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

Preferred provider organization (PPO) health plans were the most common in both cohorts, and approximately 8% had Medicare Advantage plans. An alpha level of 0.05 was used to identify statistical significance. The statistical analyses were performed using SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA, 2014).

• Closely monitor coagulation tests to permit appropriate and timely dosage adjustments.
• Dr. Frieze suggests educating patients on the importance of consistent therapy & precise dosing with Synthroid.
• Administer SYNTHROID at least 4 hours before or after drugs known to interfere with SYNTHROID absorption see DRUG INTERACTIONS.
• As you get older, you might not need as much Synthroid to keep your thyroid hormones in balance.
• Titrate the dose of SYNTHROID carefully and monitor response to titration to avoid these effects see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.

James V. Hennessey is affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, and was under contract with AbbVie, Inc., to provide consulting services to the study. MG, BN, LW contributed to the design of the study; collected, analyzed, and interpreted the data; and drafted the manuscript. AB, RE, YC, JH contributed to the design of the study; interpreted the data; and provided critical revisions of the manuscript. Researchers only accessed data in the format of a limited data set for which a data use agreement was in place with the covered entities in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. An Institutional Review Board did not review the study since only this limited data set was accessed.

Antidepressant Therapy

SYNTHROID® (levothyroxine sodium) tablets, for oral use is a prescription, man-made thyroid hormone that is used to treat a condition called hypothyroidism in adults and children, including infants. It is meant to replace a hormone that is usually made by your thyroid gland. Generally, thyroid replacement treatment is to be taken for life. SYNTHROID should not be used to treat noncancerous growths or enlargement of the thyroid in patients with normal iodine levels, or in cases of temporary hypothyroidism caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis). With few exceptions, all-cause and hypothyroidism-related HCRU was comparable between the Synthroid and GL cohorts, most notably in terms of hospitalizations, outpatient services, and ED visits. Whereas no significant difference between the two groups in all-cause pharmacy fills was observed, the Synthroid cohort had significantly more hypothyroidism-related prescription fills per patient than the GL cohort.

• The effect of consistent treatment on HCRU and costs was further demonstrated in our comparison of patients who achieved TSH goals versus those who did not.
• Since thyroid hormone occurs naturally in the body, almost anyone can take levothyroxine.
• For patients at risk of atrial fibrillation or patients with underlying cardiac disease, start with a lower dosage and titrate the dosage more slowly to avoid exacerbation of cardiac symptoms.

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 natural synthroid to the prescribing information for Synthroid for a complete list of interactions. It is essential to tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant.

Data Availability

Use the serum free-T4 level to titrate SYNTHROID dosing until the patient is clinically euthyroid and the serum free-T4 level is restored to the upper half of the normal range see Recommended Dosage And Titration. Use the serum free-T4 level to titrate SYNTHROID dosing until the patient is clinically euthyroid and the serum free-T4 level is restored to the upper half of the normal range see Dosage and Administration (2.3). This study reported on the real-world comparative effectiveness of persistent Synthroid compared with persistent GL treatment in a managed care setting using a large longitudinal sample. At 12-month follow-up, a significantly higher proportion of patients in the Synthroid cohort were within both the broad (78.5% vs. 77.2%) and narrower (75.2% vs. 73.9%) TSH reference ranges compared with the GL cohort.

Our Synthroid Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication. Notify your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Synthroid including rapid heartbeat, fluttering in your chest, or chest pain. Biochemical assessment incorporated measurement of serum TSH, T3, and T4. TSH lower limit of quantification was 0.2 mIU/L and upper limit of normal was 5.6 mIU/L, as indicated by the shaded area.

Armour Thyroid

By continuing to take Synthroid as your doctor prescribed and getting your levels checked regularly, you can help keep your thyroid hormone levels where they should be. The “optimal dose” was determined for each patient as that dosage of thyroxine being taken when the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) response was normal (ie, an increase in TSH of between 4.7 and 25 mIU/L). The signs and symptoms of overdosage are those of hyperthyroidism see Warnings and Precautions (5) and Adverse Reactions (6). Seizures occurred in a 3-year-old child ingesting 3.6 mg of levothyroxine. 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 (2.3). Monitor for cardiac arrhythmias during surgical procedures in patients with coronary artery disease receiving suppressive SYNTHROID therapy.

Synthroid side effects

No adverse effects on the breastfed infant have been reported and there is no information on the effects of levothyroxine on milk production. Adequate levothyroxine treatment during lactation may normalize milk production in hypothyroid lactating mothers with low milk supply. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for SYNTHROID and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from SYNTHROID or from the underlying maternal condition. 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. SYNTHROID is indicated in adult and pediatric patients, including neonates, as a replacement therapy in primary (thyroidal), secondary (pituitary), and tertiary (hypothalamic) congenital or acquired hypothyroidism.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Synthroid?

Carefully monitor glycemic control, especially when thyroid therapy is started, changed, or discontinued see Warnings and Precautions (5.5). Treat patients with adrenal insufficiency with replacement glucocorticoids prior to initiating treatment with SYNTHROID see Contraindications (4). 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. Titrate the dose of SYNTHROID carefully and monitor response to titration to avoid these effects see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION. Consider the potential for food or drug interactions and adjust the administration or dosage of SYNTHROID as needed see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, DRUG INTERACTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY.

The same pattern was also observed for total costs (adjusted mean $10,438 TSH achievers vs. $10,904 TSH non-achievers, p ≤ 0.001). All-cause pharmacy costs, however, were significantly higher for TSH achievers than for non-achievers (adjusted mean $2601 vs. $2529, p ≤ 0.001). Hypothyroidism-related pharmacy costs were also lower for TSH achievers than for non-achievers (adjusted mean $156 vs. $163, p ≤ 0.001). The recommended starting daily dosage of SYNTHROID in pediatric patients with primary, secondary, or tertiary hypothyroidism is based on body weight and changes with age as described in Table 2. Titrate the dosage (every 2 weeks) as needed based on serum TSH or free- T4 until the patient is euthyroid see Important Considerations For Dosing.