Hypothryoidism and EM2WL

ItsPheebs

Hi everyone! I have lost significant weight NOT eating the 1200 or 1300 calories that people talk so much about. I don't lose weight at that low level. I'm very active, but I have reached a loooong plateau. I just sorted out my TDEE and my cut, so I will be monitoring that to see if I can break the plateau. I have been eating at maintenance level for some months now, and just having fun being active, so I don't need a reset.

However, I also realized that some of what I eat and my supplements could be effecting this plateau. My doctor, who knows I take thyroid medication and tells me to take it in the morning on an empty stomach, also told me to take iron in the morning. I didn't realize that iron effects the absorption of my medication. I am vegan, and found out recently I was anemic. My levels are getting better now, but I do take iron every morning.

Being vegan, I also eat a lot of other food that can effect my medication (kale, spinach, oats, soy). I did read that peanut butter (vs. peanuts) is less problematic. I have already cut soy, I don't eat peanuts, I drink very little coffee, but I live on greens.

When and how do you guys take your medication and how do you get everything in without eating something too close, taking things on an empty stomach, etc. I eat probably every 2 or 3 hours, and if I'm not eating it's because I'm training or working so it's hard to stop and take medication in the middle of that. I want to take it at night, but I always have veggies for dinner (lots of spinach and kale in salads or green drinks), and I'm a late night dinner eater.

So maybe I'm just venting ... but I'd love your solutions. I did read some of the posts on the hypothyroidism thread, but so much of it is about eating very low calories and I just can't do that. In 20 years no one has ever told me these things about when to take this medication! Seriously. :P

twinmomtwice4

Okay, this may sound funny but I take my synthroid pill in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee...usually around 3:00 am. I keep a glass of water by my bed. My tummy is always empty and I don't have to worry about it interacting with my other meds or supplements that I take in the morning.

There are a few other people on this board who are also hypo so hopefully they'll jump in and give you some more suggestions!

ANewLucia

Hi

I too didn't find out for years that you shouldn't take with food. I now take first thing before even brushing my teeth ...tmi...lol. I take vitamins hours after dispersed throughout the day. Dairy shouldn't be taken until 4hrs after med but I just can't adhere to that one. I wait 2hrs and sometimes less.

I like twinmom's solution I just don't wake consistently....thank god. A full nights sleep is sweet after 10 or more years of babies waking me.

I had all the times and do's and dont's memorized when I had issues. I plan to compile and post very soon. Yeah soy and peanuts did a Dorsey on me....I stay far away from soy and limit peanuts. There are other things too...will blog it soon.

Lucia

Papillon22

Hi there,
I had a similar experience with the drs not telling me anything about drug/food interactions. In fact, I found out that calcium and iron affect the T4's absorption because I started taking a multivitamin with the t4 and two weeks later I couldn't get out of bed in the morning. Finally, when I had an appointment with an endocrinologist, she explained that to be on the safe side I should take the pill on an empty stomach, shouldn't eat anything for 45mins (ideal is 1hr) and no medication within 4 hrs.

As for food interaction, I don't worry much about it other than not taking a whole cup of milk with breakfast (but I do put a little in my coffee). Lunch is more than 4 hrs after, so I don't worry about that either. I did stop eating soy, but again, because I read about it online, not because my Dr ever told me :huh:

Best of luck on breaking that stinky plateau!

Funsoaps

I take mine first thing in the morning with water and wait half an hour to 45 mins to eat or so for absorption. Then I eat, but I don't do dairy. I have oatmeal with rice milk or I have eggs or something for breakfast.

I take my iron in the afternoon with vitamin C for absorption. I take calcium at bedtime (it helps you sleep better, my calcium/magnesium which is a calmer/zinc combo).

I eat all the spinach I want and raw, too it does not affect goiters/thryoid on me and some people say it's a myth? Not sure on that one but it doesn't affect me. I do avoid eating broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, too often I do once in awhile in small amounts and usually cooked. I avoid soy like the plague and I'm not kidding on that one.

I eat oats, haven't heard about that one. I don't really eat peanuts anyway, but almonds mostly or pecans or something. Walnuts are to be avoided...so I don't eat them.

You never take anything with your morning medications and you don't do dairy anyway, so you are off to a good start. So take iron in afternoon or evening. I usually set out my vitamins on my counter I have not taken for the day and throughout the day as I take the ones at proper times (I remember when I go eat or get a drink of water) and when I take them, I put them in the cupboard.

What's most important is consistency. Take your meds at the same time everyday under the same circumstance. Iron or a multivitamin is a no-no though within 5 hours of your meds.

Noor13

I too take mine in first thing in the morning when I wake up and wait for about 45-60 min before having y breakfast.

If you take iron supplements you wanna have them with some orange juice or anything containing Vitamin C the get the best possible absorption.

witrixie2011

I guess I'm an odd one because i now take my pill right before i go to bed. I make sure i haven't had anything to eat at least 2 hours beforehand, besides water.

I had heard that you're not supposed to take your pill with calcium or anything high fiber at some point. And my breakfast most mornings are a protein shakes, homemade trail bar and an apple. So a big no-no...

Then I eat every couple hours through the rest of the day and it never really "fit" anywhere so I just started taking it at night. Not sure if it's really making a difference because I'm such a low dosage but it's working for my schedule right now.

Interested in hearing what others have to say. Had no clue about not eating peanuts.... if that's the truth, I'll have to rethink a lot of my snacks. :sad:

Krmckee4227

Okay, this may sound funny but I take my synthroid pill in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee...usually around 3:00 am. I keep a glass of water by my bed. My tummy is always empty and I don't have to worry about it interacting with my other meds or supplements that I take in the morning.

There are a few other people on this board who are also hypo so hopefully they'll jump in and give you some more suggestions!

I do the same!!!!

tameejean

I just started taking Armour a few weeks ago. I've been setting my alarm at 7 am and taking it then. I usually eat breakfast between 8 and 9 and always drink coffee. I don't consume dairy, so no problem there. I read somewhere that if you chew your pill and drink a glass of water with it, it will absorb faster. I've tried it and it doesn't taste bad and my pill is so tiny (30mg) that I don't taste it anyway.

I don't do soy whenever possible. It's a bummer that it is in pretty much everything, but I avoid it as much as possible. I eat cruciferous veggies occasionally, but only cooked, not raw. I used to do a lot of green smoothies, but I cut back on the greens. I don't know of there is any truth to greens being goitergenic, but I'm sure moderation is okay. I didn't really know about peanuts. Is it just peanuts or all legumes? I do eat a lot of peanut butter though

ItsPheebs

Okay, this may sound funny but I take my synthroid pill in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee...usually around 3:00 am. I keep a glass of water by my bed. My tummy is always empty and I don't have to worry about it interacting with my other meds or supplements that I take in the morning.

There are a few other people on this board who are also hypo so hopefully they'll jump in and give you some more suggestions!

What's funny is that this is what I did last night! I am not the best sleeper, and I was reading that the medication sometimes has a stimulant effect and keeps people from sleeping. Did anyone find that to be true? I didn't really go back to sleep after I took it, but I think that was because of other things. Just don't want to make that worse for myself!

Nonnie6320

For years no one told me how to take my thyroid meds either and all was well. Then when I began following the "package directions" I had fluctuations, etc. Calcium interferes with it, etc. My current doctor tells me to take it at bedtime on an empty stomach. He says time of dosing is less important than the empty stomach.

ItsPheebs

My problem in the morning is that it goes like this: Iron + vitamin C + Endura (a recovery drink with magnesium) + fruit. My body just doesn't hold magnesium, so I take that in the morning and when I train (no more muscle cramps -- yay!). :happy:

Then I wait 30 minutes and go about my morning, then have breakfast. I *was* taking my Levoxyl right when I got out of bed, so about 10 minutes before the iron. That obviously won't work. So mornings don't work because waiting for the proper time for both the iron and the Levoxyl would make it impossible to eat sometimes and that would make me very cranky. :grumble:

I don't eat dairy, I have a little soy milk in coffee or tea if I have it in the morning (but I don't always -- sometimes later in the day), so my food in the morning would be okay. I do eat some soy and other things that would make it hard to take before bed ... so ... in the wee hours (geddit? lol ...) I will work it in. I'm like you guys in that I eat every couple of hours or so, and that makes it hard to fit during the day.

I hope the green thing doesn't really effect it too much, because that would leave me without much to eat! I love peanut butter, but don't really eat peanuts. I read that cooking the peanuts in the making of the peanut butter kills the chemical or enzymes that cause the problems. Let's hope so.

Thanks for your responses you guys! I'm new here so feel free to add me as a friend, too. And thanks for the wish to break this plateau! I'm so ready for that.

SweatpantsRebellion

I split my Armour dose into two doses. I've read that can help with having a more even energy level throughout the day - not sure if that would apply to the synthetic thyroid medications. I chew mine - Armour absorbs better if chewed. I definitely avoid eating anything and/or any supplements for 30-45 minutes. When I take my calcium supplement I make sure it's several hours from either dose just to be on the safe side.

I use coconut oil to help with energy. Also, I eat brazil nuts - the selenium content is supposed to be helpful with thyroid. I admit that I'm just getting into figuring all of this out. I was diagnosed July 2010, but my primary concern at that point was getting pregnant. So it wasn't until I had a major postpartum hypo crash (October 2011-February 2012) that I started reading more and taking my thyroid very seriously (and getting on MFP and running)!

I learned a lot from the book Stop the Thyroid Madness. There's a website also. I've found that when my thyroid is sufficiently treated, I don't have a problem with my weight loss goals.

ItsPheebs

I split my Armour dose into two doses. I've read that can help with having a more even energy level throughout the day - not sure if that would apply to the synthetic thyroid medications. I chew mine - Armour absorbs better if chewed. I definitely avoid eating anything and/or any supplements for 30-45 minutes. When I take my calcium supplement I make sure it's several hours from either dose just to be on the safe side.

I use coconut oil to help with energy. Also, I eat brazil nuts - the selenium content is supposed to be helpful with thyroid. I admit that I'm just getting into figuring all of this out. I was diagnosed July 2010, but my primary concern at that point was getting pregnant. So it wasn't until I had a major postpartum hypo crash (October 2011-February 2012) that I started reading more and taking my thyroid very seriously (and getting on MFP and running)!

I learned a lot from the book Stop the Thyroid Madness. There's a website also. I've found that when my thyroid is sufficiently treated, I don't have a problem with my weight loss goals.

I love coconut oil and brazil nuts! Thanks for the tip, too. I'll check that book out.

I'm finding that it doesn't keep me awake either. Yay!

jackiecroberts

I had to have my thyroid removed 2 years ago so I have to take a thyroid replacement for life. I don't take my meds at the same time every morning, I just wait 30 min to eat after I take my dose. I have to take lots of calcium and vitamin d so I do so in the evening. Not sure about your iron, when to take that. I was always told take the thyroid meds in the am with nothing else. I have been able to lose quite a bit of weight in spite of my lack of a thyroid. My doctor actually had to decrease my dosage a month ago (I attribute this to losing 18 pounds)!! I would research the web in general for thyroid issues and being vegan. Maybe there is some info out there that can help. Good luck on your journey, I know it can be frustrating at times:(

jackiecroberts

Thanks for the info about Armour thyroid. I did not know to chew it for better results. I have felt a million times better since I switched to Armour. I will never take the other stuff again!!

Leigh14

I'm on 50mcg of Levothyroxine (I think it's generic for Synthroid). I take it when I first wake up, before my shower, and at least half an hour before I eat. I have been taking it with a Diurex and Probiotic lately and haven't felt any issues. I take my other supplements (Vitamin D, B-Complex, Fish Oil and Multi-Vitamin) either around lunchtime (or at least 4 hours after taking my thyroid med) or with dinner. This seems to work for me.

Honestly, the only time I've had issues with my thyroid medication was when I started taking melatonin. I started feeling extremely sluggish. I didn't make the correlation between my thyroid med and melatonin at first, but I knew something was up. I had my levels checked and sure enough, they'd spiked. My meds were reduced to 25mcg. I finally thought about when I'd started feeling fatigued and made the connection with the melatonin. I stopped taking it, went back a month later to get my bloodwork done and my levels were almost normal. I still felt tired and bad, so my meds were taken back to the 50mcg I was used to. Now, I have no problems.