Hi I am new. Is it ok to take Levothyroxine at night? I take 25mcg Levothyroxine and before that I was taking 150mcg but my results on this were too high. I changed brands of Levothyroxine too, I now take lactose free TEVA since my endo believed my results would improve on it and that I am lactose intolerant but my latest results seem to have looked too good for me to continue being on 150mcg. I am just being incredibly wary of going over range again and I do not want to try or take anything that will show overmedication. Diagnosed hypothyroid in 2011. Thanks
TSH 0.02 (0.2 - 4.2)
Free T4 23.1 (12 - 22)
Free T3 3.8 (3.1 - 6.8)
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JSKYE
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That's a huge reduction in dose, hopefully it wasn't done in one go ! Do you have your latest results to post on here ? and how are you feeling on such a small dose ?
Oh good grief a drop from 150 to 25 in one go is dreadful, was that an Endo or GP who did that ? they clearly have no idea ! Doses should only be reduced by 25 mcg at a time with 6 weeks in between adjustments.
Although your TSH and T4 were very slightly out your T3 was far to low so you weren't overmedicated, looks like you aren't converting very well and could do with some added T3.
Endo trumps GP, endo is specialist, GP is generalist.
Refuse the reduction. Tell your GP that you will only be guided on dosing by your endo as he is the specialist.
Get a message to your endo, phone or email his secretary/himself to say what your GP has done and ask the endo to issue instructions to the GP to butt out.
Thanks. I left a message yesterday saying my latest bloods were done too early, I did not prepare for them, I didn't know they were being done either and I don't intend to go by results done by a GP that ignores my endo recommendations.
For future reference, if your GP surgery springs a blood test on you like that you can refuse it. They have to have your informed consent, you can say no. If they get things ready for blood tests ask what they are testing, they must tell you, if not then they haven't got your informed consent and they are in the wrong.
When I have been seeing the nurse at my surgery for something else, a few times they've said "Whilst you're here, I'll do your thyroid function test". I just say, "No, I only have thyoid tests done very early in the morning, so I will make an appointment specifically for that". They look a bit surprised but leave it at that.
I've been discharged back to GP after my thyroidectomy, didn't even get to see endo after surgery!!! Apparently it's normal for GP to take over care now, and keep an eye on levels.????
I'm tired, I'm getting fat and puffy, nausea, regular headaches, told they don't prescribe t3 and we don't need that, and that my levels are ' brilliant' now!!
Contact your Endo's secretary tomorrow and ask him/her to pass a message to Endo and ask her to ring you back with his decision that your GP has reduced your dose to 25mcg and you're not feeling too good.
It keeps him up to date and will also prevent your GP reducing your dose in one go.
Thanks. I left a message yesterday saying my latest bloods were done too early, I did not prepare for them, I didn't know they were being done either and I don't intend to go by results done by a GP that ignores my endo recommendations.
You should be fine taking it at night as long as it's the right amount of time before and after eating still.
I agree that you should ask your endo about the dose change though so you can always ask them about that too. Your GP may be right, but I would definitely want the g ahead from endo first before a change that big.
You could also check the leaflet or call a pharmacist about the night time thing.
Thanks. I left a message yesterday saying my latest bloods were done too early, I did not prepare for them, I didn't know they were being done either and I don't intend to go by results done by a GP that ignores my endo recommendations.
What do you mean by "bloods done too early, I did not prepare for them"? What preparation do you have to do? And do you mean too early in the day, or too soon after dose change?
Dose should only ever be increased or decreased by 25mcg maximum
Do you have Hashimoto's - high thyroid antibodies. Also called autoimmune thyroid disease
Have you got recent tests results for vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
This result that GP did shows poor conversion, very common with Hashimoto's and also common if vitamins are too low
FT3 was very LOW so not over treated. Good you are refusing to follow GP's incorrect advice
All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results
Pardon my hijacking this post. What is the reason for taking thyroid meds at night? I don’t convert well and am presently only taking T3 5 mcg 1x first thing in the am.
Hi, I had been going through a stage where the amount of thyroxine I needed was going to go above 150 mcg so my G.P. referred me to the endo because he wanted me to be checked before prescribing a higher amount. The endo increased the amount of thyroxine I should take to 175 mcg and suggested I try taking it at night. I think in my case it was because of my IBS which is always bad in the morning. The theory was that my body would absorb it better at night. I've been back on 150 mcg for several years and all is well. My new G.P. was surprised when I told him I take it at night but he said he knew my endo and would ask her why in case it might help other patients. If i get to see him again I might ask him what the endo said.
Hi, I always take Levothyroxine at night. It shouldn't be taken with calcium and I always have milk on my breakfast, so I take it last thing at night. Are you sure your doctor didn't reduce you to 125mcg? If you were taking 150mcg you were probably taking 1x 100mcg and 1x50mcg tablet. Your doctor may have given you a prescription for 25mcg thinking you still had tablets left?
Get vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested before even considering changing dose
Your FT3 is LOW showing you are not over medicated
You have poor conversion
Highly likely you have Hashimoto's and need to be strictly gluten free
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels stop Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
Levothyroxine doesn't give anyone a lift. It takes 7-8 days to absorb a dose before it does anything. Nighttime dosing has been shown to be more effective than morning dosing in reducing TSH.
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