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'avoid taking thyroxin and iron together'......anyone know the reason?

Posted , 3 users are following.

marey
marey

anyone know the basis for this advice?

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • suzanne00
    suzanne00 marey

    Posted

    I haven't heard that one, but I do endeavor to take my thyroids on an empty stomach or with plain green tea, as per the recommendation. I understand that food can interfere with absorption, so perhaps iron does as well. 
    • marey
      marey suzanne00

      Posted

      Thanks suzanne for your reply...this is from the notes below says avoid taking with iron and calcium...but another suggestion I've noted is that some folks are trying  taking thyroxin at night. It doesn't make sense but avoids the whole morning  drama...so i'm trying it and also a reduced dose per the new protocol I'm following.
  • Louli7
    Louli7 marey

    Posted

    Yes iron and other minerals and vitamins do interfere with absorption. I have heard you need to leave a minimum of 4 hours between taking iron and thyroid medication. I take my levothyroxine first on waking with water and then wait 40 mins before having anything else. I take any supplements with my main meal at night (if I remember). Am still tired, brain fogged, losing my hair etc. was first put in 50mcg inJune, then 75 in Aug and have just had my dose increased to 100 because although my Tsh has come down from 11 to 2, my f4 has remained stubbornly low but just within the 'normal' range. Can go to the loo now but all my other symptoms have remained . 
    • marey
      marey Louli7

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply Louli. I note your suggestions.  As mentionedto Suzanne above I'm  trying out an evening dose. some saying its really helped with their sleep and feeling refreshed in the mornings.  Sounds so optimistic  that i'm going for it.

      Sorry you're having those symptoms...but it really sounds like you're making progress. well done. can you increase your nutrition density and de-tox? ...to get down to 1.00 or below? what's your view on iodine and  do you know if you re autoimmune? ie do you have anti-bodies...? I'm trying to follow a protocol which is quite positive...happy toshare the details.

       

    • marey
      marey Louli7

      Posted

      may i ask as to the difficulty you were having with going to the loo...did you mean you were constipated...or was it diff with urinating?
    • Louli7
      Louli7 marey

      Posted

      It was constipation but I was getting urinary tract infections too. I am taking evening primrose oil and a multi vit for hair which has lots of B vits. My GP hasn't suggested doing the antibodies test, I had to insist on them doing the F4as the second test was just based on the Tsh and the receptionist gave me the results saying they were within the normal range and I didn't need to see the dr. I insisted on seeing the only GP in the practice I trust who has monitored me more carefully and agreed to increase my dose on the basis of my symptoms and my F4. I don't think GPs know that much so I have ended up reading up via the internet but it is hard to sift out the truth. I have heard that if you have Hashimotos talking iodine can make it worse but interested to hear your views. I suppose if you have constipation liquid iron would be best too. Thanks for replying. 
    • suzanne00
      suzanne00 Louli7

      Posted

      Hi Louli--Have you had your T3 checked?  Sometimes the conversion is not made by the body from the inactive T4 form to the active T3 form (this was true for me). So basically, if that's happening, your body will be getting T4 but will still starve for thryroid. I am on T4 AND T3 supplements. It is also good to get the more obscure test called Reverse T3 to see if the body is actually getting enough T3.  Also important to get antibodies to the thyroid checked since a body-wide plan is good to have when you have an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's.  The tests that I'm mentioning are now standard in a thorough thyroid panel, but not all practitioners know how important they all are for getting a good look at what's going on. Let us know how it goes!  --Suzanne
    • Louli7
      Louli7 suzanne00

      Posted

      I did ask my GP if levothyroxine doesn't work for some people (hint, hint!)and he insisted that it was question of getting the dose right. How did you get your GP to broaden their approach to your treatment? As I said before my doctors surgery were happy to just give TSH results via the receptionist, job done!Thank you so much for taking time to reply to my post. 
    • suzanne00
      suzanne00 Louli7

      Posted

      I'm in the USA.  Are in in the UK or elsewhere? That may make a difference with how willing physicians are to order additional  testing. 
    • Louli7
      Louli7 suzanne00

      Posted

      Yes am in UK, so it's the bare minimum in terms of treatment. I think the USA is much further ahead in this field. sad it's so frustrating, I am not overweight and have not taken time off sick but it is a battle to keep going when all I really want to do is lie in bed.
    • suzanne00
      suzanne00 Louli7

      Posted

      Yes, it sounds like you need more effective treatment!  Can you push for these tests?  Is going to a functional health specialist an option there (though I assume you'd have to pay out of pocket)? 
    • marey
      marey Louli7

      Posted

      I'm UK too.

      My GP did agree to do the T3 and 4 ...as well as anti-bodies....but he didn't tell me I had raised levels!!

      I see that on 22/2/2013 (we talk dates differently so month is 2nd suzanne as you prob know!!)

      my TPO ...thyroid peroxidase level (AR...whatever that is)

      was         245 iu/mL           normal = <34.0 iu.ml

      so i was way over!! but the test hasn't been repeated. i have since quit gluten and most recently dairy...so i'd like that re-done to see how i'm doing.

      when i told my gp that i was following a protocol and needed the readings as a guide he became very willing to help me and printed out my results then and i just got the older ones off him too...so now i have a much better picture and a sense of control and direction with this protocol.

      the iodine thing seems to be major and there is a lot of conflicting advice. i like the strategy i'm being offered which is that until i can get my tsh below 1.00 ...that its wise to avoid iodine...as its so inflammatory so avoiding it strictly...even in supplements...and i've found an iodine-free company in scotland ...is what i'm doing...except am still using himalayan salt...oh dear...maybe i'll use celtic instead til i have a lower reading. iu.ml="" so="" i="" was="" way="" over!!="" but="" the="" test="" hasn't="" been="" repeated.="" i="" have="" since="" quit="" gluten="" and="" most="" recently="" dairy...so="" i'd="" like="" that="" re-done="" to="" see="" how="" i'm="" doing.="" when="" i="" told="" my="" gp="" that="" i="" was="" following="" a="" protocol="" and="" needed="" the="" readings="" as="" a="" guide="" he="" became="" very="" willing="" to="" help="" me="" and="" printed="" out="" my="" results="" then="" and="" i="" just="" got="" the="" older="" ones="" off="" him="" too...so="" now="" i="" have="" a="" much="" better="" picture="" and="" a="" sense="" of="" control="" and="" direction="" with="" this="" protocol.="" the="" iodine="" thing="" seems="" to="" be="" major="" and="" there="" is="" a="" lot="" of="" conflicting="" advice.="" i="" like="" the="" strategy="" i'm="" being="" offered="" which="" is="" that="" until="" i="" can="" get="" my="" tsh="" below="" 1.00="" ...that="" its="" wise="" to="" avoid="" iodine...as="" its="" so="" inflammatory="" so="" avoiding="" it="" strictly...even="" in="" supplements...and="" i've="" found="" an="" iodine-free="" company="" in="" scotland="" ...is="" what="" i'm="" doing...except="" am="" still="" using="" himalayan="" salt...oh="" dear...maybe="" i'll="" use="" celtic="" instead="" til="" i="" have="" a="" lower="">

      so i was way over!! but the test hasn't been repeated. i have since quit gluten and most recently dairy...so i'd like that re-done to see how i'm doing.

      when i told my gp that i was following a protocol and needed the readings as a guide he became very willing to help me and printed out my results then and i just got the older ones off him too...so now i have a much better picture and a sense of control and direction with this protocol.

      the iodine thing seems to be major and there is a lot of conflicting advice. i like the strategy i'm being offered which is that until i can get my tsh below 1.00 ...that its wise to avoid iodine...as its so inflammatory so avoiding it strictly...even in supplements...and i've found an iodine-free company in scotland ...is what i'm doing...except am still using himalayan salt...oh dear...maybe i'll use celtic instead til i have a lower reading.>

    • suzanne00
      suzanne00 marey

      Posted

      Hi Marey--It's great that you are giving it a go with quitting dairy and gluten. I just listened to a podcast which again directly implicates gluten in Hashimoto's (and dairy can have a similar effect). Apparently tissue transglutaminase is an enzyme that is hijacked by bad bacteria to evade detection in their biofilms--oh, I can't remember it all, but eliminating gluten is an important part of the picture!  I'm guessing that your diet changes, along with lowering carbs, will have a big effect on reducing antibodies. I hope that your doctor continues to monitor! xxxxxx  --Suzanne
    • marey
      marey suzanne00

      Posted

      thank you suzanne....am beginning to feel i have a plan . it'd be nice if you'd like to follow too louli...suzanne is way ahead of us! xx
  • Louli7
    Louli7 marey

    Posted

    Thanks Suzanne and Marey for letting me join your discussion, it was very interesting. Let me know how you get on. Am worried about being on 100mcg of levothyroxine as I am quite small but that is all that is offered so am interested in alternative approaches.
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