Iron on empty stomach in the morning

[Pray4health]

Hi. I had bad reaction to iron being anemic, with constipation, hemoroids and much bleeding as a result.The GP suggested that I take the Levotyroxine in the evening, when I take statins before bed, instead of my usual 5am when I wake up to go to the loo, couple of hours before I eat. This change is in order to take the iron on empty stomach in the morning to allow better absorbtion and less side effects.

Anybody has similar experience? I was concerned of possible reaction between Statins and Levotyroxine and how it may effect my very fragile sleep

[pennyannie]

Just on the iron tablet part of your question -

I couldn't tolerate the NHS iron tablets and when offered no alternative purchased Gentle Iron - which I found better and on which I was able to build back up my ferritin stores -

maybe think to take some vitamin C alongside the iron supplement -

any iron bisglycinate supplement has to be better than these symptoms you are tolerating :

There is also liquid iron - Spatone - but the sachets are more of a maintenance than build dose - which I think will work out more expensive if taken in quantity.

[Pray4health in reply to pennyannie]

Thank for rem8nding me about vitamin C. I used spatone many years ago and did not like the taste but it may be agood idea, its better than taking non

[pennyannie in reply to Pray4health]

Yes - but there is not enough elemental iron in any one sachet and to meet the dose level prescribed you would be going through a box of Spatone very quickly with it costing you more money

Why not try switching to an iron bisglycinate supplement - there are several you can choose from OTC and hopefully let's try and irradicate these awful symptoms you are tolerating.

[Pray4health in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you. I will try

[mrskiki in reply to Pray4health]

Hi - the hospital gave me the sulphate version of iron but also gave me dulcoease to try and help with the known side effects. The dulcoease helped but I was doubled up when I was sent home and continued the iron tablets. I switched to bisglycinate as soon as I could, and I've been fine with that. I also really didn't want to be taking the dulcoease constantly! I know they say take iron on an empty stomach but I have it just before a meal, so it took longer to build my iron back up but I just couldn't face it on an empty stomach, after the experience with the hospital stuff.

[greygoose]

I really don't think taking your levo with statins is a good idea, it more than likely will affect your absorption of levo - and, by the sound of it you're already under-medicated:

- constipation is a hypo symptom

- low nutrient levels are hypo symptoms due to low stomach acid - which also causes constipation

- high cholesterol is a hypo symptom and used to be used to diagnose hypothyroidism - until the tsh test and statins were invented!

Seems to me what you need more than anything is an increase in your dose of levo.