Levo and vomiting

Hello!

So I've been hit with a bout of food poisoning. I took my levo before I went to bed at about 8:30pm but was up again around 2:30 vomiting. 🤢

Is that long enough for my levo to work or should I take it again this morning? 🤔

[Lalatoot]

The advice is not to eat or drink for an hour after taking levo - this is so that it can be absorbed in the gut. I think therefore you will have absorbed your 8:30pm dose.

[Hidden in reply to Lalatoot]

I thought so. Thank you for reassuring me!

[adin]

Hi, I'm not sure but I read somewhere that, vomiting is a sign that you are overdosed.

[Hidden in reply to adin]

Well, I'm definitely not overdosed but it's worth keeping in mind.

[helvella Administrator in reply to adin]

Testing procedures for levothyroxine tablets often require healthy volunteers to take a single 600 microgram dose. To someone who has a working thyroid and is otherwise well, that represents a massive overdose.

Vomiting is not reported as a side effect from such tests. (Of course, it is not impossible that a very occasional volunteer does vomit but it is definitely not expected.)

[helvella Administrator]

Typically research suggests that we absorb most of a levothyroxine dose within about two hours.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Thank you!

I think I've been so indoctrinated from the years of taking the contraceptive pill and the advice of "if you vomit you MUST take other precautions" it's just seeped into my general thinking about tablets and medication 😂

[helvella Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Asking is very sensible!

But when all is said and done, not absorbing a full dose of levothyroxine one day, or even taking a second dose to compensate, are unlikely to have dramatic outcomes.

And I hope you are now feeling much better.