Under active thyroid.

I can't comment on the medication but thank you for your post.

Today I had my second blood test to check if I need medication. My level was 10 - 2 months ago. So we shall see what it is today. I don't know really if it needs to be much lower for medication but have been reading how much better sufferers have felt who have used Thyroxin. I hope taking it at night will prove helpful for you.

That's interesting Nankate. I wonder why. I have been taking thyroxoine for over thirty years, since I had my thyroid gland removed. Nobody has said that to me.
Thyroxine is needed for metabolism. Surely you need it more when you're awake than asleep. I will not try that at the moment, because I am slowly coming off beta blockers at the moment, but when that's sorted, I'll try. I assume, and so does the GP and heart specialist, that the beta blockers are making me feel like death all the time.
I take eight different tablets every day and try to spread them out over the day.

I'm not sure why you would want to feel alert and clear-headed at night, Nankate.

I would read the instructions that come with your thyroxine tablets, and follow them.

The instructions that come with mine clearly state "Swallow the tablets with a glass of water, preferably before breakfast".

Thanks for these replies.

I have been taking the thyroxine for a long time and still feel exhausted for part of the day. I saw the Doctor yesterday who agreed to increase my dose to 150 mg per day.

I then just whilst browsing the internet typed in 'when to take thyroxine' and found a number of people who said how they had benefitted from the evening dosage. This did not make them alert and clear headed at night but had the effect the following day. It was stated that the tablets were better absorbed into the body at that time.

The other piece of knowledge I picked up was that if you take your tablets in the morning it should be at least half an hour before breakfast and never with coffee.

I hope you are sorted out soon 'Durhamjen' it is miserable to feel so rotten.

Coolgran hope you get a conclusive answer today.

there is a family history of underactive thyroid in my family so I take a very low dose of thyroxin but always take mine in the morning with water before food
when I fist started on the course it seemed to lift me quite well - but 4 years on I am starting to feel tired by the afternoon so I might need to increase the dose (for longer lasting effect) - on the other hand it could be age
I can see the logic that taking it at night would ease the morning tiredness - but suspect the 'down' feeling would kick in sooner. may give it a try and would be interested to hear what other GNetters find

Mollie I suggest you go and have a chat with your doctor. I was having good mornings from 6.00 to 1.00 pm them tired for the rest of the day, hence my tablets have been increased. Hope you get sorted too.

There are several hormones involved with the thyroid and usually the doctor will look at T4 and it's action on another chemical ( can't remember name at the moment) but sometimes it's T3 that is the problem. Doctors don't test for this unless pushed as it's a very expensive test. If you are on the right amount of thyroxine for normal blood TFT but still feel off then ask for a t3 test. Also doctors are supposed to evaluate symptoms not just results so if any of you think you need more or less thyroxine because you aren't getting the right end results bend the doctors ear.

It's TSH I was trying to remember. Produced by pituitary grand and rises when thyroid is struggling.
The brain is getting old and rusty.

NanKate, Glad to read your post, I'm going to have to change my ways, I take my Thyroxine in the morning with coffee, gulp! I did take it at night a while back, didn't notice a lot of difference, I think however I will revert back to that especially as I don't drink coffee after 12 noon.

I am glad the info helped Terri. I gather that coffee stops the Thyroxine being absorbed properly.

On the websites I read about when to take the tablets - at a rough estimate 80% said it suited them better taking it at night and 20% said it made no difference.

So it's a case of working out what is best for each of us individually.

I was told that it takes about three weeks to have any effect and forgetting to take the pills away on holiday would not make any noticeable difference for up to three weeks.

Would it not be better to have a chat with your local pharmacist? I find them to be more lnowledgable than my GP and of course the pharmacist is well up on drug reactions.

Surely if it were better to take it at night it would say that on the packet?

There is so much stuff on the Internet about thyroid issues that it is hard to know what is genuine.

I went to the doc and asked if I could have mine increased and he agreed but said I had to have another blood test in 3 months to see what effect it had. Then he went and retired without getting my permission! (sad). Saw another doc and she was not nice about it even when I told her I could see the difference in my nails (lost all the nasty ridges) and that I was feeling better she said I was not to take the extra 25 mg on Sundays to reduce the level. Went to see another doc this week about my tennis elbow and he commented on the change of thyroxin dosage and said the reading wasn't that high to start with!

I would be interested to know what dosage others are on. My thyroid has been removed and I was on 100 mg for years and now on 125 mg (except on Sundays!)

100mcg Nonnie (not mg)

I think it's as well to remember that there are many causes of feeling tired during the day, and just because you have an underactive thyroid that is not necessarily the cause.

I used to feel very tired in the afternoon when I was working. Then I stopped having to get up at 6am everyday and voila! my afternoon tiredness disappeared.
Lack of sleep is just one other cause - there are others.

My DD has been on thyroxine for twenty years - 100mgs. Had huge problems starting a few months after having a hysterectomy. She was told oestrogen - or lack of it - has a huge impact on the thyroid. She is not at all well and has gone from always being too hot to wearing a hat and scarf many days during the summer. She went to see an endocrinologist privately a few months ago and is now going to a clinic in the hospital but getting very little real help. I shall tell her about taking the tablet at night. The GP has now said the last test looks as if the thyroid has stopped functioning, given her a lot more tablets and suggested she experiments with the dose till she feels better!!
There is a natural thyroxin which is supposed to be much better but because of cost they are not allowed to prescribe it in UK.

I've been taking it in the morning for over twenty years. It never occurred to me to take it at night. Don't think there's any specified time on the instruction leaflet.

I'm on 125mcg have been taking it for about 15 years. I don't find it a miracle cure, I still have periods of feeling sluggish. Although I can remember how bad I felt before I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid, not something I had heard of or was familiar with.

I try to counter act my lethargy by walking, hence my posts on the 10,000 steps a day forum. My energy levels fluctuate a lot I'm never quite sure why, although I feel worse eating bread, even though I love it.

I was on a much higher dose of thyroxine a few years ago, but have cut back as I hear it depletes bone density and my mother had osteoporosis (only in the last six of seven years of her life) but I think I might also have a propensity to that condition. I was prescribed calcium tablets a while back but found out that these also compromise the absorption of the thyroxine. In addition a while ago there was a report to suggest that calcium tablets are not good for the heart, insomuch as they deposit calcium in the arteries. Typically their were counter arguments against that theory. I don't know what to believe but I stopped taking them anyway and do load bearing exercises at the gym, allegedly good for strengthening the bones.... when I can be bothered !

Terri you are on the same dose as me but you still have a thyroid gland. I would love to know what dose others are taking.

I am on 125 mcg too, and have been for about 10 years. I also take it in the morning- and would be worried about taking it at night and keeping me awake. Could you give a link to that site NanKate, please.

Do you still have a Thyroid gland granjura?

I am on 50 micrograms and still have Thyroid gland - I understand this is the lowest dose if slightly hypothyroid?
my sister who has had Thyroid gland removed is on 125 mcg

Yes.

I take 150 mcg a day.

Please do not think I am trying to persuade any of you to change the time of day when you take your tabs. I just found it interesting that some people benefitted from taking it at night (it didn't keep them awake).

Granjura this is where I found some of the info

www.patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/taking-levothyroxine-at-night-improved-my-life--226315#

Here is another one

thyroid.about.com/od/thyroiddrugstreatments/a/bedtime.htm

Do you still have a Thyroid gland NanKate, this is getting very interesting for me.