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Thyroxine

About Thyroxine

Thyroxine is primarily used to treat underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Hypothyroidism is a chronic disorder, which happens when the thyroid gland (located in the front lower part of the neck) is unable to make enough thyroid hormone.

Thyroxine contains Thyroxine sodium, which replaces or provides more thyroid hormone in the body when the body is unable to naturally produce enough thyroid hormone (Thyroxine) to meet the requirements of the body.

Thyroxine may cause diarrhoea, muscle spasm, weight loss, feeling hot even in cool environments, headache, nervousness, sleeplessness, irritability, menstrual irregularities and skin rash. Consult your doctor if the side effects persist or worsen.

Your doctor may suggest calcium or vitamin D supplements with Thyroxine to improve bone density associated with thyroid hormone overreplacement. Regular monitoring of thyroid function is important to check the effectiveness of the medicine.

Uses of Thyroxine

Thyroxine is used in the treatment of Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). The detailed use of Thyroxine is as follows: • Treatment of Hypothyroidism: Thyroxine is used to treat Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) by replacing thyroid hormones, restoring normal thyroid function, and alleviating symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and dry skin.

Medicinal Benefits

  • Thyroxine controls an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).
  • It minimizes symptoms of low thyroid hormones like unknown weight gain, fatigue, sensitivity to the cold and many more.
  • It helps in replacing the body's own natural thyroid hormone essential for maintaining both mental and physical health.
  • Thyroxine should not be used for the treatment of weight loss or obesity.

Directions for Use

  • Thyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach, 30 -60 minutes before tea/coffee/breakfast in the morning.
  • Your doctor will determine the dosage and timing of Thyroxine based on your age, body weight, medical condition, and blood test results.
  • Swallow Thyroxine as a whole with a glass of water.
  • Do not crush, chew, or break it.

Storage

Store in a cool and dry place away from sunlight

Side Effects of Thyroxine

  • Muscle spasm
  • Headache
  • Nervousness
  • Irritability
  • Sleeplessness
  • Tremors
  • Muscle weakness
  • Increased appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhoea
  • Heat intolerance
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Skin rash

Drug Warnings

  • Foods like soybean flour, cottonseed meal, cabbage, cauliflower, walnuts, dietary fibre, calcium, and calcium-fortified juices may affect the working of Thyroxine. Hence, avoid the intake of these foods within several hours of dosing if possible.
  • Thyroxine should not be administered to patients with acute myocardial infarction and patients with high blood pressure.
  • Close clinical monitoring of heart function is recommended before taking Thyroxine.
  • Long-term use of Thyroxine may affect your bone health, leading to osteoporosis and increasing the risk of bone fractures. Hence, your doctor may prescribe calcium or vitamin D supplements in addition to Thyroxine to support your bone health.
  • Thyroxine should not be used for the purpose of weight loss alone.
  • People affected with diabetes taking Thyroxine may have altered blood glucose control that may result in increased antidiabetic agents or insulin requirements.
  • Thyroxine should not be recommended for the treatment of thyroid cancer and weight reduction.
  • Thyroxine should not be used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss.
  • Diabetes patients taking Thyroxine should contact the doctor before starting this medicine, as it may worsen glycaemic control and may result in increased antidiabetic pills or insulin therapy.

Drug Interactions

Drug-Drug Interactions: Medicines like appetite suppressant (phentermine), acidity medicine (esomeprazole), anti-diabetic drug (metformin), calcium/vitamin D, and neuro-related medicine (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine), interact with Thyroxine. So, if you are taking these medicines, make sure you contact your doctor before taking Thyroxine.

Drug-Food Interactions: If you are taking any homoeopathic, ayurvedic, Unani, or any OTC items, let your doctor know about this. These medicines may interact with Thyroxine and affect its working. Besides this, absorption of Thyroxine may be decreased by foods like soybean flour, cottonseed meal, walnuts, dietary fibre, calcium, and calcium-fortified juices. So, try to avoid these foods if possible.

Drug-Disease Interactions: Thyroid hormones increase the workload of the heart and oxygen consumption of the body. Hence, a Thyroxine should be taken with caution in heart patients (cardiovascular disorders) like high blood pressure, chest pain (angina), and coronary artery disease. You should have regular monitoring of heart function. If chest pain occurs frequently, contact the doctor so that the doctor may reduce the dosage.

Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:

  • PHENTERMINE
  • ESOMEPRAZOLE
  • METFORMIN
  • AMPHETAMINE
  • DEXTROAMPHETAMINE
  • Safety Advice

    • Safety Warning

      Alcohol

      caution

      You are recommended not to consume alcohol along with Thyroxine to avoid unpleasant side effects.

    • Safety Warning

      Pregnancy

      consult your doctor

      Only consume Thyroxine, if you are prescribed by a doctor. However, the need for Thyroxine may increase during pregnancy due to increased blood levels of oestrogen (female sex hormone) hence, monitoring of thyroid function should be done regularly both during and after pregnancy. In this case, the thyroid hormone dose can be adjusted by your doctor.

    • Safety Warning

      Breast Feeding

      caution

      Even during high-dose thyroxine therapy, the amount of Thyroxine passing into the breast milk during lactation is very low and therefore harmless. However, if you have any doubt consult a doctor.

    • Safety Warning

      Driving

      safe if prescribed

      Thyroxine does not interfere with your ability to drive.

    • Safety Warning

      Liver

      safe if prescribed

      Thyroxine does not have any reported interaction hence, in case you experience any difficulty discuss with your doctor.

    • Safety Warning

      Kidney

      safe if prescribed

      Thyroxine can be taken in the prescribed dose as it does not affects the kidney. However patient with adrenal gland complication or problem should consult a doctor before its intake.

    • Safety Warning

      Children

      safe if prescribed

      Thyroxine can be given to the children (new-borns and infants) with inborn thyroid hormone deficiency. To achieve normal mental and physical development, the initial recommended dosage is 10-15 mcg per kg/day for the first 3 months. After that doctor would adjust the dose individually according to the thyroid hormone level and TSH values measured in blood.

    Habit Forming

    No

    Diet & Lifestyle Advise

    • Eating the right nutrients and taking a regular dose of your prescribed medications may help reduce your symptoms and improve your thyroid function. Iodine, zinc, and selenium are beneficial for people with hypothyroidism. However, it’s best to avoid iodine and selenium supplements unless your doctor advises you to take them.
    • In hypothyroidism, there is usually a loss of calcium (hypocalcemia) and Vitamin D in the body. In such a case, people affected with hypothyroidism should opt for calcium-enriched foods.
    • People with hypothyroidism usually have a slower metabolism, and eating more protein may help boost their metabolism.
    • Daily yoga and aerobic exercises can help boost metabolism.
    • People with hypothyroidism should prefer the intake of more vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. These foods are low in calories and may help prevent weight gain.
    • Avoid taking Goitrogens (agents which interfere with the normal function of the thyroid gland), which generally include soy foods (tofu), cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, spinach, sweet potatoes, cassava, peaches, strawberries, millet, pine nuts, peanuts, etc.

    Special Advise

    • Doses beyond the range may produce serious or even life-threatening manifestations of toxicity. Thus, if you forget to take Thyroxine anytime, take the medicine as soon as you remember to take it. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, you can avoid the skipped dose and continue with your regular regimen as advised by your doctor.
    • Patients with adrenaline or pituitary gland problems, heart diseases, diabetes, or clotting disorders should not take Thyroxine without consulting a doctor, as the dose may need to be adjusted.
    • Regular intake of Thyroxine may decrease bone mineral density, particularly in post-menopausal women. Hence, consult your doctor who might prescribe you the lowest dose possible for your bone health.
    • If you are taking Thyroxine prior to any surgery, let your doctor know about this.
    • Thyroid function tests are usually done on an empty stomach after an overnight (6-8 hrs) fast.

    Patients Concern

    Disease/Condition Glossary

    Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a chronic condition when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones to meet your body’s needs. When there is a low level of thyroid hormones, our body’s functions and metabolism slow down. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include tiredness, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, unexplained weight gain, puffy face, hoarseness of voice, and muscle weakness. There may be a loss of Calcium and Vitamin D in some cases of hypothyroidism.

    FAQs

    Thyroxine is used for the treatment of hypothyroidism or low secretion of thyroid hormone.

    Your thyroid hormone may vary depending on your age, sex, and condition (like pregnancy, chronic condition or complication). For example, a 30-year-old woman may have normal TSH around 4.2 mU/L, while a 90-year-old man may reach 8.9 mU/L at their upper limits. Besides this, your level of stress, diet, and medications, and menses period can fluctuate your level of thyroid hormone. An average general range for reference is as below: -Normal TSH range should be 0.4 - 4.0 mIU/L -Normal T3 range should be 0.2 - 0.5 ng/dl -Normal T4 range should be 0.8 - 1.8 ng/dl

    If you observe symptoms like sudden weight gain, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, constipation, puffy face, muscle weakness, anxiety, or voice hoarseness. You should consult an Endocrinologist/Physician for further treatment.

    No. Thyroxine should be not be taken with food. Please take it empty stomach at least half an hour before tea/coffee/breakfast in the morning.

    You need to have a thyroid profile test which includes parameters like T3, T4 and TSH every month. You will observe a decrease in your TSH level after regular intake of Thyroxine as prescribed by your doctor.

    Available Medicines for

    Thyroxine

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