Milk and Synthroid

[MKlacza]

Have been on Synthroid for 5 days now and I wanted to know if I can drink milk right away after dose or wait? I thought it was waiting 4 hours? I took mymeds today at 6:15am and had a bowl of cereal and glass of milk around 10am.

Should I wait longer in the long run?

[lindalout49]

I did not think about it for a long time but lately I have been wondering about the calcium in the milk interfering with the levothyroxine. I do hold off on my calcium supplement for 4 hr afterward or any other supplements. I keep forgetting to ask my doc though. will see her again in Feb. so hope i remember to ask her then.

[kwilliams54]

For years I have set my phone to vibrate for two hours before getting up.  I also have my pill and a bottle of water on my bedside table.  When the phone vibrates I turn it off, take my pill and go back to sleep.  That has worked great for me.  

[MKlacza]

Thanks AR! Just wanted to know what the beef was. I must say.. I prefer taking my meds in the morning vs night. If I am going to get that jittery feeling, better off during the day.

Just my own personal opinion. If it works better for some in the evening.. god bless!

[AR-10]

It is inconvenient for some people to take it in the morning.
For me, it would be very inconvenient to take it at night.

No wine, no snacks, no joy.

Some people MUST eat soon after waking, and for them waiting an hour can be a significant problem. Some people have other meds that must be taken early, but those meds conflict with the thyroid meds.

On the other side of the issue, some people have trouble sleeping at night if they take thyroid meds before bedtime.

We have to each do what works best for us.

[MKlacza]

Question about when to take meds... Why is better to take at night vs the morning?? Whats the difference? I mean if we are to get symptoms from the meds, arent they going to affect whether we take morning vs night? Or are we taking about sleeping better?

I have been sleeping fine and I take in the morning at 6:15am everyday at the same time.

I guess I just dont get that logic.. But I'm open to learn!!!

[ChitChatNine]

Great thread with great responses.

Now, my Endo said a cup of coffee is ok in the AM and I take it with CREAM!  ut oh LOL...I'm going to show her the study next visit .. but don't wait for me as it won't be for another 6mos or so LOL!

Cheryl

[Call_me_MN]

You *can* take Synthroid at night. In fact, at least one study showed that it actually works better if you do. As AR-10 says, just maintain the "nothing two hours before/one hour after" rule  in terms of food and make sure you don't take it too closely before/after other medications that might interfere with absorption.

[AR-10]

The rule is to take your pill first thing in the morning with 8 oz. of water. Wait an hour before eating or taking ANY other meds. Wait at least four hours before taking vitamins and supplements. Certain meds should be spaced hours away from thyroid meds.

Those are the guidelines. What you do from there is up to you. Any deviation may change the absorbtion rate, which will change the med level required.

Do what you do consistantly.

My personal opinion, which may be all wrong, is that milk coats your stomach and may affect absorbtion considerably. But I may be totally off base with that assumption.

[lisajo]

What is this about drinking milk with the meds for hypo?  I never heard of it.  Here I am swigging the pill down with the fat free milk that I drink all day and night.  What are the rules?

[AR-10]

There is no reason you can't take it at night. You just have to go by the same eating rules, in reverse. The thing is, some people do not sleep well when taking it before bedtime.

I drink decaf coffee in the morning, and I really don't give a hoot about one study done. If it changes my medication needs, so be it.

This is another area where consistancy wins out. Do it the same way every day, and you have a better chance of absorbing the same amount every day. That is the objective.

[MKlacza]

Interesting question... When I have my milk with cereal its usually 1.5 hours after the pill intake, maybe two hours.

I am a milk drinker too! I can guzzle a gallon in two days without my kids getting their paws on it!! I havent been doing that since the surgery, but I love my milk.

My husband thinks I am gross!! Because I will have a slice of pizza or bowl of pasta and have my milk to guzzle it down. I guess writing sounds gross, but I have always been that way!!

Maybe it will do my body good after all this mess!!

[Liz94]

The way I figure it is that I drink 2 cups of coffee everyday at the same time and I take my pill at the same time. So they can tweak it from there because the coffee is staying!

I have wondered about the milk though. I do like to eat cereal for breakfast but I've been refraining because I wasn't sure about the milk.

Wonder why we can't take the meds at night?  My stomach is empty when I go to bed and I'm not gonna eat again so wouldn't that be a better option?  I'm gonna ask my endo next time I go.

[MKlacza]

Understood!! I just want to make sure I am getting the absorption because couldnt that be a reason to have to tweak the meds if you are getting enough because of what we are eating and drinking??

[Liz94]

I don't care what it says or how it affects me.....they are not taking away my coffee!  Going hypo? Sure. Losing my mind? Whatever. Not having my morning coffee?  We just don't want to go there.

[barleypop]

Might want to watch out for coffee too close to meds too!  Found this info from another thyroid board.  I can't seem to give up my coffee though!!

"Study:
Altered Intestinal Absorption of L-Thyroxine Caused by Coffee

Objective: To report eight case histories, and in vivo and in vitro studies showing coffee's potential to impair thyroxine (T4) intestinal absorption."

Conclusion:
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.2007.0222

[MKlacza]

Well.. took the meds at 6:15 and had the milk around 9:30 or so. I think I am ok. I usually wait an hour an half or two hours to eat after I take the pill.

[AR-10]

I think milk falls under the "wait at least an hour" catagory.

You can drink water or coffee during the first hour.
Vitamins and supplements should wait several hours.

[898]

As long as the milk is not containing soy or not fortified with Iron it is fine to drink it