Hypothyroidism , orunderactive thyroid , is a experimental condition in which the thyroid gland gland does not produce or secrete the amount of thyroid gland hormone the body pauperism .
The goal of hypothyroidism treatment is to supercede thethyroid hormonethat you are not able to produce . This assist you feelmore energizedand back to your normal self , saysAntonio Bianco , MD , PhD , a prof of medicine at the University of Chicago .
After you ’re diagnosed with hypothyroidism , your healthcare provider will likely prescribe a man-made endocrine that helps stabilise yourthyroid levels , Dr. Bianco says . But there are some rule of thumb for taking the medicament that you call for to know about .
Here ’s how to avoid the most vernacular hypothyroidism medication mistakes .
1. Taking Your Thyroid Medication With Meals and Snacks
The synthetic thyroid internal secretion wo n’t be absorbed properly unless you take it on an empty stomach and wait 45 to 60 second afterward before eating , Bianco says .
The simplest fashion to accomplish this is to take your thyroid medicament first matter in the morning time — but take note that your break of the day coffee can also impair thyroid gland hormone preoccupation , so it ’s best to wait 45 moment before drinking coffee . Bianco says he has patients who set an alarm for 5 ante meridiem , take the medication , and go back to sleep to ensure they ’re taking it on an empty stomach . If you choose to take your thyroid medicament at night , it ’s significant that you do n’t eat on for four hour before strike it .
2. Combining Your Synthetic Thyroid Hormone With Other Medication
Just as there should n’t be food for thought in your abdomen when you take your hypothyroidism medicine , it ’s also important to avoid take sure other medications at the same metre .
Specifically , alkaliser , atomic number 20 , cholesterol - lowering drugs , branding iron supplements , and some multivitamin pill ( including most prenatal vitamin ) can interfere with the way the thyroid gland internal secretion is draw . So you should take these particular medication and supplements four hours before or after take your thyroid medicinal drug , consort toMedlinePlus . Most other medications can typically be consider 45 minutes to an hr after your hypothyroidism treatment , Bianco says .
3. Starting or Stopping Other Medication Without Talking to Your Doctor
Some medicine will affect the elbow room your thyroid hormone works in the body , includingbirth ascendance pills , estrogen , testosterone , seizure drugs , and some antidepressant medications , according to theAmerican Thyroid Association ( ATA ) . That does n’t entail you ca n’t take these other drug — but if you do , verify your doctor is aware . It will likely just take some trial run and mistake to find the effective dose of thyroid hormone you ’ll postulate as a result , Bianco says . as well , any time you discontinue require these drugs or make any change , your thyroid gland internal secretion dose may need to be adjusted , and you should see your health care supplier then , too .
4. Assuming a Change in Medication Brand Isn’t a Big Deal
Per the ATA , every sword and generic thyroid medicinal drug incorporate the same amount of thyroid gland replacing endocrine . However , many endocrinologists conceive that there is a variation in endocrine subject matter among the various brands , and there are extra factors that can step in with how the internal secretion is suck with each one , mention the ATA . Therefore , when getting a prescription medicine filled at the pharmacy , you should not shift from one brand to another , from a brand name name to a generic , or from one generic to another without first checking with your doctor . To help ensure this , mark that your tablets are always the same shape when you get a refill from the pharmacy .
5. Taking Too Much Thyroid Hormone and Thinking It’s Harmless
The synthetic thyroid endocrine T4 is comparatively good , and you should n’t care if you accidentally take an surplus Zen , Bianco sound out . But taking an excessive amount could have side effects — it can make you finger timeworn , affect your sleep and concentration , direct to pearl personnel casualty , or cause an irregular heartbeat , according to theCleveland Clinic . If you take combination therapy , which contains both T4 and T3 , the medicinal drug needs to be take on the button as prescribed , as taking too much can be life-threatening . The ATAnotes that potential side issue of lease too much combining therapy include a hasten impulse , anxiousness , trouble sleep , and problems with your heart and bones . Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you unintentionally take more than prescribed .
6. Inconsistently Taking Your Prescribed Thyroid Medication
For your thyroid gland medication to work right , you need to take it on a regular basis and systematically . Skipping doses , taking your medication in the morning one day and in the eve the next , or take it with food some days and on an empty abdomen other days can feign how the medication is absorbed . You should take the right dose of thyroid medication at the same time , and in the same way , every Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , according to the ATA . Use a pillbox or set an alarm on your phone if you ask helper remember to take your contraceptive pill . If you do overlook a dosage of your thyroid medication , take the missed dose as soon as you remember , advises the ATA . But if it ’s almost time for your next Elvis , double up the next day because the life of the medication is long in the trunk , notes the ATA .
7. Overindulging on Certain Foods, Which Can Also Affect How Your Thyroid Meds Work
For the most part , you should n’t have problem with most foods if you expect at least 45 minutes after taking your thyroid medication before you eat up . But if you do n’t hold off long enough , certain foodsmay impair soaking up of the hypothyroid medication more than others , saysDeena Adimoolam , MD , a specializer in endocrinology , diabetes , and metabolism with Summit Health in Clifton , New Jersey . That includes foods that are high in calcium , such as milk , cheese , yoghourt , Brassica oleracea acephala , and spinach .
Eating a fortune of soybean has also been thought to spoil the absorption of thyroid hormone , but areview of studiesnoted that it ’s not necessary for most masses with thyroid disease to avoid soy foods because medicament dosage can be adjusted accordingly , if necessary . If you eat up about the same amount of Glycine max every day , your healthcare supplier has probably found the right Elvis of thyroid gland hormone to subvert soybean plant ’s burden . So just be certain to stay consistent with your soy sauce ingestion .
8. Not Talking to Your Doctor Before Taking Supplements
Your healthcare provider should know about anysupplementsyou take because they may affect your hypothyroidism treatment — particularly iodin . While I is substantive for your body to produce thyroid endocrine , the vast majority of people in the United States get enough iodin from nutrient and water alone , Dr. Adimoolam says . Because taking too much I can cause thyroid hormone levels to go too high or too scurvy , it ’s best to avoid this accessory .
Additional reporting by Deb Shapiro .
Marie Suszynski is a Pennsylvania - based freelance wellness journalist who write authoritative taradiddle on a encompassing cooking stove of topics , including diabetes , arthritis , and more with a focus on highly detail , easy - to - follow tips to help reader transubstantiate their life . Her work has appeared in WebMD , Reader ’s Digest , andPrevention .
Suszynski is the coauthor ofBut I ’m Hungry ! 2 step to Beating Hunger and Losing Weight Foreverand has contributed to more than a dozen Prevention - branded books about diabetes , aliment , weight loss , and menopause(Prevention ’s Ultimate Women ’s Guide to Health and Wellness , Energy for Everything , Natural Hormone Solutions ) . She adjudge a master ’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University .
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