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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
On your phone and using a pillbox or medication organiser helpful. Not only do these help you remember to take your medication, they also ensure you receive your medication consistently. If you forget to take the occasional dose, it won’t make an immediate difference as your body has a big reservoir of levothyroxine. However, you should take the dose as soon as you remember and try not to miss doses too often.You won’t feel better immediatelyPeople often feel their levothyroxine is not working as they don’t feel better immediately after starting on their dose. This is because thyroxine is a slow-acting drug. So, it may take several months for your symptoms to reduce. If your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level was very high before starting treatment with levothyroxine, unfortunately, it may take longer for you to feel well again. Remember, if you have had a change of dose, it may also take a little while for you to feel the benefits so a little patience is required. For this reason, blood tests are not usually offered until three months after starting/changing your dose as your thyroxine levels will still be adjusting. Usually, your TSH will be measured every three months until the level has stabilised and then every 12 months after that.Be aware of certain foods and drinkCaffeine can stop your body absorbing levothyroxine properly so it does not work as well. So, you should wait at least 30 minutes before having a drink containing caffeine, such as tea or coffee. Certain calcium-rich foods and soya are also known to inhibit the absorption of levothyroxine. These should be consumed at least four hours apart from taking levothyroxine. Kelp is very rich in iodine and should be avoided altogether. Nori, the form of seaweed found in sushi, is fine though. Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, kale etc.), on the other hand, are OK to eat in moderation. Whilst they may contribute to the formation of a goitre, you would need to eat them in huge quantities, and generally in their raw state, to have an impact on the thyroid.You may feel better on some brands than othersLevothyroxine is made by several manufacturers and your pharmacy may not always supply you with the same brand. Some people report feeling better on one brand than another. The reasons for this are unclear although it might relate to the different fillers and bulking agents used by the different manufacturers. You can look up the list of ingredients in each UK licensed levothyroxine brand on the Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC) (see link at end of article) or ask your pharmacy to help. If you do experience persistent problems when switching between brands, the revised UK Medicines and
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