Relieving Symptoms with Supplements

Hello. I'm new here. I was diagnosed with a Hypothyroid condition 11 months ago & was prescribed Levothyroxine. None of my symptoms have changed & I would like to explore supplements as a possible solution to help relieve my symptoms. I was curious if any of you use supplements successfully for relieving symptoms. Thank you.

[Jazzw]

Hello and welcome.

Well, before going off down the supplements route (and you may well be deficient in something), I’d say the chances are high you’re not actually on the right dose of levothyroxine. So it’s probably best to work from there first.

How much Levo have you been prescribed? And when were your thyroid hormone levels last tested? Do you have any thyroid blood test results to share?

Your doctor should have been testing your levels every 6-8 weeks and raising your levothyroxine dosage until your symptoms resolved and your blood tests optimised. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen…

[Hidden in reply to Jazzw]

Hello Jazzw. Thank you for responding. I started the medication Sept 2020 @ 25mg. Slowly it was increased & now I'm up to 88mg (adjusted June 2021). The highest my TSH has been was 7.46 & that was last year. My last blood test was done June 2021 & my TSH level was 4.0. My doctor was still not happy with that result so that is why she raised the medication to 88mg. I am due for my next blood test. The only problem is I have forgotten to take my Levo every day this week upon awakening. I take other medications & I remember to take those but once I've taken them, then I remember about the Levo. It's part of my short term memory flying out the window really badly these days. So my blood tests have been postponed temporarily. I'm interested in starting supplements because I am very concerned about my memory loss. Of course I will ask my doctor if it is safe to take whichever ones I'm willing to try. In my research I have come across quite a few minerals & amino acids that are not safe to take if you are taking Levo. I just want to feel normal again & regain my quality of life...

[PPower in reply to Hidden]

Is there a way you can put your levo on your bedside table or at the sink where you first get up? I set an alarm on my phone for all of my meds and important supplements. Too much to remember otherwise!

[Hidden in reply to PPower]

Hi PPower. Setting the phone alarm is a good idea. I have all my meds on my night stand already. Thing is, some nights I do not fall asleep until 5 or 6am & I sleep for 2 or 3 hours. I was really good at taking my Levo every morning at 5am up until a week ago. I'm going to try the cell phone alarm. Thank you.

[PPower in reply to Hidden]

Such good and knowledgeable responses you received! Sounds like taking your levo before bed would work for you. You must take it every day.

[Woodshoes in reply to Hidden]

How old are you? I have this memory loss too?

[Hidden in reply to Woodshoes]

Hi Woodshoes. I turned 55 yrs old in March. 🙂

[Woodshoes in reply to Hidden]

I’m 75 but have been under medicated for a long time so I’m hoping the new doc. Will help old doc let me at 60 mg of NP thyroid for one and a half years

[SlowDragon Administrator]

It’s absolutely essential to take levothyroxine EVERY Day and extremely important to not take it with anything else. No other medications or supplements within 2 hours

Unless very petite 88mcg is unlikely high enough dose levothyroxine anyway

Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

Suggest you get a weekly pill dispenser JUST for levothyroxine, keep it by the bed and take it at bedtime

Some some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away

(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

REMEMBER.....very important....stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results - eg vitamin B complex

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon. Thank you so much for all that information. Wow, I didn't know about the biotin & blood testing. Not that I take it but it's good to know. I like the idea of taking the Levothyroxine at night on an empty stomach. I'm going to talk to my doctor about switching it. I'm not taking any vitamins or supplements yet. And thank you again for the information.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

Hidden

I'm going to talk to my doctor about switching it

I just want to point out that you don't need your doctor's agreement or permission to switch your Levo to night time. You take it when it suits you. There's not even any need to tell your doctor when you take it, as long as you take it every day, one hour before or two hours after food and water only for an hour each side, and remember to adjust the timing before a blood test, ie the last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before your thyroid blood tests.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

It is often suggested that bed-time dosing results in slightly better absorption. It also seems slightly closer to the pattern healthy people have.

I have always taken my levothyroxine at bed-time.

For that reason, I cannot compare with taking in the morning.

Before diagnosis, my sleep was badly disturbed. Typically, I would fall asleep fairly easily. Then wake up after something like half an hour to two hours. Once woken I'd be unable to get back to sleep - often till dawn, or at all.

Once I started on levothyroxine, my sleep slowly improved. By the time I was taking an adequate dose, bad nights were unusual - just an occasional night where I might wake up for a while. Now, after years, I sleep very easily and deeply and rarely wake at all. If I do, I get back to sleep quickly.

We have some who prefer it; we have others who prefer other times. See our poll:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Some papers which discuss taking levothyroxine at different times - such as bed-time. Don't feel you have to read every single one, start to finish!

Levothyroxine Replacement and Ramadan Fasting

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/237...

Effect of L-Thyroxine Administration Before Breakfast vs at Bedtime on Hypothyroidism: A Meta-Analysis

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/320...

Morning vs. Bedtime Levothyroxine Administration: What Is the Ideal Choice for Children?

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/303...

A Crossover Study Evaluating Effect of Timing of Levothyroxine on Thyroid Hormone Status in Patients of Hypothyroidism

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/313...

Effect of Timing of Levothyroxine Administration on the Treatment of Hypothyroidism: A Three-Period Crossover Randomized Study

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/300...

Alternative Schedules of Levothyroxine Administration

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/256...

Thyroid Diseases and Ramadan

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/228...

Pharmacotherapy: Hypothyroidism-Should Levothyroxine Be Taken at Bedtime?

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/213...

Effects of Evening vs Morning Levothyroxine Intake: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Trial

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/211...

Timing of Levothyroxine Administration Affects Serum Thyrotropin Concentration

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/195...

Effects of Evening vs Morning Thyroxine Ingestion on Serum Thyroid Hormone Profiles in Hypothyroid Patients

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/172...

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Hi helvella. Thank you so much for your response & for all the information you included. I really appreciate it. Thanks again. Have a nice day. 🙂

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Presumably you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is ALWAYS under 2

Most people when adequately treated will have TSH around or under one

Most important results are always FT3 followed by Ft4

Aiming for Ft3 at least 50-60% through range

See on your profile you are diagnosed as bipolar

Bi-polar and Hashimoto's

drknews.com/when-hashimotos...

holtorfmed.com/mental-illne...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

hypothyroidmom.com/miss-dia...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Hidden]

Hi SlowDragon. I just found out yesterday that one of the medications I take for my Bipolar (Lithium), it can increase the production of antibodies against thyroid cells and cause hypothyroidism. I believe this is what is causing my condition. I sent a message to my doctor over the internet explaining what I had just learned & what my concerns are regarding continuing the Lithium while trying to save & support my Thyroid gland. I'm waiting to hear back from her. We shall see. Thank you again for your response. 🙂

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

I'm not sure that's correct. Lithium can cause hypthyroidism, it's true, but it has nothing to do with antibodies.

High antibodies are indicative of Autoimmune Thyroiditis - aka Hashi's - but the antibodies themselves do not attack the thyroid. So, whoever told you that was a bit confused.

I imagine you're taking lithium for depression or bi-polar? They can be symptoms of hypothyroidism, so it could be that you have been hypo for a long, long time, causing those symptoms, and that when you are on a decent dose of levo - 88 mcg is not a decent dose! - you won't need the lithium anyway, and can slowly wean off it. But, it's not something to come off suddenly. It's a chicken and egg situation you're in, but I'm willing to bet the hypothyroidism came first.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Hi greygoose. Thank you very much for the clarification. 🙂

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I would agree with greygoose …..possibly bipolar is being caused by thyroid, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (hashimoto’s) and getting thyroid correctly treated will enable you to SLOWLY get of lithium

verywellhealth.com/lithium-...

You need coeliac blood test done too

[mistydog]

Just to add to the excellent responses, always get copies of results with ranges, it helps our lovely community interpret results. You may be able to access your records online, otherwise you are entitled to printed copies. Given the comments re bipolar I'd go back several years to see if there's a link..

Secondly, keep reading and learning, it will make sense in the end.

[humanbean]

Regarding forgetting your thyroid hormones, I read an anecdote once where a patient had forgotten her thyroid hormones for two weeks, by which time she had forgotten that she had ever taken thyroid hormones and had forgotten she was hypothyroid.

Your brain needs thyroid hormones.

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

Mentioning this is total overkill, but it might be of interest :

Before the NHS was born in 1948 in the UK there were many people who never saw a doctor because they simply couldn't afford it. This meant that many cases of hypothyroidism would never have been diagnosed or treated.

There was an article in the BMJ published in 1949 entitled Myxoedematous Madness that described several examples of people being admitted to a hospital for severe mental health and/or physical health problems who were actually suffering from hypothyroidism.

Note that myxoedema is an old-fashioned name for hypothyroidism which is rarely used these days apart from in connection with very severe, life-threatening, hypothyroidism.

[Before hypothyroidism treatment was developed the fate of many sufferers was to die in lunatic asylums.]

You can read that BMJ article here :

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Hidden]

Hi humanbean. Thank you for sharing. Very interesting. 🤔