Is Levothyroxine meant to make you sleepy?

[Louisa45]

Hello, I've noticed that taking 25 mcg early in the morning makes me sleepy, which I wasn't expecting! I've had problems with sleeping or feeling relaxed for a long time and I'd imagined the meds would do the opposite. This morning I woke early, took it at 5 and slept till 8, only waking once. Might it be a good idea to take it at night so I can have a good break between the meds and food/supplements? I've only been taking it for ten days if that makes a difference!

Many thanks.

[Aurealis]

Lots of people taking it at bedtime successfully.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Louisa

Definitely try taking it at bedtime, just remember it needs to be taken on an empty stomach. If you have your main meal at night then leave at least 3 hours after eating, otherwise 2 hours. Also, take with a glass of water, no tea, coffee, hot chocolate and keep well away from milk.

Also, unless you are a child, elderly or have a heart condition then there was no need to start you on 25mcg, you could have been started on 50mcg. Many people feel worse to start with and more so with such a small dose.

Remember that you need retesting 6 weeks after starting Levo, and always book your appointments for thyroid tests for the earliest one of the morning, fast overnight and leave off Levo for 24 hours. You need your TSH to be high when looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction and TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day, it also lowers after eating. Taking Levo before your blood draw gives a higher than normal FT4 as it measures the Levo you've just taken rather than the amount normally circulating.

You need retesting every 6 weeks, with an increase of 25mcg Levo until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well. The aim of a hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges.

[shaws Administrator]

This is a list of clinical symptoms and the aim of thyroid hormone replacements is to bring TSH to 1 or lower, with FT4 and FT3 towards the upper part of the range. Fatigue is a common symptom but you may have a few more.

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

25mcg of levo daily is very small. It is usually 50mcg with 25mcg increases every six weeks after a blood test until your TSH is 1 or below. Some doctors keep TSH somewhere in the range which could be up to 5.

[LAHs]

I have noticed that phenomenon. I wake about 6:00am, wide awake, full of beans and ready to go. I have to take my thyroid meds and I don't have to get up 'till 7:00am, so all is fine. I settle down for an hour's thinking up my day and/or turn the telly on for the news, and voila! I fall deeply asleep again and awake again at about 9:00am and mad with myself! I am optimally medicated with no complaints, it is an interesting effect that I cannot imagine what causes it. It doesn't happen every morning btw, just now and again.

PS, I don't get up at 6:00am since I am a useless sick feeling zombie before breakfast, always have been and, as we all know, we have to wait an hour before we can eat.

[helvella Administrator]

I have always taken my levothyroxine at bed-time.

One of the very earliest effects I noticed was improved sleep. Doesn't seem to happen for everyone - we are all different!