"L-thyroxine" is a synthetic hormone that supports the functioning of the thyroid gland. The drug, getting into the kidneys and liver, is partially converted into triiodothyronine, promotes the development of tissues and their growth, improves metabolism.
Medication release form, its components
The drug is made on the basis of levothyroxine sodium, the dosage of which can be different - 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 mcg. Available in packs of 25, 50 and 100 tablets. Excipients are represented by dextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate type A, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, partial long chain glycerides.
Pharmacodynamics of the drug "L-Thyroxine"
The composition of the drug contains synthetic levothyroxine, which has the same effect as the natural thyroid hormone, the production of which is carried out mainly by the thyroid gland.
Due to the partial conversion of the drug into the hormone T3 and distribution in the cells of the body, there is an effecton the processes of development and growth, as well as on metabolic processes.
Replacement of thyroid hormones is the basis for the normalization of metabolism. The action of the drug can lower cholesterol levels in hypothyroidism.
Pharmacokinetics of the drug "L-Thyroxine"
Absorption is no more than 80% after taking L-Thyroxine on an empty stomach. Instructions for use shows that the absorption rate is determined by the galenic form of the drug. This process takes place mainly in the small intestine. Eating significantly reduces the absorption of components.
In blood plasma, the highest level of the main component is reached within about three hours. The therapeutic effect develops on the third or fifth day after the first oral administration. Communication with plasma proteins is almost complete (more than 99%), this is not a covalent interaction, therefore, a rapid exchange occurs between hormones (bound and free), which is constant. Hemoperfusion and hemodialysis do not affect the content of the components of the drug "Thyroxine" in the body, the instructions for use say that this is due to good protein binding.
Partial elimination of the drug occurs in about seven days, with hypothyroidism this process can take ten days. With hyperthyroidism, partial removal of the drug from the body occurs quickly - in three to four days. Some of the active ingredient accumulates in the liver. Metabolic processes take place mainly inmuscles, brain tissues, liver and kidneys, culminate in the formation of metabolites that are present in feces and urine.
Indications for the use of the drug "L-Thyroxine"
Indications depend on the amount of the active substance in the medicinal product.
For tablets "Thyroxin 50" and "Thyroxin 100" instructions for use displays the following indications:
- hypothyroidism (replacement therapy);
- benign thyroid disease;
- hyperthyroidism (the drug is used in the implementation of thyreostatic therapy as an adjuvant when a functional euthyroid state is achieved);
- goiter (the medicine is used for preventive purposes, so that there is no recurrence of a pathology such as goiter after its resection).
For a drug containing 100 mcg of the main substance, additional indications are as follows:
- executing a diagnostic test;
- thyroid cancer (replacement and suppressive therapy is carried out, in most cases after thyroidectomy).
With other doses of the active substance "L-Thyroxine", the instructions for use recommend prescribing in the following cases:
- euthyroid goiter;
- hypothyroidism;
- malignant thyroid tumor (the drug is used for replacement or thyrostatic therapy, usually as a result of thyroidectomy);
- need to rule out goiter recurrence.
Contraindications to taking the drug"L-Thyroxine"
The drug is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to the substance on the basis of which it is made, or to its auxiliary components. There are other contraindications for taking the drug "Thyroxin" (tablets). Instructions for use refer to them:
- manifesting acute myocardial infarction;
- thyrotoxicosis;
- IHD;
- acute pancarditis;
- deficiency decompensated pituitary or adrenal cortex;
- acute myocarditis;
- decompensated hyperthyroidism of various origins.
Pregnant women should not use "L-thyroxine" together with thyreostatic drugs - it is unacceptable to combine such drugs.
Treatment with Levothyroxine, dosing of the drug
The instructions indicate the recommended dosage of the drug, the doctor should determine the required dose for patients. First, the specialist prescribes a low dose of the drug and gradually increases it, observing an interval of 14-28 days, until a therapeutic effect is obtained. The tablet is swallowed with water, do not chew. The drug is taken at least half an hour before eating. If it was not possible to take the pill on time, the next time the drug is drunk as usual. The dose of the active substance in the described medication, as mentioned above, is different.
Taking the drug at a dosage of 50, 100 mcg
The treatment regimen depends on the age of the patient.
Adult patients
For prevention purposes,when it is necessary to exclude the risk of re-development of goiter, and in case of benign disorders, "L-Thyroxin 50" instructions for use recommend prescribing in an amount of 75 to 200 mcg / day. Patients with hypothyroidism are advised to take from 25 to 50 mcg when prescribing replacement therapy, and from 100 mcg, but not more than 200, when prescribing maintenance treatment. Hyperthyroidism, when concomitant therapy is planned, is treated with the drug at a dose of 50 to 100 mcg. In cancer, when replacement or suppressive therapy is required, from 150 to 300 mcg is taken per day. To perform a diagnostic test, it is required to take 200 mcg of the drug orally during the day two weeks before the procedure.
Children diagnosed with hypothyroidism (acquired, congenital)
In case of a congenital disease, children and infants during the implementation of replacement therapy are first prescribed from 10 mcg per kilogram of weight. This amount of the drug "Thyroxin 50" instructions for use recommends using for three months. In the future, the dose is changed after the necessary studies.
Children whose hypothyroidism is acquired, the drug is prescribed in an amount of 12.5 to 50 mcg to be taken before breakfast. Gradually increasing the dose, it is brought to the optimum for the implementation of replacement therapy. Children under the age of three years should increase the dose at least 30 minutes before the first meal of the day. Tablets are dissolved in 10-15 ml of water, after which a little more water is added, approximately 5-10 ml. The sizedaily maintenance dose corresponds to 100-150 mcg per 1 m22 body area.
Elderly patients
"L-Thyroxine 50" instructions for use in such patients are advised to take it with caution when treatment is at an early stage, especially in the presence of coronary artery disease, a long-term decrease in thyroid function or its severe hypofunction. A minimum daily dose of the drug is required, corresponding to 12.5 mcg. Increase the dose for a long time, little by little. With maintenance therapy, add 12.5 mcg of the drug, adhering to the interval of 14 days. In addition to "Thyroxin", patients are prescribed other drugs. Older people should have their blood checked for TSH more frequently. It should be borne in mind that a dose that is not optimal will not lead to the necessary correction of the TSH level. The minimum dose is sufficient in the presence of nodular goiter, which is large, and with low body weight.
Taking a drug with a dose of the active substance 75, 125 and 150 mcg
Let's consider further the scheme of treatment of children and adults with the drug "L-Thyroxine", depending on the concentration of the active substance in it.
Adults
In case of hypothyroidism, at first prescribe from 25 mcg of the drug, not more than 50. In this disease, a maintenance dose is considered from 100 mcg to 200, the increase is made at intervals of 14-28 days by 25-50 mcg. "L-Thyroxine Berlin-Chemie" instructions for use, if necessary, to exclude the recurrence of goiter recommends using at a dose of 75 to 200 mcg. With goiterbenign and euthyroid state, the recommended dose is the same. If hyperthyroidism is treated with thyreostatics and it is planned to carry out concomitant treatment with the use of "Thyroxine", it is necessary to adhere to a dose of 50 to 100 mcg.
Children over the age of three
If hypothyroidism is acquired, first take from 12.5 mcg to 50, gradually increasing the dose every two to four weeks, taking into account the results of the tests.
Elderly people
"Thyroxin" instructions for use at this age advises to use with caution, starting with a minimum dose of 12.5 mcg. The amount of the drug needed to be taken is increased slowly.
How long does L-Thyroxine treatment last?
In case of hypothyroidism, use "L-Thyroxine-Acre" instructions for use constantly. When carrying out prophylaxis aimed at excluding the recurrence of goiter, its minimum duration is several months and can be increased to several years, in some cases, tablets are taken for a prophylactic purpose for life. Therapy for mild euthyroid goiter lasts for six months, but no more than two years, if there is no desired result, another treatment option is chosen. In severe forms, the drug is taken for several months or for several years, sometimes such a need exists throughout life. When a person who has been diagnosed with a tumormalignant, had a thyroidectomy, usually the medicine must be used for life. If "Thyroxine" is used as an auxiliary medication for hyperthyroidism, the instructions for use advise taking it in the same way as when using tablets during thyrostatic therapy.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding
At this time, it is very important to carry out replacement therapy with the use of thyroid hormones, it must not be interrupted. Even with intensive use of the drug, there is no risk to the fetus, but you should not exceed the dose recommended by your doctor. Very little drug passes into breast milk, so there is no danger.
Since the level of estrogen in the body is increased during the bearing of a child, the need for the use of L-thyroxine also increases. Instructions for use show that with hypofunction it is necessary to check the state of the thyroid gland both during pregnancy and after the end of this period. In addition, if necessary, you need to adjust the dose of the drug depending on the needs of the body.
If a pregnant woman uses thyreostatics to treat hyperthyroidism, their dose should be minimal. Pregnant patients are not given a thyroid suppression test.
Slimming with "L-Thyroxine"
To reduce body weight, 1.8 mcg of the drug is taken per 1 kg of weight. The dose of the drug in some cases may vary. Amount of product used"Thyroxine" instructions for use recommends reducing if a person has heart or vascular disease. In such cases, the dose of the drug per kilogram is 0.9 mcg. In case of obesity, on the contrary, it is increased, it is recommended to use 2 mcg of medication per kilogram of weight.
At the very beginning, when losing weight, no one should take more than 100 mcg per day. If the remedy was taken within a week, while no negative reactions of the body were noticed, it is allowed to increase the dosage to 300 mcg. Both for treatment and in order to reduce weight, it is forbidden to take a larger amount of L-Thyroxin means for use. For weight loss, a drug containing 50 mcg of the active ingredient or 100 is used. When using tablets containing 50 mcg of the main ingredient, drink one tablet half an hour before breakfast for four days, from the fifth to the seventh day - two tablets. In the future, you can take up to four tablets per day, no more. The course is completed after 21 days by gradually reducing the dose of the drug.
With a dose of levothyroxine sodium 100 mcg until the seventh day inclusive, the drug is taken in the same way as in the previous case. From the eighth day, they constantly drink three tablets. The course should last seven weeks. In the normal state of the thyroid gland, the instructions for use do not recommend taking "Thyroxin" for longer. For weight loss, it is better to use the drug in minimal quantities so that the risk of harm to he alth is reduced. But even under such conditions, hormonal levels can be disrupted. Getting Startedweight loss, based on the intake of "Thyroxine", must take into account such a risk. In addition, you must adhere to dietary nutrition.
Doctors generally disapprove of off-label use of drugs. It is worth remembering that taking "Thyroxin" in the normal state of the thyroid gland and without consulting a specialist can be dangerous. Still, you need to lose weight in a natural way, with the use of physical activity and diets, and not drugs.
Side effects of "L-Thyroxine"
When using 50 and 100 mcg of L-Thyroxin, the instructions for use include negative manifestations in cardiac activity, in the work of the nervous, digestive and reproductive systems as possible side effects. There may be general disturbances in the state of the body and changes in the subcutaneous tissue, skin. Usually, adverse reactions in the body occur when the prescribed dose of the drug is not suitable or an overdose has occurred associated with a sharp increase in the amount of the drug used at the initial stage of therapy.
In case of overdose symptoms, the prescribed dose of the medication is reduced or the medication is not taken for several days. There are known cases of death occurring suddenly due to a violation of the heart. Death occurred in people who drank pills containing large doses of the active substance for a long time.
If the negative changes in the body disappeared after the withdrawal of the drug "Thyroxin Berlin-Chemie", the instructions for use allow you to restoretreatment. However, the dose must be selected with caution. If allergic reactions were noticed, the drug is no longer used.
For dosages of the active substance 75, 125 and 150 mcg, the following violations exist:
- problems with the menstrual cycle;
- sleep disorder;
- weakness;
- tachycardia;
- change in normal body temperature;
- palpitations;
- headache;
- diarrhea;
- nausea accompanied by vomiting;
- anxiety;
- convulsive states;
- heat;
- pseudotumor of the brain;
- tremor;
- weight loss;
- angina;
- arrhythmia;
- excessive sweating;
- allergic reactions.
In case of an overdose, do the same as in the previous case.
Special instructions for the drug "L-Thyroxine"
Does not associate with a decrease in body weight the use of "L-Thyroxine" instructions for use. Despite this, many use the drug for weight loss, and some even report good results.
Before taking the medication, the presence of contraindications is excluded, its use is possible after the patient's condition is normalized, but not in all cases. Some patients may need to have their thyroid checked more frequently, if needed, the doctor will advise.
If the treatment is stopped early, the symptoms of the disease may return, so you need to complete the entire course. The possibility of combining the drug with other drugs should be found out from the doctor. If the instructions for use prohibit the use of "Thyroxin", analogues ("Bagotirox", "L-Tyrok", "Eutiroks", etc.) are considered by a specialist and are selected taking into account the patient's condition, indications, contraindications.
Reviews about the drug "L-Thyroxine"
Reviews indicate that "L-Thyroxine" helps the thyroid gland to perform its function. Many are satisfied with the price, the effectiveness of the drug. People note that it is convenient to use. The drug normalizes the level of thyroid hormones, eliminates goiter, many patients notice significant improvements after treatment with a course, which is confirmed by the results of the tests. Reviews show that the drug contributes to improvements in hypothyroidism, the presence of goiter and in other cases. The instructions indicate that when certain conditions are identified and after performing some operations, the medicine is taken for life, but not all people consider such therapy based on the use of L-Thyroxine to be safe. Instructions for use, reviews show that the drug is a serious medication and it is not worth using it without appropriate indications, for example, for weight loss. In general, no drugs should be taken if the purpose for which the drug is used is not indicated in the indications and it has not been prescribed by a doctor. Both taking drugs by he althy people and taking them in the presence of certain problems without consulting a specialist often do not lead to anything good. In any case, it will be useful to visit a doctor.
Reviews show that in most cases the desired effect was present after treatment with the drug "Thyroxin". Instructions for use, reviews report that, due to the individual characteristics of each organism, the effect of the use of the drug is not always the same, in addition, the severity of the patient's condition has a considerable influence on the result obtained after the implementation of therapy. In the reviews there is information about side effects, which are sometimes quite a lot. "Thyroxin" can be taken only after passing the tests, and only in cases where it was prescribed by a doctor. It is important to exclude contraindications, familiarize yourself in advance with the composition of the drug, the adverse reactions to which it can lead. You should follow all the doctor's recommendations and increase the dose gradually, you should not abruptly refuse pills.
