Early mornings!!

[ruthas21]

Good morning!

I have had underactive thyroid for several years and since then my sleep has really started to deteriorate. I wake any time from 4-5 and that’s me awake for the day. I generally do go to sleep very quickly on a night. On a bad night if I wake at 4 I get 6 hours and if I go to bed earlier I get more. I think what’s frustrating me is why this happening. I’ve been to doctors and endocrinologist and no one answers this one question I have. Thought the day I manage ok but mornings I am so tired and with a 2 year old to look after the option to go back to sleep mid morning isn’t an option! I am 14 weeks pregnant but this has been n issue before pregnancy also. I was actually hoping pregnancy would help with this matter but it hasn’t. For 13 weeks my TSH was below one and my free T3 also good. During this week my TSH raises to 2.08 so my 100 levo was increased to 125.

Has anyone got any tips or in the same boat as me?

[Aurealis]

For me, difficulty sleeping happens if I’m not optimally medicated. You may be able to get some improvement in your sleep just be taking dose at different times. Important to make sure your levels are correct for pregnancy.

[ruthas21 in reply to Aurealis]

Yes I’m having my levels checked every 4 weeks. I’ve been on new dose for 2 weeks so wondering if my body is trying to adjust. I’ve tried taking it when I wake in middle of night when I go to toilet and it makes no difference as to when I take it when I wake up in morning. I’ve heard a lot about taking it at night but I eat quite late on an evening and then bed early so don’t think I can take it on full belly?

[Aurealis in reply to ruthas21]

It isn’t ideal to take it after food but the main thing is to always do the same thing. If you take yours close to food you will maybe have to take a higher dose if absorption is impaired. But if you always do this you will be able to find a stable dose. I’m usually undertreated if having sleep problems.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin tested recently

Add results if you have

Ask GP to test if not

Low vitamin D can affect sleep

[ruthas21 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I am following a vitamin d protocol and take magnesium before bed. I’ve not been tested for B12

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to ruthas21]

So do you have Hashimoto's? Autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

Low vitamin levels are especially common with Hashimoto's

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change in Levothyroxine

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. When on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, , delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's very important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take early morning on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime or several on here take it in middle of night

Must be four hours away from magnesium, vitamin D, hrt, iron, calcium

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription

[greygoose]

Could be your adrenals, perhaps.

[ruthas21 in reply to greygoose]

I am going to try and drink an ‘adrenal cocktail’ I’ve read about before bed and see if that makes any difference