My doctor has giving me the blessing to start t3 only. I am starting 12.5mcg cytomel, I want to know a people’s t3 experiences. There was a Cytomel only treatment a comment found on the internet; the comment got me thinking about cognitive changes, The pasted comment is below.
Thank you!
“So it turned out that reducing the thyroxine did not make me feel better, it made me feel worse. In fact, I ended up feeling quite lost in space. Brain fog descended, I seemed to be in a muddle a lot of the time on only t3, constantly tired and short of time, occassionaly a bit tearful and low in mood, which is not the normal me.”
Everyone's experience is different. Are you adding in some Cytomel to levothyroxine? Are you taking Cytomel alone?
12.5 Cytomel is equal (approximately) in its effect to 50mcg of levothyroxine? If taking this alone it may well be too low.
Usually, if we've been taking levothyroxine for a while and want to take a combined dose, we either reduce dose T4 by an equivalent amount of T3. Or switch to T3 alone by an equivalent dose.
That was her experience. It hasn't been mine. Getting rid of the T4 was a blessed relief as far as I was concerned. You have to try these things for yourself to know how they're going to affect you. Give it a whirl, I say.
☺️ Nobody really. I just don’t have the understanding most people have on here. I’m off to Australia for a few weeks so I’ll do a full thyroid test when I return. Ill leave as it is for now x
Understanding comes with time. Most people on here have been talking and reading about all things thyroid for a long, long time.
I think maybe the question you wanted to ask was: can you live well and happily on T3 only? And the answer is: some people can, yes. Others need a little T4, and yet others need quite high levels of T4. But we're all different and need to experiment to find out what makes us well as individuals.
In my case, I had to increase dosage very slowly, now I normally take 60 micro grams but the weather affects me and I increase or decrease by 10 micro grams, I do get upset and tearful and low in mood but I know to increase my dose, constipation is also an indication I need to increase, Overheating, Diarrhea are indicators I need to decrease.
Just try it and see, it’s the only way to find out what works for you. I can’t survive on T3 only but I can’t survive without taking some T4. But I only found this out by trying both. Good luck
Yes it is a trial run on everything! I had a bad times on levothyroxine. Tirosint was to suffice a small improvement. I had been on cytomel in the past; the experience was good. However I think my issue with cytomel, it knowing dosage.
Starting on T3 was the beginning of my happy days. I did not do well on T4 alone and the addition of T3 changed my life for the better. I recommend you start very slowly and build up to full dosage - otherwise you may feel “revved up” and get discouraged. Good luck!
I started with levo alone and it became clear that I was not converting no matter how high the dose - so my doctor left the levo where it was (it was very low at 62.5 mcg) and I added T3 at 1.25 mcg every 4 days - I am now at 10 mcg which is still not enough - I have my bloodwork next week and then it will likely be increased again. I have very strong reactions to hormones and so I increase mine very slowly. However, most people on the forum recommend a slow start for T3. Hope this helps.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Why TSH rises while on T3-only
I am on 10 t3 only now....
Cytomel (T3) only or along with NDT (T3&T4)?
T3-ONLY
Starting T3
