What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

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Freda Feelgood
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Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:19 pm
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by Freda Feelgood on Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:34 pm

What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

I recently read some pointers on the BTF site that were news to me, and I've been on thyroxine for nearly 10 years now (100mcg for last 6 years), and wondered what the science was behind them. Are they really true?

1) take your levothyroxine on an empty stomach with no other medication and wait 30 minutes to an hour before eating anything. What time of day would you suggest is best to achieve this? This is almost impossible to do when time in the morning is tight before getting a 3 year old to pre school and myself to work. It was also really difficult when taking antibiotics 3x a day.

2) wait four hours after taking thyroid medication to consume any products that contain soy or a multi-vitamin. Why? Does it make a real difference? I've been taking a multi vitamin a day at the same time as my levothyroxine for the last 3 years.

3) The same guidelines apply (waiting 4 hours) to other products that may impair the body’s ability to absorb thyroid medication, including high-fibre foods, iron and calcium supplements, and antacids that contain aluminium or magnesium. The high fibre bit is really hard for me. 4 hours is a long time and I need a high fibre diet to keep my digestive tract moving.

Would you maybe suggest taking thyroxine at bed time? Then I wouldn't be eating or taking meds afterwards. If I eat first and then take the thyroxine just after would that be better than in the morning after breakfast when I'm likely to have a lot of fruit mid morning?


And finally, not related to time of day: I recently had flu and developed a chest infection. A new doctor at my surgery suggested that as I was on thyroxine he would give me antibiotics as it would be harder for me to fight a chest infection and there would be a bigger effect on my emotions. I as too ill to question it at the time but what do you think he meant?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

christie
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Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:32 pm
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by christie on Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:57 pm

Re: What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

Ive been taking thyroxine for over 40 years and have always taken it at bedtime.

Having learned in recent years you are supposed to take it in the morning I had a go, but found I could not get going and felt the need to get back in bed after an hour or so and was doppy all day.

Taking it at night definately always has made me a "morning person". I have noticed though eating later in the evening than normal like going out for a meal makes me feel hung over next morning, I dont drink.

ipman
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by ipman on Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:06 pm

Re: What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

christie wrote:Ive been taking thyroxine for over 40 years and have always taken it at bedtime.

Having learned in recent years you are supposed to take it in the morning I had a go, but found I could not get going and felt the need to get back in bed after an hour or so and was doppy all day.

Taking it at night definately always has made me a "morning person". I have noticed though eating later in the evening than normal like going out for a meal makes me feel hung over next morning, I dont drink.
My wife takes her T4 dose at night when retiring. For her, after some experimentation, that's definitely the best time of day. She also takes T3 but splits that up over 24 hours.

ipman

Cmich
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Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:28 am
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by Cmich on Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:14 pm

Re: What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

Ahh, i also frequently wake up with hangover type effects, maybe there is something in this.

Hadleigh
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Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:59 pm
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by Hadleigh on Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:08 pm

Re: What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

Many people now take Thyroxine at night as it is better absorbed overnight. It is possible for some to stay on a lower dose because of this.

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Dr Petros Perros
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Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:29 pm
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by Dr Petros Perros on Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:09 am

Re: What time of day should I take my thyroxine?

THE ABSORPTION OF THYROXINE CAN BE INFLUENCED BY FOOD AND SOME MEDICATIONS. THIS EFFECT IS HOWEVER MINOR. IF YOUR LEVELS HAVE BEEN STABEL FOR YEARS, CLEARLY THAT MEANS THAT IN YOUR CASE THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT IT IS BEST TO CARRY ON WIHTOUT CHANGING WHAT YOU DO. THERE ARE GOOD DATA THAT THE ABSORPTION OF THYROXINE IS BETTER IF TAKEN AT NIGHT AND YES, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THE DOSE OF THYROXINE BY TAKING IT AT NIGHT.
Dr Petros Perros
Consultant Endcorinologist

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