Best time to take Meds

[welliec]

I have congenital Hypothyroidism so have been on this battle for my entire life. Recently just went back to the hospital Endocrinologist for a check up and to see if it would be worth changing back to Levothyroxine. This was for 1 main reason, Liothyronine is bloody hard to get hold of most of the time and if i can get the same effects on the Levo then i would continue with that. The advantages of Levo mean that i can take the lot in the morning and not spread it around throughout the day. This was just an experiment as i have been told that if my blood test results dont show that Levo works better i am able to go back onto Liothyronine. But the slight twist is i have to take it as soon as i wake up with water and a minimum of 30 minutes prior to food or other drink as my other meds could affect the absorption rate of the Levo. HAS anyone else been given this advice and did it actually work? I am on 350mcg of Levo compared to the 60 of Lio which is like for like dosage. I will be getting bloods done every 6 weeks until Jan when i am due to go back.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

welliec You don't have to take your levo in the morning. Many members take it at bedtime. I take it in the early hours of the morning when I get up for the loo, anytime between 4am and 7am. That way I keep it well away from food and supplements. Time it to suit yourself.

As long as you take it on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, away from iron supplements by four hours, other supplements and medication by two hours, and with a glass of water only, then it will be fine.

[pugdogs10]

Hi...Yes I was also given that advice and for me it did work. But..I do find it even better to take Levo just before I go to bed at night then as long as you have an empty stomach ie 2 hrs after eating there is no problem with supplements or other medication.

[Clutter]

Welliec,

I have no trouble getting Liothyronine dispensed. If your local pharmacies are having trouble ask them to contact customer services via this link medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

Liothyronine is 3 x more potent than Levothyroxine so 60mcg Liothyronine is equivalent to 180mcg Levothyroxine. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/204...

I have no thyroid and did well on 60mcg Liothyronine (T3) but poorly when I was switched to 200mcg Levothyroxine (T4). I do fine now on T4+T3 combination which I feel is a smoother ride than T3 only and take them 1 hour before food and drink, or 2 hours after. I'm supposed to split T3 into 2 x doses but I often snack at night so end up taking it all in one dose with Levothyroxine in the morning.

[greygoose]

One of the reasons people do better on lio only or T3 + T4, is that they don't convert properly. But only your blood tests will tell you that, and only if you have the FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time. And, do remember - something doctors 'forget' - that when taking T3, either on its own or in combination, only the FT3 test means anything. The TSH and the FT4 are irrelevant and should not be taken into consideration when dosing.

You don't have to take T3 throughout the day. I take 75 mcg daily, and take it all at night. It works for me. But, if you take it in the morning, half an hour isn't long enough before food, and hour is better. And two hours before other medication.