Thyroid replacement therapy is prescribed when not enough thyroid hormone is secreted from the thyroid gland.
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Armour Thyroid, Thyroid, Nature-Throid
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Overview | Photos | How
To Use | Side
Effects | Precautions | Missed
Dose | Drug
Interactions | |
westhroid
Armour Thyroid, Thyroid, Nature-Throid
Uses
Thyroid replacement therapy is prescribed when not enough thyroid hormone is secreted from the thyroid gland.
Storage
- Store at room temperature away from sunlight and moisture.
- Do not store in the bathroom.
Overdose
- If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.
- Symptoms of overdose may include: diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, headache, tremors, nervousness, stomach cramps, fever, chest pain, difficulty sleeping.
How
To Use - Take Westhroid on an empty stomach.
- It is usually taken as a single daily dose before breakfast.
- Do not stop taking Westhroid unless consulting with your doctor.
- Replacement therapy is usually taken for life.
Side
Effects - Symptoms of low thyroid levels include fatigue, muscle aches, constipation, dry skin, weight gain, slow heart rate, sensitivity to cold, or dry brittle hair that tends to fall out easily.
- These symptoms should disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.
- If they persist or become bothersome, inform your doctor.
- Symptoms of high thyroid levels include headache, chest pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating, diarrhea, weight loss.
- If you experience any of these effects, contact your doctor.
- Your dose may need to be adjusted.
- If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Precautions
- Before using Westhroid, tell your doctor your medical history, especially of: heart problems, diabetes, adrenal gland problems, any allergies (including drug allergies).
- Avoid using thyroid drugs for weight control.
- Caution is advised when using Westhroid in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to the effects of Westhroid.
- Current information shows that Westhroid may be used during pregnancy.
- Small amounts of Westhroid are excreted into breast milk.
- Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Missed
Dose - If you miss a dose, take as soon as remembered; do not take if it is almost time for the next dose, instead, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule.
- Do not "double-up the dose to catch up.
- Call your doctor if you miss 2 or more doses in a row.
Drug
Interactions - Inform your doctor about all the medicines you use (both prescription and nonprescription), especially about: warfarin, drugs that may increase heart rate or blood pressure such as decongestants or caffeine (decongestants may be found in nonprescription cough-and-cold medicines), estrogen products (including estrogen-containing birth control pills), digoxin, diabetes medicines.
- Certain medicines may decrease absorption of Westhroid into your bloodstream.
- Therefore, take this 4 hours apart from: calcium or iron supplements, aluminum or calcium antacids, cholestyramine or colestipol, sucralfate or sodium polystyrene sulfonate.
- Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
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CONDITIONS
OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute
for, the expertise and judgement of healthcare professionals. The information
is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions
or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular
drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional
should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or
discontinuing any course of treatment. |