T3 at night, what are your experiences?

[tzracer]

I switched to taking my meds at night as it was better to not have to wait an hour for breakfast.

Taking 150mcg T4 with 12.5mcg T3 before bed and 12.5mcg T3 at 11-12 in the morning.

With the half life of T3 being short, has it been used up before I get up in the morning? Or has it replaced T3 in my cells?

I do tend to crash badly in the evening sometimes, so have been wondering about moving the doses around or adding a little more T3.

Feb 2019

TSH 0.01 miu/L (0.30 - 5.00)

Serum free T4 level 15.2 pmol/L (11.0 - 22.0)

Oct 2018

TSH <0.05 mU/L (0.30 - 5.00)

Free T4 level 15.9 pmol/L (11.0 - 22.0)

Free T3 level 6.1 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)

Serum vitamin D 57 nmol/L

The October results are probably a little bit off as I wasn't expecting the Endo to do bloods so I had taken my meds 11 hours before and it was mid morning when all my other tests have been early.

[waveylines]

I was told by my Endo not to take too much T3 at night as it will keep me awake. I take a natural dessicated thyroid extract so cant seperate. I take my dose split in two, morning & lunchtime. So might be worth trying shifting your night t3 dose ....to avoid the evening crash. Perhaps taking the T3 first thing and early afternoon instead?

[tzracer in reply to waveylines]

Thanks for reply, I have other issues disrupting my sleep so its hard to know if T3 is contributing, but its something I can at least try.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

With the half life of T3 being short, has it been used up before I get up in the morning? Or has it replaced T3 in my cells?

It's not being "used up" as such. The half life of T3 is said to be about 24 hours. T3 peaks in the blood 2-4 hours after ingestion, and from what I've read it is measurable in the blood for about 12 hours and it stays in the cells for about 2-3 days. Of course, any T3 that is "fading away" is replenished by the next dose so it builds back up again (sorry, rubbish explanation but brain not totally engaged at the moment )

Your results don't show a need for more T3 - but of course that depends on the time of the last dose of T3 before the blood draw - did you take your last dose 8-12 hours before your test? If so then adding more T3 will take your FT3 over range.

What you could try is splitting your T3 into more than 2 doses, say 12.5mcg/6.25mcg/6.25mcg. Instead of 12.5mcg at 11-12noon, why not take 6.25mcg then and another 6.25mcg later in the day. Or just experiment with different amounts at different times. I know SlowDragon splits hers into 3 doses, 8 hours apart.

[tzracer in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks, that helps, I've read so much and subsequently forgotten half of it with brain fog. I'll try splitting further, finding 2 hour gaps is a pain, but its a small inconvenience to feel better. The fatigue could be nerve pain I suffer at night disrupting sleep and aches, pains could still be down to the vitamin D. I took 5000iu for 2 months last year then 3200iu, got more regular sunshine on my body than ever before and it still won't go up.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tzracer]

I took 5000iu for 2 months last year then 3200iu, got more regular sunshine on my body than ever before and it still won't go up.

Do you take magnesium? Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

What form of D3 do you take - tablet, capsule, softgel, oral spray?

[tzracer in reply to SeasideSusie]

The 5000iu were tablets and the 3200iu were softgels.

I have been using a magnesium oil after showering. Have recently bought some drops I put in my water bottle to drink during the day. Also have some magnesium enriched table salt, so hopefully absorbing some of that 😁

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tzracer]

Are you taking the D3 with the fattiest meal of the day? D3 is fat soluble so needs fat to be absorbed.

[tzracer in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes with my main meal.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tzracer]

The only other things I can think of are changing to a D3 oral spray, eg BetterYou, as it bypasses the digestive system and is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Also, oral magnesium supplements generally contain around 350-450mg magnesium so maybe you aren't asking enough for your needs.

[tzracer in reply to SeasideSusie]

Great that's one thing I hadn't thought of trying. Will get some.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I certainly do split my dose. 3 x per day, 8 hours apart. I found it gave much better sleep taking small dose at bedtime with Levothyroxine

10mcg waking, 5mcg at 3pm and 5mcg at 11pm (plus 112mcg Levothyroxine)

Vitamins must be optimal too

Your vitamin D is too low. Are you supplementing?

Needs to be at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better

What about folate, ferritin and B12 ? See they have been very low in the past. They need retesting regularly

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking through past posts couldn't see any thyroid antibodies test results

Do you have Hashimoto's? Autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high TPO or high TG thyroid antibodies?

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[tzracer in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for replying I've been trying to get the vitamin D up, currently back on 5000iu +K2 Mk7. Not sure I've ever been tested (will look back and see). Folate hasn't been tested for a while my b12 was 2000 as I was and still am supplementing and I think ferritin was ok in range. Can't afford tests and buying T3 with work at the moment. Lab didn't do T3 despite the nurse writing on the form that I was taking it. Different doctor has seen the suppressed TSH on results and they're lowering the levo again. It's a constant battle with them.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to tzracer]

If you are not already gluten free this can help improve brain fog

Can get significant improvement straight away or Slow steady improvement over many months

Took about a year to improve brain fog for me, other symptoms improved much quicker

[greygoose]

There was one point in my history that I was taking 225 mcg all in one go, just before bed. It didn't not affect my sleep. But, then, probably very little was getting into the cells.

T3 only has any effect when it gets into the cells, it does nothing in the blood. And it doesn't instantly go from your stomach to your cells. It has to go into the blood first, and then stimulate the receptors for a while until it is taken up into the cells. So, it shouldn't affect your sleep. But, as others have said, you have to find a time to take it that best suits you as an individual. But, for maximum absorption, it should be taken away from food and other supplements/medication, just like levo.

Your October results weren't off because the time gap between the last dose and the blood draw should be between 8 to 12 hours. So, 11 hours was fine. Being mid-morning wouldn't make much difference to the FT3 or 4, but it would to the TSH. TSH is highest early morning, and drops throughout the day. But, as yours is so low, that timing wouldn't make must difference, it would still be suppressed.

[tzracer in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for that, I think I'm going to split the dose and take less at night. Just have to juggle the food and drinks around it.

I'm taking pregablin 2 hour before bed/levo, I presume that's enough time?

[greygoose in reply to tzracer]

It should be enough, yes.

[loueldhen]

T3 only. Take 40mcg between 4-6am. Go back into deep sleep after. I don’t noticeably ‘run down’ over the day.

[tzracer in reply to loueldhen]

Thanks, I had considered that, I think I'd read that was the way Doctor P found worked for him.