Levo taken at night - when's best to have thyroid blood tests done?

[Spicer21]

Hi everyone,

Currently I take my levo in the mornings, but I'm thinking of taking it at night, just before bedtime (and, of course, away from any food) to see if it suits me better. However, I'm wondering with a nightly levo regimen, what's best to do re thyroid blood tests...From reading many posts on this forum, I've gathered that when your usual regimen is to take levo in the mornings, it's best to fast overnight and have the blood taken before 9am and then take your levo after the test (which gives you 24 hours levo-free before the test)...But what's best to do when you take the levo at night? - Would I skip the levo dose the night before the test, fast overnight, take the levo after the test and then take my levo as usual at night on the same day as having had the test (which would mean that I would take two lots of levo on the same day)?

I would be grateful to know of your experiences regarding this and thank you in advance for any advice and/or thoughts you can offer me.

[shaws Administrator]

If having a blood test next morning you miss the bedtime dose and take after test and bedtime dose as usual the same day.

[Spicer21 in reply to shaws]

Thanks, shaws. I thought it probably wouldn't do any harm to take two doses on the same day, but wasn't sure.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Spicer21]

It's fine to do that, it's a storage hormone.

[Spicer21 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, SlowDragon

[shaws Administrator in reply to Spicer21]

I have read that a full week's dose of levo can be taken but I certainly would be wary of doing so

[Spicer21 in reply to shaws]

Yes, come to think of it, shaws - I seem to remember a neighbour telling me that her elderly Mum was given a large dose once a week as she had dementia and kept forgetting to take her daily tablets. (I'd be worried about it affecting, amongst other things, my heart...rapid heart beats etc.)

[shaws Administrator in reply to Spicer21]

I think it is because it is so slow-acting. I believe one dose taken today will take about six weeks to gradually be absorbed.

[Spicer21 in reply to shaws]

That's very interesting, shaws. Would that mean that when increasing levo, it would be best to do follow up blood tests about 6 weeks (or more?) after first increasing the dose?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Spicer21]

If you are under the care of a doctor, a blood test every six to eight weeks is usually taken until patient feels well with relief of clinical symptoms.

If you are self-medicating it can be different.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Spicer21 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for that, shaws