Thyroid Medication Questions

It's me again, back with a different round of questions now that I'm on thyroid meds.

My doc put me on 25 mcg of Synthoid (generic something).

I took my first one yesterday and had a low grade headache all day.  Same thing so far today.  It also has me feeling a little jittery, if that's the right word.

Here's some things the pharmacist said.  Can you shed light on the validity of her statements?

I was told that it takes around 2 weeks to start to work. 

Wait an hour before taking my Protonix (PPI) or other medication.

I was told not to lay down for an hour after taking it, but I thought that I've read of people taking it in the middle of the night and going back to bed.

In my other thread, Randi told me that it can be taken in the morning or at night.  When do you take it?

What dose do you take?


I'm just curious about all of this.  I find that I get my best answers here when others share their own personal experience.

Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks thanks thanks!!  You all are the best!

I am on a low dose and take my thyroid medication in the AM. It usually needs to be taken an hour before any other medications (like iron, it doesn't like other med). Most physicians recommend taking it in the am, but since it is a once/day medication, taking in the PM would be okay (as long as it doesn't worsen your sleep.

As far as a headache and jitteriness, give it 2-3 weeks. Sometimes meds have initial side effects that diminish as time goes on and your body adjusts to the new med. If the symptoms don't decrease or worsen, contact your PCP

I take Armour thyroid 30 mg in the AM. When I was going to a medical weight management program outside of Kaiser, the physician put me on this formulation, because my TSH was above 3.0. I've been taking it for about 10 years.

I loved meeting you this afternoon!!  I am so excited about your upcoming surgery.

Thank you for all this good information about the thyroid meds.  I'm sure my side effects will settle down in a day or two.  It's nothing I can't live with.  I love feeling like my body may start running better!

Lee,it was wonderful to meet you this afternoon. You have been one of my exercise inspiration gurus. I hope that I can do half of what you do, once I recover and can exercise fully.

I'm excited about the surgery. I want my life back. Strange, WLS was never on my radar until my PCP recommended it, when I saw him in April. After being shocked, I started to do some research and the sleeve seemed like the way to go.  I'm not even that worried about the bougie size. The research isn't conclusive regarding the different sizes, so at this point, I'll go along with Kaiser's protoccol and conservative approach.

 Gail, WLS wasn't on my radar either until my PCP recommended it last October.  I went to orientation mid-November and had surgery 3 months later.  What a relief it's been to shed pounds with the hopes of keeping them off forever!

My PCP really helped me by recommending this surgery. I had orientation May 23, but had started following the plan during the 6 weeks before the meeting and had lost 9 lbs. The process has only been about 3 months for me, also. Started at 210, surgery goal was 190, and now I am at about 182. I am only 4'11, so there is a tiny person in there somewhere. I hope to meet her. This surgery is the best chance that I have of getting to a normal BMI and getting rid of the dang sleep apnea machine.

There is new research out that states that synthroid can actually work better if taken at night on an empty stomach but that doesnt' work for Armour because Armour is a combination of Synthoid and Cytomel and cytomel has to be taken in the morning or it will keep you from sleeping.  When I took synthroid by itself I took it at bedtime but now I take both synthroid and cytomel, so I take them both in the morning.

Thank you so much for the information. I learn so much from other people on this site. I didn't know that Armour thyroid had cytomel in it. I only take 30mg, so that it a low dose.

I am certainly not an expert since I was just newly diagnosed also and have been taking it for about 3 months.  In fact, next week I go for my blood tests to recheck my level and then see my family doctor again.

But, I was told that I can get up about an hour or so before I actually need to be awake and take my medication, then go back to bed.  That way, when I do get up for the day I can eat right away or have my coffee without interfering with the medication.  So apparently some pharmacists and doctors believe it is okay to take it and then lay back down (or sleep). 

I was also told to take it in the morning, but if it bothered me I could take it at night.  The preference was for morning, but night was okay too. 

This is a great question and I look forward to the input from others as well. 

 Hi Linda,

I'm really glad to read that you can go back to sleep after taking the meds.  I generally am awake once I open my eyes, but I do love reading in bed on the weekends.

I love that we get so much help here on OH when we have questions.  Thanks for chiming in!