Cytomel for Underactive Thyroid User Reviews
Cytomel has an average rating of 7.0 out of 10 from a total of 38 reviews for the treatment of Underactive Thyroid. 66% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 32% reported a negative experience.
Reviews for Cytomel
- Ash...
- October 3, 2013
"I was on Synthroid only for 8 years after being diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. My dose was changed many times over that time frame by 4 different Endocrinologists, but I still felt bad: weight gain, fogginess, depression, chronic fatigue, you name it. 6 weeks ago, I was put on 10 mcg of Cytomel by a new doc that I am seeing 100 miles from my hometown, and I am happy to say that for the first time in 8 years, I have relief from my symptoms. I have lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks. I am happy, not in a fog anymore, and I have the energy to enjoy life once again. The Cytomel made all the difference."
- Anonymous
- November 2, 2010
"My doctor and I tried every T4 medication out there, and although I felt better, I still wasn't right. After 2 years, he switched me to Cytomel, and I immediately knew I had found the solution. All the hypo symptoms disappeared - constipation, depression, weight gain, and exhaustion. My cholesterol dropped to 140... in fact, all my blood work is excellent. It's very discouraging to know you're doing everything right - diet, exercise, sleep - and not only do your lab numbers not respond, but doctors tend to think you're not telling them the truth. Finally found a doctor that believed me; finally found the right medication. Life is good!"
Frequently asked questions
- Can I take Cytomel and Synthroid together?
- How long does Cytomel take to start working?
- Does Cytomel help with weight loss?
- How long does Cytomel stay in your system?
- Tammy
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- March 20, 2018
"I am so angry at every doctor that told me my TSH and T4 were normal and I was fine. After many years, I switched doctors, and the new doc was the first one that tested T3, mine was very low, so I started taking Cytomel and am feeling great! All those wasted years, I could cry."
- HW2583
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 2, 2021
"1st day of taking this medication and I feel amazing. I have been on Synthroid (levothyroxine) for 15 years. I finally broke down and asked my endocrinologist if I would ever have a life again. He decided to lower the Synthroid and add the Cytomel. My energy on the first day was astounding. Will update with any changes."
Are you taking this medicine?
- Cher
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 18, 2020
"Synthroid is the problem most of you have, not the Cytomel. Medical school materials were furnished and influenced by Big Pharma to keep us sick and depending on their harmful drugs. If you develop joint and bone and swelling pain. Insist your dr. tries you on T3 only starting at 1/2 of 5 mcg and increase to 5 mcg and if needed continue in small dosages until you're feeling normal again. No need to be on T4. Doctors don't need to go by your T4 blood levels, they need to go by your T3 and how you're feeling. Not everyone is the same in body weight, height, immune system, etc. Eventually if you want to heal from thyroid meds you need to see a Naturopath doctor that will treat your liver toxicity!"
- A...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 15, 2015
"Synthroid by itself was not effective. It is of great interest to me that so many other people have had the experience of being told by a physician that everything is fine while everything was, decidedly, NOT FINE! (making long story short due to length restriction. Details need space.) Large dosage of Synthroid ineffective, nurse practitioner certain nothing wrong, physician A dosage is ok but maybe a small bump, small effect for short period then return to pre-bump effect, concerned that observation due to psychological rather than physiological waited, physician B does further workup, physician B sees most of Synthroid dosage going to reverse T3 (physiologically ineffective) adds Cytomel, the improvement was immediate; not psych."
- Anonymous
- Taken for 10 years or more
- July 13, 2018
"I took Synthroid for several years and kept telling doctors that I didn't feel good. I kept gaining weight, my joints hurt, and I had no energy. More than one doctor told me I didn't have a problem, that it was all in my head, and that nothing was wrong with me. After my second child, I figured out that it was the medicine and weaned myself off of it. With a TSH of 72, I lost 60 pounds, my joint pain went away, and my energy came back. A wonderful OBGYN found out about me and my TSH score when I got pregnant with my third child. He was smart enough to talk me into trying T3 Cytomel. It has been a Godsend. I have taken it faithfully for 20 years and would not miss a single dose. I can't live without it."
- Kathy
- June 4, 2020
"I took Armour Thyroid for a few years, felt okay but still gaining weight and not much energy. Then I was switched to levothyroxine and felt about the same. Then added 2x 5 mcg of Cytomel. It literally knocked me out for hours after taking the first two days. Then when I woke up, it was like somebody turned the lights on in the room. Everything seemed clearer and I could think straighter again. I love the stuff. I take 1 2x a day 6 hours apart."
- Anonymous
- August 11, 2009
"Adding 10mcg of Cytomel to my T4 medicine was just what my body needed to clear up those lingering hypothyroid symptoms that just wouldn't go away, no matter how good my lab numbers looked or other healthy habits I developed. Doctors seem really hesitant to prescribe it, but if you're hypothyroid and T4 alone isn't working, your body just might need some T3."
- Littl...
- May 28, 2017
"Cytomel is making my brain work so much better again! I tried it several years ago and it made me jittery, I felt like I had a huge amount of caffeine in me... not this time! I'm in perimenopause and I understand the estrogen dominance can be a thyroid hormone antagonist, making it difficult to convert. Cytomel has helped me feel almost entirely back to normal and I have the energy to exercise again!"
- ayahu...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- September 26, 2016
"Was treated with antidepressants and antipsychotics for almost a year since the doctor's opinion was that my symptoms of weight gain, lack of energy, depression, and dizziness were due to psychosis. Only after a year, I was given a blood test and told that I have an autoimmune disease. No longer take any antidepressants or antipsychotics, only take 12.5 mcg in the morning. Can now sleep 8 instead of 14 hours a day, feel awake during the day, have energy and willingness to do things. Definitely helped with depression and anxiety. If only the blood test was performed earlier!"
- Joano
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 26, 2019
"I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and had my TSH go up to 55.2. I was being treated with Synthroid and got up to 100 mcg. I was not converting the T4 to T3, so I asked for Cytomel. It took a bit to get the correct dosage, but this hormone gave me back my life."
- Bev
- Taken for 2 to 5 years
- November 11, 2016
"I have had hypothyroidism for over twenty years now. Took high levels of Synthroid for years and felt okay but not perfect. Started Cytomel 3 years ago, regulated dosage until it was just right. It takes a little time to regulate it to your exact dosage but be patient, it's worth it."
- Court...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- January 18, 2020
"Hashimoto's patient. Take 88 mcg of Synthroid and took 5 mcg of Cytomel for almost a year. Felt better at first and then felt completely insane. Mood swings, anxiety, depression, rage, tachycardia, and hand tremors. Sketchy stuff that. If you feel crazy, cut the Cytomel before you get on or up your antidepressants."
- Aussie...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- January 12, 2020
"Have been on Synthroid and thyroid for years. Never felt completely well on either one of them. Thyroid levels have been up and down for the past 2 years and can never seem to have a good balance between T3 and T4. Endocrinologist reduced my Synthroid and added Cytomel 2 times a day. Have been taking this almost 2 months and I am finally getting back some energy. My T3 and T4 levels are finally balancing out. I no longer have to take naps all day because I am tired. Muscle aches have subsided and feeling positive for the first time in a long time. I hope this continues."
- jilli...
- February 25, 2015
"After being hypothyroid for many years and having good results on Synthroid and natural thyroid, it went on backorder for a few months and I had to switch to Cytomel. I felt immediate changes, more alert and a little more energy. However, after taking it for a few years, about 70% of my hair fell out (in clumps and I tried everything to stop the hair loss), and I've had chronic insomnia, huge appetite increase, higher blood pressure, anxiety attacks, hot flashes, etc."
- Alexa
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 3, 2019
"My doctor recommended this since my symptoms weren't going away on levothyroxine alone. Worst year of my life. Mood swings and crippling anxiety. This drug made me completely irrational, and the anxiety got so bad that daily activities, like driving my car, would make my heart race and hands shake. Wish I could get that year of my life back."
- Rano
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 27, 2019
"Upon 5 days of taking Cytomel at a dose of 5 mcg per day, I had burning rashes on my chest up to my ears. Was taken to the ER 3x for tachycardia, heart failure, thyroid failure, sweating, confusion, arrhythmia, panic attacks, nausea, pain, twitching on the left side of my body, and more. Thyroid failure continued after stopping the medication, still to today not recovered. It is 10 months after the fact, and I have permanent damage. Tachycardia, nervous system, thyroid dysfunction, hair loss, excessive weight gain, 4 hours of functionality per day at most. I lost the ability to work and function like a normal person at 43 years old. I cannot exercise nor do simple chores without raising my heart rate excessively and blood pressure. I had perfect blood pressure and heart function prior to taking Cytomel."
- Mell
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- March 9, 2020
"I have been using Cytomel since 6/2019. I take it every day along with levothyroxine for 5 days a week! What a difference. Before, I couldn't get out of bed in the mornings and could hardly function. Now my numbers look great and I feel like a different person."
- KS555
- August 17, 2018
"Glad this med has helped some, but for me, it was a four-year nightmare. The anxiety was horrendous, as in disabling. Sweating, temper was on a hair trigger, hot flushing on my back (TSH around 0). I even went into the hospital for two days to have my heart checked out, which was fine. I started noticing I would feel more normal each time the med dose was missed. I started coming down by 1/4 pill at a time, and each time it helped. Finally, I came down to 1/4 pill in addition to my 88 mcg Levo. I was exhausted by 11 am, and my TSH was 6, but at least I wasn't peeling myself off the ceiling, and I was calm. I finally went off it entirely, and the anxiety, although not completely gone, was vastly improved. I upped my Levo to 100 mcg and felt dramatically better. It's in process now, and I wish I had not wasted four years of my life on this med."
- Cypress
- February 26, 2021
"I self-diagnosed that my body wasn’t converting my Synthroid into T3, and an endocrinologist agreed. I tried reducing Synthroid and adding desiccated T3 first, felt great, but I broke out with acne. Cytomel has worked in giving me much more energy, I can get by on 7/8 hours of sleep instead of needing 10! I had arm pain at first, which went away with altering the dosage, then some unexplained abdominal pain that disappeared. I am very happy with Cytomel's effects in giving me more energy! I used to need to take a cat nap at work to get through the day!"
- Terri...
- December 6, 2015
"I was on Cytomel for a couple of years. Then my dose got increased along with my Synthroid medication dose. I began having tremors, heart palpitations, and tachycardia. It was a terrifying experience! My symptoms almost entirely went away when going off this medication, but I feel as though my heart was dramatically affected and I don't know yet whether or not it was actually even damaged."
- CMano
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- July 11, 2021
"I have had hypothyroidism for years preceding menopause, and it was worse during menopause. Doctors always prescribed one of the big three, like Levothyroxine, with combination T3 and T4. I had bad reactions to all. It was only after I did the research that I found this T3-only option. Luckily, my current doctor let me try it (Nov. 2020). Two hours after taking one 5 mcg pill, I felt better. My mood lifted and my mind was clearer. I had the energy to complete a workday. It has been a godsend. We have slowly increased my dose... two pills, three pills, and four pills (20 mcg) a day. Any more is too high for me. While initially I had the occasional headache when I first woke up in the morning, that is gone now. No other side effects. No weight loss, but holding steady. I work out a lot (now I have energy) and try to stay under 1,000 calories/day to maintain. No hair regain, but no big hair loss either. Female - 54 yrs."
- The...
- November 11, 2019
"I've been on Synthroid for 9 years now. I have been on a roller coaster ride the whole time with my dosage, from 150 mcg a day down to 125 mcg, always fluctuating depending on symptoms. Now I have just seen a new endocrinologist to try to have my thyroid removed due to large nodules and Hashimoto's thyroiditis and all the non-stop issues stemming from the thyroid, so the new endo puts me on 5 mcg of Cytomel, and I have the opposite reaction from it. I had some tightness in my chest, blurred vision, and it knocked me out for nearly 7 hours after taking it. The first and second doses were the next day. Not really knowing if that's an adverse reaction from it, but I stopped taking it. I don't understand how a medication that is supposed to reverse fatigue and boost my energy does the exact opposite. I am now currently taking 137 mcg of Synthroid and need to have the thyroid excised so the autoimmune response will be lessened, so I can be less symptomatic and have somewhat of a normal immune system."
Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.
Learn more about Underactive Thyroid
Care guides
- Acquired Hypothyroidism in Children
- Congenital Hypothyroidism in Children
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
- Induced Thyroid Disorders
- Subclinical Hyperthyroidism
- Subclinical Hypothyroidism
Symptoms and treatments
Medicine.com guides (external)
More about Cytomel (liothyronine)
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (52)
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Generic availability
- Drug class: thyroid drugs
- Breastfeeding
- En español
"I suffered for 5 years with Anxiety and Depression. I tried many, many antidepressants. Nothing worked. My T3 levels were very low but my TSH was only slightly high. One doctor treated me with Synthroid but I had no changes. I saw many doctors, including an endocrinologist, that told me that nothing was wrong with my thyroid. After spending many hours online looking for answers, I found an endocrinologist who said he would try treating me with Cytomel. Within a day, I felt AMAZING! It was like someone put new batteries in my body! I am finally able to be happy and live life again! Truly a Miracle!"