Help I am hypo right now but getting better every day! My question is: Why so much trouble sleeping? I am getting desperate about this issue. Any all natural sleeping med's out there that I can take? Part of it might be my headaches that wake me up with the top of my head feeling like it might just blow off, it go's away as soon as I sit up (well within 5 minutes) I am trying the magnes. but not much help with the sleeping headaches, as I call them.
Thanks Chris,
I had thought about it and wondered if it might help, its nice to know it has worked for someone. I will let you know how it works for me!
Just wanted to let you know that this insomnia is a symptom for many hypos. I've been a chronic insomniac for 15 years and it always gets worse when I am going hypo. Unfortunately, I always feel SO much better when I sleep well so I try to prioritise this.
I've heard that 5 HTP helps some people too. It didn't work for me but it's worth a try.
I suspect you will have tried the whole hot bath/lavender oil/warm milk/chamomile tea thing too?
I also take Melatonin. I've just added more T4 along with my Armour and it's really helping me out in the sleep department. I'm hoping I'll be able to stop taking the Melatonin soon.
chris I went and bought the melatonin today it has the B-6 in it also and I hope that's ok, but the stuff is cheap and I can get it without the B-6 also so may try both? These are 5mg tablets will let you all know how it works. Thanks for your replys everyone.
Oops, I just took it about 10 minutes ago, I can sure feel it too..........Go read my letter to Meep it does not even make sense to me. Oh well I'm sure it will wear off, next time I should get the book and read it before I take the med's my mom should have named me overkill. Story of my life.
Last edited by Benzi; 12-06-2004 at 09:04 PM.
Reason: add
I have always had sleep problems and still do. It comes and goes but when I don't sleep for over a week, wham I feel like crap. Last night was one of those nights. I had post nasal drip and the wind was blowing so hard it sounded like a tornado was whirling outside my bedroom. I have tried Melatonin and it did nothing for me. Maybe I should try a larger dose! Maybe tonight will be a good trial since I am wiped out! I have hypo but seem to be ok as far as everything else goes.
Well I'm not sure if it helped or not I think I waited too long after taking it to go to bed, I slept but not as deeply as I would wish for. I will keep trying though. Chris will lower the dose tonite.
Benzi,
I've heard that 5 HTP helps some people too. It didn't work for me but it's worth a try.
Felix, I've recently started on this as well - I had a very telling interview with a biochemist a few weeks ago who runs a compounding pharmacy. I'd known all along how vital T3 was to my mental health but I'd never put 2 and 2 together and he helped me with this. My FTs have come up since I started treatement this Fall but I still don't feel well. He suggested that there might be something else at work, specifically a Vit D deficiency (common with hypoT) and / or a depletion of serotonin - also common with hypoT. T3 acts as a serotonin regulator and when you go long without adequate thyroid homrones your serotonin gets depleted. Once you've fixed the T3/T4 issue the serotonin can take months to build back up; the solution is to give the patient the serotonin precursors, which is what I've started on (along with Vit D in larger doese). It's only been a week, but I can safely say I am sleeping better and I don't feel as overwhelmed during the day.
Nat
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Is vit D dangerous in larger doses? Night # 2 on melatonin it worked better last night. Only complaint is that it seems to be a little bit of a vasculator anyone know? I get a rush to my head that go's away after a short time. The kind I bought had B-6 in it maybe that what causes the head rush.
Yes, vit D can be dangerous in large doses, which is why you should be tested for it. Although in the northern states and in Canada it's a pretty good bet that you're not getting enough after the summer months have past.
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
I take my melatonin just before I get into bed. I usually read before bed, so I normally konk out about 1/2 hour later. It works fast for me. I thought I read that melatonin should be taken when it's dark (or dim) since melatonin will get converted to seratonin if there's too much environmental light from lighting and tv/computer monitors. I can't remember the source, otherwise I'd double check it.
I've tried 5-HTP and tryptophan in the past but had no success with them. I'm not sure why, since I'd heard such good things about them. Maybe a conversion problem. I avoided the melatonin because I initially didn't want to take another exogenous hormone. As my "last resort" it worked like a charm. It's probably a good idea to supplement with 5-HTP or Tryptophan before resorting to melatonin, but that's my conservative personality talking.
The only time melatonin didn't work was when my Thyroid meds drove down my T4 levels. The only thing that helped was adding Synthroid to the mix.
Very interesting discussion. Yes, I've been trying to figure why it is that I can't fall asleep until 8 in the mornting. Yup...pretty bad. I've got some blood work to review, which may provide some clues. I've been thinking about picking up the melatonin...just to get turned back round...so I can at least be "up" when the rest of the world is.
Does anyone have any recommendations on which bottles of Melatonin my be more favorable than the others. I'd hate to get a weird one..that gives me more problems than I already have.
softcrush I just bought my first bottle they were 5mg I am cutting them into 4ths now because they are too strong. Hope someone knows the answer to your question.
I've tried 5-HTP and tryptophan in the past but had no success with them. I'm not sure why, since I'd heard such good things about them. Maybe a conversion problem. I avoided the melatonin because I initially didn't want to take another exogenous hormone. As my "last resort" it worked like a charm. It's probably a good idea to supplement with 5-HTP or Tryptophan before resorting to melatonin, but that's my conservative personality talking.
I replied to this question of yours elsewhere, toots, but I thought I'd throw this in here as well. I know the precursors didn't work for you in the past but I was wondering if the undiagnosed thyroid issue was the cause. The precursors were mentioned by Dr. MacLeod to help refill the well that had been depleted by being HypoT; if you're still hypoT I don't imagine they'd do much - it would be like trying to empty a leaky boat with a shot glass, you know?
Nat
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Live in Arizona can't ask for more sun then that, I do stay in a lot though, who would test me could I get endo to do it? How?
Benzi, I'd imagine asking an endo to test your Vit D levels would be like asking one to treat your for adrenal fatigue i.e. not likely to happen in this reality.
Have you had your sex hormones tested? If your estrogen is high it's likely that your progesterone is low, and if you've also got thyroid disease then you can pretty much guarantee that vit D will also be low. Most multi vitamins contain 400 i.u. of Vit D, if you're not taking one of these you can probably safely add in a supplement of equal amount.
Nat
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
I replied to this question of yours elsewhere, toots, but I thought I'd throw this in here as well. I know the precursors didn't work for you in the past but I was wondering if the undiagnosed thyroid issue was the cause. The precursors were mentioned by Dr. MacLeod to help refill the well that had been depleted by being HypoT; if you're still hypoT I don't imagine they'd do much - it would be like trying to empty a leaky boat with a shot glass, you know?
Nat
Hey Goph, fancy meetin' you here.
That's a great thought. I'll have to re-try the 5-HTP and see. I was getting the tryptophan through the pharmacy but it's horribly expensive.
i.e. not likely to happen in this reality.
