Kinds of Thyroid Drugs
One of the most prescribed drugs in the United States has
been Synthroid. Hypothyroidism can be
treated using three types of drugs: T4 drugs such as Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothyroxine
and Tirosint, T3 drugs such as Cytomel, and T4/T3 combination drugs such as
Armour, Nature-Throid, and WP Thyroid. Individuals afflicted with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may have impaired
conversion of levothyroxine to liothyronine resulting in a more metabolically
active thyroid hormone which can manifest as thyroid symptoms such as weight
gain, fatigue, depression, and hair loss, despite being on treatment.
Drug Switching
Switching between different brands or generic thyroid drugs
will probably result in variations of actual dosage as compared to your
previous drug, which was already adjusted by your healthcare professional. Your thyroid should be retested 4-8 weeks
after switching from one brand of drug, or the dose must be readjusted periodically
until the right amount is achieved.
Interactions with other drugs
Thyroid drugs are infamous for their interactions with other drugs, resulting in
changes in their effectiveness and toxicity profiles. Consult with your healthcare professional
before taking any other drugs to prevent such a scenario from happening.
Treatment Monitoring
Thyroid drugs are dosed in micrograms due to their narrow
therapeutic index. Very slight
variations in doses can result in unusual symptoms during treatment. Rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, weight loss, diarrhea, excessive sweating, hair loss, or
fatigue have been determined as common symptoms of such variations.
Consequences of over-or-under treatment can be prevented by careful dosage
titration. TSH, Free T3 and Free T4
should be monitored to track your reaction to the drugs. Your healthcare professional will be the one
responsible to interpret your results and adjust your dose accordingly.
Addison's disease
You should always be tested for Addison’s disease before you
start treatment with thyroid hormones.
This is in order to prevent a possibly life-threatening situation by
having an increased clearance of glucocorticoids when thyroid drugs are given
to individuals with untreated Addison’s disease.
Pregnancy
Thyroid drugs have been deemed safe for use during
pregnancy. Being dosed properly can
actually aid in the reproductive process of females as well as prevent any
problems during pregnancy such as miscarriages.
Consult with your healthcare professional if you get pregnant while
taking thyroid drugs. Your dose will increase
due to the increased demands of thyroid hormones during pregnancy.
Drug Absorption
The absorption of thyroid drugs can be affected by food,
other medications and supplements. Also, intestinal conditions like untreated celiac disease, lactose intolerance, malabsorption
and infections can prevent optimal absorption of thyroid hormones.
Prognosis
Thyroid drugs are like anti-hypertensive drugs which
generally must be taken for the rest of your life. Spontaneous remissions have only been
reported in a fifth of the total cases.
Thyroid function examinations should be performed at least every 6-12
months to monitor your thyroid hormone levels.
Other Factors
The most common underlying cause of
thyroid disease is due to autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s and Graves’
disease.The immune system attacks the
thyroid gland due to false recognition of the thyroid as being a foreign or
unnecessary object in the body. Autoimmunity still persists even after treatment with surgery or radiation. The risk of having new autoimmune disorders
such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis and others diseases are increased if
the underlying cause of the immune imbalance is left untreated. A combination of adrenal dysfunction, food
sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, impaired gut function, infections and
toxins that lead to the development of autoimmune disease, have been reported
as the primary causes of autoimmune diseases.
