Synthroid Levothyroxine Sodium: Side Effects, Uses, Dosage, Interactions, Warnings

Closely monitor blood pressure and heart rate in these patients. Administer SYNTHROID at least 4 hours before or after drugs known to interfere with SYNTHROID absorption see DRUG INTERACTIONS. Your provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

Monitoring TSH And/Or Thyroxine (T Levels

Beta-blockers (preferably propranolol) are the preferred treatment modality. Early gastric lavage, glucocorticoids, and cholestyramine are also effective options. Activated charcoal and hemodialysis have no role in levothyroxine overdose. Therapeutic recommendations are made based only in the review of the available literature concerning a relatively large number of patients, most of them children.

Sodium Ipodate (oral cholecystographic agent) has also been used for blocking the conversion of LT4 to T3, but it is no longer generally available. Cholestyramine, an ion-exchange resin (Questran ®), can be administered in the usual dose of 4 grams every 8 hours orally. Closely monitor infants during the first 2 weeks of SYNTHROID therapy for cardiac overload and arrhythmias. Concurrent use of ketamine and SYNTHROID may produce marked hypertension and tachycardia.

• Levothyroxine should not be used to treat obesity or weight problems.
• Hypersensitivity reactions to inactive ingredients have occurred in patients treated with thyroid hormone products.
• Because of the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease among the elderly, initiate SYNTHROID at less than the full replacement dose see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS.
• Studies to evaluate mutagenic potential and animal fertility have not been performed.
• Admit all symptomatic patients and place them on cardiac monitoring.

CLINICAL CASES

If you become pregnant while taking Synthroid, do not stop taking the medicine without your doctor’s advice. Having low thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Hemoperfusion using activated charcoal is a rather complicated procedure but has been reported to be highly effective in decreasing total serum levels. It should be reserved for adult patients with severe intoxication by very large doses of thyroxine and the same applies to plasmapheresis which has been seldom used. Monitor for cardiac arrhythmias during surgical procedures in patients with coronary artery disease receiving suppressive SYNTHROID therapy.

• Levothyroxine is a synthetic version of the main hormone of the thyroid gland, known as thyroxine (T4).
• Thyroid hormones, including SYNTHROID, either alone or with other therapeutic agents, should not be used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss.
• Circulating thyroid hormones are greater than 99% bound to plasma proteins, including thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), thyroxine-binding prealbumin (TBPA), and albumin (TBA), whose capacities and affinities vary for each hormone.
• Soybean flour, cottonseed meal, walnuts, and dietary fiber may bind and decrease the absorption of SYNTHROID from the gastrointestinal tract.
• Concurrent use of tyrosine-kinase inhibitors such as imatinib may cause hypothyroidism.

Check with your physician for additional information about side effects. Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above. This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standard and informed written consent was taken from patient for publication of this case report.

What Are Side Effects of Synthroid?

Myxedema coma is a life-threatening emergency characterized by poor circulation and hypometabolism and may result in unpredictable absorption of levothyroxine sodium from the gastrointestinal tract. Use of oral thyroid hormone drug products is not recommended to treat myxedema coma. Administer thyroid hormone products formulated for intravenous administration to treat myxedema coma. About four in 100 people in the United States have hypothyroidism 1. Levothyroxine is the first-line drug for the treatment of hypothyroidism 2.

NP Thyroid is used for hashimoto’s disease, hypothyroidism, after thyroid removal, thyroid cancer … Euthyrox (levothyroxine) is used to treat hypothyroidism and to treat or prevent goiter. Levothyroxine injection is used in adults to treat myxedema coma. A portion of the conjugated hormone reaches the colon unchanged and is eliminated in the feces. Long-term carcinogenicity studies in animals to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of levothyroxine have not been performed.

Many drugs can inhibit Synthroid’s adsorption by the body; other medications may increase or decrease its effectiveness once it is adsorbed. Providing a complete list of medications to the doctor will help with getting the correct dose established for each individual patient. Consumption of certain foods and beverages such as soybean flour, cotton seed meal, walnuts, grapefruit juice, coffee, and dietary fiber can decrease the absorption of levothyroxine. These interactions can be avoided if levothyroxine is taken at least 30–60 minutes before consuming any of these foods and beverages. It’s generally safe to drinkalcohol as long as the alcohol is not consumed at the same time as the levothyroxine dose. Do not store the crushed tablet/water mixture and do not administer it mixed with foods that decrease absorption of levothyroxine, such as soybean-based infant formula.

• The general aim of therapy is to normalize the serum TSH level.
• The signs and symptoms of overdosage are those of hyperthyroidism see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and Adverse Reactions.
• Since postpartum TSH levels are similar to preconception values, the SYNTHROID dosage should return to the pre-pregnancy dose immediately after delivery see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.
• Sodium Ipodate (oral cholecystographic agent) has also been used for blocking the conversion of LT4 to T3, but it is no longer generally available.
• In euthyroid patients, doses within the range of daily hormonal requirements are ineffective for weight reduction.

Intravenous levothyroxine

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal on request. Patients most frequently are treated on an outpatient basis if good follow-up can be guaranteed and psychiatric evaluation is not required. When symptoms develop, beta blockade may be initiated and titrated to response.

Drug-Food Interactions

Pseudotumor cerebri and slipped capital femoral epiphysis have been reported in pediatric patients receiving levothyroxine therapy. SYNTHROID is indicated in adult and pediatric patients, including neonates, as an adjunct to surgery and radioiodine therapy in the management of thyrotropin-dependent well-differentiated thyroid cancer. SYNTHROID is indicated in adult and pediatric patients, including neonates, as a replacement therapy in primary (thyroidal), secondary synthroid mucus (pituitary), and tertiary (hypothalamic) congenital or acquired hypothyroidism.