Anybody know anything about cytomel?

Hey all,

This is for all of you out there who deal with metabolic disorders... I was wondering what you all know about the drug cytomel?  Around the middle of March, I began seeing an endocrinologist about my hypothyroidism.  I have been on synthroid since I was eleven years old (I just turned 23, so for over half of my life), and I have always been heavy.  Recently, within the last couple of years, I also started dealing with bad scalp psoriasis and some depression, which I was told by my family doctor could be caused by my hypothyroidism.  I started seeing this endocrinologist, and he prescribed me some cytomel to take with my synthroid.  I'm taking 125 mcg of synthroid every day, plus now I'm taking half of a 25 mcg pill of cytomel every other day.  I don't know if that's a normal dosage of cytomel or not... but I want to know, if any of you out there are taking it, how does it affect you?

My weight has always been high since I was a little girl, thanks to my wonderful hypothyroid, which made it difficult for me to lose weight.  2 years ago, at 5'3" I weighed 230 pounds, but I was as happy as a clam.  Then some stuff happened, depression set in, and I began dabbling with what some people call an eating disorder.  The weight started to fly off... it was the only way that I had tried that ever worked for me.  I tried calorie restriction and exercise... none of it worked, I just couldn't get the weight to budge.  Anyways, to make a long story short, I'm still healing from some stuff, but in the meantime, I've been attempting just to be healthy, and forget about this last little bit of weight I have to lose.

I started taking the cytomel on March 18.  In the just over a month that I've been taking it, I have been eating on average 1650 calories per day, running 16-20 miles per week, as well as living a pretty busy life as a college student who is student teaching and attempting what some of my professors have called an impossible double major.  Many of my depressive symptoms have begun to clear up, I don't feel so hopeless and sad all the time.  I can wake up in the morning without feeling like I've been run over by a truck; I actually get up an hour before class starts feeling rested, instead of five minutes before class and feeling like a slug!  I feel like I've been binging on that many calories, but miraculously, I have been losing about a pound per week, sometimes more.  Last Saturday April 21, I weighed 147 lbs 10 ounces.  Today I weighed 144 pounds 13 ounces.  I am not sure how this is happening... I was NEVER able to do this on just the synthroid.  Is this the cytomel?  Is this what my body has been missing all of those years on synthroid when I couldn't get any weight to budge off my hips?

Ok... enough of me... I'm just kind of excited about this and I had to share.  If anybody has had any similar experiences, please share!

Dear Prettyd33,

I don't know if I can help you.... but, I too am on Synthroid and Cytomel.  I take them together in the AM.  I have a disease called HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS/HYPOTHYROIDISM.  I have a GOITER, and struggling with weight as well.  I have been on the meds for years.  I have been on the Cytomel for years as well.  I had requested it for my fatigue (a symptom of HASHIMOTO'S).  I don't know what your DR. told you about the meds, but I do know this.  It's not a drug you can "fool around" with.  You can NEVER EVER take any kind of diet aid/drug/suppliment with Cytomel.  The effects can be VERY BAD!!!   This sucks because I'm temped daily to go and take some Slimfast or Hoodia... I'd love to drop my weight ASAP... but, I am realistic.  I love who I am.  I am happy with what I look like. 

I think you should talk to your DR. about the Cytomel.  And if your DR. isn't answering your questions... GET A NEW ONE!!! I switched DR.s 3X before I finally found one who would listen as well as talk.  You have a disease, you're being treated medically.  You deserve to know absolutely everything about what you have and what you are putting into your body.  It takes time.  Sooner or later it'll kick in and you'll feel better.

lisa from Long Island

Great Advice on how to find an Endo---that prescribes Cytomel!!!!

If you are looking for Cytomel -this is a good way to find out which Doctor's might prescirbe it (I did this to find my new Endo).

The problem is that Cytomel does not have as "Sales Force" that sell the drugs (like Anti-Depressants or Lipitor, etc.).

Cytomel is made by "King Pharmaceuticals"--I was looking for a new Endo--and called them to see who the sales rep was in the area for where I live--my intent was going to be ask the Sales person who prescribes Cytomel---however since King does not have a Sales Force (they only "wholesale" the drug---found this information with my conversation with King).

It BLOWS ME AWAY some Endo's don't even know Cytomel exists....

Funny, I thought I was going to go in and give a "Lesson" to my Endo---but he knew more than I did....

Anyway, I "found him"...by calling a local pharmacy (or you might want to ask the one you go to now)---

But, I simply asked them if they can look in the computer and tell me what Endo prescribes Cytomel.---told them I was looking for a new Endo----and that King Pharmaceuticals suggested I ask them.....

I found THE BESt DOCTOR     in the ENTIRE WORLD----I've never had so many tests done to me in MY LIFe..and I know he's gonna figure out what is wrong with me...*GRIN*

YES YES YES YES YES!!!

I CANNOT AGREE ENOUGH WITH THIS......

Endo's SUCK (for the most part)----My last endo wanted to take a "wait and see approach" to what's wrong with me...I said "F" that...I've suffered too long....I found another one---he's run more tests on me than I can count...

Bone Density

Blood (4-different tests)

Heart Echo

Thyroid Scan

If you go to an Endo---and AT THE VERY LEAST---they don't do a blood test on you...BY ALL MEANS...GET A NEW ONE!!!!!!

DO NOT WASTE 7+ years of your life like I did----being "patient"---

It's your HEALTH---YOU DESERVE TO WAKE UP FEELING GOOD

YOU DESERVE to feel "NORMAL" like other people.....

By all means....DO NOT mess around with a Doctor that's not willing to "Dig" for information to see what's wrong with you!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

Original Post by mokochaka:

Dear Prettyd33,

I don't know if I can help you.... but, I too am on Synthroid and Cytomel.  I take them together in the AM.  I have a disease called HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS/HYPOTHYROIDISM.  I have a GOITER, and struggling with weight as well.  I have been on the meds for years.  I have been on the Cytomel for years as well.  I had requested it for my fatigue (a symptom of HASHIMOTO'S).  I don't know what your DR. told you about the meds, but I do know this.  It's not a drug you can "fool around" with.  You can NEVER EVER take any kind of diet aid/drug/suppliment with Cytomel.  The effects can be VERY BAD!!!   This sucks because I'm temped daily to go and take some Slimfast or Hoodia... I'd love to drop my weight ASAP... but, I am realistic.  I love who I am.  I am happy with what I look like. 

I think you should talk to your DR. about the Cytomel.  And if your DR. isn't answering your questions... GET A NEW ONE!!! I switched DR.s 3X before I finally found one who would listen as well as talk.  You have a disease, you're being treated medically.  You deserve to know absolutely everything about what you have and what you are putting into your body.  It takes time.  Sooner or later it'll kick in and you'll feel better.

lisa from Long Island

 

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and praying for answers. i'm 21, a college student, and currently 45 lbs overweight. i was diagnosed w/ hypothyroidism when i was 20, and have been on what seems to be comparatively low doses of levoxl and cytomel. i'm currently on .137 split in half (so 68 ish...)  of the levoxl and 1 1/2 5mcg tabs of cytomel. I'm on about 1300 cal a day and walking 3 miles and doing pilates. the scale will barely move!

Do you guys think this seems like a really low dose? the doctor i see if not even a doctor- he's a PA that specializes in endo. I've been with him since i was diagnosed, and i'm just not doing better. ive recently went to a specialist (no insurance- YIKES) and she said i'm a "hormonal disaster" and took my off my birth control pills. I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) but never gained weight from that illness, only from my thyroid. I now have to wait two months before i see her again and she re-evaluates me.

Somebody, please help me. I'm getting married in 8 weeks and cant fit in my wedding dress. is it safe to increase my own cytomel a little? i know that might sound stupid to self medicate, but im miserable and it seems like most of you are on 25 mcg... i'm on 7.5 mcg.... any advice would be great, thanks everyone.

hey everyone, 

  I was wondering if anyone could answer these ?'s for me........ 4 yrs ago I was diagnosed w/ hypothyroidism. Was on 88mcg of l-thyroxine, 6 mos ago bumped up to 100mcg.      &n bsp; Is there a difference  between l-thyroxine and synthroid??

  About a month ago I was started on Cytomel 25mg and really haven't noticed anything as far as improvements go, except for one thing, when I take it ( along w/my l-thyroxine in the a.m. ) I get extremely tired, sounds weird especially after reading every one of your posts. Is this a side effect or should I be taking it at a different time of day?

Last, For most of my life I have been an extremely active person, was an athlete, worked out almost everyday, etc. I've had a bad low back since i was 18 but learned to deal w/ the pain. 10 yrs later I rapidly went down hill and had to have a total reconstruction of my lower spine. As of now I have had to repeate this surgery again and have not been able to work for the last 7 yrs.   Even while being inactive for lengthy periods of time I never gained more than 10 lbs. Now i weigh well more than I ever have, 35lbs more. I retain so much water through out my body, I have absolutely NO energy, my hair has been falling out in handfulls, haven't had my period for well over a year eventhough my hormones are fine so they say and my pain levels have been real high. I have most all of the symptoms that everyone here has. I have absolutely no appetite so I don't really eat much so I know the weight jump is not from over eating. 

 Any suggestions?? I hate feeling this way. It is soo bad most of the time I can barely get out of bed and/or do little things around the house. I have to rely on my family alot to go to the store for me which sucks, this whole thing sucks.  I would love to get back to some type of routine, be able to do even light excersize and be able to take care of myself everyday would be nice too.

All suggestions and comments welcome and appreciated!!!! 

I'm wondering if you need to address the l-thyroxine issue?  Do some searching on body-building sites and there is some really interesting information.  I think levothyroxine is a new synthetic form of the old thyroxine and loads of people have been having issues on it. From what I know, which is why I want to try it, most people seem to be on Cytomel alone or with I think synthroid?  Not all three.  I tried thyroxine years ago and it did absolutely ZIP for me.  Have a search on Wilson's syndrome and see if that gives any answers?  Me? I'm just about to head off to the quack's this week to get kicking on some Ctyomel alone as my hair falls out anyway and I get terribly tired and like you don't have to eat anything to load weight and water on and not get rid of it.  Something has happened to our metabolisms, and whilst I am getting older and agree that some of it may be natural ageing and what have you, I refuse to believe that is the TOTAL answer and that it is my genetics alone, not when I was x weight for a number of years before pregnancy no matter what and then totally rooted afterwards. Am in the fog with you but wonder if you should be on all those meds together or if they should be adjusted?  Also, as an aside, you can get T3/T4 Cytomel or just plain T3 Cytomel.  The issue with this is that the T4 can fight with oestrogen as that is what synthesises T3 in our body to convert it to T4 and on to TSH.  I'mwondering if your oestrogens are out of whack with the other thyroid meds too?  Just tossing ideas in there from my own limited learning ...

I want  to write I'm only 108lb. 44 and have no thyroid now. two weeks ago I got the last half taken out, put on this ctyl.... stuff.  My thyroid has always , and I mean always, tested in the normal range.  I'm gonna help narrow that stupid "range".  Any way I've been reading these posts and I don't need to loose wieght,  OH GOSH if i did , well, that's why i insisted on having my bump taken out I just keep fighting to stay 108lbs.  I'm sorry if im bugging you but this is scary to me .  Having palpitations all day again as a matter of fact i thought they were normal or well any way  WHY HAS MY DOC GIVEN A SKELETON THIS MEDICINE?  should i ask him how old he is?

I hear ya.  I always test in the normal range too.  Low normal on some things (like range is 0.4-4.0 & I'm at 0.6).  I've een asking for years for help.  I'm overweight and lethargic.  The quacks say it could screw my already screwed thyroid and I could end up skinny & lethrgic.  I am fat n tired, hellooooooooo?  does this not solve my problem?  I'm lethargic ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that is a very light view of it but, yeah.  The range is nuts - who IS this "average demographic" "they" test???

 

I was diagnosed with Graves disease about 4 years ago and had to have my thyroid obliterated.  I was originally put on Levo all by itself and slowly over the course of several months I began to put on weight, became sluggish, depressed, and irritable.  I gained 40 pounds in 4 months!!  The "specialist" who obliterated my thyroid kept upping my levo dosage until it was at 150mcg.  It did no good.  He just kept saying...eat less, move more.  I was only eating 1400 calories a day!!!  I weighed 190 pounds.  I found a different doctor and she prescribed cytomel.  She changed my levo to 100mcg and added 15mcg of Cytomel.  Within a couple of days I felt reborn.  Plenty of energy and no more moodiness.  I felt NORMAL.  Also I began to lose weight.  I have since dropped the 40 pounds and would like to lose another 20. 

I think the problem that most people with thyroid disorders is that Levo and Synthroid are T4.  The human body must convert T4 into T3 to lose weight and in people with normal thyroid this is not an issue. Cytomel is T3 only.  It makes you wonder just how well a person with no thyroid or a poorly functioning one can convert T4 into T3.    In fact, the thyroid produces numerous hormones that play roles in metabolism and there is no way you can get them all from taking a T4 only replacement.  Luckily, the most important one in metabolism is T3 and is available for those who need it.   

I am always bothered by doctors who don't look at a patient as a person, but only how good the numbers look on paper.  Your numbers can be in the "so called" normal range, but you can still feel horrible.  If any of you are dealing with a doctor who is more interested in your numbers rather than how you feel physically/mentally.....then it is time to find a new doctor. 

"I am always bothered by doctors who don't look at a patient as a person, but only how good the numbers look on paper. Your numbers can be in the "so called" normal range, but you can still feel horrible. If any of you are dealing with a doctor who is more interested in your numbers rather than how you feel physically/mentally.....then it is time to find a new doctor."

I have yet to find a doctor in NZ who is willing to give it a try - I am just the numbers to them despite one of my readings being low normal (i.e. 0.6 on a scale of 0.4-4.0) and all the hallmarks of Wilson's syndrome.  I've even tried Clenbuterol (as the athlete's do) and lost no weight on it at all which suggests to me I have a thyroid issue.  HOW do you find a doctor willing to give it a bash???????????????

A bit off topic, but my doctor (psychiatrist) just prescribed cytomel for me.  I don't have a thyroid issue, but I do have very treatment resistant severe depression.  There have been studies showing that when cytomel is given to a treatment resistant depressed person with a normal thyroid, it helps the antidepressant work/be more effective.  

I've only been on it for a few days, but *fingers crossed* that it works!

hi i was wondering if you are prescribed any other drugs with this .i was given cytomel10mcg aday along withaldactazide25/25 plus phentermine37.5aday& i dont unerstand all this &how its should work for me but i was on it & couldnt lose a ouncebefoe this cocktail i"ll call it i lost 18lbs in less than 2 weeks have you any info you can shareaboutany of this i greatly appreciate all your help

Well, it's nice to hear that I'm not alone or going crazy...

I'm 49, 5'3", been very athletic my entire life and have always weighed around 120-127 lbs since my last child was born when I was 30.  I had my thyroid removed in September of 2006 and have slowly gone down hill since.  I'm currently on .125 mg of Synthroid daily.  It was adjusted down from .137 mgs about a year ago??? 

The weight has crept up to 140, my hips and knees ache all the time, I eat like a bird (force myself to stay at or below 1000 calories daily) and I walk 2+ miles at this time due to lower back surgery in July which totally exhausts me.  This is soooo not my normal self who has been a work-out nut my entire life. 

My endo has made it very clear that he will only treat me according to my bloodwork.  I've been freezing now for 3 years, there IS NO such thing as multi-tasking anymore and I can hardly stay awake during the afternoons.  I fired my endo last Wednesday....finally.  I went to another doctor on Monday (a Family Practitioner) and he has put me on 25 mcgs of Cytomel once daily along with the .125 mgs of Synthroid.  Today was the first dose.  PLEASE let this be my time to feel good again!  I haven't had any heart palpitations or sweating which is what the doctor told me to watch for.  I don't feel any different today although I know I need to give it some time.  Just wondering how long before I should request a higher doesage of Cytomel.  Not sure what to expect here.  I am interested in more stories of starting on Cytomel and the results/experinces of others...keep posting please!!

Original Post by ltsmith1:

Well, it's nice to hear that I'm not alone or going crazy...

The weight has crept up to 140, my hips and knees ache all the time, I eat like a bird (force myself to stay at or below 1000 calories daily) and I walk 2+ miles at this time due to lower back surgery in July which totally exhausts me.  This is soooo not my normal self who has been a work-out nut my entire life. 

My endo has made it very clear that he will only treat me according to my bloodwork.  I've been freezing now for 3 years, there IS NO such thing as multi-tasking anymore and I can hardly stay awake during the afternoons.  I fired my endo last Wednesday....finally.  I went to another doctor on Monday (a Family Practitioner) and he has put me on 25 mcgs of Cytomel once daily along with the .125 mgs of Synthroid. 

 

HOW THE HELL DO YOU FIND A GP WHO WILL TRY THIS ... HERE IN NZ I wonder how far up the pharmaceutical companies @sses the doctors are because they won't even give it a whirl despite bloods coming back relatively normal with only one LOW normal reading, but all the other symptoms (cold, tired, lack of concentration, weight gain or no loss on eating next to nothing ...).  GRRRRRRRR  What on earth did you say to your new doctor?

The doctor is actually who my husband has gone to see a couple of times this Spring from having a cold.  He would never go to a doctor unless he was really sick.  We found him about 2 miles from our home (for conveniance so hubby will go more often) and my husband REALLY liked him...close to the same age, 42-45 I would say.  I then took our 18 year old son to him when he got sick with a cold a few months later.  My son was still seeing his Pediatrician every now and then and I took this opportunity to switch him to a new physician as well.

My bloodwork looked normal to my endo 5 weeks ago and then I had another workup done from another physician early last week.  My TSH level had spiked to 9.230 for some reason and I tried yet another time to convince my endo to switch my medication.  That's when the MF told me point blank that he would ONLY treat according to the bloodwork and not by my symptons.  That was last Wednesday...today I'm on Cytomel with a wonderful physician that sounds like he's willing to listen to how miserable I've been.  I had my whole 3 year file copied and sent to the new physician on Friday so that he would be able to see my history since the total Thyroidectomy in 2006.  Get this...my previous endo was only 40....WTF???

I am wondering if I should see a doctor who I know will put me on Cytomel. Here's my story:

 

Aug 2007 diagnosed hypothryoid TSH 25

Nov 2007 tested neg. antibodies

TSH slowly, slowly came down...

Oct. 2008 TSH .04 -endo said I was hyper, changed Synthroid from 110 to 88 mcg

Dec. 2008 TSH all the way up to 14.88

slowly, slowly comes down...

March 2009 Endo puts me on Cytomel for 2 weeks so I can feel good on vacation and I test positive for the antibodies

 

I FELT GREAT!  Extra weight melts off....

Present: my TSH is at a 2.2...endo says, "You are where I want you, any other health problems, we shouldn't blame on the thyroid. See you in a year."

Now: I am pretty good mentally and energy-wise, but my weight has climbed to 148 lbs. I was a healthy 135 before all this started.

I have not been stable for over 6 months and she thinks it's ok to wait for a year? Everyone ignores my weight concerns because I'm not visibly over weight...yet.

 

Any ideas if Cytomel is for me since it worked before or any OTHER ideas? Two years of up and down, up and down...my self esteem has truly plummeted as my weight is not changing. I saw a nutritionist and she said she couldn't help me because I eat and exercise just fine.

 

Now what? I go to a university endocrinologist...shouldn't they be really good at the university?

Thanks for your help!

OMG ... MY tsh is 0.6 of a range 0.4 - 4.0 so very low normal, but apparently NOTHING WRONG with me, except I can't lose weight no matter how little I eat, feel the cold awfully (sleep in jammies and feather duvet all summer, poor husband) and feel tired no matter how much sleep I have, have central viseral fat but good legs and arms, and am fit (horse ride) but have no energy and had low basal temperatures for years after my baby was born (he's now 7).  Prior to that, I had no trouble losing weight, but after getting pre-eclampsia and toxemia and the most horrendous bloating and water retention during and post preg I've been out of luck in the weight loss stakes.  But that's ok, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME, despite all the symptoms of hypothyroid .....

Hi all,

I don't have any (known) problems with my thyroid, but I was diagnosed as bipolar about 6 months ago. I'm in college now but my doctor says I have probably been suffering with it for years ( I can remember first symptoms at about 12 years old). All the while I (and my very patient family) just thought of myself as a moody preteen/teen who took out her anger on everyone one minute, and then wanted to cuddle and watch a movie the next... exhausting for everyone involved. However, once at university, styptoms got out of control as I would be extremely active/excitable/friendly/fun one month, and the following month not even get out of bed. It was not until people outside my family (i.e. my poor roomate and friends who had to deal with me) asked why I behaved this way that I realized this wasn't simply my personality, it was a problem.

I was put on Lamictal a few months ago with increasing dose, and I'm now up to the moderate dose. It has been leveling off my manic/depressive moods, but completely took away the "highs" of bipolar while the "lows" remain. I'm now prescribed Cytomel at 10mcg a day, this being my first day. All I can feel so far is a little tickle in my throat. 

Has anyone gone through a similar process? I'm really hoping this works..