Hypothyroidism is generally a lifelong condition requiring lifelong treatment. By continuing to take Synthroid as your doctor prescribed and getting your levels checked regularly, you can help keep your thyroid hormone levels where they should be.
Elisa shares her journey, from living with hypothyroidism and getting a diagnosis to starting—and continuing—treatment on Synthroid.
No matter how long you've been taking Synthroid, it never hurts to check in with yourself now and then to make sure you're taking your medicine the right way. That means:
Taking Synthroid once a day, every day at the same time before breakfast
Taking Synthroid with water only and on an empty stomach
Waiting 30 minutes to 1 hour before eating or drinking anything other than water
Talk with your doctor if you’re experiencing any side effects. He or she may want to test your
thyroid levels to determine if any adjustment needs to be made to your dose or to the way
you’re taking Synthroid.
Remember, how you take Synthroid can affect how your body absorbs and processes it.
It’s important that you take your Synthroid exactly as your doctor prescribed.
Throughout your lifetime, your doctor may have to adjust your dose of Synthroid. That’s because the amount of thyroid hormone your body needs may change. Some of the reasons for this may include major life events like pregnancy or menopause, or aging.
It is essential to tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. You might need a different dose of Synthroid if you’re pregnant.
Menopause may require you to take estrogen therapy. This is because during menopause your body makes less estrogen. This may require a dose adjustment to your hypothyroidism medicine.
As you get older, you might not need as much Synthroid to keep your thyroid hormones in balance. If you are elderly and are just starting treatment for hypothyroidism, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of medicine.
Even if your hypothyroidism symptoms go away, do not stop taking Synthroid or change the way you take it without first talking to your doctor. Not taking Synthroid as prescribed could affect your thyroid levels.
Test your Synthroid smarts
How well do you know Synthroid? Take a short quiz to find out.
SYNTHROID® (levothyroxine sodium) tablets, for oral use is a prescription, man-made thyroid hormone that is used to treat a condition called hypothyroidism in adults and children, including infants. It is meant to replace a hormone that is usually made by your thyroid gland. Generally, thyroid replacement treatment is to be taken for life. SYNTHROID should not be used to treat noncancerous growths or enlargement of the thyroid in patients with normal iodine levels, or in cases of temporary hypothyroidism caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis).
US-SYNT-220013
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