Levothyroxine has longer half-life, so a person would not have much effects if you miss one dose. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
The bottom line. Thyroid hormone medications replace thyroid hormone when your body doesn't have enough. Missing one dose of your thyroid medication is usually not a big deal. But missing multiple doses can lead to symptoms like feeling cold, tired, or constipated.
If you forget to take it
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's almost time for your next dose. In this case just skip the forgotten dose and take the next one at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses together to make up for a missed dose.
Levothyroxine will stay in your system for around 4 to 6 weeks. It takes longer for people with hypothyroidism to eliminate levothyroxine (closer to 6 weeks) than those with normal thyroid function. Levothyroxine contains a synthetic version of T4, one of two hormones produced by the thyroid.
In order for Synthroid to be effective, it should always be taken the same way every day. This is important because the amount of medicine you need is very precise. And even the way you take Synthroid can affect how much medicine your body is getting.
Take your medication as soon as you realized you forgot it. However, if you remember close within the time of taking your next dose, it may be best to skip it and resume your usual schedule. Keep in mind that the same rules apply for taking a missed dose at another time in the day.
Taking Your Thyroid Medication With Meals and Snacks
The synthetic thyroid hormone won't be absorbed properly unless you take it on an empty stomach and wait 45 to 60 minutes afterward before eating, Bianco says.
What can happen if I stop taking my thyroid medication? If you stop your thyroid medication abruptly, symptoms of hypothyroidism will likely return. If hypothyroidism is left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems. You may experience mood swings, irritability, and slowed thoughts.
The clinical significance of these changes remains to be determined. Overtreatment with this drug may cause an increase in heart rate, cardiac wall thickness, and cardiac contractility and may precipitate angina or arrhythmias, particularly in patients with cardiovascular disease and in elderly patients.
The studies proving this are not limited in numbers, they demonstrate an association between long-term levothyroxine therapy and increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and fractures.
Not taking your hypothyroid or hyperthyroid medication can cause undesirable, dangerous, and even life-threatening conditions, ranging from fatigue and changes in blood pressure to death.
While undertreatment with levothyroxine can lead to weight gain, overtreatment can result in weight loss as well as adverse effects including bone and muscle loss and heart problems, especially arrhythmias. Once the excess hormone is stopped (that is, the dose is adjusted downward), the weight is typically regained.
Do not suddenly stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely. Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you or your child are using this medicine.
Conclusions Levothyroxine taken at bedtime significantly improved thyroid hormone levels. Quality-of-life variables and plasma lipid levels showed no significant changes with bedtime vs morning intake. Clinicians should consider prescribing levothyroxine intake at bedtime.
For maximum and consistent absorption of levothyroxine the latest guidelines from the American Thyroid Association recommend if possible levothyroxine should be taken 60 minutes before breakfast or at bedtime (3 or more hours after the evening meal).
Introduction
The common clinical signs following thyroxine overdose can either be limited to tachycardia, agitation, nervousness, insomnia, anxiety, tremor [2], or severe features, though less likely, like thyroid storm involving cardiac, neurological, respiratory and thermoregulatory center [3].
Withdrawal and Overdose from Levothyroxine
Symptoms include rapid weight gain, depression, low energy, and dry skin. People who abuse levothyroxine may develop insulin resistance during withdrawal, which can trigger diabetes.
Your Guide To Thyroid Medication
However, people with subclinical (or mild) hypothyroidism who have heart problems do not always benefit from thyroid medication. Too much levothyroxine can lead to hyperthyroidism, which can exacerbate heart issues.
Common side effects of levothyroxine include heat intolerance, a fast heart rate, and diarrhea. More serious levothyroxine side effects are also possible. If you experience side effects like tremors or mood changes, talk to your healthcare provider as soon as you can.
IBSA Pharma Inc is voluntarily recalling more than 2 dozen lots of Tirosint-SOL (levothyroxine sodium) oral solution because the medication may be subpotent. The recall appeared in the March 1, 2023, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Enforcement Report.
Symptoms of thyroid storm include: Feeling extremely irritable or grumpy. High systolic blood pressure, low diastolic blood pressure, and fast heartbeat. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
In studies, coffee reduced the body's absorption of thyroid medications by about 30%. That's why experts recommend that you wait at least 60 minutes between drinking coffee and taking thyroid medication.
Food, dietary fibre and espresso coffee interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine. Malabsorptive disorders reported to affect the absorption of levothyroxine include coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lactose intolerance as well as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and atrophic gastritis.
The absorption of levothyroxine in the gut is decreased when taking the hormone at the same time as calcium, iron and some foods and other drugs. Because of this, patients are usually instructed to take levothyroxine on an empty stomach 30-60 minutes before food intake to avoid erratic absorption of the hormone.
Official answer. There is no warning or instruction about lying down after you take levothyroxine in the drug's detailed prescribing information. Unless your doctor gives you different directions, you can lie down after taking it.