[Turquoise October 5, 2018 at 3:02 pm Post count: 20]

#1060932

I just started taking levothyroxine a couple of days ago and need to get used to the “rules.” On my very first day I had cereal with soy milk and belatedly realized I had just consumed calcium, which I was supposed to avoid. Goodbye any morning lattes or cappuccinos! Anyway, what else is off limits that might not have thought of? My multivitamin contains calcium, but I can take that another time of the day.

[Liz1967 October 5, 2018 at 4:28 pm Post count: 305]

#1185481

4 hours after levothyroxine before you take calcium supplements but I would not worry about milk, lattes, etc if one hour post levothyroxine. I have coffee with cream and sometimes cereal with milk, no problems. Be aware that proton pump inhibitors, like Nexium, etc can interfere with absorption. Coffee actually interferes with absorption, but as long as you are consistent, like drink coffee every day or do not drink coffee, your dose will stabilize to reflect your habits.

[emmtee October 5, 2018 at 6:06 pm Post count: 148]

#1185482

As long as you’re waiting an hour after taking your levo, a little milk with your breakfast is okay. I wait longer for my breakfast shake because it’s a larger serving, and when I calculated the calcium content one day I realized it was comparable to the calcium supplement I was talking.

[Turquoise October 6, 2018 at 9:28 am Post count: 20]

#1185483

I’m kind of confused about the whole issue of what and when I can eat. My doctor prescribed the medication via the patient portal for her healthcare system and sent the prescription electronically, so she never offered any guidance that might have been discussed in an office visit. All I had to go on to begin with was the package insert. So reviewing various reliable medical sites, some say that you shouldn’t take calcium SUPPLEMENTS, which I don’t unless you consider the multivitamin, while others just say calcium. And others say don’t take calcium and/or supplements WITH the pill but don’t specify whether they mean immediately after (which I wouldn’t because of the recommendation to not eat right away) or within 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, etc. This goes for anything on the list of foods/products to avoid. This may be overly simplistic, but is it generally OK to consume anything if you’ve waited at least an hour after taking the medication? My gap between the pill and breakfast will usually be at least an hour and could be 2 or more.

[Liz1967 October 6, 2018 at 3:35 pm Post count: 305]

#1185484

Antacids, supplements with calcium, iron, magnesium including vitamins, interefere with levothyroxine absorption if taken within about 4 hours of taking levothyroxine. This does not mean it totally negates your hormone pill, just that less of it will be available to your body. This time frame is a guideline. You should refrain from drinking or eating anything except water within one half to one hour after taking levo. Supplements or vitamins have a lot more calcium than milk on cereal or in coffee so after 1/2 to 1 hour, you eat breakfast, have coffee with cream, cereal, etc. You will hear of other foods that may interfere with absorption, but do not get wrapped up in all that. Dosing levo does not occur in a vacuum. Some days your body may require more or less hormone than others, just like when you had a thyroid. Fortunately, the half life of levo is a week. This means it takes a week for half of the first dose to clear your body. Thus it hangs around a long time, easily accommodating any little variations in your requirements or absorption. I eat whatever I want after about 30 minutes in the morning, but take my calcium supplement with dinner. I take Pepcid if I need an antacid as it does not interefere with absorption. In a very short time, you will not even think about it. I have been taking it for five years. Due to the long half life, if I forget a pill, I just take two the next day. If I accidentally take a second pill, I just skip the next day. In reality, you could take a weeks worth all at once and they actually do this for patients who cannot be relied on to take a pill every day. So relax, you’ve got this!

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