Introduction

When we think about medications and the 1000s of medications readily available for healthcare professional to prescribe, it can become overwhelming fast. And we often time need to stop to think why the doctor choose one drug over the other.

Doctors consider several key factors with the patient as a deciding factor in what drug the patient should be prescribed. A person’s gender, age, lifestyle (Smoker, Drinker, Exercise, etc.), physical condition (Do a person have a normal working body), additional health problems, other medication, and drug allergies.

But there’s another reason doctor choose to prescribe one drug over another and that is they receive an incentive from the pharmaceuticals company for prescribing certain drug to their patients. Although it is illegal for doctors to take payment from pharmaceuticals companies, they dress it up and call it consulting services.

It’s been reported, every year, a significant portion of American physicians receive financial incentives or gifts from pharmaceutical and medical device corporations and amounting to over $2 billion in total. These inducements vary from complimentary meals where doctors are briefed on the latest products by pharmaceutical representatives, to sponsored trips to extravagant destinations where they act as compensated advisors.

And when doctors take this approach, many times it’s not in the best interest of the patient. That’s why it’s SO important for the patient to fully understand their medication regimen and how it affects their overall health.

What is the most prescribed Thyroid prescription drug?

Here is the top pick for the commonly prescribe Thyroid Medication:

Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine is sold under brand name Synthroid, and you can get them in a tablet or capsule in different strengths. This drug is prescribed to patients who have underactive thyroid.

The thyroid gland is a vital house of essential hormones for maintaining the balance within our bodies. Without enough thyroid hormone, your body can’t quite do its job right. You might notice things like slower growth, speech that just doesn’t seem to keep up, feeling low on energy all the time, struggling with constipation, packing on some extra pounds, seeing more hair in the brush, skin feeling rough and dry, getting chills more often, dealing with achy joints and muscles, having periods that are all over the place, and just feeling down in the dumps.

Levothyroxine is a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), which is normally produced by the thyroid gland. It works by replacing or supplementing the natural thyroid hormone in individuals whose thyroid glands are not producing enough hormone, a condition known as hypothyroidism.

Common Side Effects:

1. Reduce Appetite – low food intake, weight loss, not interested in food, skipping meals.
2. Insomnia – hard time falling asleep, waking up different times of the night, fatigue and sleepiness in the daytime and finding it hard to remember things.
3. Anxiety – feeling like you’re on edge, easily bothered by things, always expecting the worst.
4. Diarrhea – passing loose or watery stools more than usual, feeling of stomach cramps, feeling bloated in the abdomen.
5. Headache – headache that happens frequently, if headache starts right after taking medication, the intensity of the headache.

Major Side Effects:

1. Chest Pain – increased heart rate, irregular beat, muscle weakness affects the chest walls.
2. Swelling of hand, feet, and ankles
3. Seizures – sudden loss of consciousness, jerking and twitching of the limbs, staring into blank space.

Drug Interaction:

You should be aware that you could taking other drug and supplement that interact with the Levothyroxine and prevent the medication for acting it best for you.

Let look at a few of those drugs:

• Amiodarone – Amiodarone, a medication commonly used to treat heart rhythm. Amiodarone’s interference with the conversion of T4 to T3 and its impact on the thyroid gland’s function can indeed result in reduced levels of thyroid hormones in the body, which is contrary to the purpose of levothyroxine therapy.When a patient taking levothyroxine also requires treatment with amiodarone, the potential interaction between these medications must be carefully managed. In some cases, adjustments to the dosage of levothyroxine may be necessary to maintain optimal thyroid hormone levels and ensure the patient’s overall health and well-being. Close monitoring by healthcare providers is essential to address any changes in thyroid function and adjust medication dosages as needed.
• Antacids – Antacids are used to offset stomach acid to prevent heartburn, acid reflux, and indigestion. Antacids reduce the excess stomach acid that build up in the stomach when eaten by certain foods. Acid usually contains calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate.Antacids can interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine. Particularly those containing aluminum or magnesium, can bind to levothyroxine in the digestive tract, reducing its absorption and effectiveness. If someone is taking both levothyroxine and antacids, it’s important to space out the doses appropriately to minimize any potential interaction. Typically, it’s recommended to take antacids several hours apart from levothyroxine to avoid interference with absorption.
• Warfarin – Warfarin is a medication commonly used to prevent blood clots and to treat existing blood clots. Warfarin interferes with the metabolism of certain medications by affecting the liver enzymes. Levothyroxine is a medication that requires proper metabolism and absorption and can be affected by changes in the liver enzymes activity caused by Warfarin.If you are a patient that is taking both these medications, it’s important to make sure you keep communication open with your doctor for appropriate effectiveness of both medications.
• Lithium – Lithium is a medication most often used to treat bipolar disorder. It stops the thyroid gland from releasing enough thyroid hormone, which is like the fuel for your body. This can lead to hypothyroidism or worsen existing thyroid disorders. Additionally, lithium may influence autoimmune thyroid conditions.This interaction is important to consider because it can lead to hypothyroidism or exacerbate existing hypothyroidism in individuals taking levothyroxine. Therefore, it’s essential for patients taking both lithium and levothyroxine to be closely monitored by their healthcare provider, who may need to adjust their levothyroxine dosage accordingly.
• Iron supplements – Iron supplements are used to treat or prevent iron deficiency anemia. Iron is an essential mineral that the body needs to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When a person doesn’t have enough iron, their body can’t make enough healthy red blood cells, leading to anemia.Levothyroxine absorption occurs primarily in the small intestine. Iron, especially when taken in high doses, can stick to levothyroxine and reduce its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. When the iron supplements bind to the thyroid medicine, it can make it harder for your body to absorb the thyroid medicine into your bloodstream. As a result, you might not get enough of the thyroid medicine to help your body work the way it should.
• Bile acid sequestrants (Colesevelam, Cholestyramine, and Colestipol) – Bile acid sequestrants are a class of medications used to treat high cholesterol levels. These medications work by binding to bile acids in the intestines, preventing their reabsorption, and ultimately lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. They are typically used in combination with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, as well as other cholesterol-lowering medications, to manage high cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.Bile acid sequestrants can affect thyroid function due to their potential to interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine. When you take them, they can also grab onto thyroid medicine if you take it at the same time. This can make it hard for your body to absorb enough thyroid medicine.

   

  When bile acid sequestrants interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine, it can lead to lower levels of levothyroxine in the bloodstream. This can result in reduced effectiveness of levothyroxine therapy, potentially leading to hypothyroid symptoms or exacerbating existing hypothyroidism.

  If you take both bile acid sequestrants and thyroid medicine, your doctor might suggest taking them at different times to make sure the thyroid medicine works well.

I listed the most common drugs prescribe to patients that could interfere with their Levothyroxine therapy. But note, this is not a complete list of medication, so I would recommend you research this information to see if you’re taking any of the medication that could cause some issues. Please visit: LEVOXYL® (levothyroxine sodium) Drug Interactions | Pfizer Medical Information – US to get a more comprehensive list of drugs.

Levothyroxine is not suitable for all people. If you are a person whose thyroid creates too much thyroid hormone, have issues with your adrenal glands, heart problems such as: angina, heart disease or heart failure, high blood pressure, ever had a heart attack, or suffers with diabetes. If you have any of these health concerns, please speak to your doctor before consuming Levothyroxine.

Foods can potentially interact with levothyroxine by affecting its absorption or altering thyroid hormone levels in the body. Here’s a list of some foods that may have negative interactions with levothyroxine:

• High-Fiber Foods – Whole grains, bran, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli.
• Calcium-Rick food – Dairy products, fortified juices, calcium supplements.
• Soy Products – Soy milk and soy-based meats substitutes.
• Walnuts – Walnuts contain high levels of fiber.
• High-Iron Foods – Red meats, liver, and fortified cereals.
• Grapefruit Juice – Grapefruit juice contains natural compounds called furanocoumarins which helps break down medicines like levothyroxine so your body can use them properly.

Not to say you can’t have any of these foods but, it is recommended that you eat these foods spread out from taking your medication.

Are there better medications that can be taken to replace levothyroxine?

There is always a better alternate when it comes to taking any medication and it’s up to the patient to do their research before just settling for what the doctor suggest. All thyroid medicines create the same. The difference in the thyroid medication is the inactive ingredients but the active ingredients is pretty much the same. But it is those inactive ingredients that causes the most issues.

If you would like to consider switching your thyroid medication to something better, I would suggest research and talk to your healthcare provider about Tirosint and Tirosint-sol. These are T-4 medication solutions that have worked well for others who have made the switch from levothyroxine.

Tirosint is formulation, which is a gel capsule. This formulation is free from many of the fillers, dyes, and other additives found in traditional tablet formulations of levothyroxine. The inactive ingredients found in Tirosint capsules are gelatin, glycerin, water, medium-chain triglycerides, Hypromellose, and tocopherol. These ingredients are less harsh on individuals as they relate to side effects.

Tirosint-sol is administered orally and comes in a solution form, which can be easier to swallow compared to traditional tablets. Tirosint-sol does not contain dyes, gluten, lactose, or alcohol, which may be beneficial for individuals with sensitivities or allergies to these ingredients. Inactive ingredients: purified water, glycerin, xylitol, acacia gum, sodium citrate and anhydrous citric acid.

The inactive ingredients in levothyroxine: microcrystalline cellulose, calcium sulfate dihydrate, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, povidone, anhydrous lactose, and colloidal silicon dioxide.

I would advise you compare the side effect of each inactive ingredient in each of the three drugs and draw your conclusion. If you feel your current thyroid medication is not working for you, I suggest you have your doctor check your dose. It may be too low or too high or the drug may not be a good fit for you. Do you research and have a conversation with your doctor sooner than later.

It is up to you to take control of your health and not 100% put all your trust in your doctor. This is your life, your health and it’s your responsibility to see that you are getting the best care possible. Don’t let your health be a mystery start your journey of awareness today!