Taking medication

[Calrya96]

Just a quick question! I REALLY need to have a cuppa in the morning, but that's when I take my thyroxine......can I drink fruit tea at this time without the risk of interference with the medication. Or do I need to wait until the "golden hour" is up before I have a much needed hot drink??

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

"Fruit tea" covers a huge range of possibilities. Many of them have probably never been properly assessed for interference with levothyroxine.

We have seen some people notice a significant difference when they change to ensure no interference. Whereas others have noticed little. But the only way to be sure is to keep a suitable gap between food, drink (other than water), supplement and other medicines.

You might consider taking it at bed-time. I do.

[Calrya96 in reply to helvella]

Hmm thanks.

I often drink caffeine free fruit tea but recently started having normal tea (with milk) in the morning...thinking about it now I probably have that cuppa well within the golden hour. Will try tomorrow with fruit ta only for that first hour! Thank you x

[shaws Administrator in reply to Calrya96]

This is a previous post:-

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[jimh111]

I don't think tea makes a difference but coffee has a big effect on levothyroxine absorption.

[gabkad in reply to jimh111]

Yeah, I was wondering about that too.

Tea contains tannins. That interferes with absorption of iron but maybe not thyroxine........ She puts milk in the tea. Would milk interfere?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to gabkad]

Yes - milk does interfere.

But none of the research has asked "Does 5ml of milk added to a cup of tea interfere?" as against "Does 250ml of milk in a capuccino interfere?". At least, not in a way that we can pick it up and answer clearly.

[shaws Administrator in reply to jimh111]

Milk can have an affect on the uptake of levo (calcium), yogurt etc..

[jimh111]

Your blood test results will show if you are absorbing the levothyroxine. So if you get consistent fT4 numbers and they are not jumping around all over the place then there is no problem.

[Travelling]

Hello Calrya96, I have been on Levi for six months and felt much better when I changed to taking it at nighttime. I felt dreadful in the mornings both from waiting to eat (I am not diabetic but get low blood sugar and it makes me feel nauseous and gives me pain in my left shoulder! Lol!) and from the effects of the Levo.

Gp said it was fine to take it in the evening and I find it easier to find a window around food and other meds then.

There was no difference in effect, and I am feeling much better now that the dose is more adequate.

I enjoy my breakfast so much now that I don't have to feel lousy until midday!

Good luck!

[MidnightBlue]

I keep my levo by my bed and take it when I wake up for the loo in the early morning. Then by the time I have coffee in the morning hours have passed.