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Missing a Dose of Levothyroxine

I have had my thyroid removed as it was riddled with numerous painful cysts over 20 years.

Now I take 125 mcg levothyroxine daily in the morning.

If I forget to take a dose, what is the best tactic-- to take it right away, no matter what the time (even if it's the evening), or just wait until the next morning to take it?

Last week I forgot a dose and waited till the next morning.  Am I creating any medical concerns by doing this? Does it affect my cognitive or motor abilities during the time I forgot to take it? Damage organs?  If it happens again, I don't know whether I should wait or not.
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Avatar universal
Missing a dose is not a catastrophe but doubling a dose can be dangerous .Excess thyroxin can cause increased pulse and pulpitations. Don't exercise  or over exert.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Costco and Walmart will fill scripts for generic meds for $4 a month.  There are probably other big pharmacis that will do so as well.  In addition, many local pharmacies have "deals" on generics.  If I were you, I'd try one of those and do my best not to run out.  Consistency in taking meds is all important in thyroid treatment.    
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Avatar universal
i  am on 225mcg  and i sometimes miss couple of days  also sometimes i skip when i am low but i have being taking these pills for 14 years do you think i  feel alright sometimes and sometimes i feel miserable i also take calcium for low  calcium in my body  but when i start i feel much better  so what do you think i should do when i ran out of pills i try to keep calm and relax until i find money to get my pill because i dont have insurances
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168348 tn?1379357075
I find if I miss a dose and it is late in the afternoon I only take 1/2 the dose bcz the next morning there is too much in my system still and I get anxiety bcz it is no longer spaced out by 24hrs!  I'm not a Dr . just a patient like yourself who is dependent on thyroid replacement hormones, but my feeling is that it is ok and once in a while won't affect anything in a negative manner except, perhaps, you may temporarily feel different (I get tired when miss a dose).  Others will disagree based on their own experience bcz technically speaking the half life of this med still stays in your body for days so you aren't hormone-free if you miss one dose ... it is still in your body .. in other words that is why it takes 6weeks to get an accurate picture of how well the med is working b4 doing a TSH blood draw!

Cheryl
Helpful - 0
97628 tn?1204462033
I had one of those day-by-day pill dispenser thingies lying around and that helped me. I got it as a gift from a vitamin company when I ordered some through the mail about 100 years ago. Thwarting the vitamin company's hopes for me as a customer, I never used it . When I was started on thyroid meds I  was lucky enough to stumble across it.
You can get them at the drugstore. Sometimes they give them away.
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Avatar universal
I usually forget mine on Sundays for some odd reason.
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213044 tn?1236527460
I would take the forgotten dose if it was twelve hours or less late.

Longer than that, I'd just skip it and take the regular dose the next morning.

Just my opinion, not based on anything other than what I have read on this or other sites.

Missing one pill is not going to make a huge difference.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I take Synthroid, and according to the Synthroid website if you miss a dose you should take it as soon as you remember.  But it also says not to double up the next day to make up for it.

I don't think missing one will damage anything, but you'll feel it in your body.  I do, I get tired and sluggish.
Helpful - 0
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