Thyroid Medication Questions

It's been many years since I first took thyroid meds.  I had a problem with heart palpitations.  I had to quit all caffeine because I became super sensitive to it.  So I would recommend if you're taking in caffeine to consider tapering off of it.

After consulting with my PCP, I had to cut the pill in half (no smaller dose was made) to get acclimated to it for 6 weeks.  Then after that the doc had me go to full dose, and it worked.  I was told my his nurse practicioner that when you start in thyriod meds it's a bit of a shock to your body because it is not used to working at full speed, and there can be adjustment issues.

I take my pill in the morning, but I've heard it's more effective to take it at night.  I know I should take it on an empty stomach, but I do take other meds with it.  For right now it's the best I can do, or I tend to forget to take something.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that about 6 months after starting the meds, I was able to have caffeine again.

 Hi Kim,

That's so interesting that you've heard that it's more effective to take it at night.  

I don't drink coffee except for an occasional decaf, but I do enjoy one cup of Earl Grey in the morning.  I'd be curious to see if I felt differently without the caffeine tea.

Thank you for your response.

Lee, I'm on Levothyroxine 50 mcg and the generic for Cytomel 5 mcg and I tend to take mine in the middle of the night when I get up to pee cause I hate having to wait 30 mins after taking it to eat/drink. If I take it in the middle of the night, then when I get up, I can get the rest of the day started. And my levels are fine.

But it still doesn't cure the "head/skin itches" and the thin nails that low thyroid causes. I can't seem to cure that in spite of good levels.

Liz

 Yay Liz, another vote that it's ok to lay down after taking it.  Thanks for helping me!

Do you have trouble sleeping with taking the cytomel in the middle of the night? My Endo told me the Synthroid can be taken either way = morning or night, actually works better if you take it at night but cytomel needs to be taken in the morning or it will interfer with sleep.  I have enough trouble with my sleep, so I dont' want to risk it. So, now I take both synthroid and cytomel in the morning when I get up to pee and go back to bed.

Lee........can you please friend me... I tried to click on your name and it won't let me even find you
Nice seeing you at the luncheon!

 Hi kristin,

It was so cool to meet you today!  I just sent you a friend request. My profile is set to private.

We need to talk... I hve been on Synthroid for years... give it a week or two for sure. Once it kicks in, it will be great.

I take mine in the morning. It kicks your system up, do not take it at night

Hey Kristen, it was great to meet you this afternoon. We are about the same size. How funny!!! It was so nice to be able to put a face to a name.

Btw, how do you get the ticker to show your progress. I can't get my ticker to show weight lost and where I started from.

There is new reseach out the past few years that says it actually works better if you take it at night. I took it at night for years and my levels were great. I only went back to taking it in the morning for the past 6 months when I went onto cytomel as well which has to be taken in the morning.