I have been in hospital for over a week now. I am being treated for heart problems. Everyday I have an issue with taking my thyroxine an hour before breakfast and other drugs. Now in a London teaching hospital
And their drug policy is that they must be kept locked. Close to tears this morning, what can I do?
Aw no, hard work. Could you say you have switched to night time and save them for the morning?. Say taking them in the morning was just a recent trial and it's not working for you, not that you should have to explain but considering you are unwell and don't need the added mither this would be a quick trouble free solution
You can take it at night, works just as well. I've found I don't need to wait one hour before breakfast, I give it less than five minutes.
The danger with taking levo and then eating is that different foods affect the absorption in different ways, so unless you eat the same thing every day you will end up with varying amounts of levo in your system. That is why the advice is to wait an hour before eating.
Gosh, you mean some people wake up with the mental capability to make a choice about what the have for breakfast? (I just have porridge.)
You are right, it wouldn't matter if you regularly rotated around a few options but it would cause problems if you switched breakfast for a period of time. It is important to avoid coffee an hour either side of taking levothyroxine.
Taking it at night worked better for me anyway.
I am sorry you are distressed and quite rightly so. Can someone bring in your meds you can keep them in your handbag and take them in the morning.
This might be way more than you are willing and able to do:
Make a formal complaint.
Get them to put in writing that you cannot separate taking your levothyroxine from breakfast by the required interval. (I'd be pretty sure they won't do this.)
Smuggle in some levothyroxine and take it as you see fit.
Thank you all for your help. I have asked that I have them at night, will keep them for the morning. They are so precise about the paperwork. Funnily missed a doze of another drug all because they wrote it up after the drug round. Took over a day to be given the correct doze. Will let you know how I get on.
Rosy_holly,
If your meds are given together around breakfast time hold back the Levothyroxine and take it 2 hours after breakfast and other meds.
I hope you're well enough to leave hospital soon.
The nurse has been in. Unlocked the drugs drawer and gave me my thyroxine. What was all that about. Oh! The power of Healthunloced Thyroid. Thank you for all your help.
I rang them Rosy_Holly, I have friends in high places, and I don't mean window cleaners 
Love your reply, that made me chuckle x
I find when in hospital you don't even get painkillers after surgery on time. I always take a personal supply of anything I need and if the meds don't arrive in a timely manner I take my own! When the nurse brings them, at usually a much later time, I keep them in a bag for spares or disposal. I am happy, they are happy. Easy. Once I was kept waiting over 6 hours for pain killers after bunion op. Never again! Hope you are home soon x M
Pleased to say that my local hospital, when I spent time in there recently, let me keep my own Levothyroxine (T4) and Liothyronine (T3) and take them myself. I tried to always manage to take them at least half an hour before breakfast at 7.30 am. Not an easy task when sleep was not easy to achieve in too noisy and too light wards. Wish you well Rose_Holly.
It's unbeleivable, isn't it! When I went in for my gallbladder op, the brought the levo round with breakfast - breakfast was a large bowl of milky coffee! When I commented on this, the nurse went bananas, telling me she hadn't got time to run around after every patient individually, I would get them when I got them and that was an end to it! Miserable cow. Fortunately, I was only in for three days!
Flipping heck greygoose, it sounded like a prisoner of war camp. Glad you survived it x
It's a pretty dire hospital, although not all the nurses were that bad! It's a very big hospital and I Don't think that's a good thing. Last time I was rushed to hospital, I told the ambulance men that if they took me to that hospital, I wouldn't go in! I forced them to take me to a smaller establishment further away. They grumbled, but finally gave in. The difference in attitude was amazing!
Good for you greygoose, you made a stand. Who could blame you not wanting to go back there again. x
Well, I'm quite well-known - and hated - for making a stand. lol I did go back there once more after that - didn't think to ask the ambulance men to take me anywhere else - and in a different department, there was an even worse nurse! But I think she might have calmed down a bit since my last night in, when I gave her the fright of her life! Won't go into détails, but... I discharged myself the following day, and have never been back. It's a dreadful place!
That sounds interesting... there is definitely a story there. xx
I had this issue when I was in hospital and finally found out that I could ask for a form to sign allowing me to have the key to my meds locker and manage ALL my meds myself. Problem solved -WHEN they eventually produced the form! After all, we are responsible adults who manage them at home - why should we be treated like children when in hospital?
Amazing how dogma rules! I've always refused to hand over my meds to be honest. When I was In hospital for an op last year the nurses found this a little disconcerting but I noticed another lady opposite me kept all her meds too -frankly it makes their life easier so long as they know you've taken them.
On another stay I had a stroppy nurse who insisted I handed them over -she said it was so other patients couldn't taken them -health and safety! Ha!! Did I believe her? No. So I gave her only some of them then carried on my own sweet way.... For goodness sake we are not children!
Hope you feel better soon and get back to the sweet comfort of you home 😊😊 wishing you a speedy recovery with no more stroppy nurses!! Hugs xx
Yeah, hide a packet in your washbag. Hospitals, pah. When I had the babies, I ended up taking in pillows and light bulbs ... nothing worked.
Took my own thyroxine this morning. No problem. No discussion. wow, I should have dealt with this on day 1.
All ready for my heart tests. Really hoping all will go well. A big thank you to you all for helping me and probably many others who may have to go into hospital.
Good luck Rosy Holly -hope all goes well and they can get you sorted! There's also excellant medical treatment out there. I know -wouldn't still be here otherwise!! 😊😊😊
What rubbish I refused to give up my NDT whilst I was in hospital and was told that youcannot be forced to. Your nurse would prefer them locked up but given the option hang on to them and take them when YOU need them.
Stopped taking Levothyroxine 
Sickness taking Levothyroxine
Experiences with taking Levothyroxine at night.
Advice on taking levothyroxine tablets
