Nausea with Levothyroxine

[Clough7]

Hi.

4 weeks ago I was told I have an under active thyroid.

I have been taking 50mg of Levothyroxine

I am suffering with intermittent nausea throughout the day.

My doctor won’t prescribe any anti sickness drugs, instead she has said try taking it with food in the morning.

Does anyone else suffer with nausea who is taking this?

The only cure to make it stop is to eat, but surely that isn’t a good thing!

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[greygoose]

Why isn't it a good thing to eat? Personally, I wouldn't suggest taking levo with food, but it does depend what food. Not a piece of cheese, for example! What do you normally have for breakfast?

[Clough7 in reply to greygoose]

Sorry I meant not to eat because a quick fix is a biscuit or something to take the edge off and I want to lose weight not gain weight.

I read that you shouldn’t take with food due to how it is absorbed but the doctor said to try to see if that stops the nausea, so far it hasn’t.

She also said I could try taking it on a night before bed?

Breakfast varies from cereal with no milk or egg on toast.

[greygoose in reply to Clough7]

If you are gaining weight, that will be due to your hypo, not the odd biscuit. But, in any case, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And if eating a biscuit stops the nausea, I would have thought it's a fair trade.

As a general rule, it's best not to take your thyroid hormone with food. But, I remember from pregnancy what an awful thing morning sickness is! The main thing would be consistancy: always have the same thing for breakfast. Then, increases in dose can make up for what you don't absorb. Cereal might be a problem if it's fortified with calcium or iron, but egg on toast doesn't sound like a problem. But, make sure you leave at least an hour from taking your hormone until having your coffee, because that will block absorption. Don't think it'll do much for the nausea, either.

[Clough7 in reply to greygoose]

I will try that.

I had horrible morning sickness with both of my pregnancies, difference with this it lasts all day on and off!😱

Thanks for the advice

[greygoose in reply to Clough7]

Nausea lasted 24/7 for nine months, with my last pregnancy. Worst 9 months of my life! I feel for you. Hopefully, this will wear off as you become less hypo.

What brand are you taking? Could be the fillers in the pill causing the problem.

[MaisieGray]

At 4 weeks since diagnosis it is very early days (management of thyroid dysfunction is a marathon rather than a sprint) and you may find things settle down over time. You may though, be reacting to a particular excipient in the tablets - have you checked the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) to see if there are any of the inactive ingredients listed that you know you are sensitive to? What brand have you been dispensed, it may be that a different one will not affect you in this way. Are you taking Teva by any chance? The Teva make is lactose-free and whilst some people are fine with it, not everyone is. Whilst things settle down it might be a good idea to follow your GP's suggestion for a while, and take your Levo with food - generally it is advised that Levo should be taken away from food and drink other than water, but for the first 30 years of taking Levo there was no internet telling me not to, so I always drank the tablets down with coffee along with my breakfast, and was very well; and in fact have never felt as well since, now I'm 'doing it right', as when I was taking Levo that way. Presumably any reduction in efficacy in taking Levo that way, is taken up by an increase in dose.

[Clough7 in reply to MaisieGray]

Yes it is Teva .

I’ve looked at the ingredients and I’m not sensitive to any, as far as I am aware but then again I don’t regularly take medication. The last time I had to take a daily tablet was when I was in the pill 10 years ago but that never bothered me??

I will continue with the doctors advice and take with food in the morning, I’ll try and avoid coffee for the first hour even though I’ve been drinking de-caff and if no change I’ll try bedtime.

I’m seeing her in 3 weeks time and have a blood test just before to see if there is any change and if dose should be increased etc...

She did say it’s not a quick fix, which I understand but god I just want to feel human again and I haven’t felt that way for 2 years now! Yes it’s taken 2 years to diagnose!

It doesn’t help being peri- menopausal aswell at just 39 years old!

Life’s peachy !!!!😱😱😂😂

[Nanaedake in reply to Clough7]

I had nausea with TEVA levothyroxine and never with any other type so it's a possibility. It doesn't need to be an allergy to ingredients, it might be the way your body absorbs it that causes problems.

If the nausea continues then change brands to see if it helps.

[Clough7 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks. After another of nausea I’m determined to get my doctor to change the brand!

[Nanaedake in reply to Clough7]

Just ask doc to write a new prescription, explaining why. Then ring around pharmacies and find one that can supply Actavis or Almus Or North star like Slowdragon says. Good luck. If you do find out its the tablets then let your doctor know and do a yellow card report to report side effects. If we all report side effects it will help others in future.

[Clough7 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you I will! 😀🤢

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Teva brand upsets many, many people

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Ask GP for new prescription and try different brand. Eg Activis, Alumus or Northstar

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...