BEST TIME TO TAKE LEVOTHYROXINE?

[Dogsaregods__]

When do you take your levothyroxine?I take mine when I wake (and am now making sire I don't eat or have coffee tea for an hour after)..BUT it can vary time wise...from 8am..to may be 10..should I be strict about when I take it?Also...do you drink a whole glass of water?..I usually glug a bit but enough to swallow the tablets (175mg now)

[helvella Administrator]

There are multiple possibilities. I take mine at bed-time but I'm not going to say there is a definitive time that is RIGHT! A bit of information on my blog.

helvella - Bed-time dosing of levothyroxine

Discussion about taking levothyroxine at bed-time. Several linked references to relevant papers.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to helvella]

Thankyou !

[jgelliss in reply to helvella]

Helvella I agree with you. I used to different times and split my thyroid dosages. What I felt the best with is to dose bed time and it helps me with better sleep.

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to jgelliss]

How do you split it?I have just been told this by s paramedic that you can split dose across the day??

[jgelliss in reply to Dogsaregods__]

A few years ago I split my doses . It did not work for me. I now take my full dose bedtime. If you want to try you can ask those that are currently splitting their dose.

Best wishes.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I think it’s trial and error to find a regime that works best for you.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I favour a routine as that seems to suit me best and keep things well managed.

I've done bedtime and I've done split doses, my current routine is 6am alarm, all with a full short tumbler about 200ml glass of water, go for a wee, go back to sleep, 6.30 alarm get up, shower and eat breakfast from about 7.15am

Even on weekends, I just go back to sleep a bit longer.

When the days are longer I do actually get up and do yoga or a weights workout between 6 and 6.30 but when its dark I can't face it and need my zzzzs

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to Regenallotment]

Thankyou.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I prefer taking levothyroxine at bedtime……changed to this 25+ years ago at my endocrinologist recommendation

Much more convenient…..possibly more effective

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to SlowDragon]

Interesting ok thankyou.If I change to this then take it one hour after any evening snacking yes ?!..Also I've had horrendous palpitations today and 3 nights lost sleep ..well 2 and last night a few hours...this is all I. The week I upped from 150mg to 175mg..

I have an HRT patch and also take elvanse for my adhd which also is very speed like

I am concerned about how it's made me feel.

What is your advice?

My GP isn't great.

Shall I get a private endocrinologist?

I also had PCOS in my early twenties (insulin resistant ovarian cysts which were lasered off)..This cld have poss triggered my underactive thyroid (only later diagnosed in my thirties)..My Dad had Rheumatoid arthritis and died of a heart attack at 54 (I am 52) Also have joint pain in my knuckle on right hand and feet and hip pain qorrybif this is Rheumatoid arthritis also..andnif so doni actually have hashimotos..I have worked as a Gardener for the past 20 years and worry I may not be able to continue and worry about supporting myself.

Trying to be gluten free reduce sugar as much as poss.. I don't drink alcohol either since 3 years ago and stopped smoking a good 5 years ago or more

Any advice or reassurance!

Thanks for your previous replies also.Greatly received.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dogsaregods__]

What are your most recent thyroid and vitamin results on 150mcg

Which brand Levo are you taking

Sounds like you increased too much …..or too much in one go

Suggest you reduce to 162.5mcg (cutting 25mcg in half) to add 12.5mcg to 150mcg

Retest in 6-8 weeks

Exactly what vitamin supplements are you taking

Highly likely your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou will reply

[Humphre]

Hi I have my alarm to go off at 6 am drink as much water as I need then get up about 7-7.30(hubby early riser) when I was working I was up at that time anyway eating an hour or so later. I still drink coffee in a morning as I need a wakemeup you have to find your own regime

[AVNA]

Since 1997, I'm taking mine about 6am (when I wake up) with a full glass of water. I have my breakfast between 7 and 9 am. It works better having it (like all meds) about same time…they say.

[notdoingwell]

I take mine at about 2am when my bladder wakes me.

This means I can put milk in my tea at bedtime and when I wake up without calculating the hours between.

[Dogsaregods__]

What a good idea!

[Apples]

I take mine when I wake up for a pee, usually between 4 and 5 am.

I tried switching to last thing at night, but found it stressful not having a cup of tea (with milk) or a snack when I fancied one after 8 pm . I was unsure how long I needed to avoid food before bed and it was difficult if I was out with friends.

Whilst I was doing it my TSH went wonky and I discovered my new GP was a patronising unhelpful person so possibly that didn’t help! Anyway I went back to the middle of the night.

I have them by the bed in a day of the week box, with the only right day flap open. That way if I wake twice and am dopey I can avoid mistakes. The worst case then is that I forget to open it and need to check the day. (Yes I have a tendency to be anxious and over think!)

[Noelnoel in reply to Apples]

Yes I have a tendency to be anxious and over think!

Worth a thought but is it possible you could be slightly undermedicated. Many on here report feeling anxious when not on enough thyroid replacement

I become anxious when overmedicated

[Apples in reply to Noelnoel]

Thank you for your suggestion. On the whole I am OK, possibly slightly over medicated, like lots of us I also have a lot of other thing going on and the support of this group makes a huge difference.

[Noelnoel in reply to Apples]

It’s an amazing forum

Perhaps worth posting your most recent results in a new post because irrespective of what we have going on in our personal lives and yes, lots of us have stressors, getting my thyroid replacement right helps me in dealing with life and is one less thing to be anxious about. Being over/undermedicated makes life seem more difficult for me and definitely hinders my enjoyment of it

Please don’t underestimate the effect of being even slightly over/undermedicated

[Dogsaregods__]

Thankyou for this

[ICE187]

I take mine anywhere between 4am and 8am. It's easier on my brain when I retest at 8am and need to skip the medication for 24 hours. I take it immediately after my blood test.

[Dogsaregods__ in reply to ICE187]

Ok.what so you regularly have mornings when you are awake at 4am?Do you manage to work full time?

[ICE187 in reply to Dogsaregods__]

I work for myself thankfully. My own hours. I usually wake up around 4am and will take my levo and go back to sleep if possible. As long as I take it by 8am, I am good.

[Dogsaregods__]

So it cld be a 4 hour window...not necessarily same time each day.am self employed too..but I really worry about the future