Carbimazole causing freaky dreams and trouble sleeping

[4872angie]

Exactly as it says on the tin really.

I’m on 20mg carbimazole and have been for a month or two. I am finding I am having very disturbed sleep; ie vivid dreams etc that wake me and keep me awake.

Does anyone else suffer from this and can anyone tell me if this is something I’m just going to have to live with while I’m on the meds for Graves? I’m a zombie in the mornings at the moment 😩

[jimh111]

As a hypothyroid patient I find higher doses of L-T3 make my dreams more vivid and help me be refreshed. Do you have your latest blood test results? Perhaps your carbimazole dose is a little too low or hasn't kicked in yet. Or it could be that your thyroid is becoming more active.

A recent (last two weeks?) blood test result would be the most useful indicator. Carbimazole takes a month to take effect.

[4872angie in reply to jimh111]

Hi, thanks for the response. I’m fairly sure it’s kicked in as I’ve gone from being a Duracell bunny a couple of weeks ago to a sloth. Flippant response but accurate.

WRT blood results. I shall be getting those any day as I was tested at the end of last week. The ones prior for several months will show that I was very hyper but I don’t have them to hand currently (I need copies from the GP). When I get them I’ll post with ranges etc and see where I am but it’s just the freaky vivid dreams that I’ve never experienced on lower dose carbimazole/propranolol before.

Thanks for responding 😊

[ling]

Sorry off topic.

How long after stopping carbimazole did u relapse?

This is not your first relapse?

Was Graves antibodies tested this time?

[4872angie in reply to ling]

It’s been about 9-10 months between relapses and this is the second. My heart rate was running between 180-200 bpm and tremors, couldn’t sleep, endless energy etc etc at the same time I was totally neurotic. I’ve been back on carbimazole since just after lockdown and been slowly increasing dose until it settled. Now I’m feeling a bit hypo but need my bloods back to assure me that I’m reading the symptoms correctly. I’ve had 1 x tele consult with endo and another in six weeks and I’m getting weekly phone calls from GP. But with the increase doses I’m getting disturbed sleep. Anyway, they have told me the strain on my heart this time round put me at risk of a storm or a SCE and I have to make the choice later this year thyroidectomy or RAI. I don’t think they are going to wait for another flare.

[4872angie in reply to 4872angie]

Forgot to say yes, this time they have tested for antibodies again.

[ling in reply to 4872angie]

Yes, the high heart rate is a very troubling symptom and needs to be addressed. This is usually one of the serious reasons patients get a TT or RAI.

Are u on Propranolol for the high heart rate?

Did u have TRAb or TSI tested before? When are the results available?

[4872angie]

Yes to propranolol and yes, I’ve been tested previously but always came back as negative antibodies. This time I expect results early next week.