Patient Resources

Hypersensitivity reactions to inactive ingredients have occurred in patients treated with thyroid hormone products. These include urticaria, pruritus, skin rash, flushing, angioedema, various gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea), fever, arthralgia, serum sickness, and wheezing. Hypersensitivity to levothyroxine itself is not known to occur. Synthroid is prescribed in tablets that range from 25 to 300 mcg in strength and is usually taken once a day with a full glass of water (about 8 ounces) 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast for best adsorption into the body.

• Protein-bound thyroid hormones exist in reverse equilibrium with small amounts of free hormone.
• I review with the patients the important issues about how to take the medication, as consistency is really the key message.
• Published studies report that levothyroxine is present in human milk following the administration of oral levothyroxine.
• Addition of SYNTHROID therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus may worsen glycemic control and result in increased antidiabetic agent or insulin requirements.
• Some key points that I discuss with the patients during appointments are, one, is that this is an open conversation.

AMERICA’S #1 PRESCRIBED BRANDED

This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. Synthroid is also used in patients who need surgery and radioiodine therapy to manage a type of thyroid cancer called well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Synthroid is a prescription medicine used to treat hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone). Levothyroxine is given when your thyroid does not produce enough of this hormone on its own. Synthroid is a thyroid medicine that replaces a hormone normally produced by your thyroid gland to regulate the body’s energy and metabolism.

Important Administration Instructions

• Many other medicines can be affected by your thyroid hormone levels.
• Although millions of people have hypothyroidism, there are many misconceptions around managing it.
• So, getting the patients on the right dose, but maintaining them on the right dose, is also very important.
• It’s very important to remind the patients, in addition to these factors, that they need to check their pills on a consistent basis.
• So, it’s not just treating a number and following the TSH, it’s also making sure that the patient’s symptoms have improved.

That is primary, secondary, or tertiary hypothyroidism, either due to congenital or acquired state. It is not indicated for the suppression of benign thyroid nodules, or for non-toxic defuse goiter in iodine-sufficient patients. It is also not indicated for the treatment of hypothyroidism during the recovery phase of subacute thyroiditis. There are safety considerations as SYNTHROID should not be used for treatment of obesity or for weight loss. And SYNTHROID is contraindicated in patients who have uncorrected adrenal insufficiency. 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.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Synthroid?

There are certain populations where we pay closer attention to thyroid medication dosing. Another group is those that have underlying cardiac disease or are at risk for atrial fibrillation. And a third is those that have severe, long-standing hypothyroidism. If you become pregnant while taking Synthroid, do not stop taking the medicine without your doctor’s advice.

Children can take the medicine if the tablet is crushed and put into about 1 to 2 teaspoons of water; do not store or delay giving this crushed pill suspension. Doctors often may have to slowly increase the dose; patients should not increase or decrease this medication themselves. Because some preparations of the drug may contain iodine or lactose, patients should tell their doctors about such allergies or reactions to these components. Personally, I have had experiences where I have written for brand-name SYNTHROID and the patients have been dispensed generic levothyroxine or even another branded levothyroxine product. It’s very important to make sure that you write “Dispense as written,” or whatever state-specific language, on the prescription when you prescribe the medication. In the elderly and in patients with cardiovascular disease, SYNTHROID should be initiated at lower doses than those recommended in younger individuals or in patients without cardiac disease.

• And the other is to improve the clinical symptoms that they’ve been experiencing.
• Overtreatment or undertreatment with levothyroxine may have negative effects on different systems throughout the human body.
• SYNTHROID may reduce the therapeutic effects of digitalis glycosides.
• Thyroid hormones do not readily cross the placental barrier see Use In Specific Populations.
• And SYNTHROID is contraindicated in patients who have uncorrected adrenal insufficiency.
• Unithroid is used for hashimoto’s disease, hypothyroidism, after thyroid removal, myxedema coma …

Inquire whether patients are taking biotin or biotin-containing supplements. If so, advise them to stop biotin supplementation at least 2 days before assessing TSH and/or T4 levels see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and DRUG INTERACTIONS. The Before Breakfast Club is a program designed to help support your patients on SYNTHROID therapy. After joining, patients will receive exclusive benefits including savings, tips, and tools to help your patients make the most of their SYNTHROID treatment. Use the drop-down menu below to select your state and see the specific language required to prevent generic substitution.

Notify your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Synthroid including rapid heartbeat, fluttering in your chest, or chest pain. Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above. Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with Synthroid. You should refer to the prescribing information for Synthroid for a complete list of interactions. AbbVie is not responsible for the privacy policy, the content, or the accuracy of any websites accessed through a link on the SynthroidPro.com site. A link to other websites does not constitute an endorsement of AbbVie or the linked site, its products, or services.

Follow your doctor’s dosing synthroid claritin instructions and try to take the medicine at the same time each day. Long-term carcinogenicity studies in animals to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of levothyroxine have not been performed. Studies to evaluate mutagenic potential and animal fertility have not been performed. Administer SYNTHROID as a single daily dose, on an empty stomach, one-half to one hour before breakfast. Pregnant and lactating females need to discuss the dose and use of this medication with their caregivers.

RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. 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. Closely monitor blood pressure and heart rate in these patients. This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur.

Drugs Known To Affect Thyroid Hormone Pharmacokinetics

SYNTHROID increases the response to oral anticoagulant therapy. Therefore, a decrease in the dose of anticoagulant may be warranted with correction of the hypothyroid state or when the SYNTHROID dose is increased. Closely monitor coagulation tests to permit appropriate and timely dosage adjustments. Assess the adequacy of therapy by periodic assessment of laboratory tests and clinical evaluation. Persistent clinical and laboratory evidence of hypothyroidism despite an apparent adequate replacement dose of SYNTHROID may be evidence of inadequate absorption, poor compliance, drug interactions, or a combination of these factors.