Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: renee on December 07, 2014, 07:13:12 PM
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just wondered if anyone takes both HRT and Levothyroxine?
Im on both and often wonder if my symptoms are related to either both or either one....to be honest I get confused and wonder if anyone on both of these meds have any tips on when best to take the meds etc
Thank you 🎄🎅
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Hi Renee
I take HRT and levothyroxin I recently changed about three weeks ago to taking it in the evening,as I was so fed up with trying to avoid milk tea iron tabs etc,so I now take it at 9.30pm and my other med at 10.30pm which I am currently gradually reducing. It stops you snacking in the evening as you shouldn't eat Choc etc too near taking it.
I can't say I notice any difference, except now I don't wake up and take it at 4.30 am( thankfully).
It is difficult to know what symptoms are causing what, I have ms too, and I struggle what symptoms do you get?
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Hi Smokey,
I take my thyroxine when I get up....about 30 mins before my breakfast. Didn't know you couldn't take milk, iron tabs etc around the time of taking it. Oops!! I take an iron supplement. I then take my HRT about a few hours later but thinking of spacing out the tabs a bit more.
I had to increase my HRT 10 days ago but still feel awful....tired, insomnia, IBS symptoms, itchy, hot etc. Im just waiting for my surgery to open as I need to speak to my Doc. Something's not right.....it sure is a long journey!!
You must be feeling it at times especially having MS too.....❤️
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I have been taking thyroxine and using various forms of HRT for 21 years now.
I always take the thyroxine in the morning about 30 mins before breakfast, with water. My reasoning, apart from being instructed to do so, is that water and an empty stomach enable it to get round the system and be digested and absorbed by the body easier.
As I have been on HRT patches and now on local application Vagifem, which allegedly does not get in the system, timing has never been an issue.
Although I have read reports that there may be a link between the two medications and potential adverse combinations, I have never experienced any problem whatsoever in using both.
For me, it has all been a very straightforward experience.
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I don't use HRT but my endocrinologist advised me many years ago that thyroxine is fully absorbed on an empty stomch and not eat for 1 hour after taking. Also leave at least 4 hours before any supplement like iron, calcium, St John's Wort etc.
I take it when I wake at 7.30, tea at 8.30 and supplements after dinner at 6.30. My levels have stayed more stable since I do this schedule :)
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Thanks everyone....took my throxine when I got up...waited 4 hours then took HRT...waited 4 hours then took my iron and starflower oil, usually I took them all within an hour.
Going to continue this as my thinking before was just get them all down my throat asap....maybe not a good way. 🎅🎄
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I too am on both but use patches for HRT. The thyroxine stopped nearly all the palpitations which was a huge relief . :D
I have had no adverse reactions, experimented with thyroxine before bed and first thing in morning and for me the morning routine as soon as I get up seems to work best.
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Hi renee
I don't take thyroxine but I did read a paper suggesting that oral oestrogen can affect thyroid medication meaning you need more of one of them - can't remember which.
....just looked it up.....
This is from my notes - sorry I didn't bookmark the reference but could look for it if you wanted?
My notes say - oral oestrogen/HRT raises the circulating levels of thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) therefore incrreasing the bound fraction and decreasing the free ( bio-active) fraction of circulating thyroxin (T4). Therefore oral oestrogen/HRT may increase the T4 requirements of women being treated for primary hypothyroidism. I have noted that transdermal HRT does not effect TBG levels and would not be expected to alter thyroid function and therefore may be preferable for wmen on HRT and thyroid treatment.
This was one paper and I don't know if this is accepted scientific/medical consensus.
Just also found this on this website about thyroid and HRT:
Thyroid disease
Hyperthyroidism, due to either overactive thyroid gland or over-replacement of thyroxine in under active thyroid disease, leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis due to excess bone loss. Consideration should therefore be given to screening for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have a history of hyperthyroidism and offering bone protective measures. HRT does not worsen thyroid disease and in fact may be particularly helpful because of the bone protective effect. However, patients taking thyroxine should be monitored by having thyroid function rechecked 3 months after starting HRT since the thyroxine dose may need to be adjusted. Similarly, thyroxine requirements may alter if HRT is stopped and thyroid function should be rechecked 3 months after stopping HRT [ref 26].
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossT
Hope this helps!
Hurdity x
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Aww thank you Huridty....that's so nice of you to take the time to type up all this information....❤️
I used to get my thyroid bloods done once a year but since being on HRT I tend to get them done more....I think they were checked just a few months ago and were fine. Brain fog so I will phone the surgery to make sure.
Thank you again xxxx
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Hi Renee
I think I posted before about trying to take thyroid at start of day and hrt at the end of day (maybe I just thought it lol) or vice versa.
Give your body time to process each separately. ::)
Hope you get some relief soon.
:-*
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Hi Peegeetip,
After reading your post from a few days ago Iv left a 4 hour gap between thyroxine then HRT then vitamins.
Thank you....means a lot ❤️
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I take my thyroxine with with my cup of tea when I wake up. I leave at least 30 mins before I eat. Don't take vitamins until the afternoon. I am on HRT patches. Never had any problems. The doctor told my if took thyroxine at night it would interrupt my sleep.
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Sounds like you got it right littleminnie....Im learning too but not fast enough to keep up with my hormones!!! Haha 😬😬
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So can you take the thyroxine with tea... I used to but stopped as I read it had to be with water and I hate water lol...so I tend to forget about it, it worked well with the tea though :)
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I personally see nothing that can be wrong with taking thyroxine with tea - surely it is the fact that it is a fluid which gets it round the system quickly which matters.
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Well someone stated in an earlier post that you should avoid having milk with it & I have milk in my tea, so was not sure... :-\
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calcium or products containing calcium are best not taken with thyroxine as the calcium can bind to the thyroxine so inhibiting the absorbtion. As milk contains calcium it is best not taken within 4 hours of thyroxine. Hope that helps :)
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I am continuing taking my thyroxine in the morning, washed down with a glass of water and a cup of tea (with milk) usually about half an hour before breakfast.
Breakfast for me is usually porridge with milk, followed by a cup of tea, again with milk. And mid morning, so often within 4 hours of taking my thyroxine, I often have a milky coffee.
I plan to continue this regime which has served me very well for 21+ years. We are all different and must do our own thing, but I'm afraid I take no notice of thoughts that we are not supposed to take it within so many hours of this or that unless it specifically comes from my GP or my pharmacist.
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Me too Scriv, I take mine with tea every morning (I take milk too). Done this for 23 years, never had a problem.
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sorry if I sounded know all, it wasn't my intention neither was it my own thoughts. I was just sharing what my endocrinologist advised me many years ago because Cassie had asked the question.
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Hey, no problem, babyjane - just responding to the theory and giving my own thoughts and experience, not arguing against you :)
But I am still sceptical, lol, but as ever, this is just my humble opinion based on my body and my personal experience of 21+ years.
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No problem Babyjane, it works for me but it's not to say that it would be the same for everyone.
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Hi yes I take 175 mg daily and just started hrt patches am nervous about it but have to try its a total nightmare with all the awful symptoms am only on a low dose of patches
Janine
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175mcg seems a very high dose, janine? I am only on 100mcg. I have been on 100 most of the time other than a spell at 125mcg when there were some dodgy 100s on the market.
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sometimes, especially with Hashimoto's when you don't make any of your own thyroxine naturally, the dose can need to be higher. If your thyroid still produces some thyroxine but needs a little help then the dose can be lower.
I am on T4/T3 combination therapy but before that I was on a very high dose of thyroxine. My T4/T3 combined make an equivalent dose of 125mcg, it has come down from an equivalent of 150 since a change of brand recently.
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Hi scriv yes I used to be on 200 I had my thyroid removed when I was 19 its very hard trying to deal with symptoms if menopause when thyroxine levels are working against it too xx
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Oh yes, janine - I can imagine. In your case your thyroxine is effectively complete replacement, isn't it? I experienced a dramatic decrease of thyroid function when I had an early menopause at aged 39. But the thyroid did continue to produce some of its own.
Apparently that is a common, but chicken and egg situation. No one seems really sure whether hypothyroidism causes early menopause, or whether the early menopause brings on the hypothyroidism.
Whatever, the result is not very nice for the sufferer when the both sets of hormones are playing up. :(
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Just to update everyone....my bloods to check my thyroid and iron levels came back fine, I had a full blood count done and it's fine!!
Im still feeling awful, insomnia has returned even though I'm now taking Doxepin!!
Tired, tearful and very dry skin. Hot and like a ****ly heat feeling at times....Im on 2 mg of Climagest and of course my 100mcg thyroxine. Iv spaced out my doses with a gap of 4 hours.
I didn't get a period last month inbetween the 1mg pack and now 2 mg of Climagest and Im supposed to. I have 9 days left of this pack and will wait and see if I get a period on the higher dose...if not then I will probably have to change HRT again.
Im going to ask about Femoston as Iv read a lot of positive comments about it on here.
Rant over....lol 🎅🎄⛄️⭐️❄️
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Sorry to hear this renee
If Climagest doesn't do the trick you might like to think of using a transdermal HRT - partly because of the greater consistency in dosage, and because thyroid medication is not thought to interfere with oestrogen as part of HRT when used transdermally, although it does when used orally meaning you need to adjust the dosage of HRT.
Hurdity x
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Aha, maybe that explains why i never had any problem with HRT and with thyroxine at the same time. I always used patches. x
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I always take my thyroxine after breakfast with a cup of tea while I am getting ready for work and then put on my Oestrogel - basically all in one hit. Has always worked just fine for me. I couldn't possibly take it and then wait for an hour, far too much rush in the morning.
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Im going to try Femoston when I finish this pack of Climagest....got 5 days left.
Im really hoping the Femoston helps me....if not then I will ask my doc about patches.
Thanks for all your helpful advice and comments ❤️