Not Sleeping !!!

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Thank you to the moderator for her time to help others, so good to have groups

like this to share experiences and knowledge.

I have been taking synthetic T4 & T3 (Slow Release) for about 3 or so years and

was recently diagnosed with Iodine Deficiency and Elevated RT3.

My Iodine Urine Test result was 39 ug/L which falls in the moderate Iodine

deficiency range of 20-49 ug/L.

My thyroid results were:

• RT3 – result 551 H pmol/L – range (140-540)

• Free T4 – result 14.4 pmol/L – range (9.0 -19.0)

• Free T3 – result 3.9 pmol/L – range (206 – 6.0)

• TSH – result 0.3 mU/L – range (0.3-5.0)

My doctor has prescribed the following:-

• 1 x Kelp capsule which indicates on the bottle `Has no more than 270 mcg of

iodine'. From the reading I have been doing it seems there are concerns about

the toxicity of kelp and iodine drops are a better option. I think he would have

no problem changing me to iodine drops if I ask.

• Stop T4

• T3 Slow Release (continue with 10mcg for a couple of days and then increase

week by week up to 40mcg)

Result of above changes:-

• Within a couple of days, my clarity of thought, mood and alertness improved

noticeably, however the following have developed.

• I have started having problems with sleep and am WIDE awake between the hours

of around 1am to 4am, even when I go back to bed it's difficult to get to sleep.

Prior to making the changes my sleep had been generally very good except on

occasion if I had a couple of glasses of red wine I could also find myself awake

during the same early hours of the morning, which my doctor previously indicated

is the time the liver is processing, so I'm wondering if there is a connection

between the changes I've made and my liver???

I had got up to taking 2 x 10mcg of T3 (one in the morning, one after dinner or

at bedtime), then I tried taking the 2nd at lunch time with no improvement to

the sleep and then I tried taking both tablets in the morning but again the

sleep problems continued.

I then contacted my doctor and we tried reducing the T3 until I was taking none

and now I've been off the T3 for about 3-4 days and I'm still WIDE awake in the

early hours of the morning

• Constipation – not as bad as it has been in the past however there has been a

noticeable difference since making the above changes. I am also taking

bio-identical progesterone cream and my doctor has recently been making some

changes to the dose which may also be affecting this?

I have a good doctor however I think he is struggling with the treatment

recommendations and as I have another consultation with him on Tuesday 7

December I was hoping for some recommendations I could discuss with him as want

to make sure I'm doing the right things to support my thyroid and hopefully get

a good nights sleep again.

Thanks, Kate