Should I take all tablets together : I've always... - Thyroid UK

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Should I take all tablets together

romy55 profile image
16 Replies

I've always taken my levothyroxine and my vit d tablet together and then had my breakfast. Some posts are suggesting i wait an hour after taking levothyroxine before I eat, my question is - should I take my vit d tablet at the same time? I'm reading lots but feeling a little overwhelmed, i just know my Thyroid was fully removed because of a goiter but worked so all these symptoms are totally new to me (since sept) and I'm not coping. I burst into tears on Friday and this is totally not me. They have just increased my dose 8 weeks ago so I'm just monitoring how i feel. Thanks for all the help so far as I have been told nothing by the health professionals and the trouble is you don't know what you don't know.

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romy55
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16 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

That's very true! You don't know what you don't know. The problem is, doctors haven't a clue, either!

I'm afraid you won't have been absorbing very much of either tablet, so not surprising if don't feel any better. You should leave four hours between levo and vit D. It goes like this :

Take levo on an empty stomach, with water, one hour before eating, or two hours after eating (so you can take it before bed).

Leave two hours before taking any other supplements or medication.

Leave four hours before taking vit D, iron, calcium or oestrogen.

Leave six hours before taking magnesium. (Some people only leave four hours, but six hours is best.)

Vit D should be taken with food. And, as it's fat soluble, it needs to be taken with the fattiest meal of the day. Do you have a fatty breakfast? If not, take it with lunch. How much vit D are you taking?

Best to always ask here about timing of supplements, because somethings need to be taken with food, and some thing on their own. Have you had your vit B12, folate and ferritin tested? Because they all need to be optimal, too. :)

romy55 profile image
romy55 in reply togreygoose

Vit d is 25 mg, dont know about the others never been given those results so don't even know if they were tested. Thanks that's really helpful I'm changing from today so will monitor results.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toromy55

When you have a blood test, you should always ask for a print-out of the results. If you live in the UK, it's your legal right to have one, but it's very doubtful that your doctor would just give it to you.

But, the odds are that they haven't been done. You usually have to ask for them. :)

That's not a very large dose of vit D you're taking. How long have you been on it?

romy55 profile image
romy55 in reply togreygoose

I've taken vit D since Sept, they want to charge me £10 for a printout, I'm in Scotland. I'm going to see how I feel before I revisit the doc. How long does it take for the revised level of thyroxine to work, only taken increase since mid march. Also need to review diet, :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toromy55

And, since September you been taking 25 mg? What was your result?

£10 is rather steep, it's only supposed to be for paper and printing ink. They're not supposed to make a profit from it. How many pages is it? Try taking your own paper, for them to print on, see what they say. :) You can by a lot of paper with £10!

romy55 profile image
romy55 in reply togreygoose

I dont know what the result was I've never been told. I'm learning so much from here but it's made me realise how little I know eek!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toromy55

Well, it's normal to know nothing about it when you don't have it - and you weren't born with it, were you? I know nothing about diabetes, because I don't have it. If i did, I would have to learn. :)

It's so sad, doctors treating us like kids, not telling us anything, because they don't think we're capable of understanding! I have the advantage over you, in that I live in France, and in France, the results are sent to the patients as well as the doctors! They recognise that they are our results. But I've heard of so many people in the UK that have to fight to get them. It really is a bad situation.

Anyway, battle on! You'll get there in the end. To get round that £10 charge, ask the receptionist to let you see your results on the screen, and copy them down in a notebook.

willowcroft75 profile image
willowcroft75 in reply togreygoose

My doctor is FAB when it's comes to my health she gives me blood tests every three months and has put my life back on track . So not all doctors are clueless :(

romy55 profile image
romy55 in reply towillowcroft75

No I agree, it's not all bad, i have a good relationship with doc but i haven't had the detail I want so I can manage my condition in the best way.

willowcroft75 profile image
willowcroft75 in reply toromy55

I just get so fed up with the comments on hear about doctors hospitals ect . I was Ill for nearly 30 years but was so grateful when they found out what was wrong with me . I didn't go blaming others its taken 2 years to get my illness under control it's not my GPs fault it's how my body works . It's about looking at your life style what you eat keeping fit and having family around you that understand your illness

Raventhorpe profile image
Raventhorpe

Hi romy55 you should definitely take Levo on its own on an empty stomach just take with water no tea or coffee or milk or food for an hour after. No supplements for at least 2hours after and iron at least 4 hours away from levo ,. Could you take vit D at lunchtime as it needs to be taken with food that has a high fat content as this helps with absorbing, things like full fat yogurt .

romy55 profile image
romy55 in reply toRaventhorpe

Yes I'm changing from today and I'll monitor from now on thanks

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I find it better to take levo first thing and then other supplements/vitamins at lunchtime as most have to be taken with food. You then get into a routine so that you don't forget to take them.

It is horrible when first diagnosed as hypo, you just don't have a clue why you feel so bad and I don't think it is explained to you before operations. I doubt the surgeon knows either as it appears all doctors think that levothyroxine sorts us out but it is a gradual increase until we feel well again. If not improving then it is time to look at other aspects/other replacements.

It is time (8 weeks) that you were given another increase and so on - not until you are 'in range' but that you feel much better with no symptoms.

Your doctor should also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we can be deficient which can also cause symptoms.

romy55 profile image
romy55

Thanks

Raventhorpe profile image
Raventhorpe in reply toromy55

It's takes a while to know when to take everything, I also used to take my levo and omeprazole together then eat breakfast straight away until i found this forum and all the knowledgeable people on here,

carnation profile image
carnation

For 20 years I took my levo with tea when I got up, followed by breakfast - except on Saturday when I had breakfast first :). Also went for my blood tests at 4pm having taken levo in the morning!

Fortunately this forum is brilliant and now I am much better, thank you everyone. Read regularly, you will learn lots.

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