Bloating - Levothyroxine

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi I currently take 75mg daily but experience terrible upper abdomen bloating. Does anyone else have this problem. I take first thing on a morning and drink coffee with milk within 30 mins. I have been reading this may not be the correct thing to do?  Is there any altenative to Levothyroxine? Thank you

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Lucy. Unfortunately calcium interferes with the absorption ofsynthetic thyroxine, and also food already in the stomach. Most of us find it is much better to take our meds just before bed, at least 2 hoursafter food, and especially 2 hours away from anything with calcium, (so unfortunately no before bed cocoa.) You will find your meds have much better contact with your stomach lining, have longer time to absorb, and by the morning have got to their optimum in your system, helping youwake far more naturally. By the time they are at their farthest wane, it is time for bed and you start again.

    Because there is better absorption, you will find that your levels of TSH will change, so it will be worth telling your doc if you start having difficulties sleeping, (I certainly found my sleep much better, but somehave the opposite probs,) as your dose MAY need changing.

    Unfortunately Levothyroxine is the only med we are allowed on the NHS, without an absolute fight and a Dr willing to put their head above the parapet, due to edict of the head endocrinologist in this country, who has put all docs under warning on this issue.

  • Posted

    If you carry on getting bloating or pain, tell your doc, but DON'T acceptany meds to deal with the problem with calcium in it, or you will be right back to square one.
  • Posted

    Hi Lucy

    The alternative is called natural desiccated thyroid.

    I had bloating when I was on synthetic, also, among many, many other problems

  • Posted

    Ok thanks got appointment with Dr this morning
  • Posted

    I wish I knew how to help you. There is no monetary gain in natural desiccated thyroid because it cannot be patented. I had a problem here in the US getting any doc to discuss or prescribe natural, so I looked up when was Synthroid created and there was an article about Synthroid and FDA....very interesting. Then I looked up why doctors won't prescribe natural desiccated thyroid and that's when the fun starts. There is so much money involved, you then understand why. I'm considering buying a house so ppl from Europe can stay with me and get medical help here. It's not right

  • Posted

    Well that was a waste of time. going to do my bloods again, asked if they could be done in next two days as I go away Wednesday for 2 weeks & I thought at least if any adjustment needed i could be on adjusted medication. no full up, wait til I come back. try windeze and gave me prescription for acid tablets
    • Posted

      Lucy, I feel your pain. I have been through 8 doctors, most were useless to me and all told me the same thing. Your lab work is fine, it's not what I am prescribing you.

      Try stopping any and all gluten (do the research). Stop using all artificial sweeteners. Example, if you want icr cream, check the ingredients. If there are words you can't pronounce, don't eat it. Find the one with milk, cream, sugar. Nothing artificial.

      Levoxythroxine only provides you with one thing T4. There are 5-8 more Ts that your body needs that the thyroid produces and you are simply not getting from the synthetic product. I was taking gas-X and digestive enzymes and liquid (refrigerated is best) probiotics for 30 years, I suffered the entire time.

      My doctor put me on NDT, I kicked my Vitamin D above 50, got my T3 in the top 25 percentile of the reference range...quit gluten, artificial sweeteners, all the garbage, and I am a new person. All those symptoms and issues have gone....resolved. The T3 is the key. Do your own research, don't lose 30 years suffering as I did. Figure it out yourself, 95% of doctors will only give you synthetic, clearly your body is not accepting it. For me it never got better until I switched to natural thyroid replacement

  • Posted

    Some people cannot tolerate the fillers put into the tablets. Information on the packaging never refers to this medecine having possible 'side effects'. Instead if you experience any unpleasant symptoms, it is your fault, because you are either taking too little or too much. Ask your doctor to prescribe a different brand of levo, to see if that makes any difference. They are allowed to do that, apparently. 
  • Posted

    A lot of people are allergic to the fillers in Levothyroxine. It's a terrible feeling and there's only one thing to do - try something else.

    • Posted

      Totally agree. Acacia really griped my stomach which is a filler in some makes of levothyroxine. My pharmacist is brilliant and he changed it Almus which has no acacia. I am trying leaving out gluten also.

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