Split synthroid dosage?

shell91320 · 08-12-2009, 10:23 PM

Has anyone ever taken a split dosage of synthroid, part in the morning and part in the afternoon/ evening like people do with armour? I'm starting to get constipation in the late afternoon/evening after my morning dose seems to have maybe worn off or something and if I take about 25 mcgs in the evening it seems to help resolve that. Plus, it seems like I have more energy in the day as well.

inatic · 08-13-2009, 04:27 AM

t4 has a much longer half life that shouldnt affect when you take the meds like when you take natural thyroids like Amour, NT or Westhroid.

meb2004 · 08-13-2009, 05:47 AM

are you undermedicated to begin with?

nonstickpam107 · 08-13-2009, 09:32 AM

No, splitting Synthroid shouldn't be done. It has a half life of four to six weeks (what you take today is in you four to six weeks from now, to be simplistic about it). We split our dose of Armour (Westhroid, Cytomel, etc.) because it is acting NOW for energy and has a half life of only four hours.

Pam

shell91320 · 08-13-2009, 02:53 PM

I know I need to ask the doctor this, but if I am undermedicated, would it be bad to take part of my 75 mcgs in the am, and add a bit more later on? I understand it's acting differently then armour, so I don't know what all it would be doing if I take some in the am and some in the pm later. It just seems to be working for resolving the constipation that I feel in the pm, but maybe it would have the same affect if I just took the whole thing in the am. I'm finding that my dose seems to keep needing to increase to work the same, so as soon as I can afford it, I will be taking the antibodies test for the first time and T4 T3 tests again to see what is going on.

CarolynF · 08-13-2009, 03:03 PM

When I was on Synthroid, the doctor upped it to 112. I always thought it was taken all at once..first thing in the a.m.

Then I got my Free T3 and T4 tested, and now on Westhroid, which I split.

meb2004 · 08-13-2009, 03:29 PM

how long have you been on synthroid? have you ever had ferritin tested? It sounds like you aren't feeling good on your current dose, which would imply that you are undermedicated or improperly medicated.

Make sure you get the "Free T3 and Free T4" tests, not just "Total T3 or Total T4".

nonstickpam107 · 08-13-2009, 09:40 PM

Constipation generally results when you aren't able to convert any of the incoming synthetic T4 into any part of T3. It points to a need for T3 along WITH the T4. Splitting the dose of synthetic won't help. It has a half life of six weeks, so four to six weeks from now...um...it'll work...but it may not convert at all. In order to know if you are converting you have Free T4, and Free T3 testing done.

Pam

shell91320 · 08-14-2009, 09:00 AM

I think I will die if I have to wait four to six weeks for something to kick in. Since I'm upping my dose to 100 right now, if I ad T3 now as well would that possibly be too much for me in terms of side effects? Or no way to tell until I try it? I have heart palps and shortness of breath when I take 30 mcgs of armour, or whenever I up my synthroid dose. Also Pam, is it unusual to have good results on low doses and then need to increase meds if you do not have Hashimoto's?

inatic · 08-14-2009, 09:54 AM

where are you getting the T3 from?
increasing to 100, is that with dr approval, script?
dr's normally dont up both T3 and T4 at the same time.

shell91320 · 08-14-2009, 10:13 AM

I don't have T3 yet. Doctor has been upping my T4 based on symptoms

inatic · 08-14-2009, 11:48 AM

k.
understand that he should also be using FREE T results too. He can keep upping your T4 but if you arent converting it to T3, he's wasting time and money. You'll stay undermedicated.

shell91320 · 08-14-2009, 01:11 PM

Sorry, we have been going by "free". I sometimes forget to type that in. My last free T3 is 3.3 (2.3-4.2) Dr. thinks that seems good enough for the T3. He's been upping my T4 based on symptoms. I notice results in terms of the constipation problem right away (even though it shouldn't be working for four to six weeks?) when I increase my T4 dose, but last time it only lasted for a few weeks, and I'm in the same boat again now. I'm waiting to talk to the doctor today by phone today about T3. He can't get me in to see me until next week.

inatic · 08-14-2009, 01:17 PM

Ft3 is still a bit low.

watcher513 · 08-14-2009, 02:21 PM

This is my experience and may or may not help. I've been on Levothroid only for years, since the late 90's when I found out I was hypo (my father was also). Upped the dosage slowly. Went from 25 mcg to 50 mcg to 75 mcg and then 100 mcg. I was on 100 mcg. for 2-3 years. Kept being really tired and most days falling asleep in late afternoon in the past year or so. Finally referred to an Endo after insisting on some T3 or Something. This past June the endo change my meds to Levothroid 75 mcg and Liothyronine (for Cytomel) 12.5 mcg. (1/2 of a 25 mcg.) but only once a day. Also finally got the TPO antibodies done and find out I have Hashi's. Working on getting the other half of that T3 now.

Anyway, what a difference a little T3 makes!!! I feel better. Not optimal yet but better. I'm having labs done today again to see how it's going. My only problem is they don't want to do Free T3 but Total. Not happy about that so that discussion is still going on. So I've made progress but things aren't the best yet. I do feel better than I did before though.

From my experience and others here, it sounds like you really need some T3 with that T4 you're getting. I think you'd really feel better. I'd start fighting for it. Can't comment on the constipation part of it though because I don't know.

Gabby55 · 08-14-2009, 03:27 PM

Shell I agree that your Ft3 is too low.

shell91320 · 08-14-2009, 07:43 PM

I'm definitely going to talk to the doc about the T3. So possibly the T4 increase resolves my problem because more T4 converts more T3? But since it has a half life, I'm wondering why I get immediate results whenever I increase the T4. And will using T3 decrease my need for T4?

inatic · 08-15-2009, 04:42 AM

what was your ft3 prior to what you are currently taking? You dont know if you are converting it well till you compare the numbers.

nonstickpam107 · 08-15-2009, 08:46 AM

Adding T4 (when you are TAKING T3 TOO) usually results in getting the FT4 up...that's not what a female usually wants to do. I don't care if my FT4 is less than middle of the range when my FT3 is all the way to top of range. Yes, usually when ADDING more T3, the doc decreases T4.

Pam

08-12-2009, 10:23 PM	#1
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	Split synthroid dosage? Has anyone ever taken a split dosage of synthroid, part in the morning and part in the afternoon/ evening like people do with armour? I'm starting to get constipation in the late afternoon/evening after my morning dose seems to have maybe worn off or something and if I take about 25 mcgs in the evening it seems to help resolve that. Plus, it seems like I have more energy in the day as well.

08-13-2009, 02:53 PM	#5
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	I know I need to ask the doctor this, but if I am undermedicated, would it be bad to take part of my 75 mcgs in the am, and add a bit more later on? I understand it's acting differently then armour, so I don't know what all it would be doing if I take some in the am and some in the pm later. It just seems to be working for resolving the constipation that I feel in the pm, but maybe it would have the same affect if I just took the whole thing in the am. I'm finding that my dose seems to keep needing to increase to work the same, so as soon as I can afford it, I will be taking the antibodies test for the first time and T4 T3 tests again to see what is going on. __________________ It's kind of fun to do the impossible- Walt Disney

08-14-2009, 09:00 AM	#9
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	I think I will die if I have to wait four to six weeks for something to kick in. Since I'm upping my dose to 100 right now, if I ad T3 now as well would that possibly be too much for me in terms of side effects? Or no way to tell until I try it? I have heart palps and shortness of breath when I take 30 mcgs of armour, or whenever I up my synthroid dose. Also Pam, is it unusual to have good results on low doses and then need to increase meds if you do not have Hashimoto's? Last edited by shell91320; 08-14-2009 at 09:17 AM..

08-14-2009, 01:11 PM	#13
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	Sorry, we have been going by "free". I sometimes forget to type that in. My last free T3 is 3.3 (2.3-4.2) Dr. thinks that seems good enough for the T3. He's been upping my T4 based on symptoms. I notice results in terms of the constipation problem right away (even though it shouldn't be working for four to six weeks?) when I increase my T4 dose, but last time it only lasted for a few weeks, and I'm in the same boat again now. I'm waiting to talk to the doctor today by phone today about T3. He can't get me in to see me until next week. Last edited by shell91320; 08-14-2009 at 01:20 PM..

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-13-2009, 04:27 AM	#2
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 14,110 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/135 5'4 47!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LowER C since 2/02 wt training 10/15/02	t4 has a much longer half life that shouldnt affect when you take the meds like when you take natural thyroids like Amour, NT or Westhroid.

08-13-2009, 05:47 AM	#3
meb2004 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 814 Gallery: meb2004 Stats: 146 / 135 5'9" WOE: weston price / whole foods Start Date: February 2004	are you undermedicated to begin with?

08-13-2009, 09:32 AM	#4
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 14,746 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: Just right for now, need to hit the gym more WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	No, splitting Synthroid shouldn't be done. It has a half life of four to six weeks (what you take today is in you four to six weeks from now, to be simplistic about it). We split our dose of Armour (Westhroid, Cytomel, etc.) because it is acting NOW for energy and has a half life of only four hours. Pam

08-13-2009, 03:03 PM	#6
CarolynF Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Kansas Posts: 24,827 Gallery: CarolynF Stats: 195/151/139 WOE: Eat Fat, Get Thin/I Can Make You Thin Start Date: January 2001	When I was on Synthroid, the doctor upped it to 112. I always thought it was taken all at once..first thing in the a.m. Then I got my Free T3 and T4 tested, and now on Westhroid, which I split.

08-13-2009, 03:29 PM	#7
meb2004 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 814 Gallery: meb2004 Stats: 146 / 135 5'9" WOE: weston price / whole foods Start Date: February 2004	how long have you been on synthroid? have you ever had ferritin tested? It sounds like you aren't feeling good on your current dose, which would imply that you are undermedicated or improperly medicated. Make sure you get the "Free T3 and Free T4" tests, not just "Total T3 or Total T4".

08-13-2009, 09:40 PM	#8
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 14,746 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: Just right for now, need to hit the gym more WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	Constipation generally results when you aren't able to convert any of the incoming synthetic T4 into any part of T3. It points to a need for T3 along WITH the T4. Splitting the dose of synthetic won't help. It has a half life of six weeks, so four to six weeks from now...um...it'll work...but it may not convert at all. In order to know if you are converting you have Free T4, and Free T3 testing done. Pam

08-14-2009, 09:54 AM	#10
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 14,110 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/135 5'4 47!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LowER C since 2/02 wt training 10/15/02	where are you getting the T3 from? increasing to 100, is that with dr approval, script? dr's normally dont up both T3 and T4 at the same time.

08-14-2009, 10:13 AM	#11
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	I don't have T3 yet. Doctor has been upping my T4 based on symptoms

08-14-2009, 11:48 AM	#12
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 14,110 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/135 5'4 47!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LowER C since 2/02 wt training 10/15/02	k. understand that he should also be using FREE T results too. He can keep upping your T4 but if you arent converting it to T3, he's wasting time and money. You'll stay undermedicated.

08-14-2009, 01:17 PM	#14
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 14,110 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/135 5'4 47!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LowER C since 2/02 wt training 10/15/02	Ft3 is still a bit low.

08-14-2009, 02:21 PM	#15
watcher513 Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sonoma County, CA Posts: 369 Gallery: watcher513	This is my experience and may or may not help. I've been on Levothroid only for years, since the late 90's when I found out I was hypo (my father was also). Upped the dosage slowly. Went from 25 mcg to 50 mcg to 75 mcg and then 100 mcg. I was on 100 mcg. for 2-3 years. Kept being really tired and most days falling asleep in late afternoon in the past year or so. Finally referred to an Endo after insisting on some T3 or Something. This past June the endo change my meds to Levothroid 75 mcg and Liothyronine (for Cytomel) 12.5 mcg. (1/2 of a 25 mcg.) but only once a day. Also finally got the TPO antibodies done and find out I have Hashi's. Working on getting the other half of that T3 now. Anyway, what a difference a little T3 makes!!! I feel better. Not optimal yet but better. I'm having labs done today again to see how it's going. My only problem is they don't want to do Free T3 but Total. Not happy about that so that discussion is still going on. So I've made progress but things aren't the best yet. I do feel better than I did before though. From my experience and others here, it sounds like you really need some T3 with that T4 you're getting. I think you'd really feel better. I'd start fighting for it. Can't comment on the constipation part of it though because I don't know.

08-14-2009, 03:27 PM	#16
Gabby55 Junior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Northwestern Missouri Posts: 47 Gallery: Gabby55	Shell I agree that your Ft3 is too low.

08-14-2009, 07:43 PM	#17
shell91320 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: UTAH/CA girl Posts: 198 Gallery: shell91320 WOE: Induction/dreaming of OWL Start Date: Nov 2004	I'm definitely going to talk to the doc about the T3. So possibly the T4 increase resolves my problem because more T4 converts more T3? But since it has a half life, I'm wondering why I get immediate results whenever I increase the T4. And will using T3 decrease my need for T4?

08-15-2009, 04:42 AM	#18
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 14,110 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/135 5'4 47!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LowER C since 2/02 wt training 10/15/02	what was your ft3 prior to what you are currently taking? You dont know if you are converting it well till you compare the numbers.

08-15-2009, 08:46 AM	#19
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 14,746 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: Just right for now, need to hit the gym more WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	Adding T4 (when you are TAKING T3 TOO) usually results in getting the FT4 up...that's not what a female usually wants to do. I don't care if my FT4 is less than middle of the range when my FT3 is all the way to top of range. Yes, usually when ADDING more T3, the doc decreases T4. Pam