Timing of medication & vitamins?

[Bearika]

Hello,

I recently started taking my T3 twice a day in addition to my T4 once daily. (T3+T4 around 4am and second T3 around 11am). I'm a little confused about the timing of other vitamins, etc. (I also take iron, B, D, C, and calcium/magnesium based on testing by the doctor). I've pretty much eliminated dairy until dinnertime and are taking most of my vitamins with dinner now, but the B in the evening seems to be keeping me awake. I'm also considering adding a supplement with selenium but haven't yet.

What specific time of day are most people taking their thyroid medications and other vitamins?  Any thoughts on incorporating dairy?

Thanks so much!  

[Bearika]

Thank you both for your very helpful information!! Have a wonderful weekend.  

[Barb135]

Calcium, magnesium and iron supplements are the most important to separate from thyroid medication (including T3) by at least 4 hours (if you can't get that much separation, separate by, at least, 3 hrs).

If you're taking more than 600 mg calcium, it should be split into 2 doses, since the body can only absorb 600 mg at one time - you can take 600 mg at dinner time and 600 mg at bedtime.  There's no need to limit dairy to dinner time... that amount of calcium isn't going to affect your thyroid med, unless you're drinking an entire gallon milk or something outrageous.  It's perfectly okay to have a cup of milk with cereal, milk in your coffee, cook with it, etc.

Check your B vitamins for vitamin B6 - pyridoxine.  That's known to cause wakefulness and/or vivid, disturbing dreams.  I can't take a B complex or any supplement with B6 for that reason.  Additionally, B vitamins give you energy and are good for nerve function.  From my reading, they don't interfere with thyroid hormone absorption like some other vitamins/minerals and can be taken closer to the thyroid med.  I'd try to separate them from thyroid med by a couple hours to get as much benefit from the energy production as possible, but even taking it that early in the day, the B6 can affect sleep (it does mine).  

I take vitamin C gummies (yep, the child in me... lol) and I usually take one right after lunch (not long after that 2nd T3 tab), because it, too, can give a boost of energy - if you're anything like me, you need every boost of energy you can get!!  It doesn't seem to interfere with my thyroid med at all.  I usually take my vitamin D around noon, just because that's usually when I think of it - it doesn't seem to interfere with thyroid med either.

Selenium can be taken at either dinner time or bedtime, with the calcium and magnesium.  

I do find that it works better, *for me*, to buy each vitamin/mineral individually, than it does to try take a multi or combos (like B-complex or cal-mag-D, etc) because it's easier to take them each at the times I need to.  In addition, multi's and combos often don't have the dosages in adequate quantities, as we need them.

Like AJ said, you have to find what works best for you and be as consistent as possible.

[AJWS6]

I've read mixed reviews pertaining to time of med dose, most experiment find what best works for them.  Some take T4 in the morning, while others take T4 at night.  What's most important is consistency.  Vitamins are takin a minimum of 4 hrs after hormone med.  

I've taken my T4, Glipizide at the same time everyday on an empty stomach.  I've recently started T3, now I take T3/T4 on an empty stomach, wait an hour take Glipzide,.

If your taking T3/T4 at 4 am early morning, you can take vitamins anytime after noon (12PM).  You can take Vit B at noon and the rest at dinner.