Levo and Milk: Hi, just started taking a very low... - Thyroid UK

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Levo and Milk

joannec123 profile image
13 Replies

Hi, just started taking a very low dose (25) of Levo for borderline Hypo and I read that calcium can stop it absorbing properly so I have been waiting to have my morning cuppa about 45 mins after taking it... is this long enough to wait? I haven't had my cereals for about an hour and a half after so its only a bit in my tea.

Also, I take a multivitamin for Veggies which has a very small amount of Calcium, but I take this at about 7pm.

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joannec123
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Moggie profile image
Moggie

Calcium needs to be kept four hours away from levo and my endo particularly mentioned milk as it does contain a lot of calcium. Do you have very milky tea? and can you not have toast for breakfast as only waiting an hour or so before having cereal, with milk, is not ideal.

Have you ever considered taking your levo last thing at night, just before you turn out your light, with water only?

Moggie x

joannec123 profile image
joannec123 in reply to Moggie

thanks, I didn't realise it was supposed to be four hours!! I have average tea lol, and try not to eat bread as it gives me bloating..... I would prefer to take my levo at night before bed with water... just thought as it said morning on the pack I should do it then. so I will start taking them at night now anyhow :-)

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to joannec123

It is believed, by the medical profession as well as some on here, that your body absorbs the Levo better over night with no food or drink to hinder it - another thing my endo stressed to me.

Also if bread makes you bloat you might want to look at gut issues, which is very common with thyroid sufferers. If you do have gut issues then you could well be low in some very important vitamins that help your body to use your thyroid medication and without them your levo will not be working properly. Have a look at this link to see if it rings any bells for you.

mindbodygreen.com/0-7482/10...

Moggie x

joannec123 profile image
joannec123 in reply to Moggie

Thanks, I have had bloating most of my life! well since I was late 20's really. wheat and gluten does make it worse, but as im a veggie it is hard to cut these out. I could if I really needed to though, I do have rice cakes etc instead sometimes! I am def going to take it before I go to sleep now though, makes sense anyhow when you think about it. I will check out the link, Thanks again :-)

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to joannec123

I am also a veggie so know how difficult it is to go gluten free but I have now got to the stage where my gut is causing me so many problems I think, after my gastro appt and tests, I will be a gluten free veggie. I did say to someone that if I could think of gluten the way I think of meat I would do really well.

Moggie x

joannec123 profile image
joannec123 in reply to Moggie

oh right, well fair-play, that is a good way of looking at it! what do you have instead of bread etc then? rice cakes and ryvita get boring.... x

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to joannec123

Ryvita is not gluten-free!

Q: Do RYVITA® products contain gluten?

A: All Ryvita products contain Gluten.

ryvita.co.uk/get-in-touch/faqs

Rod

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to joannec123

Rod's right - Rivita is off the menu - not I eat gluten free crisp breads and oat cakes - taste like cardboard but at least they dont contain gluten.lol.

Moggie x

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to joannec123

Around 12.8% of the people here who responded to the poll take their levothyroxine at bed-time.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

There have been a few papers over the past few years where the question of timing has been investigated. The opinion appears to be that it is a valid choice which might work as well, or better, than morning dosing for at least some people.

I take mine at bed-time and always have - so do not know what difference it makes as I have no other experience.

Rod

Please don't avoid having milk altogether (I hate milk but have it anyway) yes it needs to be away from meds, can you have butter, cheese, eggs & fish? I wouldn't worry about cutting out cereals/bread as not sure of it's benefit anyway! (can someone enlighten me? fibre maybe?)

It really does worry me that so many on this site are suffering because they avoid animal products. I totally respect why, but please make sure irons and esp B12 are supplemented. J :D

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to

Its more of a life choice thing I'm afraid, putting meat in my mouth after 25 years would be unthinkable but it does make going gluten free really difficult. I do eat cheese and fish and drink milk as I am not vegan but could never ever see myself eating meat again.

Moggie x

Mikiviki profile image
Mikiviki

I take a sleeping pill at night. Would this interfere with levothyroxine taken close together?

in reply to Mikiviki

don't know but you can look for interactions here (it's USA based so drug names may be different)

drugs.com/interactions-chec...

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