Armour Thyroid vs. Cytomel

• Are Cytomel and Armour Thyroid the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Armour Thyroid?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cytomel?
• What is Armour Thyroid?
• What is Cytomel?
• What Drugs Interact with Armour Thyroid?
• What Drugs Interact with Cytomel?
• How Should Armour Thyroid Be Taken?
• How Should Cytomel Be Taken?

Armour Thyroid (thyroid tablets) and Cytomel (liothyronine sodium) are used to treat hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone), to treat or prevent goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), and are also given as part of a medical test for thyroid disorders.

Armour Thyroid is a natural product made from animal thyroid glands and Cytomel is a synthetic (man-made) thyroid hormone.

Common side effects of Armour Thyroid include:

• hair loss during the first few months of treatment

This side effect is usually temporary as your body adjusts to Armour Thyroid.

Contact your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Armour Thyroid including

• allergic reactions
• rash,
• itching,
• swelling [especially of the face/tongue/throat,]
• severe dizziness,
• trouble breathing),
• increased sweating,
• sensitivity to heat,
• mental/mood changes (nervousness, mood swings),
• tiredness,
• diarrhea,
• shaking (tremor),
• headache,
• shortness of breath,
• chest pain,
• fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat,
• swelling hands/ankles/feet, or
• seizures.

Common side effects of Cytomel include:

• nausea.

In rare cases, temporary hair loss may occur during the first few months of starting Cytomel (especially in children). Tell your doctor immediately if you experience unlikely but serious signs of too much thyroid hormone including:

• headache,
• irritability,
• trouble sleeping,
• nervousness,
• increased sweating,
• heat intolerance,
• diarrhea, and
• menstrual changes.

Armour Thyroid (thyroid tablets) is a natural product made from animal thyroid glands used to treat hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone), to treat or prevent goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), and is also given as part of a medical test for thyroid disorders

Cytomel (liothyronine sodium) is a synthetic thyroid hormone used to treat hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone). Cytomel is also used to treat or prevent goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), and is also given as part of a medical tests for thyroid disorders.

Armour Thyroid may interact with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, blood thinners, insulin or oral diabetes medication, medications that contain iodine, salicylates such as aspirin and others, or steroids.

Cytomel may interact with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, blood thinners, digoxin, insulin or oral diabetes medication, medications that contain iodine, antidepressants, aspirin or other salicylates, or steroids. Tell your doctor all medications you use.

The dosage of Armour Thyroid is determined by the condition being treated and is individualized according to patient response and laboratory findings. Armour Thyroid may interact with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, blood thinners, insulin or oral diabetes medication, medications that contain iodine, salicylates such as aspirin and others, or steroids. Tell your doctor all medications you use. Current information shows Armour Thyroid may be used during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant because your dose may need to be adjusted. Thyroid hormone passes into breast milk but is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

To treat mild hypothyroidism the recommended starting dose of Cytomel is 25 mcg daily. Usual maintenance dose is 25 to 75 mcg daily. Dosage for other conditions varies.