|
Online Pharmacy
Levothyroxine is used for:
Treating low thyroid activity and treating or suppressing different types of goiters. It is also used with surgery and other medicines for managing certain types of thyroid cancer.
Levothyroxine is a thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones are produced and released by the thyroid gland and regulate the body's metabolism. When the thyroid gland is underactive (hypothyroidism) it does not produce enough thyroid hormone and metabolism slows.
Do NOT use Levothyroxine if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Levothyroxine
- you have a history of heart attack, chest pain (angina), adrenal gland problems, or elevated thyroid hormone levels that have not been treated
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
How to use Levothyroxine :
Use Levothyroxine as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- Take Levothyroxine on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before or 2 to 3 hours after eating. It is recommended that you take your dose 1 hour before breakfast unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
- Take Levothyroxine with a full glass of water (8 oz/240 mL).
- Notify your health care provider if you eat foods that contain soybean flour (infant formula), cottonseed meal, walnuts, or dietary fiber. These foods decrease the absorption of Levothyroxine . Your doctor may need to change your dose of Levothyroxine .
- Take Levothyroxine 4 hours apart from calcium supplements, iron, antacids (those containing aluminum, calcium, or magnesium), simethicone, cholestyramine, colestipol, sucralfate, or sodium polystyrene sulfonate. These medicines may decrease the absorption of Levothyroxine into your bloodstream.
- Levothyroxine works best if it is taken at the same time each day.
- It may take several weeks (4 to 6 weeks) before you notice an improvement in your symptoms.
- Levothyroxine will usually have to be taken for life, except in the cases of temporary low thyroid activity associated with thyroid inflammation and in patients who are taking Levothyroxine on a trial basis.
- For children or patients who cannot swallow whole tablets: Crush the tablet and mix in 1 or 2 teaspoons (5 or 10 mL) of water, and give using a spoon or dropper as soon as possible after preparation. Do not store the mixture for later use. Do not mix crushed tablets in soybean infant formula. Consult your pharmacist for more information.
- If you miss a dose of Levothyroxine and you are taking it regularly, take it as soon as possible. If several hours have passed or if it is nearing time for the next dose, do not double the dose to catch up, unless advised by your health care provider. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Levothyroxine
|
![[Valid RSS]](rss-icon.jpg "Validate my RSS feed"){kind=icon}