When should I take Ferrous Fumarate?

[underact15]

When is the best time to take Ferrous Fumarate if I'm also taking levothyroxine and other supplements? I'm currently taking levothyroxine as soon as I wake up and then all of my supplements (including Ferrous Fumarate) with lunch and again with tea. I feel like I should probably be taking Ferrous Fumarate separately?! I don't think I'm absorbing it very well...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

underact15

Ferrous fumarate should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds and 2 hours away from any other medication and supplements. It affects their absorption.

[underact15 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SeasideSusie i appreciate it. I’m not sure how I’m going to fit it all in 🤣🤔 Gobsmacked (or perhaps I’m not actually 🙄) that neither my GP or endo suggested the same when I asked them 😡

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to underact15]

They tend not to know, they're not taught much, if anything, about this sort of thing. I wonder how many patients fail to improve due to lack of guidance from doctors.

[underact15 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sickening, isn’t it 🤯😰

[underact15 in reply to SeasideSusie]

How about levothyroxine first thing, supplements with lunch at 12pm, Ferrous Fumarate 2pm, supplements with tea at 5pm, Ferrous Fumarate at 7pm. Would that work?! Does VitD (vitabiotics tablets) affect other supplements?! 🤔

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to underact15]

Sounds OK.

I take my Levo about 4-5am when I regularly need the loo in the early hours. Keeps it away from everything!

Vit D doesn't affect other supplements but needs to be taken 4 hours away from Levo.

[underact15 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I could probably do the same but our children wake us up at different times during the night so it wouldn’t be very consistent. I take it at about 7am when I get up for the final time! 🤪 So VitD 11am, lunch and supplements 12pm, FF 2pm, tea and supplements 5pm, FF 7pm. Thank you very much for your help 🌟

While you’re here, I’m having blood tests done on 9th Feb. I’ve requested full thyroid panel, full iron panel, vitD, B12, folate, magnesium and zinc. I’m going to stop supplements containing biotin on 1st Feb but should I also stop iron sometime beforehand?! In fact, should I stop vitD too?! Everything in fact?! 🤣🤷🏽‍♀️

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to underact15]

Supplement timetable sounds like a plan 👍

Iron tablets stop 7 days before. Needs to be done after 12 hour fast (water allowed) so early morning test before breakfast would be ideal.

Vit D can continue, just take after the test on the day. In fact, test before any supplements on the day

[underact15 in reply to SeasideSusie]

This is incredibly helpful, thanks a million 🌟

Tests are booked for 9am so I’ll have nothing to eat or drink apart from water until after my tests. I won’t take levo or any supplements until after my tests too - I’ll just have to take everything c.2hrs later that day 🤔

I’ll stop iron and supp with biotin on 1st Feb so 7 days clear.

[nellie237 in reply to underact15]

Oh, I feel your pain. Iron and folate with orange juice ...so acid. Vitamin D with fat, and all into my recently diagnosed Coeliac gut. Like you, I'm looking forward to when I can stop these - in high doses anyway. Good luck with your next blood results. 😊