Does taking thyroxine at night cause Insomnia?

[Eliza-J]

Hi, I started taking levothyroxine at night instead of in the morning as I had heard it works better this way. Now my levels are back to normal but I have had terrible insomnia and I just cant sleep as I am too on edge and with a spinning mind all night long. Will the insomnia ease if I switch to takin it in the morning? Any suggestions please..

[greygoose]

What do you mean by levels back to normal? Who said they are normal for you? Do you have the actual numbers?

[shaws Administrator]

Sometimes it is trial and error to find the best way to suit our bodies as we are all individuals.

If you are suffering with insomnia I'd just return to morning dose.

Re your 'levels' back to normal - we don't want 'normal' but opitmum, so if you'd like to add in your most recent results with the ranges. Or post them on a new question for more comments.

[Eliza-J in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws, My latest result shows my TSH is 3.96 and my antibodies are 424.5 and they are positive antibodies. What do you think this means?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Eliza-J]

If you have never been diagnosed as hypothyroid, a TSH of 3.96 would be classed as o.k and not hypothyroid.

If you've been diagnosed as hypothyroid the aim is a TSH of 1 or lower - not somewhere in the normal range.

Positive antibodies are proof you have an Autoimmune Disease called Hashimoto's due to having antibodies.

Going gluten-free can help reduce antibodies which wax and wane and attack the thyroid gland until you are hypoo but treatment is commenced even if TSH is in range due to the antibodies.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

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[SlowDragon Administrator]

Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 test results and ranges if you have them and thyroid antibodies

[carnation]

When I switched to taking my levo at bedtime I had insomnia. After a few awful nights I switched to taking it in the middle of the night (when I wake up anyway!!)

Weirdly I am able to get back to sleep easily after taking them. I have done this now for a few years. Can't explain it but it works for me

[Eliza-J]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I now have my results and my TSH is now 3.96, when it was originally 36.0 and my antibodies reading is 424.5

[Stourie in reply to Eliza-J]

Are you due to have more bloods done because your tsh is still too high. It should be around 1. You need more levo and taking it at night doesn't suit everyone. When I tried that it made me need to pee a few times during the night and I prefer to sleep so went back to am dosing. I am now on t3. xx

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Eliza-J,

I have always taken my levothyroxine at bed-time - so do not have a comparison.

One of the first improvements I noticed after starting levothyroxine was better sleep. I had been falling to sleep OK - then waking up after anything from half to two hours, and been unable to get back to sleep for hours. I both stopped waking up nearly as often and, when I did, I got back to sleep much more quickly.

However, we are all different.