My sister has no thyroid function and takes her tablets at night alongside food and other tablets she doesn't seem to care how she takes

[susanclark]

Them ,I take mine at the same time on an empty stomach ,and dont eat even if I'm starving ,I'm scared they won't work ,am I right

[dgleds]

Doc told me to take in morning before you have any food

[DaveHepworth]

You should give it half an hour between taking your meds and eating or drinking coffee but different things work for different people. If she's happy doing it that way......

[pat10-]

I was told that you must take them on an empty stomach first thinkg in the morning and no coffee for at least 30mins as coffee interferes with the working of them and nothing to eat for an hour after taking so I take mine at the same time everymorning on an empty stomach

[wombatty in reply to pat10-]

I hadn't known about coffee's interference with levo absorption (even though, now I've searched the Web, I find it's well known). I've been taking my levo first thing in the morning and waiting until I've settled in at work - about 45 minutes later - to eat breakfast and take my other meds & supplements. I have my first cup of coffee on the drive to work. I guess I'll either have to get up an hour earlier to take my levo, then try to go back to sleep, or wait until I get to work to have coffee. Bummer.

[Fed_up]

I was told the same thing............not just the caffeine but the calcium in milk interferes with it

I have just gotten used to drinking water first thing in the morning and wait at least half hour before eatting

[Marz]

I think the important question is - how does she feel ? Most people only think about how they take T4 when they don't seem to be working. What dose is she on ? Does she have a thyroid ?

[susanclark in reply to Marz]

She does have a thyroid ,but she says it's completely packed up ,think she's on 150 Levo I don't know if it makes a difference wether you have a thyroid or wether it doesn't work ,would you still get some sort of hormone release

[Cheeky32]

I was told to take mine in the morning. U can eat with them it makes no difference as long as u r not eating loads off banana 's lol I have had under active thyroids for 11 yrs and have 2 children both born very big and healthy so I believe what the dr said. Mornings before or after breakfast is the best.

[shaws Administrator]

The reason for taking levo with one glass of water on an empty stomach is that it dissolves in the stomach and food doesn't interfere with the uptake of levo. Levo should convert to enough T3 which is the active hormone we need. Also taking other medications may also interfere so that's why I take all supps/meds at lunchtime.

If you have taken food beforehand, you should leave 2 hours either side of taking levo.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

since having a similar "conversation" about this a few days ago, I have changed my routine and now leave a gap between taking Levo and eating. Obviously too soon to see any difference, but one thing occurred to me. They say that Co-Enzyme Q10 and Selenium help with the absorption of Levo, so wouldn't it be logical to take them together?

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hidden]

It was explained to me that there are molecules in food, meds, etc which can bond with molecules from your thyroid meds, taking some of your levo away with it. Because it's impossible to know how each and every thing you might eat with levo will react with it, it's best not to have them in the same place at the same time.

I'd assume (I don't know for sure) that if something improves absorption that as long as you're taking it regularly it should continue to do its job, but it might be worth contacting the manufacturer to ask what they recommend. They can be very helpful.

[Hidden in reply to puncturedbicycle]

thanks for the advice puncturedbicyle, sounds logical

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hidden]

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

No, they help with the conversion not the absorption, as it is the T3 which is the active hormone which goes into your cells.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

thanks shaws for putting me straight!

[Houghton73shaw]

I started to take mine at night too, because all my meds can interfere with them plus some I have to take I must take after food first thing in a morning.....but my TSH went sky high and so endo decided I should try in the morning....it made no difference( think she was covering all bases) it's a tough one because like everyone says what works for one doesn't work for another.....

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Houghton73shaw]

How interesting. Did it turn out that you just needed more thyroid hormone?

Is your endo good? I don't normally hear them suggesting stuff like taking meds at a different time of day, which could mean that she is flexible and open to suggestion. Or was she just trying to avoid giving you more meds?

[Houghton73shaw in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Believe it or not this is the first invention I have ever needed... I have been hypo for 16years, and worked my way up to a doseage of 250mcg before my GP sent me to the endo! It was a GP suggestion 2 years ago by my GP. I have just gone up to 300 mcg and latest bloods due next week... Fingers crossed!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Houghton73shaw]

Maybe your Endo could add some T3 to a reduced T4.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Houghton73shaw]

Good luck! (And I think shaws is right and your doc should give you a trial of t3 to see if you feel any better rather than just giving you more and more t4.)

[pat10- in reply to Houghton73shaw]

I also have to take Blood pressure tabs and at first on taking levo I didn't know they would interfere till I took them at same time and came over dizzy so now I take my levo at same time in morning luckily my husband still works so when the alarm goes off I take it with a glass of water (Which I have always taken to bed with me anyway then my blood pressure tabs roughly 45mins latr after showing and getting myself ready for my 1st coffee then Brekkies so far ok JUST WISH MY HAIR WOUDL GROW BACK LOST 3/4 of the left hand side at back and some at crown a bit embarrasing for women

[shaws Administrator in reply to pat10-]

Re your hair loss, you should see a dermatologist to see if you have alopecia rather than hair loss due to hypo.

[deniD]

No Docs ever told me to take them on empty stomach. N wait ever!

[Hidden in reply to deniD]

Since reading Shaws' advice the other day I have decided to take my T3&4 at night as I take hypertensives in the morning. So am currently without thyroid today as it's the first day going without before taking them tonight. ......

I was diagnosed 33 yrs ago as hypo, then 4 yrs ago as having had my thyroid "destroyed by an autoimmune action" ( I've never been told the word Hashimotos!!). However, I take the view that my initial consultant was an obnoxious mysogynist about whom I had to make a formal complaint, and I guess he didn't care enough to give me proper advice. Then subsequently other GPs and Endos have presumably assumed that as a long term hypo patient, I already knew it ..... however, knowledge moves on and with new science, research, and experience we learn new and better ways of doing things. But I guess the bottom line, as always, is that we should do what works best for us, individually. Before I had the autoimmune damage identified, for years I'd been a happy camper, chucking down the T4 whenever, and feeling fine. It has only been since my symptoms skyrocketed and I feel yuk even with T3 in addition, that I'm now open to doing whatever I can to improve things in the face of medical unwillingness to look beyond my blood results. Trouble is, how can I remember to take the tablets at night when I'm already half asleep lol

[amaryr]

I was told to take my Levothyroxine completely on it's own. At least an hour after and before food. So I've 'trained' myself to wake at four in the morning, need to most nights anyway, go to the loo, take meds with water, go back to sleep. No problem whatsoever, and completely understandable when the information is everywhere about not eating or taking other meds with Levothyroxine.

[Louwelsa in reply to amaryr]

Works for me also.

[Ritaritarita in reply to amaryr]

I do the same, I wake up so many times in the night for the loo anyway. I take mine at five am then I take another little bit at around twelve. Easy for me to,do that way, because I like to snack, don't really like a full meal, and now that I know I have to take my pill on an empty tummy I am tending not to eat in the middle of the night.

[Alic]

I found it made no difference when I was taking Levo and then Levo and T3. Never worked for me anyway, any time! I now take Armour thyroid (prescribed by NHS endo but on private presc) and I double dose so my pm dose keeps me going when I would normally hit a slump. Doesn't matter timing or what I have had to eat or drink the stuff is bloomin' marvellous!

[susanclark]

Thank you for all your comments ,I think what hurts the most on all this is how people who are not affected by our problems just don't understand ,like most of you have said affects different people in different ways

[Zephyrbear]

I take mine last thing at night. Levo has a long half-life, so stays in the system for quite a few days. I also take T3 at three times daily, but that does not stay in the system very long at all. I have taken all my meds with water/coffee/tea/Lucozade etc. etc. and nothing, in my experience, has ever affected the effectiveness of any of them. Since being put on the T3, I have been studying for a BA(Hons) degree at university in Creative Writing & History and, bar one exam, have finished the course successfully (I hope...) and will graduate in October. At the age of 60 this year I am thrilled!!!