T3 from mexicandrugstore

[Katty]

So yesterday was my first day of switching from T3 Rx that I get filled by my Dr. to using the T3 from mymexicandrugstore. The smallest T3 dose available for purchase is 25mcg. I'm taking 12.5mcg per day, which is 1/2 a pill. The pills are soooo small, I can barely get 3 doses out of it per day. Also, whenever I try to take a small bite, the powder crumbles, probably some out of my mouth and onto the counter. I also worry that some of the T3 is getting stuck in my teeth and not getting swallowed/absorbed.
I felt a little depressed again yesterday, which made me think I didn't get as much T3 as usual, though one day isn't enough data, I know.

Anyone have any good suggestions for using the T3? I know a lot of people on the forums buy from the online pharmacies, so the pills must be working. But it seems weird they don't have smaller doses available.

 

[visionofstrength]

RP suggests a t4/t3 combo once a day, in a 4:1 ratio, and a few mcg of T3 per hour, because that is what a healthy liver makes, when converting t4 to t3. Any more t3 than what the liver would convert and the body has a stress reaction that will convert the excess to reverse t3. Maybe this stress reaction could make you feel sad?

Can you pulverize the small pill into a powder and divide it as powder into 8 portions?

Have you tried the thyroid extract? It may be little more convenient and in a reliable dose?

 

[sunmountain]

Hi Katty, I had the same problem for quite a while with not being able to bite off tiny portions of T3. I can do it now. You just need to wedge it between your front teeth at the very edge of the tablet. It CAN be done...I'm proof! I can now make one T3 tablet last days while nibbling at it 3-4 times per day.

You can also pick up the crumbs using your finger to "stick" them to it and then pop them into your mouth. I use a pillcutter to store the tablet I'm working on, and carry it with me all day.

 

[ilovethesea]

Why don't you just buy a pill cutter? I think all pharmacies should have them and they're not expensive. There is a line down the centre of each T3 pill so you'd just slice it down the middle. From there it's pretty easy to cut each half again into three pieces = 4mcg each.

 

[Katty]

Can you pulverize the small pill into a powder and divide it as powder into 8 portions?

Have you tried the thyroid extract? It may be little more convenient and in a reliable dose?

I could blend it into a powder, but it's seriously so small I'm pretty sure the powder would stick to the gasket or somewhere else in the blender and I wouldn't be able to get any powder out.

When you say thyroid extract, do you mean NDT? I actually just switched from NDT to the T4/T3 combo not long ago. Seem to be doing ok, just having trouble trying to work with the new, tiny pill.

Hi Katty, I had the same problem for quite a while with not being able to bite off tiny portions of T3. I can do it now. You just need to wedge it between your front teeth at the very edge of the tablet. It CAN be done...I'm proof! I can now make one T3 tablet last days while nibbling at it 3-4 times per day.

You can also pick up the crumbs using your finger to "stick" them to it and then pop them into your mouth. I use a pillcutter to store the tablet I'm working on, and carry it with me all day.

Maybe I'll just keep trying to bite off the small pieces. 1 tablet can last days? Wow! I only need 1 tablet to last 2 days, so I'll practice.

Why don't you just buy a pill cutter? I think all pharmacies should have them and they're not expensive. There is a line down the centre of each T3 pill so you'd just slice it down the middle. From there it's pretty easy to cut each half again into three pieces = 4mcg each.

I have a razor blade that I use- it worked ok on the bigger pills, but with the small ones, it sometimes cuts off tiny portions of powder-- and because the pill is so tiny, it seems that the lost powder is a significant portion of the pill.

I don't have a problem cutting the pill in halves or fourths.... it's just that I only need to take a total of 1/2 pill per day... and I'm used to taking between 6 or 7 doses per day. Right now, it's only easy to get 2 doses out of 1/2 of a pill, which is a lot of T3 all at once for me. I only want about 1.5-2 mcg every time I take it.

Maybe I'll have better luck with a pill cutter than a razor blade. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[visionofstrength]

Hi Katty, I had the same problem for quite a while with not being able to bite off tiny portions of T3. I can do it now. You just need to wedge it between your front teeth at the very edge of the tablet. It CAN be done...I'm proof! I can now make one T3 tablet last days while nibbling at it 3-4 times per day.

You can also pick up the crumbs using your finger to "stick" them to it and then pop them into your mouth. I use a pillcutter to store the tablet I'm working on, and carry it with me all day.

sm, thanks for describing your technique. It sounds like you're making it last over 8 or more nibbles, which would be only few mcg for each nibble. Great!

I'm curious, I've never seen a cynomel, does it look like cytomel?

 

[Katty]

Picture is a bit blurry, sorry.
The bigger pill on the bottom is 5 mcg of cytomel.
The smaller pill on the top is 25 mcg of cynomel.

Woops-- I'm editing this from the original post--- the bigger pill is actually a generic T3 that I get from my pharmacy in US, but it's still 5 mcg of T3.

 

[BingDing]

I know exactly what you mean, Katty, I have the same pills and want about the same dose. It's almost impossible.

For the powder approach you can take a half a pill and crush it on a plate or cutting board with the back of a spoon. I just tried it, it's a piece of cake. Then divvy it up into 6 or 7 portions. If you're at home all day it would be simple to leave it all on the plate and use a wet finger to get a dose. I can't think of a good way to pack it up and take it somewhere, though.

 

[Katty]

I know exactly what you mean, Katty, I have the same pills and want about the same dose. It's almost impossible.

For the powder approach you can take a half a pill and crush it on a plate or cutting board with the back of a spoon. I just tried it, it's a piece of cake. Then divvy it up into 6 or 7 portions. If you're at home all day it would be simple to leave it all on the plate and use a wet finger to get a dose. I can't think of a good way to pack it up and take it somewhere, though.

Thanks BingDing! I'll try that. Maybe I'll put it in a plastic sandwich bag, then crush it, and then just dip my finger in the bag several times during the day.
Do you feel like the T3 is working like it's supposed to? I'm only on day 2, but feeling kinda funny. Temp is way high (99.7) and pulse is a bit lower than usual (86, which is pretty low for me). Hands aren't freezing, but a little cool.... so then I was thinking adrenaline. But why would my pulse drop?
I just can't tell if it's doing anything. With the cytomel (my Rx) I can sometimes feel myself getting warm like I'm supposed to. But with this new stuff, I don't really feel the cynomel kicking in.

 

[BingDing]

You're welcome, Katty. The sandwich bag is a great idea.

I do get a good response to it but I only use it occasionally when I am a little cold, and I've never tried anything else. They are both the same chemical, liothyronine sodium, seems like it's just a question of how much chemical and how much filler are in a particular pill.

A google search does find a lot of comments about cytomel being better than the Mexican cynomel, though. Not sure why.

 

[Katty]

You're welcome, Katty. The sandwich bag is a great idea.

I do get a good response to it but I only use it occasionally when I am a little cold, and I've never tried anything else. They are both the same chemical, liothyronine sodium, seems like it's just a question of how much chemical and how much filler are in a particular pill.

A google search does find a lot of comments about cytomel being better than the Mexican cynomel, though. Not sure why.

I just remembered that the T3 I was using was actually a generic, not the actual cytomel (I changed the post above). Still easier to work with though. =)

 

[ilovethesea]

Do you feel like the T3 is working like it's supposed to? I'm only on day 2, but feeling kinda funny. Temp is way high (99.7) and pulse is a bit lower than usual (86, which is pretty low for me). Hands aren't freezing, but a little cool.... so then I was thinking adrenaline. But why would my pulse drop?
I just can't tell if it's doing anything. With the cytomel (my Rx) I can sometimes feel myself getting warm like I'm supposed to. But with this new stuff, I don't really feel the cynomel kicking in.

"I occasionally see that happen [T3 WILL CAUSE LOW TEMP/PULSE]; sometimes people have had their pulse rate decrease 40 or 50 beats per minute. The temperature of your fingers, toes, and nose helps to interpret the balance between stress and thyroid; your fingers should be less cold as your metabolic rate comes up. In extreme hypothyroidism, the hands and feet can be very cold while the oral temperature looks o.k.; then as the metabolic rate increases, the difference between fingers and mouth decreases. " - Ray Peat

 

[Katty]

Do you feel like the T3 is working like it's supposed to? I'm only on day 2, but feeling kinda funny. Temp is way high (99.7) and pulse is a bit lower than usual (86, which is pretty low for me). Hands aren't freezing, but a little cool.... so then I was thinking adrenaline. But why would my pulse drop?
I just can't tell if it's doing anything. With the cytomel (my Rx) I can sometimes feel myself getting warm like I'm supposed to. But with this new stuff, I don't really feel the cynomel kicking in.

"I occasionally see that happen [T3 WILL CAUSE LOW TEMP/PULSE]; sometimes people have had their pulse rate decrease 40 or 50 beats per minute. The temperature of your fingers, toes, and nose helps to interpret the balance between stress and thyroid; your fingers should be less cold as your metabolic rate comes up. In extreme hypothyroidism, the hands and feet can be very cold while the oral temperature looks o.k.; then as the metabolic rate increases, the difference between fingers and mouth decreases. " - Ray Peat

Thanks! Yes, I figured the cooler fingers and lowered pulse was a sign of a stress hormone. Maybe the new cynomel is too potent for me.