ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
I always read the pkg inserts. In case you're interested, a couple of reminders and a couple of surprises here:
Reminder - ...You should not use the medication if you have had a heart attack, a thyroid disorder called thyrotoxicosis, or an adrenal gland problem that is not controlled by treatment.
Surprise (to me, anyway) - In most cases, you will need to take levothyroxine for the rest of your life. Taking levothyroxine over long periods of time may cause bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Surprise (the last one listed) - Avoid the following food products, which can make your body absorb less levothyroxine: infant soy formula, cotton seed meal, walnuts AND HIGH FIBER FOODS.
I don't want to take this for the rest of my life, or have more bone loss and my diet is very fiberous. This is not the med for me.
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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What dosage is it, and what are your thyroid numbers like?
If taking it for nodules or fat thyroid, the benefits outweigh the small risks.
If thyroid is a little sluggish, with no autoimmune issues going on, you could try some iodine.
The osteoporosis thing has never really been proven, and if you are taking a low dose, the risk is probably nonexistent. And the fiber thing (and minerals too) is just when you take the medication, not all day. Take it first thing in the morning, wait 15-20 min. or so, then just eat like normal. Although ideally don't load up with calcium or other minerals for breakfast (sort of the same rules as with most antibiotics).
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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I take natural thyroid. Right now Armour and Naturethroid are on backorder, but you can have it compounded. It's not necessarily a rest of your life drug. I switched over to it after a couple years on Synthroid/Cytomel.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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canefan17
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Member # 22149
posted
ping,
What do your thyroid results look like?
High rT3?
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
Thanks Lemon-Lyme and 6GK.
Lemon, my thyroid is a bit sluggish. I was on 150mg. Armour and you know the current unavailability story.... My doc says, "NO" to iodine; I'd love to do it if I weren't so scared. I think these docs classify Lyme in the autoimmune category, even though I'm in remission 3 years. The high fiber, etc. wasn't specific with regard to timing with dose, so it's good to know that I can still eat my red beans and rice.
6, wish I could afford the compounding. Will lean on my doc and see if he'll write it for me, but can't get a price until then. If I can't afford to fill it, then, it's round and round with the doc again...Geez.
Thank you both for replies!
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
quote:Originally posted by canefan17: ping,
What do your thyroid results look like?
High rT3?
Hi cane, no, not high, but trying to get T3 replacement because of unavailability of Armour. Doc says that Armour will come back, but a matter of when. Given the definitely possibility of taking Levo forever, I don't want to take it at all and just might not.
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I think it means no high fiber foods within 4 hours...at least that is what I was told and have always heard.
Hope that helps.
Posts: 114 | From Atlanta, GA | Registered: May 2009
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
The reminder part is basically a warning that if you take too much Thyroid hormone that you could start to experience Hyper Thyroid symptoms. But this should not happen if your doctor is monitoring you appropriately.
Also, the risk for bone loss and osteoporosis comes from supplementing with too much Thyroid hormone. Proper dosing helps support the bones.
The dietary warnings are important because they can significantly decrease the absorption of your medication. Soy is the worst, you should probably avoid it anyways if you have throid problems because it is a goitrogen.
The other foods (walnuts, fiber, etc) are OK as long as you eat them at least an hour after taking your medication. It is absorbed best on an empty stomach.
So basically, take your medication in the morning on an empty stomach. Wait an hour and eat your breakfast. Make sure that your doctor is monitoring your condition and every thing should be fine.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
Thank you all for your replies. I wish the pkg insert had been more clear. It just listed things in no real order and gave no explanations.
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
Really? That's it!? I know it's a different % and mix for each person, but can you advise the chemicals they're compounding? Is this without insurance contributing?
Problem I have is that my insurance co. won't pay because they consider the synthetics as viable alternatives.
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