Re: Time to take meds

[Guest guest]

Synthetic thyroxine (T4) is normaly taken in the morning on an empty

stomach. If you take it at night, you may have trouble sleeping.

www.healthsquare.com/mc/fgmc2801.htm

You can wake up at 5.00 a.m, take the meds and go back to sleep.

The protocol for armour thyoid is different and is usulay taken twice

a day.

You should discuss the same with your doc as well.

Puneet

>

> Can anyone answer this?

>

> I have read in several places that one should take thyroid

medication separately from other meds or nutritional supplements or

food in general. There should be two hours between thyroid meds and

anything else.

>

> How is this possible in the practical world? If I have to get up and

eat a good breakfast before going to work, do I have to set my alarm

for 5 AM, take my thyroid, go back to sleep for two hours, and then

have breakfast?

>

> Can the thyroid be taken any time of day? Morning, noon or night?

>

> If the thyroid must be taken 2 hours away from food, that means at

least 4 hours between meals. This is not recommended if one wants to

lose weight. Everyone knows that many small meals, snacks really,

evenly spaced throughout the day, is better than 3 big meals 5-6 hours

apart.

>

> The only solution I can see is to take the thyroid before going to

bed, since I eat my last meal/snack of the day at least two hours

before going to bed.

>

> Thanks for enlightening me on this.

>

> Kopperud, koplyn@...

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

and Mark wrote:

> Can anyone answer this?

>

> I have read in several places that one should take thyroid medication

> separately from other meds or nutritional supplements or food in

> general. There should be two hours between thyroid meds and anything else.

First, the recommended spacing is two hours after food and one hour

BEFORE food. So drink coffee and take a shower between the pill and

breakfast. The one exception is iron and calcium supplements. Keep those

several hours away from the thyroid meds, preferably at night, if you

take them.

From what I have read, most people seem to settle on the morning is

most convenient. I also seem to notice it seems to help slightly in

waking me up. I can't think of a medical reason why it would do this.

Maybe I just take it when I am waking up anyway and associate the two.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Chuck,

Thanks for your reply. So you say I can drink coffee right after taking the

Thyroid? Just wait an hour for real food? That's good news. My husband sits

there and drinks coffee, and it smells so good, and I've been denying myself,

waiting for almost 2 hours!!!

But I will try the other way too, to take it in the evening right before bed, to

see how that works for me. If it doesn't " speed me up " that would be the most

practical time for me. When I wake up in the morning I'm really hungry for my

oatmeal and orange juice, and want to eat right away.

Kopperud

Re: Time to take meds

and Mark wrote:

> Can anyone answer this?

>

> I have read in several places that one should take thyroid medication

> separately from other meds or nutritional supplements or food in

> general. There should be two hours between thyroid meds and anything else.

First, the recommended spacing is two hours after food and one hour

BEFORE food. So drink coffee and take a shower between the pill and

breakfast. The one exception is iron and calcium supplements. Keep those

several hours away from the thyroid meds, preferably at night, if you

take them.

From what I have read, most people seem to settle on the morning is

most convenient. I also seem to notice it seems to help slightly in

waking me up. I can't think of a medical reason why it would do this.

Maybe I just take it when I am waking up anyway and associate the two.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

,

You wrote:

>

> Thanks for your reply. So you say I can drink coffee right after taking

> the Thyroid? Just wait an hour for real food?...

It works for me. The key is regularity. If you take in exactly the same

thing during that hour after the medication, then the titration will

match it. Most of us don't eat exactly the same thing at exactly the

same interval every morning. Coffee, for addicts who know, is different.

If we don't get that first cup, mug, or more at the same time, something

has to give.

I even put a little milk in it. Just stay especially far away from

calcium carbonate and iron.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Chuck,

Do you know if it matters WHEN one takes the thyroid meds, as long as it is

taken at the same time every day, and one follows the rule about " one hour

before eating, two hours after eating " ? If it DOES matter, can you explain why?

Thanks.

Re: Time to take meds

,

You wrote:

>

> Thanks for your reply. So you say I can drink coffee right after taking

> the Thyroid? Just wait an hour for real food?...

It works for me. The key is regularity. If you take in exactly the same

thing during that hour after the medication, then the titration will

match it. Most of us don't eat exactly the same thing at exactly the

same interval every morning. Coffee, for addicts who know, is different.

If we don't get that first cup, mug, or more at the same time, something

has to give.

I even put a little milk in it. Just stay especially far away from

calcium carbonate and iron.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

,

You wrote:

>

> Do you know if it matters WHEN one takes the thyroid meds, as long as it

> is taken at the same time every day, and one follows the rule about " one

> hour before eating, two hours after eating " ? If it DOES matter, can you

> explain why?

If you are taking just T4, it probably doesn't matter much. I found when

I was increasing the dosage that it seemed to wake me up a little. After

I got used to it, I didn't notice that effect anymore. However, it was

enough to encourage me to take it in the morning.

I'm told that T3 will tend to keep you awake, so I would avoid taking it

immediately before bed time. However, a few hours earlier does not seem

to matter. It may be more of a kidney effect than a stimulant one. Or,

it may just be that personal observation isn't all that reliable.

For me, morning is just more convenient. It guarantees a time when I can

meet the recommended time boundaries, and it coincides later with the

time when I need my metabolism the most, during the day. I tend to

snack, so it would be a nightmare to keep track of every morsel that got

near my mouth in the middle of the afternoon.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Gosh, I am glad I hadn't heard that until now, as I am taking T3 only,

twice a day. Maybe I'm different (well, I like to think I am ;-)) but

the 75 mcg of T3 I took a couple of hours ago doesn't keep me awake.

And now that I'm taking a goodly amount, I don't have to get up in the

night either. However, when I was taking T4, I did find it best to take

in the morning. It may have been my imagination, but that did seem to

help give me a boost to start the day--along with a coupe of mugs of

coffee of course.:-)

Gail

I'm told that T3 will tend to keep you awake, so I would avoid taking

it

> immediately before bed time. However, a few hours earlier does not

seem

> to matter. It may be more of a kidney effect than a stimulant one.

Or,

> it may just be that personal observation isn't all that reliable.

>

> > Chuck

>

[Guest guest]

I often take my T3 just before bed (because I forget to take it earlier

a lot) and it does not keep me awake. It is time release tho so it might

be different for Cytomel.

Kerry

Re: Time to take meds

,

You wrote:

>

> Do you know if it matters WHEN one takes the thyroid meds, as long as

it

> is taken at the same time every day, and one follows the rule about

" one

> hour before eating, two hours after eating " ? If it DOES matter, can

you

> explain why?

If you are taking just T4, it probably doesn't matter much. I found when

I was increasing the dosage that it seemed to wake me up a little. After

I got used to it, I didn't notice that effect anymore. However, it was

enough to encourage me to take it in the morning.

I'm told that T3 will tend to keep you awake, so I would avoid taking it

immediately before bed time. However, a few hours earlier does not seem

to matter. It may be more of a kidney effect than a stimulant one. Or,

it may just be that personal observation isn't all that reliable.

For me, morning is just more convenient. It guarantees a time when I can

meet the recommended time boundaries, and it coincides later with the

time when I need my metabolism the most, during the day. I tend to

snack, so it would be a nightmare to keep track of every morsel that got

near my mouth in the middle of the afternoon.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Chuck,

Thank you. I will consider your advice, and also experiment with how I feel if I

take it later in the day. I used to take Synthroid when I was first diagnosed as

being hypothyroid, but that doctor didn't tell me when to take it, or to take it

on an empty stomach. During the summer of 2004 I switched to another doctor, who

started me on Armour. He was one of those high-priced, no insurance " designer "

doctors, in a big city 700 miles from where I live. I was desperate to try

something new, including " bio-identical hormone therapy " after having been on

Premarin for over 20 years. This doctor didn't say anything about the timing or

the empty stomach either for the Armour. He did recommend coconut oil, but

didn't say why or what for. I need to understand things. So I just used it on my

skin a couple of times, but I never consumed any. Now I have seen coconut oil

being mentioned by several people on this chat line, and read about it on some

web sites, so maybe there's something to it after all. I'll give it a try. I'm

sure it can't hurt. I still have a big jar full of it. I read that it has a very

long shelf life, so I suppose it's still good. Is it? It hasn't been

refrigerated. Somebody else on this chat line said generic " armour " is not the

same, not as good, as the real thing, which I have been taking for several

months now, so I will go back to real Armour. By the time I'm ninety I may have

this whole thing all figured out. LOL.

Re: Time to take meds

,

You wrote:

>

> Do you know if it matters WHEN one takes the thyroid meds, as long as it

> is taken at the same time every day, and one follows the rule about " one

> hour before eating, two hours after eating " ? If it DOES matter, can you

> explain why?

If you are taking just T4, it probably doesn't matter much. I found when

I was increasing the dosage that it seemed to wake me up a little. After

I got used to it, I didn't notice that effect anymore. However, it was

enough to encourage me to take it in the morning.

I'm told that T3 will tend to keep you awake, so I would avoid taking it

immediately before bed time. However, a few hours earlier does not seem

to matter. It may be more of a kidney effect than a stimulant one. Or,

it may just be that personal observation isn't all that reliable.

For me, morning is just more convenient. It guarantees a time when I can

meet the recommended time boundaries, and it coincides later with the

time when I need my metabolism the most, during the day. I tend to

snack, so it would be a nightmare to keep track of every morsel that got

near my mouth in the middle of the afternoon.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

,

You wrote:

> ... but that doctor didn't tell me

> when to take it, or to take it on an empty stomach.

Your pharmacist should have done that. It can make about 60% difference

in what you absorb.

> ... He did recommend coconut oil, but didn't

> say why or what for. ...

Most people on the list that tried it found no benefit whatsoever. It

may help people with partial thyroid function, though.

> ... So I just used it on

> my skin a couple of times, but I never consumed any. ...

You need to eat several tablespoons of it each day for any benefit. On

the skin, it just keeps the skin moist.

> ... It hasn't been refrigerated. ...

It is one of the few fats that IS supposed to stay pristine on the

shelf, but I would still be cautious about periods over a year. It can

still oxidize.

I am not sure what " generic " Armour is. There is a type of dehydrated

thyroid glands sold without prescription, but these have had almost all

of the T4 and T3 removed. If that is " generic, " it won't do you any

good. You need the active ingredients. These require a prescription.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Yes I found the same. I still take my thyroid meds first thing in the

morning (I keep the pills by my bedside with water) and by the time

I've actually got up, showered, dressed, got myself downstairs and

started coffee, an hour has elapsed--sometimes more if I fall asleep

again. Then there's no worry about snacking or grazing during the day

interfering with thyroid meds.

Funny story--I had a hypoT friend staying with us for a couple of days

last week. We were leaving early in the morning in the car. She had

just taken her Synthroid, but was inclined to have breakfast anyway,

before we left. I told her she could not have breakfast, sorry. Aren't

I a gracious host?;-)) I told her to take a bagel and some cheese along

with her in the car, which I did allow her to eat after an hour.

Gail

> That was my thought also, although the wake up effect seems to set in

> before the coffee is ready. It may just be the natural confluence of

> things that contribute to wakefulness first thing in the morning.

Again,

> my only real argument for taking it in the morning is convenience.

> Otherwise, it is hard to meet the timing restrictions.

>

> Chuck

>

[Guest guest]

Chuck,

I guess I shouldn't have called it generic armour, but at the pharmacy they say

it's the same as Armour, except it's generic, and thus a little cheaper. They

just label it " Thyroid " , 60 mg, (1 GR).

My doctor here in town, the one who originally prescribed Synthroid, (not the

designer doc in Houston), later prescribed Armour because I asked for it. Then

the pharmacy suggested I try generic. I will ask them about the timing next time

I go there.

About the coconut oil, I just don't know how to use it. It is solid below 76 F.,

which it is most of the time inside the house all year round. It looks like

Crisco, which I wouldn't consume in any way, shape or form. I use virgin olive

oil in cooking, baking bread, and in (home-made) salad dressings, we even put it

on toast. We like the taste of it. We also use some unsalted butter, sparingly,

just for the taste. I eat almonds every day. I take Norwegian cod liver oil. And

eat a lot of salmon. So I think I get all kinds of healthy fats. I still have

this very dry skin though. But it could be the climate, the constant extremely

low humidity in this part of Texas, the Panhandle. Maybe my skin will improve

once we move to Michigan. We will live on an island way out in Lake Michigan.

Two hours by ferry. No dry air there!!! (-:

Re: Time to take meds

,

You wrote:

> ... but that doctor didn't tell me

> when to take it, or to take it on an empty stomach.

Your pharmacist should have done that. It can make about 60% difference

in what you absorb.

> ... He did recommend coconut oil, but didn't

> say why or what for. ...

Most people on the list that tried it found no benefit whatsoever. It

may help people with partial thyroid function, though.

> ... So I just used it on

> my skin a couple of times, but I never consumed any. ...

You need to eat several tablespoons of it each day for any benefit. On

the skin, it just keeps the skin moist.

> ... It hasn't been refrigerated. ...

It is one of the few fats that IS supposed to stay pristine on the

shelf, but I would still be cautious about periods over a year. It can

still oxidize.

I am not sure what " generic " Armour is. There is a type of dehydrated

thyroid glands sold without prescription, but these have had almost all

of the T4 and T3 removed. If that is " generic, " it won't do you any

good. You need the active ingredients. These require a prescription.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Hi Gracia,

I have to respond. Perhaps adrenal issues are at the heart of

matters, but T3 did cause heart palpitations for me. There is not

doubt about that. If I was taking adrenal meds, maybe the T3 would

not have done so. But, as it was cytomel triggered palps, and

without cytomel I have not had a problem.

Sherry

>

>

> What? That is ridiculous. Oh I am not trying to be

rude )) Are

> you trying to say that too much T3 caused heart palpitations (a

symptom of

> adrenal probs)?

> T3 does not cause " cardiac disease " for pity's sake.

> Gracia

>

>

> > Cytomel is synthetic T3. A lot of doctors don't like to

prescribe it,

> > because it was widely abused for weight loss. The side effect was

> > cardiac disease.

> >

>

>

>

> --

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>

[Guest guest]

,

You wrote:

> ... About the coconut oil, I just don't know how to use it. ...

I would say use it anywhere you would use butter. I used to mix a dab

into hot cereal or scrambled eggs. Some put it on bread. Again, I never

noticed any benefit, so I never ordered another batch, but several have

praised it on this list.

Chuck