My last test results from May 2024 below. I’m supplementing iron, folate, vitamin C, vitamin D, b12 injections, selenium, zinc, just started B complex (first time in years). I use melatonin & magnesium glycinate at the elusive bed time. I should be mid to optimal in vitamin levels.
In June 2024 I increased T3 from 18.75mcg to 25mcg and felt in sync & still 125mcg Levo.
Currently suffering extreme chronic insomnia, not slept in 2 weeks, even diphenhydramine did nothing. Now falling apart, even my skin hurts,
Any advice please ?
RESULTS : 28 May 2023
TSH: 0.005 mU/l (0.35 - 5.5) -6.70%
FT4: 20.4 pmol/l (11.9 - 21.6) 87.63%
FT3: 6.18 pmol/l (3.1 - 6.8) 83.24%
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Sami-M
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I agree with SlowDragon—you look a little over medicated. My suggestion would be to drop your levothyroxine a little—your FT4 is higher (percentage wise) in range than your FT3 and for some of us, that causes some very odd symptoms, especially when both are towards the top of their ranges.
Jazzw, thank you, I’ve dropped T4 this morning by 12.5mcg. I am hovering in the top range and most definitely several weird symptoms I’ve noted in this region, a little anxiety, hunger pangs, insomnia.
Thank you Jazzw.
Les insomnies sont principalement à cause d un problème hépatique. Le foie aime les protéines animales et le sucre. Il stocke le sucre pour tenir toute la nuit. Rien que le cerveau a besoin de 40 g de sucre par jour. Mangez-vous suffisamment de fruits, miel et sucre ?
Assume you have "sleep hygiene " so the following supplements are reported to help some people. You can explore which, if any, might help and also adjust the dose, some people find a small dose, lower than the suggested dose, works for them.
oh my goodness Cornwaller, that’s my cocktail in more regular insomnia attacks. You’re the first person I’ve come across with the exact same cocktail, I use the mg theoronate & glycine, glycine powder, apigenin and theanine, and a dash of melatonin! Thank you 😊
If there's a chance you're over medicated then you're never going to sleep ime si check that first.Also when are you taking b vitamins? Ideally in the morning as b vits can be stimulating .
I've found magnesium to be crucial too in my past struggles with sleep. Take a good quality supplement or transdermal spray in evening.
panda_26 dropped 12.5 Levo this morning, ZB bits mornings only. In addition to the mg glycinate & threonate, I often use the magnesium spray too, I make it at home with mg chloride. Thank you, really appreciated.
That sounds like you're all the right things then and it's most likely to be that you're over medicated on thyroid meds. Hopefully now you're reducing you'll get there ...! 🙏
I would agree with SlowDragon, reduce Levothyroxine or Liothyronine slightly.
I had a similar experience where I had (finally) succesfully lowered my high cortisol levels after 10 years using T3 (and ↓ sugar) and was beginning to sleep consistantly around 7 hours per night. I wanted to try T4 100mcg / T3 25mcg (divided doses) and initially, it seemed to work. I had titrated T3 up very slowly to that point.
Some friends came over and I got sick. After that, I couldn't tolerate 25mcg/ day. I attempted a few times by first lowering, then raising the T3 amount back up. Each time I would experience a profound inability to sleep. Lowering the T3 each time eliminated the insomnia.
So in my case, lowering T3 from 25mcg to 20mcg/day(divided doses) corrected the insomnia.
In your case, since you saw improvement by raising your T3 dose, lowering levothyroxine might actually be the better choice.
While it appears that you only take melatonin and magnesium at night, just in case you weren't aware, some vitamins/minerals should NOT be taken at bedtime:
Thank you kiefer, very much appreciate you sharing your experience. Definitely gets a little complicated just when you believe you are so very close to that sweet spot and hit some weird symptoms with some runs of possible sweet spot mixed in with the odd little crash and then, that leaves you wondering! Thank you kiefer.
I feel for you. When my thyroid was out of balance and hyperactive, my sleep was terrible. It is absolutely awful to be awake for hours on end, staring at the ceiling. And then your mind goes crazy and starts analysing all your life choices and past mistakes. It was debilitating. I felt as if I descended into madness. Once you get your dosage correct and your blood markers return to normal, you will feel like a different person and your sleep will improve. All the best, take heart and don’t give up!
JuSa44 oh my goodness those insane thoughts on the merry go round all night. I want to sleep and the brain wants to analyse all the mistakes I’ve ever made since birth!!
Thank you JuSa44, really appreciate your sincere thoughts and best wishes.
looking at your results you are over medicated on T4 and T3. Your TSH is virtually undetectable also. All indications are over medicated. Over medication can cause many symptoms and insomnia is one of them. Remember your levels will go higher if you didn’t take any medication prior to your blood draw and give false lows. I always take my med T3 prior to a test to know my level isn’t too high. I like to keep my T4 about 50% through the range however my T3 is 85% through the range after taking my meds. TSH is not suppressed at around 1.00. This is where I feel best and symptom free. If I start having too high levels I generally know by waking too early and feeling irritable. I then miss one dose of levo next thing I’m fine again. With yours being so high I feel you need to reduce both T4 and T3.
Thanks McPammy, I dropped 12.5mcg Levo this morning, just begging for sleep to kick now, any time at a place in my bedroom! Your response much appreciated, thanks McPammy.
I feel just dropping levo by 12.5mcg won’t be enough looking at your levels and TSH. It’ll take a week or two weeks to feel any effect of dropping T4. If you lower your T3 you will feel benefit much quicker 2/3 days. You need to lower both in my experience.
Am I right saying you increased t3 based on these May 2024 results? If so, I'd drop either t4 or t3, but personally I'd drop T4 by 6.25 mcg first. 12.5 t4 can be a lot. If you decide to drop t3, I'd do 2.5 mcg.I wonder if b complex is also causing some issues like sensitive skin?
I increased T3 as I felt shaky and yes based on May 2024 results. I’ve only started using B complex. (I’m guilty as I always thought the biotin caused acne). But then realised a deficiency in B1 thiamine or B6 P5P, can contribute to insomnia. At the moment the exhaustion is at critical level and I almost feel aches and pains everywhere; I do know they are from sleep deprivation. Appreciate your response Incoguto, thank you.
If your cortisol levels are poor - either too high or too low - this can increase the problem of insomnia. It isn't possible to reliably guess whether cortisol is high or low based on symptoms, it would need to be tested.
A four-part saliva test is the best kind of test for cortisol. This is the one I would do if I was testing :
Many thanks for your valued response humanbean. I’ve been quite unwell with insomnia. I’ve just posted a new message post requesting advice. You mention cortisol test, if we took this test I believe results take a few weeks. But even then how would be practically be able to deal with high of low cortisol at different times of the day.
Would be grateful for your response, perhaps in the current new post. Thank you.
I don't think saliva cortisol tests take much longer than blood tests, but my memory could be faulty.
then how would be practically be able to deal with high of low cortisol at different times of the day.
If you had low cortisol the best self-help option is to minimise stress from any source. For example having poor levels of nutrient will stress the body, so improving nutrients is a good idea. This link might be helpful :
Another thing to try with low cortisol is adrenal supplements - there are quite a few available, but I've never needed anything for low cortisol so I don't know much about them.
Some supplements and medications can affect cortisol. These links mention some that do - but they don't say whether the substances mentioned raise or lower cortisol, so some research would be required :
Maybe you could cut down or leave them off for a few days to see if it helps you to sleep. Do you take them early in the day? How long have you been taking them?
I know if this was me and hadn't slept for days, I would stop t3 completely for a few days and see if that helps with sleep.I'm on t3 only and stopping completely for a few days isn't going to cause you any big issues but could help resolve sleep issue. T3 is fast acting so will see any difference within a day or two unlike t4 which would take a lot longer to show.
At the moment sleep is more important for you to function, I know I've been there so feel for you.
If you find your sleep improves then slowly restart back on t3 at 5mcg giving your body time to adjust. This is just my take on this
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Please could someone give advice on blood results 
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