Levo and other meds?

[weedee41]

Hello everyone,

Finally on the path to recovery! (thank you to everyone who has given me advice so far 😊). Starting on 50mg of levo, but as its been a very tiring few months i seem to have forgotten a couple of things I should have asked and hoping someone can help?

1. I've been advised to take selenium and zinc to help conversion due to adrenal dysfunction, should this be taken with Levo, or should i wait and take it with other supplements after lunch?

2. I usually take dihydrocodeine first thing in the morning for joint pain, when should I be taking this?

Just want to be sure I do this correctly.

Thank you 🙂

[Shenow]

Generally I have been advised that Levi should be taken at least 1 hour before food and drink, and 2 hours before other meds. Or 4 hours after eating or taking other meds (this is what I have learnt from this group not a doctor). I take levo early morning and wait 1 hour for breakfast and 2 hours for my migraine meds. I take my supplements with my evening meal. It is advised to take levo at the same time every day. Good luck!

[weedee41 in reply to Shenow]

Thanks Shenow, I am hoping as I progress my pain meds in the morning will become a thing of the past 🤞 but thats going to be a bit annoying to begin with. Wondering if for just now it will be easier to set an alarm, take levo around 5ish then go back to sleep until 7 then. I usually waddle out of bed, and wash the pain meds down with copious amounts of coffee to get moving!! So sounds like my routine needs some adjusting.

Thanks for letting me know 🙂

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to weedee41]

Yes you can take levothyroxine at bedtime, or in middle of night or at 5am

Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

markvanderpump.co.uk/blog/p...

markvanderpump.co.uk/blog/p...

No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.

Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away

(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

[weedee41 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your input slowdragon, think initially i'll need to do 5am then see how it goes. Have very slow digestion just now, having to chew gaviscon tablets before bed so unfortunately that's not an option quite yet. Will see how it goes over time though as bedtime does sound better to me. I'll stick to supplement at lunchtime, the only one I take in the morning is my spray more out of habit so that's good it wont affect it.

And thanks for info on testing, though having to query my follow up appointment as they booked me in for 9th January! I know she said slower recovery, but trying to get it moved to end of November. It was hard enough for my impatient side to hear it would be a three month check up nevermind adding another 6 weeks to that

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to weedee41]

Slow digestion because of being hypothyroid results in LOW stomach acid

You should see gut issues improve significantly as dose of levothyroxine increases over coming months

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each increase in dose of levothyroxine

Low stomach acid can be a common hypothyroid issue

Thousands of posts on here about low stomach acid

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Web links re low stomach acid and reflux and hypothyroidism

nutritionjersey.com/high-or...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

How to test your stomach acid levels

healthygut.com/articles/3-t...

meraki-nutrition.co.uk/indi...

huffingtonpost.co.uk/laura-...

lispine.com/blog/10-telling...

Useful post and recipe book

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Shenow in reply to weedee41]

My friend does that, alarm for 5am. I’m more a 6am waker but then if I have a migraine I’m in pain for hours before I can take the pain meds.