Underactive Thyroid - forgeting to take thyroxine

[IfItIsntOkItIsntTheEnd]

Hi
I have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroid).
Take Levothyroxine.
Just realised i've not had any since sunday!

What's best to do now? Take todays dose, then carrying on and try to remember every day? Or take 5 days dose in one go to catch up?

Anyone know?
Thanks

Only take today's dose! For goodness sake don't take 5 days at once! Pick up where you left off!

When I forget & it has been a few days, I only take 100mg rather than 125 as advised by the chemist.

If it has only been one day I take the normal dose.

But trying to be much better at taking them.

Just continue don't take them all. Leave them on top of the coffee/ tea pot so they are the first thing you see in the morning. Only way I don't forget them.

Thanks! Thought that would probably be the sensible approach. I'm usually fine at remembering, but if I forget one day I tend to then carry on forgetting.must get better at it again!!

You are supposed to take thyroxine on an empty stomach then not eat or drink for an hour.
I take mine as soon as I wake up and have a pill thing with days of the week on it. It helps me remember. I would die if I didn't take mine though so am quite motivated to take it ....

Is the empty stomach thing really important ? I have mine with a cup of tea which I know isn't recommended, but I get up at six as it is, I'd struggle to wake up take pill and then not have a brew till an hour later!

Really? I've never heard of having to have empty stomach. Will look into that (although been on it for years so doesn't seem to have done much harm!)

Wouldn't everyone who needs to take thyroxine die if they didn't? Or is that your point Bella, that its too important to forget?!

You can actually take a whole week's worth at once and because it has a long half life missing a couple of days isn't an issue!

However, if you have been missing your daily dose, just pick up the next day with the usual dose.

You should take it on an empty stomach with water only and wait an hour before you eat and drink. If that doesn't work in the mornings, you can always take it at night, before bed, as long as it's two hours after food.

No sorry I have no thyroid of my own at all I would die , it would take a few months but I would.
If you have a functioning / under active thyroid you won't die if you forget but it just might bring your symptoms back.

Not sure that is true Bella, as once taking artificial thyroxine the thyroid gives up altogether anyway.

I have no experience of under active thyroid so can't speak for anyone else . Sorry I I was not clear . I had my whole thyroid removed . If I stop taking thyroxine I will die . I have no idea about any one else's medical circumstances .

Sorry Bella, it us of course slightly different for the thyroid less , but it would get us all in the end,

I don't always take mine on an empty stomach, it varies depending on what's happening that morning although I always take around breakfast time. Been taking for 15 years or so and doesn't seem to make that much difference.

I sometimes forget mine, or forget to re-order my prescription, and miss a day or two. However, I always notice symptoms if it's longer than 48 hours - I will get a wall of tiredness a day or two later.

I think the advice to carry on with your normal dose goes for pretty much anything - I don't think it's wise to take extra of any medication without checking with GP or Pharmacist first.

The notes in with the packet say don't take missed doses, just take it once you realise and carry on from there.

Would reiterate what others have said - if I miss one day I just carry on as normal the next day
thyroxine should be taken in the morning with water and try and wait at least half an hour before eating or drinking anything as that reduces the effect. Difficult when you are gasping for the first cup of tea in the morning.

I find the tea thing hard. I often end up taking it with tea.

The key thing is consistency. And being as consistent as possible in the few weeks before a test. As the test will reflect what dose you should be truly on.

As Mrs T says, T4 half life is quite long - about 7-10 days (think depends on your general levels) so one missed dose will not be felt the next day or week etc. Similarly, taking a double dose after a missed dose shouldn't cause an issue. However, one missed dose a week could be the difference of 25 less over all. If it went on for a few weeks it could impact. But, the soonest ideally a GP can test after a dose change is 6 weeks as this is how long it takes to build up within the blood.

I find it helpful to think about the amount taken over a week. So if on 100 daily, you take 700 per week. So taking a double dose after one day missed dose is ok as its still 700 within the week.

Alternatively, spread it over a couple of days (not easy to split tablets).

Other foods inhibit a percentage absorption hence empty stomach.

Incidentally, grapefruit lessens the way thyroxine is metabolised and the effect stays in the liver for a few days after consuming one, so best to stay clear.

All these things are tiny adjustments to the dose but could add up over all over time.

Pre child I could easily take it within my daily going to work routine. I used to work out what date I should finish the box on and write it on to double check. But now with a toddler I've found a pill box is easier, with a tiny cup of water next to it on my dressing table (out of sight/ reach of toddler).

So basically op, you could take an extra dose today and just try to carry on as normal.

My GP always said a double dose was fine. Or I'd take one in the morning and one in the eve.

I never take mine on an empty stomach. I take mine before bed.

My levels are fine with medication so it works for me. My pharmacist is fine with the way I take them as they are obviously working as well as they should.

If I miss one I just miss a dose and carry on like normal.

I am prone to forgetting mine so I lean my tablets up against my toothbrush on the bathroom sink. That way I don't forget in the morning.

Taking on an empty stomach in the morning gives you the absolute maximum uptake of the drug into the system, but if you take with a cup of tea or eat shortly after it will only have a very very slight impact on drug uptake.

I am reading from the instructions I just took from the box of levothyroxine that I got today, it says swallow the tablets with plenty of water you should take your tablets before breakfast or before your first meal of the day there is nothing about not drinking or eating for an hour on these instructions and my GP and pharmacist has never told me to do this either my dosage is only 50 micrograms so maybe its different if you are on higher dosage. I shall continue to take them as usual

It also says just take your normal dose if you miss one unless its nearly time for your next one