I have been a type 1 Diabetic for almost 8 years now. About a year ago I was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease. I have been put on levothyroxin since then. I have been terrible at taking my medicine for hashimotos and was wondering if that could lead to my depression/ recent body changes. Thanks!
Yes, a lack of thyroxin can lead to depression and other symptoms. For adequate treatment of Hashimotos and other forms of hypothyroidism it is important to get the right dose of levothyroxine. Finding the right dose is tricky, since small changes can have an effect. In a certain way it’s just like diabetes, in case you take a bit too much or a bit too little of the drug some adverse effect will occur.
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I keep my thyroxine next to the bed. Since you need to take it on an empty stomach and without other meds, I take it in the middle of the night when I inevitably wake up. I put the bottle upside down and put it right side up after I take my pill, so when I really wake up and wonder if I just dreamed taking it, I can look at the bottle and tell. On the rare occasion that I haven’t woken up at 3-4am, I just take the pill as soon as I wake up and wait an hour before eating. It’s worked so far, and really does make you feel much happier and clear minded.
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Try not to think of it as a medicine. It’s really a hormone replacement and it is as necessary as insulin which is also a hormone! I have had Hashi’s for 20 years. I take my dosage first thing in the morning and I chew the tablet so that it dissolves much faster. I confess, I go ahead and drink my morning coffee within minutes. I have followed the manufacturer’s recommendation of waiting for an hour but it has not changed my lab results. I am not recommending this for you, but it works for me.
You should be tested every six weeks until you see stable lab results. So, get back on track! Get re-tested as a lot can change in a year!
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I was told by my original endo way back when I started on thyroid meds that it didn’t matter if I ate or drank coffee at the same time as I took my thyroid meds, as long as I always took it the same way. Thus, the dose would be adjusted to accommodate my eating / coffee drinking or otherwise habits.
BTW, make sure you do not take your thyroid meds the morning of your blood draw to test thyroid levels (it can artificially elevate your hormone levels), take your thyroid medicine after the blood draw.
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I didn’t know this! I’ll have to remember this and see if it changes anything’
This has been my experience, also. Due to some very terrible sleep problems related to my fibromyalgia, my dosing schedule was all over the place at one point. It actually got so bad that I had to cut my metformin dose in half because I’d end up taking my pills too close together and having gastric issues from those also.
Getting up, taking a pill, and then waiting 30-45 minutes before eating just wasn’t particularly doable for me due to my Dawn Phenomenon anyway. My blood sugar starts rising the minute I get out of bed and could easily go up 30-50 points during that time - or at least not come down at all, even with a small bolus, if I don’t eat.
The solution has been for me to take my Levothyroxine at night, right along with all my other meds. I take it at a consistent time, in a consistent way, at the same time I take my basal insulin shot. My doctor simply adjusted the dose accordingly. Am I taking a slightly higher dose than I might otherwise be? Possibly - but the dose I’m on costs me the same as a lower dose would, and my body’s clearly only going to absorb a certain amount under the circumstances its taken in. And it means a great deal more convenience, less insulin to cover my DP, and peace of mind for me.
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