Community Chat

[Lucky Charm]

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@RespectLife wrote:

@PINKdogWOOD 

I did have a sonogram before starting the meds.  My primary ordered that first.

I am now taking 50 mg of the generic Levothyroxine ...just 2 days on that dose. 

Prior was 6 weeks of 25 mg.

My gyno ran a full panel of tests when this all started.  My history combining with the min. blood work done before showed the ups and downs which was diagnosed as Hashimoto.

My primary only ran minimal tests last week.  Our verbal discussion got her to increase to the 50mg.  My script for next blood work is the full panel.

I was a bear this morning waiting for that hour to go by b4 I could have my coffee!  LOL

I just read the info that came w/ the script.  It says on empty stomach 30 mins to 1 hour b4 breakfast.  Take w/ full glass of water.

It doesn't tell you not to drink anything else.  It doesn't say not to take other meds which I found out online.  Shouldn't the pharmacist tell ya that?  She warned me about heart palp and othere things to watch for, but never said a word about the other dosage issues!  Shouldn't it be in the info?

Thank goodness you were kind enough to tell me that!

I hear you on going to an Endo....I appreciate your thoughts.  I need to make a decision if I want to switch and just do it.  I have to find out if I need a referral or not.

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I take the generic Levo also.  I've read the *paperwork* that comes with it.  It specifically says to not take it along with calcium supplements (and zinc, I think) and to also not eat walnuts.  

I don't read the paperwork that comes with it every time I get my script filled, but do check it from time to time to be sure there are no other warnings or that anything has changed as far as side effects.  Never has there been a change. 

Also, my pharm assistant always asks me if I have any questions when I pick up my prescription.  I'm surpised no one asks you if you have any.

[Nancy Drew]

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@PINKdogWOOD wrote:

@Nancy Drew   I just hope your Dr is an Endocrinolgist. This is the Dr you need to have on your side. Most PCPs do not know all the ins & outs of this disease.

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@PINKdogWOOD  You gave me something to ask my  PCP Dr when I go in. I am going to ask him if I need a referral. Thank you.

[foggy!]

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

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@RespectLife wrote:

@PINKdogWOOD 

I did have a sonogram before starting the meds.  My primary ordered that first.

I am now taking 50 mg of the generic Levothyroxine ...just 2 days on that dose. 

Prior was 6 weeks of 25 mg.

My gyno ran a full panel of tests when this all started.  My history combining with the min. blood work done before showed the ups and downs which was diagnosed as Hashimoto.

My primary only ran minimal tests last week.  Our verbal discussion got her to increase to the 50mg.  My script for next blood work is the full panel.

I was a bear this morning waiting for that hour to go by b4 I could have my coffee!  LOL

I just read the info that came w/ the script.  It says on empty stomach 30 mins to 1 hour b4 breakfast.  Take w/ full glass of water.

It doesn't tell you not to drink anything else.  It doesn't say not to take other meds which I found out online.  Shouldn't the pharmacist tell ya that?  She warned me about heart palp and othere things to watch for, but never said a word about the other dosage issues!  Shouldn't it be in the info?

Thank goodness you were kind enough to tell me that!

I hear you on going to an Endo....I appreciate your thoughts.  I need to make a decision if I want to switch and just do it.  I have to find out if I need a referral or not.

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I take the generic Levo also.  I've read the *paperwork* that comes with it.  It specifically says to not take it along with calcium supplements (and zinc, I think) and to also not eat walnuts.  

I don't read the paperwork that comes with it every time I get my script filled, but do check it from time to time to be sure there are no other warnings or that anything has changed as far as side effects.  Never has there been a change. 

Also, my pharm assistant always asks me if I have any questions when I pick up my prescription.  I'm surpised no one asks you if you have any.

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What? Do you mean no walnuts period or just not around the time of taking your Levo meds? 

[Phantom41]

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@peachesncream wrote:

I have mild hypothyroidism. My biggest headache was waiting an hour in the morning after taking Levothyroxine to eat or drink anything but water.

Breakfast is my favorite meal, and DH and I enjoy it together. Having a hungry DH waiting an extra hour along with me was frustrating - and smelling coffee without being able to drink it. 

My doctor suggested I take the medicine at night, right before going to bed. This works fine as long as the stomach is empty (no food for 3 hours before taking medicine). 

There is a study (you can Google it) showing that taking Levothyoxine consistently at night works better than taking it in the a.m. It has worked for me. 

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I've been on this for 40 years and I had no idea you weren't supposed to eat or drink anything for 2 hours or possibly take it at night!  I always take it in the morning and usually don't have anything for about 30 minutes not 2 hours.  I'll have to get up in the middle of the night to take this so I can have my coffee in the morning. Not one of my doctors has ever mentioned that little tidbit!  I'm going to have to read the darn bottle when I get home - boy do I feel stupid!

[RespectLife]

@TW 

That's what happened to me.  Doc only ran THC.  That was all over the place...they would rerun it...and it would be okay.  I guess that can happen with the Hashimoto aspect of Thyroidism. 

My gyno finally was the one who ordered the full tests.

My antibodies were 397.  She said they are supposed to be around 9.

They charted all my blood work (only the THC) for the past year I have had symptoms and saw it was sky high, then normal.  All over the place.  The continued inconsistency should have been cause to order full blood work up.

I hope I am now on the right track to getting my life back!  I don't mean to complain.  This is treatable.....so many other things are not.

[RespectLife]

@Lucky Charm 

I almost always read the brochure on new meds but didn't this time until @PINKdogWOOD  mentioned some things.  Then  I read my brochure very carefully because I was surprised it didn't mention not to take other meds for 2 hrs or so (I wasn't) and not to drink anything else (I was)

I had met w/ the Wegman's Pharmacist...she did ask if I had questions.  I guess I didn't have any because I had never had this script b4 and was just recently diagnosed with the thyroid issues.  I was totally ignorant and just went by what I thought I was supposed to do.   She said the same thing the brochure did...take w/ water, no breakfast.

That's it!  The brochure is sadly lacking and did not contain any of the things I now learn here!

It does NOT say anything you mention:

"It specifically says to not take it along with calcium supplements (and zinc, I think) and to also not eat walnuts." 

I read it once again just to be sure.  I'm good on those issues.

Bless this Forum!  I have been corrected and comforted and greatly appreciate it!

[RespectLife]

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@Phantom41 wrote:

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@peachesncream wrote:

I have mild hypothyroidism. My biggest headache was waiting an hour in the morning after taking Levothyroxine to eat or drink anything but water.

Breakfast is my favorite meal, and DH and I enjoy it together. Having a hungry DH waiting an extra hour along with me was frustrating - and smelling coffee without being able to drink it. 

My doctor suggested I take the medicine at night, right before going to bed. This works fine as long as the stomach is empty (no food for 3 hours before taking medicine). 

There is a study (you can Google it) showing that taking Levothyoxine consistently at night works better than taking it in the a.m. It has worked for me. 

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I've been on this for 40 years and I had no idea you weren't supposed to eat or drink anything for 2 hours or possibly take it at night!  I always take it in the morning and usually don't have anything for about 30 minutes not 2 hours.  I'll have to get up in the middle of the night to take this so I can have my coffee in the morning. Not one of my doctors has ever mentioned that little tidbit!  I'm going to have to read the darn bottle when I get home - boy do I feel stupid!

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@Phantom41 

Don't feel stupid!  While I am only a newbie to this....my doc, my pharmacist and my brochure do not say this!  Maybe it was assumed.

Unless I am the dummy as I interpreted "take on an empty stomach before breakfast with plenty of water'....to mean NO food.  I didn't think it applied to coffee!!  It makes sense.  My coffee has creamer in it so it IS like a meal!  LOL

Nothing said to wait to take other meds....I did that on my own thinking it was just a good idea! 

I have only done the no coffee 2 days so far.  Pill and water at 6 am.  DH knows to stay outta my way til 7 am.  I'm not fit for humans b4 my coffee!  LOL

[PINKdogWOOD]

@Nancy Drew   Good for you Ms Nancy. I made mention to this because in these days many of our conditions these days do not require a PCP referral. We can find our own and move along.

[PINKdogWOOD]

@foggy!   I've  not heard or read anything about walnuts but I do know that too much iodine & bromine is a problem for us. When I buy bread I always read the label to make certain it's of unbleached unbromated flour, kind of hard to find (giant eagle sells it) otherwise it stays on the shelf.

[haddon9]

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@TW wrote:

Hashi is the devil.  Very hard to control since in the beginning you change between Hypo and Hyper.  I find doctors know very little about this disease and don't know how to treat it properly.  Was on Synthroid, generic and brand name for a couple of years and it nearly killed me.  Developed blood pressure issues and gained weight.  Finally found a doctor who put me on Armour.  Lost 10 pounds within the first 2 weeks and felt so much better.  It's now an epdemic and very little research is done on why.  There are a lot of chemicals in our food that cause Thyroid problems.  The added cheap GMO soy is at the forefront.  Worst of all most doctors don't even test for Anti-bodies and miss this disease.  I suffered for many years before I was finally diagnosed.  As a result ended up with tons of joint and muscle issues.  All the docs seems to be interested in is measuring blood pressure and test for Cholesterol.  Yet when high never try to find the reason why.  I guess it's easier to prescribe pills than to find out what's causing the problems.  'Stop the Thyroid Madness' is a good site with lots of information.  BTW, if you are overweight despite a reasonable diet, you most likely have Thyroid Disease.  Yet our worthless physicians always blame it on too much food.  Don't get me started. 

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@TW   I plan on looking for a good endocrinologist .  However it seems that most just want to give you Synthroid.  How do you find one willing to give you Amour?  How did you find your doctor?