On Thyroxine- how do you manage breakfast?

[hellymelly]

starting the tablets tomorrow and am v.scared as had a bad reaction last time I tried thyroxine. Anyway I'm confused about breakfast- all the leaflet says is "On an empty stomach" but I've read here that you can't have food for an hour (or is it two?) and no dairy products for two hours (or is is three? )
I'm usually starving when I wake up, so how do you manage waiting ages to even have a cup of tea, and then in fact no tea as no dairy? I usually have gluten-free muesli for breakfast, with milk, and a cup of coffee, with milk. Soya milk is out too isn't it? And I can't have oatmilk because its not gluten-free. Am vegetarian too. What can one eat? And how soon after the tablet?
My GP mentioned that some people take their pill at night- is that an option then? (says morning on the leaflet)
Ta!

Tablet as soon as up, wait hour

Then do you need a dairy and gluten free breakfast?

Gluten free toast with spread or eggs is good option.
Fresh fruit
Beans/ eggs/ bacon/ sausage/ mushrooms/ tomatoes

Sorry see vegetarian scrap the meat!

I take mine at night now and it seems to work for me.

When I took them in the morning I often only left 30 mins or so between taking the tablets and eating - I'm not a morning person . It didn't seem to make a lot of difference.

Are you just starting on thyroxine? Could you maybe leave as much of a gap as possible but don't get too stressed about it. It will probably take some time to reach the right dose for you anyway. Meal timings and excluding food groups is probably the 'fine tuning' stage not the initial stage.

Fwiw I've been on levoThyroxine since 2009, and never been told to avoid dairy! I just take it in the morning first thing with water then have breakfast mid morning anyway as I'm never hungry first thing.

It's magic stuff, has given me back my get up and go. Did have palpitations when I first went on it but they soon cleared off

Hope you feel better on it

Blondie- Did they soon clear? That is reassuring, how long did it take? I get lots of palpitations anyway, and last time they got worse and I felt really terrible (was on armour thyroid). I just stopped taking it and have soldiered on. My levels were borderline then with a TSH of 6, but they are worse now, and I have antibodies and generally feel horrible so I know I need to take it, but am terrified of having worse palpitations-i worry I will have a heart attack or pass out. Am glad you feel so much better too, that is good to hear. I have one friend who feels great on it but another friend, and my Mum, still seem very hypo even though they are medicated now. I'm hoping it works out this time and I feel better as I have turned into a slug.

Seriously? DH has been on thyroxine for YEARS and has never ever ever mentioned any restrictions on food/timings! I'm straight on the leaflets tomorrow!

Out of interest, how can you have a reaction to it? Doesn't it just replace what your body should have made, like insulin? Please excuse my ignorance!

trazzletoes same with my dh. Thirty years on it - never mentioned any of that!! His is replacement dose too (after pituitary gland tumour).

It just made me feel really terrible, as though I was in a hyper state, even though I was on a tiny dose. I am very scared it will happen again - I felt as though I was going to collapse, I couldn't sleep, it was really scary. And thyroxine has an 8 day half-life, so it took a few days for the feeling to subside even though I stopped the tablets. The doctor has no idea why it happened so it may happen this time too. I hope not. The no dairy thing is something I read on here and I think somewhere else, apparently Dairy products inhibit the absorbtion of the thyroxine, so should be avoided near to taking the tablets. Gluten is just me as I can't eat it, not a problem if you can. Soya messes with your thyroid, so should be avoided. Its all so complicated. I just want to eat my cereal at 7.30

Afraid I take the tablets with my breakfast - I'm up and out too fast in the morning to be able to wait. I do avoid taking vitamins/iron at the same time though.
Perhaps this explains why I'm on such a high dose!

Helly from memory it took about a fortnight to settle but as it was a possible side effect the GP had warned me about I wasn't overly worried. I'm positive for antibodies too btw. Started on 25mcg a day then 50 then 75 where I've stayed since having DD (you have to take more while pg to compensate for the extra weight/demands on your system).

The fact that I was getting up in the mornings more easily and life stopped feeling like I was walking uphill through custard helped! As did losing half a stone in just a few weeks I'm sure you'll soon be feeling more slinky than sluggy

Gawd I hope so. I was very slinky, but now the walking uphill through custard (that is it exactly!) has taken over and I look like the Pilsbury Dough boy. I am starting on 25mg too. I am so fed up of feeling fed up. And fat. And unable to move from the sofa without wanting to cry.

I have never been told to avoid food or take at a certain time in over ten year; my levels are fine I take it when remember as am on a lot of meds. I do get palpatations though but have been on thyroxine ten years and only got them the last year or so.

Another one taking it and breakfast at same time including dairy and whet - never been told not to and my levels are fine ( tested every 3 months)

I have always taken it as soon as I wake up and then eat about half an hour later including a cup of tea with milk. Have never had any problems with levels

I take mine at night.

MissFenella have you always done that? Does it make any difference do you think?

I take mine at night before I go to sleep.

I've recently upped my dose from 100 to 150 and have been very up and down. My levels are apparently 'normal' now but I can have extremely swollen legs and feet and my pulse is very fast. I also feel achy.

tellybug that sounds horrible, why is that happening, does your GP know?

Oh Helly have a very unmumsnetty hug ((squeeze))

Feeling down is another symptom of being hypothyroid so that may well improve once your meds are settled.

The weight fell off once I was on it, partly I think because then I had the energy to dash about again - I hope you find the same

Thanks Blondie- even that has made me teary eyed!

hellymelly I'm off to see the GP this week. My feeling is that my gp is a bit useless though and doesn't know much about it! But neither do I so I need to read up. There are different T3/4 levels, I think...?

Tellybug - have you changed brand of tablets any time? I had that horrible achey feeling, lots of headaches and very swollen ankles after going on a different make for about six months. I didn't make the connection but suddenly thought about it and asked the doc. She said many docs pooh pooh the idea that different makes work differently but she thought it worth reverting to my original brand. The complaints went away over three days and I felt like I peed out lots of retained water. (Sorry TMI?!) I wouldn't touch that other brand (Euthyrox) with a barge pole now.

The other reason for me feeling yucky has been when my dose has been too high.

I have been on them for a few years and take mine when I get up, then I breakfast on black tea, and fruit etc.

Hope it's ok I'm watching this with interest.
I've been on 150mcg levothyroxine for 11 years. I take the tablets then eat breakfast immediately after. I definitely lack get up and go. Feel easily drained and it's making me wonder.
I did think you had to take it in the morning though.

I just take mine when I wake up, with a cup of tea. I know that's not perfect, but I have to take tablets for lots of other things as well so I just do them in two batches a day. Otherwise I forget to take them.