Worse at night

[hooper]

Since having my levo increased from 75mcg to 100mcg I am feeling better in the day ( more energy, less pain) but worse at night (anxiety and increased ache/pain in arms and legs). Any idea why this should occur, or is it just me?

[beaton]

Hi Hooper, No me too. ok during the day but by late afternoon/evening all symptoms come back.

[poing]

When do you take your levo? In the morning or in the evening?

How are your iron levels? Low iron can causes restless legs syndrome and this tends to follow a daily pattern and be worse in the evenings. The actual restless legs thing is apprently caused by an imbalance involving thyroid hormones and dopamine - and iron affects both of those things. I couldn't tell you exactly how though.

My iron levels aren't great, and I have to go to bed early when I feel this coming on... I start feeling colder towards the end of the day and my legs feel achy and I want to move them.

[hooper in reply to poing]

Hi poing! I take my levo at night. Did take it in a morning (for 6 years) and changed about a month ago now. My ferritin blood test came back lower end of range. GP said it was ok and I didn't need supplements (Also Vit D - just under range). I'm supplementing myself. Will look up this connection with dopamine. Thank you poing

Best wishes...

Jen x

[shaws Administrator]

All awful symptoms disappeared as soon as I stopped levo.

[hooper in reply to shaws]

Why did you stop shaws? Are you on NDT or T3 instead? I've never felt well on levo but can't get GP to try alternative.

[shaws Administrator in reply to hooper]

I told my GP that I was feeling much worse on levo. He told me the only way I could prove that was to stop taking it (good advice!!!). A few months later the Endo added 10mcg of T3 and it made a big improvement, so I stopped the levo for one week as an experiment but felt SO good I stopped it for 7 weeks but added the T4 again as I knew if my bloods were out the Endo would stop the T3. Anyway I went private and took T3 alone then onto NDT.

I don't know what was worse - widespread pain or heart with horrible palpitations/tachycardia.

[hooper in reply to shaws]

So many of you seem to have much more courage than I do! I'd love to stop levo (or at least have it in combi with T3) and get onto NDH. Of course neither of those may be any good for me, but I'd like to try. I just don't have the guts to go it alone without a GP sanctioning it. I have broached the subject but the look of horror was enough to shut me up.

Is it difficult? I worry I'll make myself worse.

[shaws Administrator in reply to hooper]

If you email [e-mail] and ask for a copy of the Pulse article by Dr Toft, ex of the BritishThyroid Association and highlight question 6 for your GP which is self explanatory. It will tell her how low your TSH should be, or even lower if still unwell, or the addition of T3 to a lower levo.

[hooper in reply to shaws]

Many, many thanks shaws. I'll do that.

Jen x

[merissa]

My symptoms happen to be worse in the evening and I am not on any medication yet, I do feel its adrenal issues especially if i over do it.

x