How long for hypothyroidism medicine to work

It is important that you take your medication exactly as prescribed and not miss any doses as well as maintain routine checkups with your primary health care provider.

Your doctor will monitor your thyroid stimulating hormone TSH levels about 6 to 8 weeks after you begin therapy and make any necessary dosage adjustments when warranted. If your dose needs to be adjusted, you will require more labs to check your TSH levels.

Once you are at a stable dose, your doctor will typically require you to have blood tests repeated in 6 months, and then once a year after that. While hypothyroidism cannot be prevented, you can lead a normal and productive life if you take your medicine as prescribed. Some important things to remember once you start taking thyroid hormone medication include 3,4 :. Take your thyroid medication and these medications at least 4 hours apart. Excessive amounts of thyroid hormone can cause various adverse effects which include palpitations, rapid weight loss, restlessness or shakiness, sweating, and insomnia.

Patient Education Center Web site. Accessed November 10, Here are some potential pros to taking nighttime levothyroxine:. One study, reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in , examined the impact on thyroid hormone blood tests after changing the timing of when levothyroxine was taken from early morning to bedtime. In all the patients, TSH decreased and free thyroxine T4 levels rose by changing thyroxine ingestion from early morning to bedtime.

Triiodothyronine T3 levels rose in all but one subject. Interestingly, TSH decreased irrespective of the starting TSH levels, suggesting better absorption of the thyroid medication when taken in the evening. Taking your thyroid medication at nighttime may be challenging for the following reasons:. If you do take a T3 drug, your healthcare provider may recommend a time-released or sustained release formulation, or splitting your dose and taking your medication several times throughout the day.

These approaches may minimize any sleep interference. In the end, the key to optimizing your thyroid health is to maintain consistency, taking your thyroid pill around the same time and in the same way each day. Your body won't able to absorb enough medication.

Your symptoms—fatigue, constipation, dry skin, brittle nails, and so forth—should diminish within a few days. However, it will take from four to eight weeks for your TSH blood levels to reflect the effectiveness of your medication. Your endocrinologist likely will test your blood six to eight weeks after you start treatment or begin taking a different dose. Dairy products and coffee both have been found to prevent adequate absorption of levothyroxine.

Other foods that may interfere with the drug include soybeans, walnuts, and foods that are high in fiber. Grapefruit and grapefruit also may be problematic. Losing weight with thyroid disease can be a struggle. Our thyroid-friendly meal plan can help. Sign up and get yours free! This is because there may be variation in hormone content among thyroid medications. Hormones matter, and so could weight changes. Hypothyroidism is five to eight times as likely to occur in women as men, according to the ATA.

And some life changes that women experience — like pregnancy — can require a dose change. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. By Julie H. Reviewed: February 1, Never stop taking your medications without guidance from your healthcare provider. Last updated October 9, Written by Andrea Peirce. Disclaimer If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider.

What is the thyroid? Vitals Hormone replacement medication can effectively treat underactive thyroid hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine brand name Synthroid is the most commonly used synthetic thyroid hormone replacement.

It takes time for your body to adjust to thyroid medication, and it may take weeks for you to feel better after starting the drug—everyone responds differently. Food and Drug Administration FDA has issued a Black box warning for levothyroxine: Do not use thyroid hormones, like levothyroxine, for weight loss or to treat obesity.

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