Panic Attacks while taking Cytomel

[Sheenna]

I feel like I’m going insane. Ever since my dr put me in5mg of Cytomel to add to the .88mcg of Synthroid I feel like I’m going crazy. It’s been 6 months now. Has anyone else experienced this aweful side effect and did the panic/anxiety attack quit once stopped.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

Anxiety is common hypothyroid symptom

Taking T3 (cytomel) will significantly reduce TSH (message from pituitary to thyroid asking thyroid to make thyroid hormones)

Please add most recent thyroid and vitamin test results

Is your hypothyroidism autoimmune

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

What vitamins are you currently taking

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

T3 ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test

[Sheenna in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the reply. My current levels are TSH 1.22, T4 11.0, T3 3.88….I feel like I’m going insane somedays with the anxiety. I also have adrenal Insufficiency/addisons. I’m wondering if the Cytomel is causing the morning panic issue.

Tomorrow is my lab work so I’m wondering what my numbers will be 🤞🏼

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sheenna]

Please add ranges on results

(they are meaningless without range)

[Sheenna in reply to SlowDragon]

Here’s the ranges: TSH 1.22—.27-4.20….T4 11.0–11.1-22.0, T3 3.88—3.90-6.70

First number is my reading.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sheenna]

So you are saying your Ft4 is right at bottom of range and Ft3 is right at bottom of range

Many, many people find when adequately treated on JUST Levothyroxine they will have Ft4 at least 70-80% through range

If on Levo and small doses of T3 …..often will need BOTH ft4 and Ft3 at least 60% through range

[Xcskier]

Your panic attacks sound like hyperthyroid symptoms. I too experienced hyper symptoms when adding just 5 mcg Cytomel to my thyroxine dose, even after gradually reducing my thyroxine from 88 mcg to half of the lowest dose available (12.5 mcg) with all labs in “normal” ranges.

In my case, I never felt that thyroxine resolved my hypothyroid symptoms, which is why my MD suggested adding T3 to my T4 regimen. I ended up switching to T3 monotherapy by stopping all T4 and gradually increasing T3. Once the residual T4 washed out of my system, T3 no longer caused hyper symptoms, and all my hypothyroid symptoms have since resolved. I’m thrilled with T3 monotherapy!

[Sofie007]

Hi Sheenna, I also experience horrible morning anxiety with cytomel. I am pretty sure I have adrenal issues as well. I tried to increase the dose but that made me drowsy all day. I am thinking about taking only t4 medication and a good adrenal support supplement. If you find a cure, let me know

P.S. I don’t know your age but adrenal fatigue impacts our progesterone production. Low progesterone can increase anxiety. I had mine tested and it came back too low.