Frequently Asked Questions

Taking calcium with thyroid hormone

 

Synthroid/Levothyroxine

Calcium can be taken with other medications, with a few exceptions, most notably thyroid hormone pills. Do not take calcium at the same time as thyroid hormone because it can affect the absorption of the thyroid hormone. If you take levothyroxine, Synthroid, Armour, or any other form of thyroid hormone, wait 4 hours before or after taking the thyroid pill before you take the calcium pill. Taking calcium at the same time will mean that your body won’t receive the full dose of the thyroid hormone.

Really, is it that serious?

We have learned that it is just fine if we break this rule during the first two weeks of the operation when you are taking lots of calcium pills, so don’t worry about this for the first two weeks. But long term be sure to separate these by at least 4 hours.

If you are getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, this would be a good time to take your thyroid pill.

Other medications that can interfere with calcium

Other medications that should not be taken at the same time as calcium are: ciprofloxacin or other “-floxacin” antibiotics (wait 1 hour), tetracycline antibiotics (wait 4 hours), bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel) (wait 1 hour). This list is not definitive, and if you have questions about any of your medications and its interaction with calcium, please ask your physician.

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