Need help with Liothyronine Dosage Timing

[Fmljkl]

Hi, I used to take my Liothyronine (generic for Cytomel) at 6am, 2pm and 10pm. BUT my sleep has been TERRIBLE recently so I want to nix the 10pm dose. I was waking up in the middle of the night multiple times or just flat out waking up for the day at 3 or 4am and being exhausted all day. Any suggestions on medication timing?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Fmljkl

Just experiment. You don't have to split it into three doses. I take mine in 2 doses - arund 5am and second dose at 5pm. Some people take it all in one dose.

[jrbarnes]

I take my T3 around 5am-6am and second dose around 11am. I didn't like the dose between 8-11pm. 4-6pm is the cutoff for me however I do fine with it split twice a day. I recently lowered the amount of T3 I was taking from 18 to 12.5 and started sleeping better. I also brought my Levo down from 88mcg to 75mcg but now I'm trying to alternate four days on 75mcg and three on 88mcg. By doing this I haven't had that terrible 3-4am wakeup.

[CaroleM-A]

I take mine at 6am, 12 noon and 6pm. That way it’s spread more evenly through the day when I need it most and the 6pm dose keeps me going for the evening but still able to sleep at night. 6am to 2pm is a long stretch in the daytime between doses. I found it too long anyway

[shaws Administrator]

One of TUK's Advisers (now deceased), Dr John Lowe, was an expert in the use of T3. He himself took it - one daily dose in the middle of the night so that nothing interfered with its uptake. He stated that this method saturated all of our T3 receptor cells which then sent out 'waves' throughout the day.

He also stated that one daily dose can last up to three days. I tried this - took one daily dose, none on day 2, none on day 3 and I felt fine. Of course, I wouldn't do that every day and got back to my routine of one dose around 7 a.m. and wait an hour before breakfast.

nebula.wsimg.com/e0c9c9ed95...

[jezebel69 in reply to shaws]

Hi shaws - can you tell me if or how you adjust the dose for blood tests? Ive been told on here that to get an accurate result I need to split it and take a late dose. Like you I'm happy with one early dose for the day.

[shaws Administrator in reply to jezebel69]

I am happy to say that T3 saved my life and sanity. Not one doctor, I believe, knows how very unwell we can be on levothyroxine. T4 for me was horrendous although I'm aware many do fine on levo and they wont be searching the internet for help.

On levo I had severe palpitations during the night on Levo and the cardiologist was puzzled as I had all these phone links to hospital when palps began so they could be recorded. He was considering putting an implant in my heart and just around that moment I had T3 added to T4, no more palpitations and needed no implant. I now take T3 alone.

I follow Dr John Lowe's method. He took T3 himself - once daily in the middle of the night when he awoke so that nothing at all interfered with its uptake.

He was a scientist/researcher/expert on T3.

I take my dose when I get up with one full glass of water - stomach is empty as I've not eaten from the night before. I wait one hour before I eat after taking T3.

I am well and have no cllinical symptoms. I think that's what the majority want. Sometimes people can be sensitive to some fillers/binders in their tablet but with a bit of luck you will be fine.

nebula.wsimg.com/e0c9c9ed95...

[SianHarry]

Hi there,

I was told to take mine every 6 hours: 6am - 12pm - 6pm. I found that I needed to take them at 6 am - 11am - 5pm instead to avoid slumps in energy and issues with sleep. Saying that my sleep issues are better when my FT4 is higher. Hope that helps...

[Fmljkl in reply to SianHarry]

Do you take it with food?

[SianHarry in reply to Fmljkl]

No, I make sure I leave 30mins between the dose and eating

[Eelaines]

Hi. I take 20mcg liothyronine, all in one go. I used to take it last thing at night for maximum absorption, but it was a bit too stimulating so I take it all in the morning now at least an hour if possible before drinking and eating. Personally, I think it's unnecessary to split the dose, I did try this originally, and it just makes life too complicated.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Eelaines]

Dr John Lowe stated that one daily dose saturated all of our T3 Receptor cells and the effect could last up to three days. I've tried that myself, i.e. took one dose, didn't take any on the second and third day and then took it daily from then on.