Someone needs to write to this man.: An article... - Thyroid UK

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Someone needs to write to this man.

Moggie profile image
17 Replies

An article in todays DM is telling a thyroid sufferer to take her medication 1 hr before breakfast. Someone needs to write and tell him that he's thinking is behind the times and thyroid medications is better absorbed when taken last thing at night.

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

He also lists other no no's when taking thyroid medication, which might be useful to some on here.

Moggie x

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Moggie profile image
Moggie
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17 Replies
Moggie profile image
Moggie

Quite right if you do take other meds but he should have stated that. He's statement read as though he was advising an hour before breakfast was the best time for ALL thyroid patients to take their meds - which is just not true.

Moggie x

delabutte profile image
delabutte

I switched to taking my Levo at night as I was not sleeping well and so as not to interfere with other meds I take in the morning before breakfast, otherwise it would be a few hours before I could eat. Have just had a review with the pharmacist who got quite shirty about my taking Levo at night. He told me that taking Levo in the morning would be better for my sleep problems and it did not matter if I could not have breakfast for two or three hours as others had more medication to take than I have and they take Levo in the morning . Not entirely sure what he meant by that. Am I alone in finding these "chats" really unhelpful? It's bad enough with the less than sympathetic GP and Endo, why does, why does the pharmacist get to chip in as well? As far as I know I am not on anything that reacts with Levo.

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to delabutte

I had an endo appt yesterday and one of the first things he said to me was "take your levo of a night and keep it well away from milk and iron suppliments".

If it suits you to take your levo of a night, and the general thinking of the medical profession now is that the body absorbs it better of a night when the stomach is empty, then, like you have said, what has it got to do with the man at the chemist!!!!

Has it helped your sleep problems taking it of a night? and have you got on better generally taking it of a night? If so then it obviously suits you better - as it does me.

Have a look at this poll that thyroiduk did a while ago regarding med timings - it takes a bit of reading as there are 140 answers, but its well worth the effort.

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

Moggie x

delabutte profile image
delabutte in reply to Moggie

I would say taking Levo at night has helped somewhat. Only wake a couple of times a night now whereas I was waking several times when taking a morning dose. Other than that, I don't like Levo as my overall health/stamia has gone downhill since diagnosis of being hypo and bloods always "within range".

I only have a rudimentary grasp of thyroid issues but surely we should take the meds at a time that seems to work for us individually? Many of us are stuck with Levo but I don't appreciate the "stand by your beds for kit inspection" mode of (non)caring.

Had my moan. Going to shut up now.

puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle in reply to delabutte

delabutte, this is the sort of thing that makes me want to go home and go to bed. The last time a doctor spoke to me like he believed me and really cared about how I felt I almost burst into tears.

Like you, I take my levo at night because I get a better night's sleep.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

Well I did write to that man - at least in the sense of making a comment back when first published. But DM seem not to want comments any more - are you supposed to go to that twit thing? Anyway, my comment did not appear.

Rod

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to helvella

"that twit thing" Rod!!!! - that was more than a lol it was a belly laugh.

Moggie x

DeniseR profile image
DeniseR

I used to take my levo with ferritin tablets I was also prescribed, until I came on here! lol

Gp's told me to take Levo in the morning and never mentioned anything about the ferritin I was also taking. I've been taking my Levo at night now for quite a while and the endo also advised this, staying asleep is definitely much better now. :) x

parafluie profile image
parafluie

I suffer on multi-/divided-doses of thyroid -- debilitated, brain-free, sickly, ugh.

However, when I take single-dose nighttime (as I turn off the light) 125mcg T3, I thrive. I sleep through the night. I feel good all day, interact, am energetic (e.g., walked 3.5 mi (is that 4K?) yesterday), and vigorous.

If I take a morning dose of T3, I must go to sleep.

I started following Dr. Lowe's recommendations in Spring/Summer of 2011. When I spoke of it on any forums, I was received with shock, dismay, disapproval, and warnings of dire repercussions for such a ghastly deed. It was seen as, at minimum, misguided and wrong.

But I persisted. I figured if following other regimens made me feel sick, and this made me feel great, how stupid would I be if I were to follow others?

So, I learned to monitor myself and to be a strong supporter of our "different bodies and different needs". Of course, we all must educate ourselves and have a decent idea of what we're doing, but we must follow our bodies.

I don't believe there is any one-size-fits-all. Find what works for your body and do it. If it stops working, change something. If you feel right, keep doing it until it feels wrong (up or down your dosage, take a different form, order off-shore) Take control of your own life and don't give your power away.

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to parafluie

Good for you and glad that you have found your "sweet spot" - long may it last but as your reply indicates (and what makes this illness sooo frustrating) is that you can be sailing along nicely for weeks, months or even years and then all of a sudden things seem to go haywire and its all change again. If "one size fitted all" I don't think there would be a need for sites like this one and we would all be mega well but alas this illness has the habit of striking different people at different times in different ways.

I am definately one of those people who doesn't give her power away - not without a lot of research, bucket load of effort and a real good fight.

Moggie x

Dannia profile image
Dannia in reply to parafluie

Totally agree, I was told I shouldn't take my thyroxine sublingually, but when I did it made both my basal and average daily temperatures go up so I think we should all experiment and find what works for us.

I can't take thyroid meds at night as I don't sleep as well, I wonder if it's all depending on cortisol levels.

Redditch profile image
Redditch in reply to parafluie

Damn good answer.. we are all different and not only should take our meds at different times but should also take responsibility for finding out what works best for ourselves...

parafluie profile image
parafluie

YAY Moggie! I had a bump-in-the-road that included a brand change and probably a body change. I decided to try multi-dosing again (aaargh) in all different configurations and dose sizes and even CT3M, and I felt like hell the whole time. It's like I lost 3 months. Luckily, my brand came back in and I was able to return to that and eventually got back to my old, good dosing. It takes perseverance but I knew I'd get it right.

Imagine how it would be if I had relied on a doctor to decide what I should take, how much and when.

Moggie profile image
Moggie in reply to parafluie

ILL !!!!!!!

Moggie x

LinDonaldson profile image
LinDonaldson

Always found taking levothyroxine was better first thing in the morning. I guess it depends on the person in the end!!

parafluie profile image
parafluie in reply to LinDonaldson

Absolutely. Every life, experience and body is different. The trick is to figure it out.

Janinit profile image
Janinit

I started to take my levo last thing before going to bed about six weeks ago and have slept much better since and am getting up around 8am and feeling brighter than I have in years so thanks for this great advice. It worked for me.

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