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Drugs.com
drugs.com › home › compare drugs
Levothyroxine vs Liothyronine Comparison - Drugs.com
Synthroid (levothyroxine) treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) and different types of ...
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GoodRx
goodrx.com › goodrx health › health conditions › hypothyroidism: symptoms, causes, and treatments › synthroid vs. cytomel: which medication is right for me?
Synthroid vs. Cytomel: Which Medication Is Right for Me? - GoodRx
May 24, 2023 - Synthroid contains levothyroxine (lab-made T4) and is the first-choice option for treating low thyroid hormone levels. Cytomel contains liothyronine (lab-made T3) and is usually only prescribed when Synthroid isn’t effective or well tolerated on its own.
Discussions

My GP has just tried to convince me that levothyroxine is the same drug as liothyronine
This is exactly the reason why I refuse to see a GP for my thyroid issues. It can be hard to find a good endocrinologist to get the right treatment, and those are the professionals who are supposed to specialize in thyroid disorders! I first got bloodwork done by my GP years and years ago, I had elevated levels and she told me that I didn't have hypothyroid but that the numbers just meant that I was at a higher risk for developing hypothyroid. I went to an endo for a second opinion who diagnosed me right away. OP if I were you I would at a minimum find a new GP. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Hashimotos
21
41
September 19, 2024
Levothyroxine and/Liothyronine side affects?
Had you done blood work recently? It is possible you had swung hyper? I wouldn't just go off them cold turkey, you can quickly swing back way into hypo and then you have to dig yourself out of that again. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Hashimotos
36
6
September 19, 2022
For hypothyroidism, why is it always treated with levothyroxine (T4) instead of liothyronine (T3)?

T3 is the active form of the hormone but there are quite a few reasons why patients with hypothyroidism are treated with T4 instead of T3 and they all stem from the fact that T4 is converted into T3 in the liver and kidneys through deiodination.

This means that the replacement of T4 alone provides a long lasting store of thyroid hormone that is gradually converted to T3 (T4 has a longer half life than T3 - T4 7 days and T3 1 day) resulting in stable plasma levels of both T3 and T4.

Being gradually replaced means that depending on how much the dose is when you get blood work done in order to measure TSH titers, you will already have both T3 and T4 readily available for conversion which simulates normal thyroid hormone production. So normal doesn't necessarily mean optimal but it really depends on the dose and how good patients are at following instructions about their treatment.

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/askscience
8
4
November 7, 2012
Taking Levothyroxine and Liothyronine at the same time?
Yep! I take 75mcg of Levo + 5mcg Liothyronine right when I wake up on an empty stomach. I wait an hour and then have breakfast. It works well for me. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Hashimotos
50
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February 17, 2023
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American Thyroid Association
thyroid.org › home › patients portal › clinical thyroidology for the public › january 2022 › vol 15 issue 1 p.5-6
Comparison of levothyroxine, desiccated thyroid extract, and combination levothyroxine + liothyronine for hypothyroidism
January 14, 2022 - Hypothyroidism is usually treated by levothyroxine (L-T4) which usually resolves the thyroid-related symptoms. For patients with continued symptoms on treatment with L-T4 alone, alternative treatment options with desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) ...
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Marley Drug
marleydrug.com › blog › levothyroxine-vs-liothyronine
Levothyroxine vs Liothyronine
2 weeks ago - Levothyroxine (T4) is the first-line treatment for hypothyroidism. It provides stable hormone levels and is easy to titrate. Liothyronine (T3) may help some patients but carries higher risks (heart, glucose, bone, hyperthyroidism) and requires ...
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PubMed
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › 14665656
Combined levothyroxine plus liothyronine compared with levothyroxine alone in primary hypothyroidism: a randomized controlled trial - PubMed
December 10, 2003 - Conclusion: Compared with levothyroxine alone, treatment of primary hypothyroidism with combination levothyroxine plus liothyronine demonstrated no beneficial changes in body weight, serum lipid levels, hypothyroid symptoms as measured by a ...
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ScienceDirect
sciencedirect.com › topics › medicine-and-dentistry › liothyronine
Liothyronine - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Thyroid hormones have a common indication for the treatment of hypothyroidism. There are two drugs currently available in the world: levothyroxine and liothyronine. Levothyroxine is the stereoisomer of thyroxine (T4), the endogenous hormone. Liothyronine is a stereoisomer of the endogenous ...
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Pixorize
pixorize.com › view › 6003
Levothyroxine (T4) vs Liothyronine (T3) Mnemonic for USMLE
Summary Liothyronine and levothyroxine are synthetic analogs of thyroid hormones. Liothyronine is synthetic T3, while levothyroxine is synthetic T4. Both drugs act by replacing endogenous thyroid hormones in the body, and thus help to treat hypothyroidism. Overly high doses of these ...
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PubMed Central
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC9758553
Use of Combination of Oral Levothyroxine and Liothyronine in Severe Hypothyroidism With Massive Pericardial Effusion - PMC
Thyroxine absorption test was performed, with baseline FT4 <3.2 pmol/L (7.9-14.4 pmol/L), TSH 138.4 mIU/L (0.34-5.6 mIU/L) and FT4 19.2 pmol/L, TSH 166.2 mIU/L four hours after the test, thus demonstrating non-adherence to thyroxine as the cause of patient’s persistent hypothyroidism. She was not compliant with her thyroxine regimen due to intermittent forgetfulness, which may have been due to hypothyroidism. She was commenced on levothyroxine 200 mcg once daily (2.2 mcg/kg/dose), in combination with liothyronine 10 mcg thrice daily.
Find elsewhere
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JAMA Network
jamanetwork.com › jama network › combined levothyroxine plus liothyronine compared with levothyroxine alone in primary hypothyroidism : a
Combined Levothyroxine Plus Liothyronine Compared With Levothyroxine Alone in Primary Hypothyroidism: A Randomized Controlled Trial | Cardiology | JAMA | JAMA Network
December 10, 2003 - Context Standard therapy for patients with primary hypothyroidism is replacement with synthetic thyroxine, which undergoes peripheral conversion to triiodothyronine, the active form of thyroid hormone. Within the lay population and in some medical communities, there is a perception that adding...
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Pharmxtra
pharmxtra.com › blog › what-is-the-difference-between-liothyronine-and-levothyroxine
What is the difference between Liothyronine and Levothyroxine?
By boosting T3 levels, Liothyronine helps to reverse symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, and depression, all of which are common in individuals with hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine, on the other hand, is a synthetic version of T4 (thyroxine), the precursor to T3...
Address   PharmXtra Limited, Office 1204, Tiffany Tower, Al Thanyah Fifth, Plot No.888, Dubai
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Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
jofem.org › index.php › jofem › article › view › 200 › 243
Thyroid Replacement Therapy: The Hidden Challenges | Rahim | Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
January 17, 2014 - Replacement therapy with levothyroxine ... and patients with “low T3 syndrome” - may benefit from treatment with liothyronine (T3), which is more potent and has a shorter onset of action....
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Verywell Health
verywellhealth.com › levothyroxine-vs-combination-therapy-hypothyroidism-4571031
Levothyroxine vs. Combination T4/T3 for Hypothyroidism
November 14, 2025 - While treatment with synthetic thyroxine (T4), called levothyroxine, is the standard of care for hypothyroidism, for certain patients, combining T4 with triiodothyronine (T3)—another thyroid hormone—may be a reasonable approach.
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Consensus
consensus.app › questions › levothyroxine-vs-liothyronine-in-hypothyroidism
Levothyroxine Vs Liothyronine In Hypothyroidism - Consensus Academic Search Engine
Adding liothyronine (LT3) to levothyroxine (LT4) has been proposed to address persistent symptoms, as LT4 monotherapy may not fully restore the natural balance of thyroid hormones, particularly triiodothyronine (T3) 1810.
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Frontiers
frontiersin.org › journals › endocrinology › articles › 10.3389 › fendo.2025.1522753 › full
Frontiers | A feasibility double-blind trial of levothyroxine vs. levothyroxine-liothyronine in postsurgical hypothyroidism
February 5, 2025 - Context: Despite normalization of Thyrotropin (TSH), some patients with hypothyroidism treated with Levothyroxine (LT4) report residual symptoms which may be attributable to loss of endogenous triiodothyronine (T3). Objective: Feasibility trial LT4/liothyronine (LT3) combination vs.
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American Thyroid Association
thyroid.org › home › brand and generic medication explained
Brand and Generic Medication Explained | American Thyroid Association
March 24, 2022 - The generic name is the name of the active ingredient in the medicine. For thyroid hormone, the generic of T4 is levothyroxine and the generic of T3 is liothyronine. The brand name is the name assigned by the registered drug company.
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NHS England
england.nhs.uk › long-read › liothyronine-advice-for-prescribers
NHS England » Liothyronine – advice for prescribers
Neither NICE nor the joint NHS England and NHS Confederation guidance recommends routine prescribing of liothyronine as monotherapy or in combination with levothyroxine; however, both recognise that a small proportion of patients may benefit from liothyronine.
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MedicineNet
medicinenet.com › what_distinguishes_the_use_-_cytomel_vs_synthroid › ask.htm
What Is the Difference Between Cytomel and Synthroid?
Levothyroxine (Synthroid) is a synthetic version of T4, and liothyronine (Cytomel) is a synthetic version of T3.
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Oxford Academic
academic.oup.com › jcem › article › 106 › 11 › e4400 › 6311304
Comparative Effectiveness of Levothyroxine, Desiccated Thyroid Extract, and Levothyroxine+Liothyronine in Hypothyroidism | The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism | Oxford Academic
October 21, 2021 - Combined therapy with levothyroxine and liothyronine in two ratios, compared with levothyroxine monotherapy in primary hypothyroidism: a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. ... Thyroid hormone replacement therapy in primary hypothyroidism: a randomized trial comparing L-thyroxine plus liothyronine with L-thyroxine alone.
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etj
etj.bioscientifica.com › view › journals › etj › 10 › 1 › ETJ512970.xml
Evidence-Based Use of Levothyroxine/Liothyronine Combinations in Treating Hypothyroidism: A Consensus Document in: European Thyroid Journal Volume 10 Issue 1 (2021)
March 1, 2021 - Endocrinologists are frequently asked to consult on adult patients with hypothyroidism taking levothyroxine (LT4) who are dissatisfied with their therapy. Once other nonthyroid-related causes of these symptoms have been fully excluded, the patient and their physician may wish to explore alternative therapies for optimization of health and well-being. However, the use of combination therapy with both LT4 and liothyronine (LT3) remains highly controversial with conflicting results from published clinical trials [1], with two studies showing benefit in most measures and two showing benefit in some measures.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/hashimotos › my gp has just tried to convince me that levothyroxine is the same drug as liothyronine
r/Hashimotos on Reddit: My GP has just tried to convince me that levothyroxine is the same drug as liothyronine
September 19, 2024 -

I honestly don’t know whether to laugh, cry or bang my head against the wall

I’ve been on a combo of levothyroxine and liothyronine for over 10 years and requested a refill for the liothyronine. They prescribed me more levothyroxine.

When I flagged this and asked them to change it I was told ‘they’re the same thing just different name’

Ermmm no they’re not? I pulled out my phone and was pulling up all the websites explaining the difference to show them.

How do we stand a chance when these are the ‘professionals’ who are meant to help us?!

Edit to add: they followed up on the above to state that they are general medicine not specialists…but then went on to tell me repeatedly how I was going to have a stroke due to the liothyronine/t3 🤣 and that’s why they didn’t want me to have it. So that was fun

edit: massive thank you to you all for sharing my pain! No one else in my life would have understood what I was on about and would have led to me explaining thyroids and medication before they understood, but knew my hashi gang here would get it and you did not let me down