How do you take your meds?

[amh6971]

So for the last 9 years or so I have taken my Levothyroxine in the morning, usually waiting 1hr before I consume any food/coffee etc. Just recently I have started drinking "Skinny Coffee" which has to be drank 20 minutes before your breakfast. Cut a long story short I am a working mum with 2 kids I don't have a spare hour to wait and then drink the coffee and then wait 20 mins to have my breakfast so I started taking my meds at night before bed. Only problem is I feel as if I am putting weight on (even though the scales are not too mean) and I have a lot of muscle weakness. I go to the gym 3+ times a week and before I started taking meds at night I had no problems but since taking them at night I have started with shin splints etc and numbness in pains in my wrist and fingers. My Dr's are a waste of time and I don't have the money to pay private. I am still trying to get them to up my dose but they refuse to do so saying I am in the "normal range".

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[shaws Administrator]

You can always take levothyroxine at bedtime, as long as your last meal (protein) was about 3 hours previously.

If you decide to use this method, miss the dose if you are having a blood test for thyroid hormones next day and take after test (stomach has to be empty) and take night dose as well.

Regarding symptoms, I think you should get a blood test because as you are also exercising (which reduces the T3 in the cells) may mean you need an increase in your dose.

[amh6971 in reply to shaws]

This isn't always possible as I like a snack before bed too or I wake hungry! Haha.

[shaws Administrator in reply to amh6971]

If you get up during the night you could take it then . The main point is that food interferes with the uptake of thyroid hormones.

[Clutter]

Amh6971,

Are you still taking 100/125mcg alternate days? You were undermedicated with TSH >3 7 months ago. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a typical undermedicated hypothyroid symptom.

[amh6971 in reply to Clutter]

Yep. I have tried and tried with the Dr's. They did another test and my TSH came back as 2.38. They just do not listen. I want to go back on 125 every day. This is where I felt my best at for years wasn't until they messed about with it that I started feeling crappy again.

[Clutter in reply to amh6971]

Amh6971,

Have you presented them with Dr. Toft's Pulse article?

[steviecat]

With respect, you might drop the 'skinny coffee' and go back to your previous routine if that suited you better