how long after small meal can I take Thyroid meds

[PixieElv]

Hello All

I am aware that 2h are recommended between food and caffeine and thyroid meds.But surely there is a difference in digestion between a 5 course Sunday lunch and a slice of toast, ie it will take longer to digest the full lunch than it would to digest a slice of toast?

Can I assume the time between ‘toast’ and thyroid meds is shorter?

What do you All think?

Thank you!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

There is, of course, a difference in digestion.

But probably a smaller difference than you might expect in gastric emptying.

[PixieElv in reply to helvella]

So just checking I got you right, you think it takes longer for a piece of toast then I may think?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to PixieElv]

Yes.

I'm sure it will be less time than for a Sunday lunch. But remember that things like enzymes are secreted in greater quantity if we eat more. And a fair part of stomach digestion requires time - regardless the quantity. It is very difficult to make any realistic estimates or even guesses.

But, as with everything, we are all different and some seem to empty their stomachs much faster than others.

[FancyPants54]

Take your meds first moment you wake and then eat an hour later. Job done. Nothing to worry about for the rest of the day. If you take T3, don't worry about it. It's a different absorption process apparently and much less fussy.

[PixieElv in reply to FancyPants54]

Hello

I take NDT 3x a day, so not so easy 😊

Best wishes

[FancyPants54 in reply to PixieElv]

I used to take NDT 4 times a day when I tried it. I never bothered about the meal thing. It was impossible. I stopped using NDT because my doctor became unavailable not because I didn't get on with it. I was a novice then. But I'd not be trying to dodge food and drink for it if I did it now. There are people who get on fine with Levo never knowing to space it from food. It might be an optimal thing to try, but life also has to be taken into account. Don't beat yourself up about it.

[PixieElv in reply to FancyPants54]

Hiya

I am sorry to hear you had to come of NDT. I love it. It’s great.

Are the ‘food/drink close to NDT don’t matter’ your own experiences or do you have some scientific back up for that?

[FancyPants54 in reply to PixieElv]

I wanted a supply that was available more easily than running the risks of ordering from abroad and that wasn't possible for me with NDT so I use T3 now and have a private prescription for it so I can get it from within the UK. I feel more secure that way.

My own experience gave me no difference in performance of any thyroid med taken with food or well spaced out from it. Dr Peatfield who I originally saw for NDT told me to not worry about when I took it and there are plenty of people in other groups and discussions around the web that don't advocate for the strict adherence to timing rules. It's too hard in many situations to do it. By accident of the fact I take my first dose of T3 with Levo before I get up means I leave an hour before eating or drinking anything other than water. After that I don't stress about it.