My Synthroid Saga
For more about synthroid, click here.
I started Synthroid about a month ago. Doing the keto diet has helped my Hashimoto’s tremendously; but it wasn’t enough to lower my thyroid antibodies. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m determined to continue exploring various strategies to optimize my health and well-being.
I did extensive research on synthroid before deciding to take the lowest dose (25 mcg). I wanted to start out slowly and increase the dosage as needed. I have read too many horror stories of people who were started on too high of a dose and had all kinds of issues. Fortunately, I have a doctor who was willing to listen and agree that a low dose was the right decision for me.
The funny thing about synthroid is that you have to take it a certain way, in order for the medication to get into your bloodstream in a steady dose. You have to either take it at least one hour before eating, or two hours after. So I asked myself, should I take it in the morning, or at night? Taking it in the morning was all about just what time to take it. Taking it at night presented a different issue; I take antacids, so I would have to take the medication four hours before or after taking them. It’s a bit of a pickle. I am retired, so I don’t get up at the same time every day. I take my antacids at 9:30pm and 12 pm. So taking the medication at night was out. Daytime it was.
At first, I took it at 9 AM, as I usually sleep until 9:30. But then I had to wait to drink my coffee and eat breakfast, which was kind of a bummer. So I started taking it when I woke up. But I wake up at different times every day; 6:30 AM, then 7:30 AM, then 8:30. and so on. I was worried that the time gap in taking the pill would cause there to be too much or too little medication in my system.
Then, I decided to set an alarm to wake me up at the same time each morning to take the pill. I set my alarm for 7:30 AM, thinking I could just go back to sleep. Each morning when the alarm jarred me out of a deep sleep, I stumbled to the bathroom, took the pill, and went back to bed. There was one problem; the pill makes me very alert within about ten minutes of taking it. Which meant I could not get back to sleep. Ugh! Besides, who likes an alarm to jar them awake? I had enough of that for all of the years I had to work. I’m retired! This was not going to work. I also woke up before the alarm on some mornings, and then turned it off, forgetting to turn it back on. Okay, enough with this! There has to be another solution.
So I’ve decided to take the synthroid with my other medications after breakfast. I will now get up at 9:00 AM, eat breakfast, and take all of my pills two hours later. I am hoping that this will solve this problem.
I want to stay on the medication. It is doing me a lot of good. For the first two weeks of taking the medication, I didn’t see much in the way of changes. But I am starting to see some now:
- I am definitely more alert
- My brain fog has all but disappeared
- My digestion had improved tremendously (My IBS is much better)
- I have more energy
- My weight loss is slowed, but I am not concentrating on it for now
Synthroid definitely has its benefits. It has thrown me for a bit of a loop, but I think it will take some time to find the right way and time to take it. Stay tuned for updates.
Writer, blogger and 60 something housewife who is exploring the keto diet. Follow me on my journey of discovery. View all posts by Janice Schroeder
Originally published at https://fromcarbstoketo.com on July 5, 2024.
