Synthroid, Levoxyl levothyroxine dosing, indications, interactions, adverse effects, and more

Serum digitalis glycoside levels may decrease when a hypothyroid patient becomes euthyroid, necessitating an increase in the dose of digitalis glycosides. I go over with the patient there are treatment goals that are very important in the process. And the other is to improve the clinical symptoms that they’ve been experiencing.

Missed Dose

There are also certain vitamins and supplements that can interfere with the absorption of SYNTHROID. They can have changes in the female hormone status, either going on or off a birth control pill, going through menopause. Knowing that patient behaviors and consistency of treatment are key factors in treatment success, I educate patients on the process as they begin treatment. The FDA has determined that certain levothyroxine products are interchangeable.

Multiple dosage forms of levothyroxine are available, including oral tablets, capsules, solutions, and parenteral dosage forms. Check with your doctor right away if you have weakness, confusion or non-responsiveness, feeling cold, low body temperature, synthroid insurance swelling of the body, especially the face, tongue, and lower legs, or difficulty breathing. These could be symptoms of severe hypothyroidism, called myxedema coma, which may be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Synthroid Dosage and Administration

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you or your child are using this medicine. You or your child may need to stop using this medicine several days before having surgery or medical tests. It is very important that your doctor check the progress of you or your child at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it.

• Administer SYNTHROID at least 4 hours before or after drugs known to interfere with SYNTHROID absorption see Drug Interactions (7.1).
• Rarely convulsions, thyroid storms, acute psychosis, arrhythmias, and acute myocardial infarction may occur.
• Primary hypothyroidism is basically diagnosed off of a screening TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone.
• It may take several weeks before your body starts to respond to Synthroid.
• Symptoms may not necessarily be evident or may not appear until several days after ingestion of levothyroxine sodium.

Patients The SYNTHROID dosage is based on the target level of TSH suppression for the stage and clinical status of thyroid cancer. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Levothyroxine is also used in adults along with surgery and radioactive iodine therapy to treat a certain type of thyroid cancer.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Women who are post-menopausal or who use this medicine for a long time may have some bone loss, which could lead to osteoporosis. Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about this. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases.

Foods containing soy and cottonseed meal can make Synthroid less effective. Walnuts, grapefruit juice, and dietary fiber can also make Synthroid less effective. If you eat any of these on a regular basis, check with your doctor. Employ the following treatment approach in acute levothyroxine overdose.

Patient Counseling Information

Thyroid hormones may increase the risk of coronary insufficiency when sympathomimetic agents are administered to patients with coronary artery disease. Carefully monitor glycemic control after starting, changing, or discontinuing SYNTHROID see Drug Interactions (7.2). Patients need to feel comfortable to alert me of any changes in their status in terms of their symptoms.

• In pregnant patients with primary hypothyroidism, maintain serum TSH in the trimester-specific reference range.
• Get medical help right away if you notice any serious side effects, like an allergic reaction or chest pain, while taking synthroid.
• In order for Synthroid to be effective, it should always be taken the same way every day.
• For pregnant patients with pre-existing hypothyroidism, measure serum TSH and free-T4 as soon as pregnancy is confirmed and, at minimum, during each trimester of pregnancy.
• The relative bioavailability of SYNTHROID tablets, compared to an equal nominal dose of oral levothyroxine sodium solution, is approximately 93%.

DAW codes are codes a pharmacy uses when filling your patient’s prescription. DAW-1 indicates that substitution is not allowed, based on the prescriber’s preference, and ensures your patient will receive the treatment you prescribe. It also helps your patient pay the lowest possible price for the product you write if it is billed through insurance. That’s because substitutions can be made at the pharmacy if the prescription is not properly protected with the Dispense as Written (DAW) state-specific language.

Pituitary Thyrotropin (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone, TSH) Suppression

Evaluate the need for dosage adjustments when regularly administering within one hour of certain foods that may affect SYNTHROID absorption. It’s very important to remind the patients, in addition to these factors, that they need to check their pills on a consistent basis. Look to see if the tablets have Synthroid embossed on them to ensure they’re getting the right product. This is important as 32% of patients who think they are on SYNTHROID are actually not given this because substitutions are made at the pharmacy.