Synthroid or Levothyroxine in its generic form, is a a commonly used medication to treat Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid. Dr Hart-Pinto answers the most common questions on Levothyroxine (Synthroid) including:
Your doctor has prescribed levothyroxine to manage your underactive thyroid these medications are effective in controlling your symptoms providing you use them correctly so you’ll need to know how and when you should take your levothyroxine how long will you need to take your medication for and are there any potential side effects you need to look out for this
Week we’ll be answering the most frequently asked questions about your medication my name is dr hart pinto and in this series we aim to answer the important questions about your medications at jhp medical we make weekly information videos so if you find this video helpful subscribe click the notification bell and the like button to support us in helping you so
What is levothyroxine levothyroxine is a medication used to treat hypothyroidism more commonly known as underactive thyroid in this condition individuals produce inadequate amounts of the hormone thyroxine levothyroxine therefore acts to replace this missing hormone levothyroxine is not available over the counter and can only be obtained via prescription from
Your doctor a variety of medicinal preparations such as tablets and liquids are available and this medication is safe to use in pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers amongst hypothyroid children smaller doses guided by a pediatrician can be used who should not take levothyroxine you should avoid taking this medication if you’ve had a previous allergic reaction
To this type of medication you have an overactive thyroid where your thyroid already produces too much thyroid hormone and patients with conditions of the adrenal glands importantly liver thyroxine is not a suitable weight loss treatment if abused this medication can have serious and even life-threatening consequences if you’re seeking support with weight loss
Please consult with your regular family doctor is it safe to take levothyroxine with my current medications certain medications should not be taken at the same time as your levothyroxine you should take the following medications at least four hours after taking your liver thyroxine including calcium salts iron supplements cholesterol-lowering medications such as
Glyceramine cholesterol cholesterolem sulcraphate antacids and orthostat additionally some prescribed medications may influence the effectiveness of your levothyroxine in some cases increased doses of labor oxygen are required these medications include anti-epileptic medications estrogen supplements such as the oral contraceptive pills rifampacin and amyodrone
Levothyrox in itself can influence how other drugs work therefore you may require dose adjustments if you’re taking medications to control your diabetes or you’re taking blood thinning medications including warfarin what is the correct dose of levothyroxine newly diagnosed patients start with a small dose of levothyroxine which has increased slowly to achieve
The desired effect this dose is determined by your doctor but most commonly you started between 50 and 100 micrograms once a day usually three months after starting your medications you’ll require a repeat blood test to assess your hormone levels based on this your doctor may increase or decrease your dose you may require several blood tests and dose adjustments
To get the correct dosage for you once your thyroid hormone levels are stable you’ll only need them monitoring on an annual basis how long does the medication take to work your medication will start working straight away however it may take some time for you to notice an improvement in your symptoms how to take levothyroxine take your levothyroxine once daily
Normally in the morning on an empty stomach aim to take your medication on its own with a full glass of water at least one hour before food or other morning medications capsules should be taken whole it is not advisable to crush them and if you have trouble swallowing your tablets consult with your prescribing doctor or pharmacist about liquid preparations are
There any foods i should avoid some foods and drinks can influence how well your levothyroxine works particularly grapefruit calcium-rich foods such as milk cheese and yogurt soy walnuts and cotton seed meal and any foods high in dietary fiber additionally kelp contains the chemical iodine which can worsen your symptoms of hyperthyroidism what about alcohol it’s
Perfectly safe to take alcohol with levothyroxine i’ve missed my dose what should i do if you forget to take your medication please take it as soon as you remember however if it’s near the time of your next dose skip the mistos you should be okay to take your next dose at the regular time do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one i’ve accidentally
Taken too much medication if you’ve taken too much of this medication you should speak with an emergency doctor overdose of this levothyroxine can cause symptoms of chest pain palpitations or soreness of breath agitation confusion shaking and excessive sweating loss of consciousness and even seizures how long will i need to take my medication hypothyroidism is a
Lifelong condition therefore individuals with this condition will need to take levothyroxine for life stopping your medication of course will mean return of your hypothyroid symptoms are there any side effects the vast majority of those taking levothyroxine will not experience any side effects however the more frequently reported side effects are nausea vomiting
And diarrhea headaches flushing of skin agitation and insomnia muscle cramps tremors and increased sweating sometimes rare or concerning side effects can occur if they do please seek urgent medical assessment these include chest pains palpitations or any allergic reactions particularly anaphylaxis of course this is not an exhausted list for further information
Please see the drug information leaflet that comes with your medication i hope this video has supplied the answers you were looking for don’t forget to subscribe and interact by giving us a thumbs up or leaving a comment down below this supports the growth of our channel and helps educate many more people about their medical conditions of course this video does
Not provide individual medical advice and is intended for information purposes only do not consider this as a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis or treatment please do not ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you’ve heard here if you believe you may have a medical emergency immediately call your doctor or
Ambulance service thank you for watching we’ll see you next time
Transcribed from video
How to take Levothyroxine (Synthroid) Correctly | Side Effects All Patients Need to Know By JHP Medical UK
