Thinking of trying CMT3, But is it simple or is... - Thyroid UK

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Thinking of trying CMT3, But is it simple or is it complicated and expensive?

Totoro profile image
15 Replies

I'm on T3 only at the moment and I'd like to try the CMT3. On the one hand it looks fairly simple to try, spacing your T3 out and taking some before your normal wake up time.

But... when I look at getting Paul's book it mentions all kinds of other testing and information and this is putting me off. I won't be able to afford the Geneva 24 hour test for example.

Also, although the book will be full of useful information, when I think of reading a big book of more thyroid facts my heart sinks. I don't want to read it and find new things to worry about.

Can anyone give me their experience of trying CMT3? Was it complicated or simple? Expensive testing?

Totoro

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Totoro
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15 Replies

Hello,

I think the simple answer is that like everything to do with thyroid diagnosis and treatment everyone is different. CMT3 works for some - for others it doesn't. The only way to know is to try it for yourself.

My daughter tried it but found that it made her even MORE exhausted. She persevered for several weeks, but her body could not cope with waking early for the first dose in the morning. It interrupted her sleep, and that is BAD news for her. She does best with a single dose when she wakes.

However, I'm sure you'll receive some positive comments from others, so maybe just try it and see how it works for you.

Jane x x

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to

Thank you for the reply. Did you find the book complicated or with lots of tests you need to do before you start or was it fairly simple to try?

I understand about bad sleep can really affect a body, I feel for her. I've never tried taking my T3 all in one go when I wake. That's something else for me to try, thanks for the idea.

Totoro x

in reply to Totoro

I think the test you must be referring to is the adrenal test. My daughter's adrenal tests were never very helpful. They varied every time she took them. They were very erratic, so not much of a guide.

All I can suggest is to try splitting your dose using Paul's method to see if it works for you, then try taking it all in one go. How much are you taking? My daughter takes 125mcg.

Jane x x

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to

I've been on 85mcg and I've recently been trying a mini version of the CMT3 (but I'll go order the book today to find out how to do it properly).

I was taking 35mcg when I woke up then 25mcg and another 25mcg at least 4 hours apart from each other.

I have a sleep problem which means I don't sleep until 2am or 4am so my first dose would be 11am or 12am. And I found taking a dose after 7pm would keep me up too much when I tried to sleep at midnight (many nights I will go to bed and try and sleep earlier 10pm, 11pm, midnight for example but still not sleep until 2 - 4am. Other nights I give up and just go to bed between 2- 4am when I feel properly sleepy)

So I've recently tried taking 40mcg at 5-7am and then 25mcg at 11 -12am and then final dose of 20mcg at 4-5pm

The waking is quite disruptive and it's made me lose sleep sometimes but I've not been so sluggish in the mornings (before it would take 2 hours for my brain and body to "wake up"). I rarely get enough good quality sleep though. I'm sitting here pretty tired. Even on good days I lack motivation and concentration.

One thing taking it earlier has helped is that my heartbeat is less strong at night. I'm happy with that as it probably was too strong.

Totoro x

in reply to Totoro

My daughter finds that if she takes her T3 as late as 12 o' clock that she can't sleep. Have you tried taking it all first thing?

Have you tried taking magnesium for sleeping. I drink some magnesium citrate before bed (actually anytime after tea). It's a lovely refreshing drink. I buy Natural Vitality Magnesium Supreme. I find that a level teaspoon is enough, and I sleep better now than I have for years. Jane x x

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to

I've not tried taking it all first thing, I could definitely try that.

I've tried taking a magnesium supplement but it made me feel exhausted. It could have been too strong. It was 250mg tablets. Maybe I could cut one up? Or is magnesium citrate better?

Totoro x

in reply to Totoro

Magnesium formulae are not all created equal.

Magnesium oxide is the form most usually sold over the counter and this is poorly absorbed by the body. Magnesium taurate is better absorbed as is the magnesium citrate I spoke of earlier (although too much will cause diarrhea). A little magnesium can be absorbed through the skin by putting Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) in your bath and this has the added benefit of drawing toxins from your body through the skin. Magnesium testing is not done with a blood test but using the magnesium challenge test. Jane x

Poppy03 profile image
Poppy03

I did try it but found I just couldn't do the wake up. Easy enough when it was just an hour or so as my husband gently woke me up but once I needed to go earlier I found the alarm would set my heart racing and then I couldn't get back to sleep. Or if I did it was before I literally had swallowed the medication so it was still in my mouth as I woke up!

However, I have now been taking a dose before bedtime for a few months now and it certainly has had a positive effect. I am on 60mcg a day and I take 20mcg as I go to bed, I take 20mcg as I wake up and then a further dose of 20mcg at 11.30am. It took a while to really start feeling the effects but I sleep really, really well now and generally wake up reasonably well too. I think wheat plays a part in my tiredness as I have more energy when I don't eat wheat and get up easier too.

Hope that helps.

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to Poppy03

OOooooh I would LOVE to sleep well. If I'm awake until 4am then I've just taken a dose then instead of waking myself up later for a dose. I thought this was cheating :-P but maybe I could do this.

It's difficult for me because if I take T3 after 7pm it wakes me up too much for sleep but if I take it at 4am then that's generally ok. For me, trying to get to sleep at 10pm - 1pm is very hard indeed (still awaiting sleep clinic results). So I'm wary of taking it in this time when I'm lying in bed trying to sleep because I don't want to wake myself up more.

How long did it take until you started feeling a good effect from it?

Thanks,

Totoro x

Poppy03 profile image
Poppy03 in reply to Totoro

I was a pants sleeper before T3 but now I have a lovely routine (a bit like sleep training that you do for babies). I tend to go to bed at the same time each day around 10.30-10.45 and then I read until I find my eyes dancing around the page. Lights out, lay down and I generally don't remember anything until it is morning. Before this I would maybe eventually get to sleep then be awake after an hour or so, then up for a couple of hours, back to sleep for an hour or so etc etc. It was horrible.

I used to find that taking a dose after 5pm made it hard to sleep but the dose literally as I go to bed seems not to affect me at all now. I have been on T3 only for 2.5 years so my body is pretty used to it.

You could start with a small dose at bedtime and work your way up. Maybe a 5mcg dose to start. Sounds like your cortisol/sleep clock is all out of whack. What time do you get up in the morning?

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to Poppy03

Yes, I do think my cortisol/sleep clock is out of whack.

I get up at around 11am after going to sleep at around 3am.

I've tried all the usual things to try and reset my clock; making myself get up at an earlier time each day and being exhausted through the day; even staying awake all night and then trying to sleep at 10pm. None of it worked even when tried repeatedly. Tried Melatonin and herbal stuff.

I used to try and always push myself to get up at 8am ish. But after many months I've decided it's better to be kind to myself and get up later and not be exhausted for the whole day.

Totoro x

Totoro profile image
Totoro in reply to Poppy03

I could try 5mcg and try sleeping at 1am and keep on that for a week. Then if it helps try upping it to 10mcg and try sleeping at midnight?

kiltis profile image
kiltis

I'm doing it now and it works very well for me. I'm on Nature-throid though, not T3.

Before I had rapid heart beat and when increasing the dose of Nature-throid I'd feel even worse.

My heart was nearly jumping out of my chest!

With CMT3 I was able to raise Nature-throid with no problem and the rapid heart beat is almost gone as well.

I set the alarm for 5.30 and I go back to sleep easily.

I do have problems falling asleep when I retire for the night but that has stopped with a dose of 1g of Melatonin an hour before bedtime.

sallypg profile image
sallypg

Hi people, read this with interest as I am going to give his method a try. Where do I get T3 from though? pLease can someone help me with sourcing it.

Thanks

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83

Very simple for me. I am hypothyroid and hypoprotein due to celiac; I always wake 3-4 hours after going to sleep. I take free essential amino acids, then 12.5mcg T3 45 minutes later. This puts me into deep sleep for rest of the night. Both amino acids and T3 are required for deep sleep; either one alone does not work.

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