What time to take levothyroxine ?

[Lynntay]

I’ve been suffering with an under active thyroid for the past 14 years and have always taken my medication in the morning . Over the past year or so my tsh levels have been rising and my symptoms have returned . I am now on 125 mcg .Having read some of the posts on here I have recently started taking it at night but now finding that I have a problem sleeping could the levothyroxine cause this

[Lynntay]

I have only been on the higher dose for 2 weeks and not sure if that’s long enough for it to make a difference . I have had a lot of stress and Ill health in the last 18 months Suffering a burst appendix and a malignant melanoma

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

We have people who for various reasons, good and bad, have ended up taking their levothyroxine at pretty much every time of day.

Our poll on this is here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I take mine at bed-time and always have. But it does not suit everyone.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

"I have a problem sleeping could the levothyroxine cause this".

Experiment. Try going back to taking it in the morning. If you sleep better then taking it at night disturbs your sleep.

[Lynntay in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’m persevering with taking it at night for a little while to see if it makes a difference . At the moment still feeling exhausted but I think it may take time to start feeling better . Should I buy vitamin supplements or wait and see if I’m deficient when I get more blood tests in 2 months ? Xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lynntay]

You should really supplement only what is necessary so it would be best to wait and see results of any tests. For vitamins and minerals, important tests are

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

And if Ferritin is low then

Full Blood Count

Iron Panel

[spongecat]

I think we are all different in regards to how we tolerate at what time we take our meds. I used to be in the 1 hour before breakfast camp which I found to be inconvenient at times and taking it when I went for a 5am loo visit wasn't always reliable either if I slept through.

A few months back I was given antibiotics as routine when having dental implants done and I just knew that the morning levo and antibiotics might not be too clever so I switched to night time for levo.

I now take my levo at bedtime (around midnight when I have finished reading) having finished all foods by 8pm or so. I have noticed no detrimental effects in regards to sleep, I always wake briefly a few times a night anyway.

[Lynntay in reply to spongecat]

Thanks for your reply . I sleep badly anyway but it does seem worse since the change of medication time . I think I may persevere a bit longer