Taking Levothyroxine at bedtime instead of in the small hours

[Caroline888]

Hi everyone,

I am, as usual, hoping for some advice.

For years I have slept very fitfully and so found it very easy to take my levothyroxine at about 3 a.m. Now though I find i am sleeping much better and have decided it might suit me to dose last thing at night. I know that I have to leave three hours after a meal before taking levo but what about hot drinks and juice? I normally have my last hot drink about 10.30 p.m. and would plan on taking the levo at 12.30 a.m. Would that be ok or do I need to bring the last cup of tea forward?

I would be grateful for any advice.

Best wishes

Caroline

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Caroline

It's said that we should only have water only for 1 hour each side of Levo. So if you plan on taking your Levo at 12.30am, then your hot drink at 10.30pm ought to be fine, depending on what it is. If it's tea with a splash of milk that shouldn't be a problem, but if it's a cup of milk then the calcium might possibly affect the absorption of Levo.

[Caroline888 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much Susie for your advice. I take all my hot drinks without sugar or milk. The last one of the day is usually nettle tea but occasionally green tea.

Thanks again. Your help is invaluable. I’m really grateful😊

Hope you are doing well.

Best wishes

Caroline

[spongecat in reply to Caroline888]

Hi Caroline,

I have a cup of valerian herbal tea every evening and take my levo at bedtime, usually at the times you state and have had no bad effects.

I find it much more convenient than taking in the morning or in the middle of the night if I wake up because a lot of the time I would sleep pretty much straight through or forget if I trundled off to the loo!

Hope this helps you

[Caroline888 in reply to spongecat]

Hi spongecat,

Thank you, that’s really good to know. I like most herbal teas but am drinking a couple of cups a day of nettle tea now to raise my iron levels. Didn’t think I’d like it but I really do!

Hope your valerian tea helps you sleep soundly.

Thanks again for your helpful reply.

Best wishes

Caroline

[spongecat in reply to Caroline888]

Your welcome!

The valerian tea doesn't taste too good but seems to be calming. If my husband makes it he says....'I suppose you want a cup of that vile stuff that smells like something really evil'. Actually he's ruder than that about it

Yes, I suppose it does "pen and ink" a bit!

[Caroline888 in reply to spongecat]

Have you tried Clipper organic Sleep Easy? You can buy it in Tesco. Or chamomile is quite pleasant and is calming too. I don't think I was too keen on valerian either! I had a nightly cuppa of Sleep Easy for years before changing to nettle tea for its iron content. I thought it quite nice but of course we are all different. I love green tea but my family think it's awful!

Hope you find something that suits.

Best wishes

Caroline

[spongecat in reply to Caroline888]

Thanks for the suggestions, there is always room in the cupboard for another box of herb tea!