 10 years 60mcg | 9/15/2015 | 4 | Thyroid Cancer/No Thyroid | Sleep Apnea Headache Loss of Appetite Nausea | I have a little more energy on Cytomel but I know my doctor will have to increase my dose. I just started this combination of 5 MG of Cytomel with 175 mcg of Levo. I have been on 325 mcg Synthroid only for years and felt awful. | F | 48 | 1 months 5 MG 1X D | 8/20/2015 | 5 | Hashimoto & Thyrodectomy | So far I have had no negative side affects. | I am a male 74 years old and an avid writer. I had been on thyroid replacement therapy since age 17. I was feeling foggy, sleeping 10 hours every night, lethargic, my mind was gone on vacation and I was unable to write. I argued with my Dr. about not reducing my T4. but he reduced it anyway. He said I needed to go the "Quack" in Spanish Fork. As I left his office, I ask him, "What is the address of that Quack?" I went to the Quack who turned out to be my Savior. She started me with 5mcg twice a day then she prescribed 10mcg twice a day. My T4 was reduced to by the first Dr from 150mcg to 125mcg. The Quack reduced my T4 from 125mcg to 100mcg, but also increased my cytomel, now at 10mcg twice per day. Overall I have lost about 20 pounds all belly fat, but that was just a plus. What is important is, I got my life back. I am now sleeping 8 hours a night, instead of 10. I wake up invigorated, rested, and refreshed. My mind decided to function again and now I am back writing. I got my life back! I am so thankful that I went to see that Quack! I had no idea that T3 even existed. My family Dr was wrong, he was "old" school and refused to treat me for T3. My life would have been over had I not gone to the Quack in Spanish Fork, UT. She treated me with cytomel and now the foggyness in my mind is gone. Without my ability to write, my life was meaningless. I am here, 100%. It is good to be back. Thank you Father in Heaven, thank you! | M | 74 | 6 months 10 MCG 2X D | 8/5/2015 | 1 | Hashimoto's Hypothryoid | headaches, migraine with aura, tinnitus,head buzzing, blurring of vision,light sensitivity, eye lid swelling, dizzy spells, tired, weakness, night sweats, high blood pressure spikes with high pulse, heart palpitations, nausea, dehydration, diahrrea, caffeine and exersize intolerance, memory loss, some hair loss, eventually swelling of full face and shortness of breath. | My doctor added this to my Synthroid 125mcg. that I have been taking for many years. At first she started me on 5mcg. I thought I was doing okay, not realizing at the time the the mild headaches and slight blurry vision was due to this drug until she upped it to 10mcg. After I started on the higher dose, the other more severe symptoms started and I ended up having a "Thyroid Storm" that was a severe life threatening condition and t-3 pooling. It took weeks to get out of my system, not 24 hours as the Doctor said. It was very difficult and scary. Be very careful with this drug. It goes directly in to your blood bypassing your liver. Don't take it at the same time as t4 and definitey don't take it at the same time as estrogen or estradiol. T4, T3 and estrogen will dialate the blood vessels which can cause a stroke or heart attack! The pharmacy gave me the generic Liothyronine and I don't know if this had anything to do with the bad reaction that I had or that I'm allergic to it. But I will never take this drug again! Back to my Tironsint(Synthroid) only. | F | 52 | 6 months 10mcg 1X D | 7/27/2015 | 5 | Hypo | When I first started cytomel I took it at the same time as Aplenzin which resulted in a rapid heart rate for a short period of time. Once I separated those two meds everything was great. | I took 25mcg for 5 years. Over time I guess my thyroid function decreased and I realized I prob needed a dosage increase. Instead the endo switched me to synthroid. The side effects were AWFUL! I switched back to cytomel at a higher dose and feel like myself again. | F | 51 | 1 months 50 1X D | 7/7/2015 | 4 | Metabolism, weight gain | The first time I was on it for the two years, I lost 65# in 2 months doing ABSOLUTELY nothing different. She started me on 2 wks 25s, then 2 weeks 50s, then the 75s. My temperature went from a regular, always 96 to 98.6, my eyebrows grew back, I wasn;t going from cold to hot to cold to hot anymore. Then I went in the hospital for something else and they took me off every medication I was taking and put me only on the ones they felt I needed for the kidney problem I was in for.. When I came out my primary care put me back on, full strength - 75 mg. Within 3 days FULLY HALF my hair fell out. HALF. It was awful. It was coming out in chunks and handfulls at a timre. Finally, after thinking about it, I realized it had to be the full dose of cytomel right away. I myself stopped it and waited a couple of weeks and then did it the way my other dr did. 2 weeks on 25s, etc. This time, however no weight loss. Everything else cleared up like the first time, but not a pound of weight | Can be a really good medication. I particularly liked that 65# gone in a flash. But was SO disappointed the second time around. I am also (for 25 years) been taking generic synthdoid. | F | 61 | 2 years 75mg 1X D | 6/8/2015 | 1 | Hashimotos | I can't hold my eyes open!! . I had extreme sry face, eyes, nose, mouth and the fatigue and brain fog almost killed me. | Trying to find info on why this drug made me feel like I took a sleeping pill. I can't hold my eyes open!! I believe I have sjogrens as well and all of my sx got worse taking this drug. I had extreme sry face, eyes, nose, mouth and the fatigue and brain fog almost kille me. Can anyone help me? | F | 33 | 5 days 25 | 6/3/2015 | 3 | Hypothyroidism | I had severe constipation. I'm in Synthroid 75. Dr. Added a compound T3 or Cytomel. From day 1 it made me nervous. Very bad panic and insomnia. Helps constipation, but bad stomach pains. | F | 62 | 9 days 5 mg | 5/25/2015 | 5 | hypothyroid after RAI | None | Helps me feel more energized and motivated. Took away all depression. I take this in addition to T4 which I have been on for almost one year. Cytomel makes ALL the difference! I love it. Also, it stopped the uncontrollable weight gain. | F | 54 | 6 weeks 25mcg | 5/23/2015 | 5 | overt thyroid disease | pain and edema reduced, more energy, brain fog lifted, depression and anxiety relieved - I got my life back! | Never felt well on 150 mcg Synthroid even though TSH was perfect. Then began gaining weight, swollen eyes and belly, deep muscular pain, massive fatigue and brain fog. Dr. was ready to sign me off on disability due to fibro. Reduced Synthroid to 125 and added 12.5 cytomel - stopped gaining weight but all other symptoms remained. 12.5 cytomel twice daily, no benefit. 25 cytomel in the am, feeling much much better, still very fatigued in the evening and disturbed sleep. Added 5 mcg in the pm, still fatigued in the evening but sleeping well. Functioning well at work and emotionally so much better. Cytomel has been a miracle. Dr. had no idea about this med, had to do the research myself but dr. was supportive. | F | 45 | 2 months 30 mcg 1X D | 2/27/2015 | 1 | was added on with levothyroxine | Non stop heart palpitations,brain fog but the worst is the excruciating muscle pain.EVERY INCH of my body tighten up and now the pain has not lightened up since my last dose on Feb 2 2015. No sleep at anytime and I'm pretty much immobile. I do try to move through it by walking and trying to stay active but the pain is wearing me down. | Nothing helps the pain. I really thought my muscles would tear away and snap.The excruciating pain travelers from my head to my toes. I am really tired of this pain. My Dr has stopped it due to so many reactions and added it to my list of allergies. I returned my RX to the pharmacist. I'm sorry if anyone else is feeling pain like this,too. I don't have a pool or spa but I find hot showers with pulsating water helps to loosen up a bit.I just hope it will eventually go away.Good luck to all of you! | F | 63 | 6 weeks 10MG | 2/15/2015 | 2 | hypothyroidism | tried taking it at different times of the day and can't make my heart get used to this drug - it races up to 90 when I'm just sitting still. Are there any other meds that work like cytomel? I really need to wake up and be able to focus. Synthroid has got my TSH down but I can't function like this | F | 47 | 90 days 5mcg 1X D | 1/23/2015 | 1 | low thyroid | It seems either this drug is heaven to some hell to others. In the 3 months I was on it had extreme rash & itching. Little bumps on both breast & legs. Extreme swelling of legs, ankles & feet. Hair in front fell off! Gained 20 lbs in 3 months. Brain fog. | Thank God for this forum. After reading some of the bad comments here I realized all my symptoms were due to Cytomel. From the day after I took myself off I got relief. It's been 2 weeks & I'm 95% clear of all symptoms. Some dried up bumps here & there & mild itching every now & then. Lesson learned..listen to your body. Cytomel may work for everyone else but you may be the one it doesn't work for. I forgot to say I was taking Cytomel and 50mcg Syntroid combo. May you all be healthy. | F | 61 | 3 months 5mcg daily | 11/16/2014 | 5 | Graves disease | Periodic heart flutter | This drug saved my life! My joint pain and depression were getting the best of me. I feel like a new, happy woman! | F | 41 | 1 months 5 mcg 1X D | 11/13/2014 | 1 | t3 | 1 days | 7/9/2014 | 4 | Hypothyroid/thyroid cancer | Added to synthroid. As long as I take a small dose I don't have palpitations. Otherwise cytomel helps with fatigue. | F | 36 | 5 years | 6/3/2014 | 5 | hypothyroidism from radiation | i've had hypothyroidism for 15 years due to radiation treatment for hodgkin's lymphoma. i've been on synthroid for the same length of time but in the past year my 125MCG hasn't been cutting it. i had been sleeping up to 16 hours a day (not great with three kids and a small business). within three days of starting cytomel i had dramatic improvement in fatigue and concentration. now, after almost a month i've noticed huge improvement in mood stability, energy, dry skin, snoring, dandruff…everything. i hadn't realized how much my mood had been affected but have also noted a marked decrease in anxiety, depression and anger. i can function again. | F | 32 | 1 months 25MCG 1X D | 5/25/2014 | 3 | partial thyroidectomy | Skin was very dry prior to starting cytomel, noticed a significant improvement within the first week. Also helped with extreme belly bloating. Only negative is the tiredness i esperience mid day | F | 36 | 2 months 5mg | 4/27/2014 | 4 | depression | agitation | Still trying to find the right dose. 12.5 seemed to help a very severe depression (I was hospitalized) so gradually increased. But at 37.5 mcg I was super-agitated with my TSH<0.01. Dropped to 12.5 and my depression resurged. So increased to 25 which I'll try but worried that I'm getting agitated again. I had normal thyroid levels before the med. Agree with others here that it has a rapid response and feels like a life-saver for severe recurrent depression. For me it is augmenting an SSRI. | F | 46 | 4 months 25 mcg 1X D | 4/4/2014 | 5 | Augment Antidepressant | Maybe some slight anxiety at first, slight sweating. Not many adverse side effects noticed. | So far, Cytomel has worked tremendously for my treatment resistant depression. I was prescribed a small dose of Cytomel to help augment the antidepressant I had been taking but seemed to no longer work. I tried the generic form of Cytomel and had anxiety, more tearfulness, I just felt awful. The doctor then switched to brand name and those symptoms totally went away. Within about three weeks time I noticed a tremendous difference in my depression. I was far less anxious and that terrible feeling of dread/impending doom was gone. I because more interested in things again and within two months of taking it I am back to myself again. I was having some symptoms of hypothyroidism but my tests always came back within normal range. I was losing hair, gaining weight, the outer third of my eyebrows were gone. My hair and skin were dry. Many of those symptoms I still have, but the anxiety and depression have gone. I sure hope that this post helps somebody else who has been struggling. | F | 49 | 3 months 12.5 mcg 1X D | 2/8/2014 | 5 | thyrolar was unavailable | Wonderful energy increase with no side effects except great mood and happier days.take synthyroid125mcg also.. | F | 51 | 2 years 25mgc | 12/17/2013 | 5 | Hypothyroid | More energy every day. But have to take late afternoon dosage or burning sensation returns. Taking 50-75 mcg every day may need more. Still trying to find the correct dosages. Also gone off synthroid for last two days to see if more energy comes back. | On 75 mcg synthroid for 4 1/2 years high TSH. 15. Doc guilted me into continuing the synthroid. Synthroid completely exhausted me. Took all of my energy away and couldn't hardly get out of bed I was so tired. Doc said due to depression not synthroid. Took Prozac and did nothing. Had to get off synthroid to get any energy back. Got back on synthroid when symptoms came back each time. Discovered first doc only testing for TSH. Not t3 or t4.looked at two endos that couldn't help. Strange, I think they might have been diabetes endos not thyroid endos. When new doc tested t3 and t4 both at the very lowest level in each range. OnInternet looked up books written by Mary showman about thyroid. This is where I found cytomel. Have new doctor the last 6 months. Who also put me on provil upon my request and saved my life. Now has me on cytomel. And finally getting my energy and health back. Feeling like I actually want to live again | F | 63 | 1 months 25 mcg 3X D | 10/29/2013 | 5 | Hypothyroid | Question, the first time I Took this High a dose (100mcg a day) was back in 2006. I felt superhuman. The first tie in my *LIFE*, I've felt so good, my energy was what I considered normal, I was in the Gym daily, etc. *NOW*--2013 (since 2006)--have been on low dose 25mcg?50mcg maintenance. However, was uppped back to 100mcg---it's acting like a SEDATIVE!!! Not kidding, I take it and fall back asleep for HOURS after doing so. Any suggestions???? | M | 40 | 7 days 25mcg 4X D | 9/2/2013 | 3 | Hypo | Helped mood but no weight loss | F | 35 | 8 months 20mcg | 8/13/2013 | 4 | Hypothyroidism | I have lost 11lbs since starting the drug. I need to loose 14 more lbs to be at my regular weight. It does make me more hungry. But I work out 4 days a week cardio and weight training. T3 directly affects the metabolism. I take 5 mcg twice a day. After I eat breakfast and after I eat dinner. It will make you loose muscle not just fat, so you need to weight train if you don't want to look flabby. Take it the same time everyday. If you don't exercise regularly, then don't expect it to help you loose weight. | F | 37 | 4 months 10mcg | 7/21/2013 | 4 | hashimotos thyroiditis | I have a t4 conversion issue so synthroid was not working. begged endo for cytomel and felt fabulous! no side effects until last year. weight gain, forgetfulness, hair falling out,shortness of breath and heartburn | I loved cytomel and had NO problems at all...until last year and my last blood test showed low t3! How can that be? Im practically mainlining the stuff! Ive gained at least 20 lbs and I eat like a bird! I sound hypo and my dr just upped my meds to 75mcg. I feel a little better, but just a little! This is crazy! What do I take now? | F | 56 | 14 years 50-75mcg 1X D | 6/1/2013 | 4 | Total Thyroidectomy 10 years ago | my dr just prescribed me Cytomel .I am on synthroid for 10 years due to thyroidectomy.I have been so sluggish tired and foggy and a little depressed.All my lab work is fine but he feels this will help boost my energy. Im a litle nervous to take this medicine.Any advise | F | 45 | 25 1X D | 5/10/2013 | 5 | Hypothyroid | Mild increase in heart rate for first 20 minutes. | After 13 years of Synthroid only (total thyroidectomy) I feel like my old self. I've cried countless tears in the last week....tears of joy. Lab were always "normal" but I always complained of not feeling sharp, happy, capable, friendly, kind to family/friends etc. My career is back on track. I take 137 mcg Synthroid which is still excedingly valuable to keep a nice base, then this Cytomel bump to get me the rest of the way back to myself. Otherwise I get too cold at night when the Cytomel wears off; fyi, it only is in your system for 6-8 hours, then it's gone. Thank you Jesus. | M | 41 | 6 days 2.5 mcg 3X D | 3/25/2013 | 5 | hypothyroid for the last 14 yrs | No side effects. Its all good! | F | 57 | 10 months 75mcg | 3/16/2013 | 5 | Hashimoto's | Mostly none but sometimes feel very slightly shaky "inside" but with no outward display of shakiness. | Absolute miracle for me. I take 25 mcg on waking and 12.5 around noon (or six hours later). Without the second dose I'm tired and become negative/slightly depressed. After years of wondering what was wrong with me, I now think I was hypothyroid for a long time, maybe 20 years. I am a different person, more alert (no more brain fog), more confident, with much more stamina and energy, losing weight I couldn't lose no matter what. I don't feel like hiding anymore. Am taking Paddock brand. | F | 64 | 120 days 37.5mcg 1X D | 12/16/2012 | 5 | sythroid levels were too high | only positive effects, more energy, clear thinking, no more constipation, no more headaches, skin improvement, no need for afternoon naps. great addition to synthyroid., as the synthyroid alone did nothing for my hypo symptoms. | F | 52 | 60 days 12.5 3X D | 8/18/2012 | 4 | weight gain, bery tired and sluggis | A lot of energy and very hungry. I eat what I want and haven't gained any or lost any weight. I do have a problem falling and staying asleep once in awhile but after having a few alcoholic drinks, I might as well forget about sleeping. Feel very alert. Sometimes I feel shaky but it goes away after I eat. I like cytomel a lot better than synthroid. | F | 28 | 3 weeks 5 mcg 2x d | 7/8/2012 | 1 | Possible hypothyroidism | Note: Generic Cytomel. Hot flashes and heat intolerance, increased body temp including one or more fevers. First three days, seemed to feel more optimistic. Then for most of past 23 days, irritable, feeling "not right," crying for hours and feeling hopelessly depressed, unable to eat. Getting levels checked today and hope to stop taking it. | Been feeling so bad emotionally and unlike myself, but it took me a while to connect it to the Mylan generic drug. It's definitely not for me or the generic is no good. In past learned generic drugs often are dissimilar to the brand names. | F | 61 | 26 days 5 mg 2X D | 5/29/2012 | 5 | Hypothyroidism | I take 88 mcg Synthroid every day and 5 mcg Cytomel 3x per day (15 mcg a day.) My endo told me to space the dosage of Cytomel every 5 hours - EX: 8:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. None!!! | I take 88 mcg of Synthroid every day and 5 mcg Cytomel 3x a day (15 mcg a day.) I space my doses out as follows : Synthroid - 6:00 a.m. Cytomel - 8:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. This is perfect for me. I began taking 5 mcg a day and slowly moved up to 15 after about 5 months. I didn't do well on Synthroid alone. Cytomel suppresses TSH, but my endo says that TSH can be meaningless after treatment has begun and he doses based on free t4 and free t3 levels and how I'm feeling. I feel fantastic! No more brain fog and exhaustion. Cytomel completely stopped my hair loss and now it is full and healthy again. This medication totally changed my life and made me feel healthy again. | F | 43 | 1 years 5 mcg 3X D | 5/2/2012 | 3 | Hypo/hyper thyroidism | Feel back to normal after morning dose of 5mg, more energy, clarity. | I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 28 yes old after my second child was born. Was put on 100 mg of levithroid for 15 years with very minimal dosage adjustments. I did great on it. In 2009, all hell broke loose with my hormones. Went into perimenopause and my thyroid was out of whack. For 3 years I have been suffering with dizziness, fatigue, weight gain, heart palps, irregular periods and horrible pms. Saw a homeapathic hormone specialist the last year and she has been tweaking my thyroid as it keeps fluctuating from high t4to low t3 and reverse t3. She put me on a high dose of t3 compound, for 10 months I was fine on it but the last month has been complete HELL with major fatigue dizziness and heart palps and anxiety attacks. Was finally referred to an endocronolgist from my regular insurance just this week. She put me on 3 days (taper down) of cytomel twice a day 50 mg to 10 mg. Starting 150 levithroid tomorrow once daily. The cytomel feels like a burst of energy to me for about 5 hours, then I plummet into extreme fatigue again be foe my second dose. I hope starting back on the levithroid will balance things back again. I want my life back again. | F | 45 | 3 days 10 2X D | 4/29/2012 | 1 | At first, my levels were a little on the low side, so my doctor put me on 5 mcg cytomel. After only 1 week she checked my blood again and said that there was no change. I thought this was weird because usually you wait 3 weeks after starting a new medication. She bumped me up to 25mcg. I was on the small side (120, 5'6'') and I thought that was quite a jump. Well after 3 weeks on 25mcg, I have INTENSE chest pains, and diffeculty breathing. And now I am only 112 lbs. My endo told me to stop it right away. I am now on the hyper end for my thyroid, and my endo wants to put me on synthroid. I do not understand this at all seeing as his a hormone replacement, and if my levels are already high, why would he want to give me more? This is the 3rd doctor that has tried to do this to me here. I just feel like death everyday. In and out of the ER. I wish I would have just went with my gut feeling and only took a half instead of the full 25mcg. I trusted doctors with my life, as you should be able | F | 25 | 21 days 25 mcg 1X D | 4/10/2012 | 1 | my doctor is playing with my meds | I have a doctor appt this friday, but might just go off this horrible med myself. I have suffered Thyroid issues for 30 years. The ONLY drug that has ever helped me is Armour. Which in December I was fine on Armour, had NO Side effects, numbers were in the low normal range, but I FELT FINE. My doctor went to some conference, changed all his patients, and now I feel like a handicapped person. The pain in my legs, joint pain, stiffness, feeling like my knees are going to crumble and give out on me is HORRIBLE!! I am depressed, cry every day, and I am miserable !! I HATE cytomel and do not suggest if for everyone. By the way, I am very angry at my doctor for playing with my meds. IF you are a doctor out there reading this, listen to your patients symptoms first before deciding what is the right course of action. I was fine on Armour and never should have been taken off. | F | 49 | 21 days 25mcg 1X D | 4/7/2012 | 5 | hypothyroidism | occasional headaches | I felt horrible on T4 alone but since T3 was added, I feel great, have lost 9 lb (in 3 wks) and my mood has entirely improved. I also suffer from low progesterone so I have been taking DHEA and Prometrium as well. | F | 32 | 3 weeks 2.5 mcg 1X D | 3/21/2012 | 5 | Hypothyroid | Cytomel in combination with T4 has been extremely helpful to me. But I also made sure that I was taking vitamins that supported my thyroid including magnesium, iodine, B vitamins and most importantly a good multi-vitamin and Vitamin D. Most of my research shows that a good endocrinologist will treat with a combination on T3 and T4. If yours is saying no, and you don't feel good on T4 alone, demand that they let you try the T3. If they still say no, write the head of the hospital where they work, or find another doctor. It is your life! Make sure you feel good and demand answers if you don't! | F | 45 | 14 days 5mcg 1X D | 3/5/2012 | 2 | Hypothyroidism (Low Thyroid) | Generic version (12.5 mcg – half of a 25 mcg. Tablet) – Experienced fatigue and sleepiness along with some very slight burning in my nostrils. I also felt a little “foggy-minded” and dizzy. | I don't think I even needed this and that the initial fatigue I had with the Levoxyl was due to my body having to take the time to convert the T4 to T3 (since I stopped the Armour Thyroid and it had T3 in it already). [Note: I was taking Armour Thyroid prior to this and it didn't seem to do much]. | M | 49 | 7 days 12.5 mcg 1X D | 3/5/2012 | 1 | Depression | Tremor, forgetfulness, slight weight gain, really messed up thyroid, shortness of breath | I recently went to my primary doctor for my quarterly checkup and he told me that when he saw my blood tests, they read that my thyroid was "really out of whack" and recommended I stop taking it. He was also going to send the recommendation to my psychiatrist. I took his advice, threw the remaining pills down the toilet and will seek an adjunct antidepressant. It also did nothing for my depression anyway. | F | 48 | 3 months 25 1X D | 12/24/2011 | 2 | hypothyroid; reduced T3 | Started at 1/day and had increased appetite and weight gain-- 5lbs the first week. My MD told me to up to two times a day if I wasn't feeling relief from my symptoms(always cold, tired etc) and I did that about 3 weeks ago. My appetite normalized BUT I have gained about 8 pounds in 6 wks. I still feel cold, tired and "brain fogged". | F | 34 | 45 days 5mcg 2X D | 10/15/2011 | 5 | Hypothyroid, Deppression, & Fatigue | Much less Agitation and nervousness than in the past so far | My personal experience has shown me that the benefits of taking T-3 far outweigh of side effects of T-4, If T-3 is started at very low doses (5 mcg) and is gradually increased over 2- 3 Months. I remember what the agitation was like when I tried to increase my dose to 25 mcg. of T-3 too quickly. I started my dosage at 5 mcg/day and then up to 5x day at 3 to 5 hour intervals. I then increased my dosages up to 10 mcg 3X day. Sometimes the afternoon doses can be reduced to 5 mcg.for the entire day. For about a year, I needed 30 to 35 mcg. of T-3 a day to prevent real nasty depression and to avoid memory loss associated with Hypothroid. Thyroid Resistance may be the issue in my case. I've been very blessed in the last 3 days in that I seem to be holding out on just 15 mcg/day(5mcg at 7:00, 11;00 & 3:00) believe that it's possible for some people on thyroid medication to have more complications with T-4 than T-3. You might want to check out Dr. Lowe's website regarding this: http://www.drlowe.com/ If you find that T-3 works better than T-4, you will probably eventually have a suppressed TSH(in taking at least 25 mcg. which is normal & temporary although endocrinologists don't like the notion When taking T-3, you really have to adjust your dose and ask yourself which is worse: a little nervousness or more depression, poor memory& focus? Very small amounts of the right tranquilizers can offset the nervousness.I am only partially in agreement with Wilson's Temperature | M | 62 | 16 months 5mcg 3X D | 9/22/2011 History | 4 | Depression | Perhaps increased appetite | This is an update to when I first started taking Cytomel and experienced extreme anxiety. That has abated, thankfully, and I'm 150mcg synthroid and 25 mg Cytomel. It hasn't quite cleared up my depression yet, nor my afternoon fatigue, but at least I can get out of bed in the morning. I'd give it a 5 if my depression and fatigue were licked; maybe I need to give it more time. | F | 48 | 2 months 25 1X D | 9/17/2011 | 4 | Hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue | Blood pressure increased. | Finally I have some energy and brain fog is reduced after adding 15 mcg cytomel to 50mcg dose of synthroid. On synthroid alone my labs looked good, but I felt tired and foggy-headed. Cytomel reduces that tired foggy-headed feeling. My blood pressure got high when I experimented with a 25mcg dose of cytomel, so went back down to 15 mcg which is bringing my blood pressure down some. | F | 53 | 2 years 15mcg 1X D | 9/7/2011 | 5 | Depression | Felt a bit nervousness/increased anxiety at the start (first 2 days). Adjusted med (5mcgs)to take 1/2 pill in the am and the other 1/2 in the pm and this helped decrease side effects. Slight nausea, but this two subsided. | It's done wonders for me. On the third day, I felt more alive. I'm actually getting used to feeling so good since it has been awhile- I know that sounds "odd" but after feeling lousy for so long, it is an adjustment! | F | 39 | 1 weeks 5mcgs 1X D | 8/18/2011 | 5 | Severe Depression | Slight anxiety upon starting. Small dose of diazepam helped. | This is truly a miracle drug. Have tried (literally) every SSRI, SNRI, MAOI, RIMA, Tricyclic antidepressant medication ever made over ten years. None of them helped me. Cytomel made my depression disappear in two days. It was like someone turned on the life switch. My thyroid tests were normal, and remain normal. Do not start this drug higher than 5 mcg's! That's "micrograms." move to 10 mcg's maximum for depression. You will feel what it is like to be alive for the first time in your life. Normally "alive", not medicated numb by useless antidepressants. Thank you Cytomel! | M | 39 | 6 months 5 MCG 2X D | 7/29/2011 | 2 | To augment Wellbutrin | ANXIETY!!!!!!!!! | It may have been because my pdoc didn't reduce my dosage of Synthroid, which is 150mcg, but the first time I took 25mcg it did absolutely nothing. The second time I took it, it took eight valium tablets, four propranolol tablets and four over the counter sleep pills to even begin to calm me down. After that I slept forever, but I was up at 1 this morning and, like a fool, took another pill and went through this all over again. How long does this last? Can I cut the pills in half? Can I take them later in the day? I was so counting on this to help me with my treatment-resistant depression because I had tried everything and my bed and pillow have become my best friends. | F | 47 | 4 days 25mg 1X D | 7/25/2011 | 1 | RT3 issues | Horrible, anxiety, depression, crying, feel out of control emotionally. Panicky, feeling very sweaty and over heating. very rapid pulse, high b/p swollen feet and hands. headaches. all this on only 2 days on this drug. I thought it was going to be a miracle drug for my severe Reverse T3. it's been nothing but a nightmare. I am using the generic form of cytomel by Paddock Labs. I may (if I want to continue) try the compounded T3 or ask my doctor for the real thing. Generics have fillers and this one has talc in it too. and to think I am supposed to raise the dose? I don't think so. I want to stop but I don't know if you can just stop. I have only been on it for 2 days and it's been a real nightmare. Oh, did I mention insomnia too. I would think twice before taking it. | F | 55 | 2 days 5 MCG's 2X D | 7/24/2011 |