Both my doctor and the Synthroid website say '4hours' for calcium and iron. Also, something to note, try to avoid high fiber foods. I did see a difference in my labs,weight, and started having hypo symptoms when I ate oatmeal every morning (usually about 3 1/2 hours after taking my meds). I don't know if you have to wait 4 hours for eating something high in fiber, and the Synthroid site is not very clear. I did put in a call with Abbott labs, and we are now playing phone tag.

Because I had (have) Graves disease, my general and my endo recommended I take calcium supplements. Of course, they both re-iterated the 4 hour rule. I say "had" because I had my thyroid removed; I say "have" because, technically, I still have Graves antibodies, which, medically, means, I still 'have' Graves.

The most important thing: drink a FULL glass of water - i.e. at least 8 oz of water. This pushes the Syntrhoid into your small intestine where it can be absorbed more properly. If you don't drink enough water, the acids in your stomach will destroy most of the Synthroid.

Right - my Naturopath says 45 minutes... but it's ok -- I take the Calcium and Magnesium before bed. I take my thyroid medicine in the morning -- I have a weird insomnia where I wake up at 3am every day -- I've gotten in the habit of taking Synthroid then. go back to sleep, and get up a couple of hours later and take my normal morning vitamins. I realize that wouldn't work for everyone, but you can take something in the morning and something at night. Or you can take your Calcium and Magnesium with lunch or dinner. And take the Synthroid in the morning or at bed.

All of my medication says to wait for 60 minutes before eating. I had no idea that I shouldn't be having calcium. I get up at 4:30 .. take my medication, start exercising at about 4:45 and have a cup of decaf coffee (i can't give up my coffee, but switched to decaf) with milk at about 6:30 every morning. Could this be hindering my weight loss?

Me too! I have coffee with skim milk every morning about one to two hours after taking meds. I never knew of any diet restrictions with my levothyroxine! I've had three doctors over the course of ten years who never indicated any restrictions.
Now I'm reading about restrictions on soy, calcium, green tea and carbs!!!
I'm so frustrated. I work out 5to 6 days a week on the mfp 1200 calorie allowance. I can lose .5 to 1 lb a week if I'm lucky. But then I can gain a pound overnight.
Any suggestions????

If you are losing .5 - 1 pound a week you are doing great! I also workout 5-6 times a week, eat 1200 calories and been the same weight since 1/8/12. 6 weeks going up and down by 1/2 pound or so. The one thing I can't do is stop -- or for sure I will gain weight.

Sometimes, you just need to adjust your ratios of Carb/fat/protein and you can see the scale move a little. Like reduce your carbs and increase your fat a little.

Also, be sure to take your measurements - improvement might be in a smaller waist or hips.

i had started eating soy products 9 yrs ago - the soy products eventually triggered my rai treated thyroid to go into hypo it basically stopped working and i gained a lot of weight.in a short amt of time and was always fatigued and drained of energy . doctors put me on synthyroid which i was on for 4 yrs and no improvement.. i finally freaked out at my doctor and demanded he change my meds as i wanted the old me back - my doctors changed my meds but was against it.. initially.
i changed to natural dessicated thyroid hormone /armour and the change in my well being was 100 % my kids noticed my hubby noticed . i wasn't so tired anymore no more aching joints or swollen fingers, no more I forgot- memory lapses my concentration has gotten so much better and i felt better over all now i dont fall alseep during sex lol like i used to with the synthroid.
I use coconut milk, coconut flour, coconut palm sugar to my foods i have added hemp hearts to my breakfast cereal or add it to my smoothies they ensure i have enough energy during the day without needing to eat sweets and they are also high in fibre, i eat sprouted grain bread instead of breads made with regular flours, i avoid raw broccoli cabbage peaches,i will only eat them thoroughly cooked. i stay away from any soy products so i have to read labels as there is hidden soy in many foods.. i add flax to my foods when i can and eat kale chips as a snack. i eat more meat as i crave it and have limited the amount of rice and potatoes that i eat as i notice they make me sluggish..i eat eggs with sprouted grain toast for my breakfast or smoothies.. i eat more gluten free and i found that it is easier on my stomach also..

All of my medication says to wait for 60 minutes before eating. I had no idea that I shouldn't be having calcium. I get up at 4:30 .. take my medication, start exercising at about 4:45 and have a cup of decaf coffee (i can't give up my coffee, but switched to decaf) with milk at about 6:30 every morning. Could this be hindering my weight loss?

Me too! I have coffee with skim milk every morning about one to two hours after taking meds. I never knew of any diet restrictions with my levothyroxine! I've had three doctors over the course of ten years who never indicated any restrictions.
Now I'm reading about restrictions on soy, calcium, green tea and carbs!!!
I'm so frustrated. I work out 5to 6 days a week on the mfp 1200 calorie allowance. I can lose .5 to 1 lb a week if I'm lucky. But then I can gain a pound overnight.
Any suggestions????

OMG! I am new here and am glad I found it! I wait an hour after taking my synthroid (wtih water)...I knew not to take vitamins or antacids within 4 hrs of my pill but WOW...didn't know about the calcium or the fiber! I eat oatmeal with milk, or cereal with milk or an egg with toast and milk! wow...really need to figure something out! And what about green tea and carbs? These 2 things, especially the green tea, are like my addiction...

-Thyroid medication does not get absorbed when calcium is consumed up to 4 hours of taking your pill (learned this one the hard way)

Are you serious? Doctors have told me to wait for breakfast only 20 minutes after the pill....
Who told you 4 hours?

Still a fairly small group right now BUT is there anything you guys have found works best for you?

I can share a few of the things Ive noticed

-Eggs( or protein in general) are pretty much the only successful breakfast for me
-Thyroid medication does not get absorbed when calcium is consumed up to 4 hours of taking your pill (learned this one the hard way)
- Low carb diets seem most effective, but medium carb diets work best (aka, Im not about to cut out a good sandwhich, or some rice)

Great recap - thanks Terri!

I usually take my meds in the middle of the night when I get up to check the kids, let the dog out, go to the bathroom etc. But I don't always get up. I guess I will cut hte cream from my coffee in the morning. Really don't need the cals anyway. Everything on here to avoid is pretty much what I eat. fish, strawberries (really?), broc, caul, edimame, gluten. Yikes. What am I gong to eat? I guess the best approach is to remove one thing at a time to determine what I have intolerance to and what my system can handle.

You know -- the thing with gluten, cruciferous veggies, calcium/dairy products, soy -- is that you probably won't "feel" very different -- I too ate all of these things for years while taking Synthroid and nothing bad happened.

So, please don't panic!! It's just that these foods are known to have thyroid-suppressing qualities and can contribute to goiters. Since we are hypo, our thyroid is already depressed and it will have a tendency towards goiters... but doesn't mean for sure we will get a goiter if we eat these.

I think if you are just aware of when you take your meds (and it's different for all of us) and don't eat anything that's high in calcium or fiber for 4 hours before/after you take your meds, that is a good start.

Then work on gluten. If you are a bread or cereal lover and carbs don't make you fat, there are many delicious gluten-free products.

Cruciferous veggies is easy -- you don't have to give them up! Just steam them, which gets rid of the goiterons or whatever that stuff is that causes goiters.

Dairy is proving the hardest for me -- I have cheated a few times -- I miss my cheese and greek yogurt!! But I am a work in progress!

just joined and have already LEARNED SO MUCH. and wow... i now know why i'm "so screwed up" i could and was eating BAGS of steamed edamame and butt loads of raw spiniach salad.

I also have a goiter that is just small enough to not require surgery.

Thank so much for all this great info. I'm currently on NO meds for this thyroid issue but I'm beginning to think I may need to make a new appt with my endo.

They put me on oh crud.... my mind just went blank.. ( which is DOES OOOOOOOFFFFFTEN... ) i'll think of it eventually... but anyway.. it did NOTHING FOR ME and they stopped it and didn't do anything else about it.

IT JUST CAME TO ME!!!!!! METFORMIN. it was to like jump start my "female parts" due to PCOS, but didn't do that job. Nuva ring ended up solving that problem.. but now that thing is reakin havoc on my body with migraines, joint pain, cramps, constipation.... blah blah blah i could go on and on...

anyway I look forward to learning all i can and will share anything i can.

THANKS!

Hi Sharon It's very nice to meet you too, I'm Niki. I have also learnt a lot on this forum. I had no idea there were so many of us out there!:flowerforyou:

I didn't know that about milk either. My doctor just said not to eat anything prior to an hour of taking the pill. I don't normally have milk in the morning unless it's with cereal but now I know to avoid it.

I normally boil or poach two eggs the night before to have for breakfast the next morning. I have the eggs with 2 slices of Weight Watcher's whole wheat sliced bread, toasted.

My doctor has me taking my thyroid meds at night, right before bed. This has helped me, since I don't have to avoid milk in the mornings the meds have all night while I am sleeping to do their work. Just food for thought.

I'm new to this website & group, I didn't know about the calcium/taking meds thing either. Might be the reason for me feeling crappy since being on Levothyroxine for the past 3 years!!! I'm going to try taking my meds before bed, to see if that helps matters, fingers crossed

My doc said nothing for two hours before or one hour after and at least four hours for some cholesterol lowering meds that are binder that work in the digestive system instead of the liver like Lipitor. Taking mine in the AM seems to work best for me with all the restrictions. I am going to ask about calcium at my next appointment.