All About Levothyroxine Drug
Levothyroxine is a synthetic medicine used to treat an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Doctors’ generally prescribe Levothyroxine when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of thyroxine in the body. Low thyroid hormone levels can occur naturally, or removed by surgery, or when the thyroid gland gets injured by radiation/medications. Having the right amount of thyroid hormone in the human body is important for maintaining normal mental and physical activity. If your thyroid hormone are low, you can experience many health problems such as constipation, feeling cold, being tired, and gaining weight.
Best Time To Take Levothyroxine
Levothyroxine is most effective when you take it on an empty stomach. Make sure to take it 30-60 minutes prior your breakfast. Take Levothyroxine with water as other drinks may reduce the effects of your medicine.
You can also take Levothyroxine before going to bed. However, you need to be sure that you take your last meal prior 4 hours taking medicine as your med is most effective on an empty stomach.
Another thing that you must keep in mind is to take Levothyroxine at the same time and in the same way every day, or take it as your doctor recommends you.
Levothyroxine Drug Interaction
Interaction with other drugs may change the effectiveness of your medicines and may increase the risk of serious health issues. Medicines including iron pills, antacids, and vitamins (such as calcium, aluminum, or magnesium) reduce the effectiveness of Levothyroxine. You can take these medicines, but ensure to take them at the different time at a gap of about four hours.
So if you take Levothyroxine, make sure to tell your health care provider to avoid drug interaction.
Levothyroxine Dosage
1. What to do if you miss your dose?
If in case you miss your dose of Levothyroxine, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Make sure to consult with your doctor if you miss 2 or more doses in a row. Ask your doctor what to do about if you miss any dose of Levothyroxine to be safe and healthy.
2. What to do if you overdose your medicine?
If someone has overdosed Levothyroxine, call 911 immediately. Symptoms of overdose include: fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, loss of consciousness, confusion, seizures, and more.
Moreover, you must keep check on your hormone levels regularly. Let your healthcare provider know if your hormone levels are too low or high. If your levels are too high you can have rapid heartbeat or tremors, feel irritable or nervous, or run a fever. If your levels are too low you might feel tired, depressed, achy, or extra sensitive to cold temperatures. Your prescriber can check your blood levels of thyroid hormone to decide whether or not your dose of levothyroxine needs to be adjusted.
