Home Testing Question

[Hannah13]

I am going to do a finger prick test tomorrow morning for Thyroid TSH, T4, T3 and antibodies. I take my Levo in the evening at around 8.00pm. Would I be ok to take that as usual this evening ?

Also, would it be ok to take a couple of hours after breakfast? I say this as I have breakfast around 7.am in the morning so would need to get up really early to do the test before breakfast - would it make much difference after breakfast?

Many thanks

Hannah

[cwill]

I always do the test immediately on rising with water to drink only. You need to be hydrated for the test. Then take levo and wait for breakfast. Our tests are best starved and early.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I would not take the levothyroxine the evening before.

There is a view that tests should be done fasting - when possible. Although the impact of not fasting might be small, it does seem sensible always to adopt the same approach. Who knows, you might need further tests which must be fasting? If you fast for this test, that issue at least would be the same now and in future.

Taking your levothyroxine too near breakfast, on just one day, is unlikely to be that much of an issue.

[Hannah13 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for the replies. So if I do not take them this evening when would be the best time to take the levo tomorrow? If I take them after the test in the morning would I then leave out tomorrow evening's dose?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hannah13]

Usually, I take mine at bed-time.

When having a test, I simply carry the tablet(s) with me and take immediately afterwards, and then take my next dose at bed-time the same day.

[Hannah13]

Okay thanks for all your help helvella. Will do. I thought I may have been over medicated if taking the two lots on the same day - many thanks.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hannah13]

Given the fairly slow effect of T4, it probably won't have much of an impact.

If you skipped that dose, you'd end up down a dose over the week.