Return to --> T3 Supplementation --> Home

 Print this page printer

T3 and Patients' Experiences: Mental State

Notes

  • Not all hypothyroid patients who try T3 experience an improvement in their health, although the vast majority of those who post at alt.support.thyroid do. The purpose of this compilation is to show that there are a lot of us who need T3 supplementation in addition to T4 to feel well, and that symptoms can seriously affect our lives even when our numbers are in range and we're on T4 only.
  • Some people may have more than one entry because they focused on a different aspect of how T3 affected them each time.
  • Unless otherwise specified, all posts were posted to the newsgroup alt.support.thyroid. Instructions on how to access this group and its archives are at www.altsupportthyroid.org/findus.php.
  • For space reasons, only the most relevant segments of each post are included here.
  • Because of the size of this compilation, it is divided into several parts, as follows:

Definitions

  • T4 and T3 are thyroid hormones.
  • Synthroid and Levoxyl are brands of synthetic T4 (thyroxine).
  • Cytomel (US and Canada) and Tertroxin (UK) are brand names of synthetic T3.
  • Thyrolar is the brand name of a synthetic T4/T3 combination.

"Rochelle" March 3, 2001

I couldn't tolerate the high level of T3 (in Thyrolar, not Armour, but they have similar ratios). But I found that I could not tolerate T4-alone, even a high dose (also 200 mcg.) of T4 without any T3 — I couldn't remember things and did not feel fully conscious. I seem to need only 5 mcg. Cytomel which I take with the Synthroid in the morning. Any more Cytomel makes me very nervous and irritable.

"Mike T." March 2, 2001

b) If you are on only T4 supplementation, is it enough to eliminate your hypo symptoms?

doesn't appear to help. It gets about 95% of the job done, but I still need a bit of t3 in there

c) If you have taken or are taking T3, did/does it make a difference for you?

I noticed a definite difference and it definitely had an impact on my state of mind and well being

"P 24028" February 21, 2001

c) If you have taken or are taking T3, did/does it make a difference for you?

Hugely! My brain came back. My strength is returning.

"HP" February 3, 2001

I must tell you that after starting the cytomel (I was at 250mcg of synthroid and reduced to 200mcg plus 15mcg cytomel daily) I felt so much better. Within a day or two the brain fog lifted and my memory has improved (memory could be better on short term but long term seems much better).

"SH" August 19, 2000

I no longer notice a rush when I take the T3 but I can tell that I go from feeling kind of "fuzzy" to clear thinking about 10 or 15 minutes after taking my morning dose. I've tried not taking the T3 a couple of times just to see if it's really making a difference but after an hour or two I start feeling my old self (kind of zombie like) so I go ahead an take it and BAM! a few minutes later I feel "normal". Two months isn't very long but so far it continues to make a huge difference for me.

"IAmLB" April 27, 2000

Before T3 (Only 150mcg T4) ... Low energy, poor memory, significant brain fog, occasional mild/moderate depression.

After adding T3 (125mcg T4, 10mcg T3)...More energy (but still need more), cognitive skills improved, brain fog almost eliminated immediately, little improvement in depression.

I'll take 3 out of 4 any day. New blood work in the next couple of weeks.

May need to increase T4 ??

"AH" April 27, 2000

My tsh dropped drastically (it's much more responsive to t3) and my moods, energy, and feelings of wellness improved significantly. Depression was a symptom in my case — constant exhaustion left me SOUR, quite frankly.

In the real world, with a real thyroid, the body puts out varying amounts of t3 depending on what you need/call for, if you will. It's a shame that we can't really replicate that because if I am terribly stressed or physically taxed I burn right through the stuff and run out of gas. On pure t4 this used to happen DAILY. On a mix, it happens but somehow I'm able to cope with it.

Love my t3.

"Default User" March 16, 2000

My brain-fog lifted two hours after taking my first Cytomel. My memory is recovering but still not back to the pre-Graves era, 3 years ago (3.5?). Several people I know have tried T-3 and reported similar good results (4 out of 4). One of these ppl's doc's scared her into believing T-3 WITH T-4 was dangerous. She stopped taking T-3 and went back to her borderline "insanity". It did not take her long to figure out the lack of T-3 was baaad news. Another person's doc will not prescribe her T-3 "because the TSH-level is fine". Nevermind her brainfog that vaporized two hours after taking T-3. I'll think she will be changing doc's soon.

"ElaineP" February 12, 2000

Before starting on T3 I was also concerned because there were several people on this NG who started T3 recently, but no one had long term experience with it. However, I decided that I had nothing to lose, since the half-life is so short. All of it is out of your system in a few days if you stop. It's a very personal decision and only you can decide if you're comfortable with it.

In my own case I felt an immediate difference. I felt incredibly better for about a week and a half. Then I settled down into just feeling "normal". I have no brain fog at all. This was demonstrated to me recently. I take two doses of 5mcg Cytomel. The second dose is at 2 PM. This has worked very well for me. However, I went to a party that lasted past my bedtime. At around 11 PM I was getting upset with myself because I was having trouble finding words. I wasn't more tired than anyone else at that hour, but brain fog was setting in thick. The next day I realized that it was because the Cytomel had worn off.

"JO" February 11, 2000

I have been feeling much better. I am able to handle stress easier, less brain fog and memory problems and overall more even mood. I slept really well when I first started taking the Cytomel but that has not been consistent, although I think overall I am sleeping better than before taking it. I would definitely recommend Cytomel. I think anyone whose thinking about taking it should at least give it a try.

"J&P" January 7, 2000

My doc is a GP, and at first he balked, but he knows me pretty well and probably figured I'd win out eventually ;) He congratulated me by saying I am one of his most informed patients (and I thank all you kind folks on this NG for that information) I would have to say that since I've been taking a lower dosage of the T3 that he originally prescribed, along with the reduced Synthroid I have not had any serious bouts of depression — in fact, I have stopped taking anti depressants for the last 3 weeks. So, for me, this combo is definitely working.

"SF" December 5, 1999

T3 was miraculous for me, and I'm not taking time released. Just 5 mcg 2X per day of Cytomel began to pull me out of a months long hell after a week, and really back to good within 4-6 weeks.

I had gotten increasingly depressed on extreme low carbs, which can prevent conversion of T4 to T3 in some people (and I've been on the low end already for years), but I have to eat that way due to other conditions.

When I was without the Cytomel for a day and a half, my mood started to deteriorate and I became irritable and grouchy again.

"BTL" December 4, 1999

I convinced my doc to let my take Cytomel, and I felt WONDERFUL! Maybe three times in the last two weeks I overshot my dose and felt hyper, but usually I feel great. Before T3, my thyroid tests have lately been consistently coming back normal (TSH close to 2 either way), but I was still in a fog all the time. It's gone now for the first time in years! The only drawback is I still have swings a couple times a day where I go hypo and get cold, sluggish, and foggy. Then I know it's time to take another Cytomel.

"NV" November 20, 1999

I have felt more in control of my thyroid ups and downs with the T3 added to my Synthroid. I now have a more consistent state of feeling good, because if I have a day where I am a bit more tired or start to feel some of that brain fog coming back, I take an extra 3 mcg Cytomel in the afternoon. It has been a miracle for me.