Does anyone else struggle to get a decent nights sleep?

I have recently been diagnosed with underactive thyroid & am now on 75mg of Levothyroxine after asking the doc to up it as my symptoms were not improving despite 'normal' blood results. However I'm finding it really difficult to get a decent nights sleep even with prescribed sleeping tablets. I've even resorted to sleeping in the spare bed to try & help but it hasn't is there anyone else who also has this trouble? From some of the other blogs Im wondering if I should ask to change the medication? Any help would be much appreciated!!!

[Daisy]

I never have a good nights sleep and now consider 3 hours a great night. I occasionally take an antihistamine for itchy skin and seem to sleep for longer but still fitfully. Now I accept that this is normal for me. Do not want to resort to sleeping tablets. Strangely enough I no longer sleep in the day so I presume my thyroxine level to be correct. Have a great doctor who checks bloods every 3 months and likes TSH to be no higher than 1. Hope this helps to know there is another owl out there

[rosee]

I can't remember the last time I had a decent sleep. I don't have trouble getting to sleep it's staying asleep. I was a fairly light sleeper anyway but now it's ridiculous and I wake up nearly every time I move! Very occasionally I do sleep right through but never feel like I have. I daren't take sleeping tablets as I tried them before and couldn't get up in the morning. I'd love to wake up feeling refreshed just once a week.

[Corinne in reply to rosee]

Thats exactly how I feel! and I'm too a light sleeper and toss and turn all night waking every time I move then If I.m awake for more that 5 mins I start thinking about stuff and cant get back to sleep! aah!

I'm constantly half asleep during day and its pretty miserable lol

[shejay]

Oh yes . . . . welcome to the night owl group! I've now into month eight since being diagnosed with Hasimoto's. Can usually manage 10.00pm to 02:00am (ish) and by 03:00 am usually found in the kitchen drinking tea and if I've really wound myself up - then I log onto this site read all the questions and answers, compare notes and symptoms and head back to bed about 05:00 hrs to be up at 07:30 and at work for 09:00. Seems to be part and parcel of the condition for some of us. The one thing I have noticed is that the higher my dosage of thyroxine (now on 125mcg) the worse my sleep pattern is, perhaps my dosage is to high - will question on next visit to Doc's, although I suspect she will look at me with a 'blank' expression and offer me even more pills!

[nanniejan]

I've not had a good night sleep for years and spend nights reading the messages as well or surfing the net then always have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom , drives me nuts but then when I get up im really tired and can't get going in the morning ! I have just been told that I have sleep apneoa so that is the cause of mine , so now im waiting for my CPAP machine that I have been told will make me feel much better !! And although I've not been told it's due to the thyroid it was the endo that had me tested ,weight can be a cause of it ,snoring is another reason and I've only snored since I put on the weight due to my thyroid , so if you snore this could be a cause !!!

Jan Xx

[HazelD]

Yes, I have this exact problem too. I think my meds are right at 125mcg because my weight is so much better than what it use to be and I can actually control my dress size with regular exercise. BUT this sleeping issue is a massive problem!

I do have one suggestion though which has helped me. I spent ages surfing the net and started to notice a pattern with lack of sleeping and food intolerances which I noticed (I think on the thyroid uk web site) that people with underactive thyroids are more susceptible to getting. So I thought it can't do any harm to have a complete fresh food diet and cut out ALL processed food which I have done and I have gone from having max 4 hours sleep to between 7 and 9 hours sleep. I do have to admit that I do still wake up a lot, but its just easier to get back to sleep once I have woken up. I do have to say though I can't eat any processed food whatsoever, this includes things like bread, pasta, milk based foods like cheese, basically if its not fresh veg, fruit, meat or fish I don't eat it. The diet can be expensive and boring, but I had got to the point where I was willing to do anything!

I saw the endo about 3 weeks ago and told him about my sleeping and how the diet has helped and he has done some tests which I am waiting to receive the results to in the post, but even if they come back with nothing I am just going to stick to my diet because it seems to be working.

Hope you get some answers soon xx

[fairy]

Well I've suffered insomnia for decades, and not knowing what was causing me to have such terrible nights for sleeping, but since I've been guided by Dr P, and all my blood tests came back normal but not the saliva and 24 hour urine. I do sleep a little better but even after a good nights sleep I stilll wake up and feel whacked as if I have never been to sleep, but never ever got any help at all from my GP

[Julia]

Hi, Im also on 75mg Levothyroxine & most nights have difficulty getting to sleep. I have an overactive mind and keep churning things over and get terrible restless legs so also creep off to the spare bed most nights!

I have sleeping tablets which I take when absolutely required & try not not take for several nights then take half tablet to get 5 - 6 hours sleeps otherwise just feel so exhausted, they help a lot and calm my mind. I don't think there are any easy answers, I've tried relaxation CD's on my walkman but to no avail. I really don't know if it is the under-active thyroid or just way I am, my husband falls asleep as soon as his head touches the pillow! wish I could be like that.

[Hidden]

Thank you to you all for replying, its nice to know im not alone in all this!! Although the thought of not having a decent nights sleep does worry me, I love my bed I think i have been lucky with my docs, compared to what i have read on here as they mentioned CFS but have done a whole load more blood tests to rule anything else out first (what i'm not entirely sure) but that was yesterday so have to wait for the results. I'm currently signed off work and its since i've not really been doing much that my sleeping has been worse. Its catch 22 though, as soon as i do too much i get swollen glands, muscular pain in my neck and shoulders and headaches. I'll await the results but i did think about looking at my diet, i don't eat lots of processed foods (or so i think) but i'm pretty bad at eating lots of vegetables :$ Sounds like this process is going to be very long and bumpy. Your support is greatfully received though!!!

[Poppy03]

I never used to have a problem with sleep until I was diagnosed (I had an 8 month old at the time so had forgotten what normal sleep was). I struggle to get to sleep sometimes and staying asleep is hard. My worst time is when I wake around 4am for some reason. Most nights I wake 4+ times but even if I do sleep through I wake up so tired I hope this will all resolve once my levels are sorted out.

[histy978]

I have had awful problems with sleep as I have Hashimoto's yet swing from hper to hypo regularly. After a week of sleeping tablets back in december, my GP put me on amitriptyline (only 10mg as it is not ideal for those with thyroid problems). I haven't looked back, such a relief to sleep well, and not suffer from sickness and dizziness throughout the day as I was so exhausted.

Now I know that this may not be suitable for many, but works well for me. And I just wanted to put it out there.

[Hidden]

I'm usually utterly exhausted by early afternoon and try and find time for at least a half hour afternoon nap. (I work from home). Even if I do this I am still dog tired again by early evening and usually in bed by 9pm. I do actually get to sleep however my sleep is interupted by my frequent urination at least once and sometimes three or four times every night. This leaves me exhausted before I even start in the morning and so it goes on day after day.......

[elainewwjd in reply to Hidden]

I. Have the same problem and it's terrible. I was diagnosed with hashimotos over 2 years ago I am 25 years old. I don't remember what it feels like to wake up and have renewed energy to start the day. I also don't remember what it's like to sleep through a whole night. I wake up 2 to 7 times a night to urinate I also feel the need to eat sugar and filling foods and drink throughout the night. This. All leaves me exhausted by morning. Not to mention also my period which makes it all worse. I'm so tired of it all and no one seems to care

[TinainKent]

Hi,

If you are one of the fortunate people that Levo works for then it could take a little while for you body to recover from being hypo, depending on how long you have been like that and not diagnosed. It could also be stressed adrenals that need support. There are various other things that could contribute, this is a very complicated subject, what works for some does not work for others, but if you have recently been diagnosed I think you should read Dr Peatfields book as it will make you better informed about your condition and you can go from there.

[Hidden in reply to TinainKent]

Thank you, i'll explore the adrenals too. The doc is assessing for Chronic Fatigue, i'm not convinced its this so this may be another avenue to go down. I've just ordered the book, so look forward to the read