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Hyperthyroidism and Sleepless Nights
I have been diagonalized with Hyperthyroidism since the 24th of May. I am a 51 year old female. I have been on Methimazole for three weeks (5MG for first week, 10MG, the second week, and 15MG for another week). My blood work result is as followed: TSH <0.005, T4 2.15, Glucose 137, Bilirubin 1.9, and Thyroid Stim Immunoglobulin 3.42.
I suspected that this started in late 2020 when I start losing weight. I lost a total of 25lb, and I am currently weighing at 125lb and I am 5’5. Things got bad when my 19 years relationship ended in March. Before the diagnosed, I thought I was just going to breakup with weight lost, sleepless, anxiety, nights, and rapid heartbeat.
Once I was diagnosed, I was relief, but my anxiety and sleeplessness didn’t go away. I was on 10MG Propranolol as needed basis. However, to make the anxiety go away, I must take it three times a day. About 18 days into the Methimazole, I started to take only one or two 10MG Propranolol. I think I may not need to take it today or even just one. I have heard that Propranolol, beta blocker, can also create insomnia.
However, I still can’t sleep. I am rotating between Benadryl, motion sickness med with Meclizine, and Zzzquil to avoid tolerance for high dosage of the meds. I was able to sleep like 2-5 hours when I took them separately. I took Ambien once, but I will reserve that for special occasion like my 20th anniversary last week. 5MG Ambien is wacky since when I took it, I was telling myself, hmmm, it’s not working, but I woke up the next day after having 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
I guess I want to know if this has happened to you with the sleepless nights and when Methimazole will start kick in and I can sleep again. I used to be able to sleep like a baby and I never have any issue sleeping. Please HELP.
I suspected that this started in late 2020 when I start losing weight. I lost a total of 25lb, and I am currently weighing at 125lb and I am 5’5. Things got bad when my 19 years relationship ended in March. Before the diagnosed, I thought I was just going to breakup with weight lost, sleepless, anxiety, nights, and rapid heartbeat.
Once I was diagnosed, I was relief, but my anxiety and sleeplessness didn’t go away. I was on 10MG Propranolol as needed basis. However, to make the anxiety go away, I must take it three times a day. About 18 days into the Methimazole, I started to take only one or two 10MG Propranolol. I think I may not need to take it today or even just one. I have heard that Propranolol, beta blocker, can also create insomnia.
However, I still can’t sleep. I am rotating between Benadryl, motion sickness med with Meclizine, and Zzzquil to avoid tolerance for high dosage of the meds. I was able to sleep like 2-5 hours when I took them separately. I took Ambien once, but I will reserve that for special occasion like my 20th anniversary last week. 5MG Ambien is wacky since when I took it, I was telling myself, hmmm, it’s not working, but I woke up the next day after having 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
I guess I want to know if this has happened to you with the sleepless nights and when Methimazole will start kick in and I can sleep again. I used to be able to sleep like a baby and I never have any issue sleeping. Please HELP.
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Would you able to sleep when the hyperthyroid was treated? I have not been able to sleep for so long that I am so anxious about never able to get a good sleep.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Sleep returned to normal, after med were adjusted. Give Hydroxyzine a try, till your hormones balance.
I was taking 10MG doxepin for a month and is not working any more. I asked my PCP to provide Hydroxyzine 25MG. I will be pick it up today and try it tonight. Hopefully, I can have some restful sleep. The doxepin works sometime but my sleep had always been interruptive as much as 10 times a night. Thanks AJWS6!
Was that T4 test for Total T4, or Free T4? Also what reference range was on the lab report?
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The T4 is Free and Direct. The reference range is .81-1.77.
Thanks!
Thanks!
The half life of Methimazole is only 3-5 hours, which means that your serum levels should reflect your dose in the same day. However, T4 has a half life of about a week. This means that if all T4 production by your thyroid gland was stopped, It would take 4-5 weeks to be fully reflected in serum levels. Because of that, this is info I found. "The decreasing rate of free T4 level per one tablet of methimazole during 1 month, was 4.33 pmol/L, which means that, if a patient takes one tablet of methimazole (5 mg), during 1 month, his free T4 level will decrease by 4.33 pmol/L (.3364 ng/dl). " Since you need to get your FT4 down from 2.15 to about 1.30 (mid-range), It seems that you have the right dose, but unfortunately it may be up to several weeks yet before the symptoms go away. Wish I had better news. Hang in there and please let us now how it goes.
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Per this calculation, I should already fall within range 1.63 in three weeks. First week, I had 5 MG: .3364 divided by 4 and multiply by 3 equals to 0.25. Second week, I had 10MG: .3364 divided by 4 and multiply by 3 equals to o.17. Third week, 15MG: .3364 divided by 4 equals to 0.09. The sum of them would be 0.52. My blood work says I have 2.15, and 2.15 - .52 = 1.63 which is less than 1.77.
Thank!
Thank!
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Your glucose level was also too high - if it was fasting glucose, it was in the diabetic category. Has that been addressed? Diabetes/glucose issues can also cause weight loss, anxiety and insomnia.
That said - even if your FT4 is down to 1.63 (per your calculations), it would be higher than necessary and could still cause symptoms. FT4 should be approximately mid range. You need a Free T3 test, also, to determine exactly what's happening since FT3 is the hormone actually used by individual cells.
That said - even if your FT4 is down to 1.63 (per your calculations), it would be higher than necessary and could still cause symptoms. FT4 should be approximately mid range. You need a Free T3 test, also, to determine exactly what's happening since FT3 is the hormone actually used by individual cells.
1 Comments
Thanks for your response. It not fasting glucose. My next test is this Thursday and it will ask for Free T3 test. I notice my symptoms still didn't go away as I will need to take Propranolol to control my symptoms. I have been taking Methimazole for 2 solid months and I wonder how long it will get adjusted.
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I was prescribed Hydroxyzine 10mg, for sleep. Hydroxyzine put me to sleep and kept me asleep up to 10 hrs solid. Only con was, waking up a little tired, but tiredness wears off after an hour or two, was active rest of day.
Hydroxyzine is also used to treat anxiety, but at higher doses.
Wish you well.....