LEVOTHYROXINE - INJECTION (Levothroid, Synthroid) side effects, medical uses, and drug interactions.

levothyroxine - injection, Levothroid, Synthroid (cont.)

PRECAUTIONS: Before using levothyroxine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: a certain overactive thyroid condition (thyrotoxicosis), a recent heart attack (acute myocardial infarction), adrenal gland problem (uncorrected adrenal insufficiency).Do not use thyroid drugs for weight control.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: heart problems (e.g., angina, heart failure, irregular heartbeat), high blood pressure, diabetes (diabetes mellitus), water diabetes (diabetes insipidus), other hormone disorders (e.g., decreased pituitary hormone).If you have diabetes, this drug may make it harder to control your blood sugar levels. Check your blood sugar regularly as directed by your doctor. Tell your doctor immediately if you have symptoms such as increased thirst/urination, shakiness, unusual sweating, dizziness, or hunger. Your anti-diabetic medication or diet may need to be adjusted.Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication.Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its effects on the heart if there is too much thyroid hormone.Caution is advised when using this drug in children because overuse may keep the child from reaching full adult height. Consult your doctor for more details.Current information shows that this drug may be used during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you become pregnant because your dose may need to be adjusted.Small amounts of this drug pass into breast milk. While there have been no reports of harm to nursing infants, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.Some products that may interact with this drug include: androgens/anabolic steroids (e.g., testosterone), antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs such as sertraline, tricyclics such as amitriptyline), beta blockers (e.g., propranolol), corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone), cytokines (e.g., interferon alfa, interleukin-2), digoxin, drugs to treat diabetes (e.g., insulin, sulfonylureas such as glyburide), epinephrine, estrogen-containing products (e.g., birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy), ketamine, theophylline, warfarin, drugs that can decrease thyroid hormone levels (e.g., amiodarone, medications containing iodide/iodine, lithium), drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove levothyroxine from your body (e.g., phenobarbital, rifamycins including rifampin, certain anti-seizure medicines including carbamazepine and phenytoin).High doses of salicylates (e.g., high doses of aspirin) may affect thyroid hormone levels in the blood. However, low-dose aspirin should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams per day). Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products, diet aids) because they may contain ingredients such as decongestants or caffeine that could increase your heart rate or blood pressure. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.