Morning IBS after first meds? (t4&t3!) - Thyroid UK

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Morning IBS after first meds? (t4&t3!)

mistygrey profile image
9 Replies

Morning All

I hope you are well. I have been experiencing for the last few months or more Morning IBS/diarrhoea after my first morning meds. So I take T4 and T3 both lactose free, around an hour later I have an upset stomach with the above.

I take the T3 again around 4pm and do not experience the same symptoms which is strange. I eat gluten and dairy free and breakfast wise I have gluten free porridge and fruit or eggs and toast.

Can anybody help me figure the root of this issue? My T4 ingredients list is in German as it is Thyron Henning however I can’t find the ingredients online.

My T3 is Perrigo and listed ingredients below:

calcium sulfate, unspecified form (UNII: WAT0DDB505) cellulose, microcrystalline (UNII: OP1R32D61U)

hypromelloses (UNII: 3NXW29V3WO)

talc (UNII: 7SEV7J4R1U)

silicon dioxide (UNII: ETJ7Z6XBU4)

Any help appreciated! Not sure if it’s meds, a morning hormone fluctuation or food intolerance causing this awful bouts of IBS in the morning! 😩

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mistygrey
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9 Replies
jimh111 profile image
jimh111

The gut is more active in the morning so this will explain why you have problems then. You can take your levothyroxine at night, so I'd do this and see if it helps a little. You could take your liothyronine at e.g. midday and bedtime. The gut is quiter then, it will also help identify if the thryoid hormone is the problem.

Unless you see a clear benefit from being gluten or dairy free I would resume normal food. it's possible the gluten or dairy free products are synthesised in such a way that they cause diarrhoea, or contain substances that are upsetting your gut.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

To see if you have a sensitivity to the T4 (we can be to the fillers/binders) take one antihistamine tablet one hour before taking it and if you do not have a reaction - change to another brand of T4.

If splitting dose of T4/T3 make sure your stomach is empty as food will interfere with the uptake of the hormones. If you've eaten it can take 2 or 3 hours for food to digeste.

mistygrey profile image
mistygrey in reply to shaws

Hi Shaws thank you for replying. What type or brand of anti histamine do you suggest? I can try this. Would this be taken before the medication or with it?

I usually wait an hour after meds to eat any breakfast x

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

It might be you’d get the IBS symptoms first thing whether you take the pills or not - sometimes just drinking a glass of water can make things “move”. So as has already been suggested, I’d try moving my levo dose to the evening.

Re the ingredients, there’s a good list of ingredients of just about all makes and brands here: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

Plus, I find I can’t handle a lot of GF oats without my guts getting unhappy - GF options in general tend to be a lot higher in fibre than non-GF foodstuffs. So it might be worth rethinking breakfast options. Scrambled eggs and bacon, anyone? :)

mistygrey profile image
mistygrey in reply to Jazzw

Thanks Jazz. I wasn’t sure if I should move the meds to nighttime as the t3 albeit a small dose each time wakes me up so I’d maybe be awake at night instead of sleeping.

If I was to change the doses around, say I took the t4 t3 in morning one day when would I then start the next dose of t4/t3 the same night or the next night?

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to mistygrey

I’ve wondered about how to do that myself. :) (I take NDT and I’ve been thinking it would be a lot easier to take it at night).

Are you in a position to take it earlier in the morning for a couple of nights - say 3.30, 4.00am? And then move it again a few nights later to just before bed?

mistygrey profile image
mistygrey in reply to Jazzw

I could try but as soon as I take the meds no doubt I might have the original problem with the ibs waking me up around an hour after taking the meds 🙈🙈

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to mistygrey

You might. Then again you might not! :) How much water do you take with the pills? I know it says to drink a glass but I have to confess it’s often more like a few sips of water for me. Not recommending that of course, but it might settle whether it’s the water or the pills causing the reaction.

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