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Levothyroxine (oral route)

Available brands

Ermeza, Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Tirosint, Tirosint-Sol, Unithroid

About this medication

Levothyroxine is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. This medicine is also used to help decrease the size of enlarged thyroid glands (also called a goiter). Levothyroxine is also used together with surgery and radioiodine treatment to treat a type of thyroid cancer called thyroid-dependent well-differentiated thyroid cancer. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

Before using this medication

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of levothyroxine in children. However, your child's doctor will check your child closely for heart problems during the first 2 weeks of treatment. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of levothyroxine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related heart or blood vessel problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving levothyroxine. Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

How to use this medication

This medicine will need to be taken for the rest of your life or your child's life. Do not stop taking this medicine or change your dose without first checking with your doctor. You may have to take this medicine for 4 to 8 weeks before your symptoms start to get better. Take thecapsuleortabletin the morning on an empty stomach, at least 30 to 60 minutes before eating breakfast. Swallow thecapsulewhole. Do not cut, chew, or crush it. If your child is unable to swallow thetablet, you may crush and mix it in 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 milliliters) of water. Give the mixture right away using a spoon or dropper. Do not mix the tablet with any other liquid except water. Do not store the mixture for future use. If you are using theoral liquid: If you are using kayexalate, lanthanum, orlistat, sevelamer, sucralfate, antacids (eg, aluminum or magnesium hydroxide, simethicone, Maalox®, Mylanta®, Tums®), medicine to lower cholesterol (eg, cholestyramine, colesevelam, colestipol, Prevalite®,Welchol®, Colestid®), stomach medicine (eg, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, Aciphex®, Dexilant®, Nexium®, Prevacid®, Prilosec®), or any medicine that contains calcium or iron,take them at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after you take levothyroxine. Cotton seed meal, dietary fiber, soybean flour (infant formula), or walnuts may decrease the absorption of this medicine from your body. You may have to take this medicine at a different time of day from when you eat these foods. Talk with your doctor more about this if you have concerns. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you are using this medicine. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Use theoral liquidwithin 3 months after opening the pouch. Keep the ampules in the pouch until you are ready to use them.

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