Eltroxin Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Eltroxin Tablet contains levothyroxine sodium, a man-made version of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. It is used to replace thyroxine when your thyroid gland does not make enough of it, treating conditions such as hypothyroidism, goiter, and congenital hypothyroidism. It is taken daily, usually long-term, and the dose is adjusted based on thyroid hormone levels.

What is Eltroxin Tablet

Eltroxin is a man-made version of thyroxine, a hormone your thyroid gland normally makes. It is used to replace thyroxine when your thyroid gland does not make enough of it.

Eltroxin Tablet uses

• Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
• Thyroid hormone deficiency of any cause, including after thyroid surgery or radiation
• TSH-responsive tumours of the thyroid gland
• Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
• Congenital hypothyroidism (cretinism)

Benefits of Eltroxin Tablet

• Replaces the thyroxine your thyroid gland cannot produce
• Reverses the symptoms of an underactive thyroid when taken correctly
• Can help shrink or prevent certain types of goiter
• Helps restore normal thyroid hormone levels

How Eltroxin Tablet works

Eltroxin replaces the thyroid hormone thyroxine that your body isn't making enough of. Thyroxine controls how much energy your body uses; when levels are too low, many body processes slow down, and taking this medicine restores normal hormone levels so those processes work properly again.

Eltroxin Tablet dosage

Take the tablets first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes and preferably 60 minutes before breakfast or any other food or medicines. Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water. If needed, tablets can be dissolved in a small amount of water and taken right away with a little more liquid; do not save the dissolved mixture for later.

For young children, the doctor may prescribe a liquid form instead of tablets. Tablets can be crushed and mixed into a small amount of water, breast milk, or non-soy formula for infants and children who cannot swallow tablets whole, and given right away by spoon or dropper; do not store this mixture. Do not use soy-based formula or foods high in soy, fibre, or iron when giving this medicine, as they can reduce how well it is absorbed.

Take it every day, at the same time, for as long as your doctor tells you to — this is usually lifelong treatment. Do not switch between different brands of levothyroxine unless your doctor tells you to. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next dose; do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. It may take a few weeks before you notice your symptoms improving.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet
• Oral solution
• Injection

Side effects of Eltroxin Tablet

Common

• Nervousness, anxiety, or irritability
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or restlessness
• Headache
• Diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, or vomiting
• Feeling too hot, excessive sweating, or flushing
• Weight loss or increased appetite
• Irregular periods
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Tiredness

Serious

• Chest pain, angina, or a racing or irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
• Muscle weakness, cramps, or unusual movements such as tremor
• Signs of an allergic reaction: swelling of the face, tongue, lips, or throat, difficulty breathing, severe itching with raised lumps, joint pain, sensitivity to the sun, or generally feeling unwell
• Symptoms of a 'thyroid crisis': very high temperature, fast or irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, heart failure, jaundice, confusion, fits, or coma

Warnings and precautions

• Do not use this medicine, alone or with other treatments, to try to lose weight — it does not work for this in people with normal thyroid levels and can cause serious, even life-threatening, effects at higher doses, especially combined with weight-loss medicines.
• Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor first, since you may need to reduce the dose gradually.
• Do not take this medicine if you have an overactive thyroid, untreated adrenal gland problems, or certain acute heart conditions such as a recent heart attack or inflammation of the heart.
• Tell your doctor before having surgery or medical tests, as you may need to pause this medicine beforehand.
• If you take biotin or supplements containing it, tell your doctor or the lab before any thyroid blood tests, as biotin can make the results inaccurate.
• Tell your doctor if you are or might be pregnant. Your levothyroxine dose may need to be increased during pregnancy, and treatment should not be stopped without medical advice.
• Women who are breastfeeding can continue taking Eltroxin, as only small amounts pass into breast milk.
• Take Eltroxin exactly as prescribed and do not change the dose without medical advice.
• Separate it from calcium or iron supplements because they can reduce absorption.
• Tell your doctor about all medicines, vitamins, and supplements you take.
• This medicine is not expected to affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Storage

• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the carton
• Do not store above 25°C
• Store in the original package to protect from light and moisture
• Keep the tablets in the bottle with the cap tightly closed until it is time to take them
• Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills
• Do not take the tablets if their colour has changed
• Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste; ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer need

When to see a doctor

Get medical help right away if you have rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, leg cramps, headaches, nervousness, sleeplessness, tremors, changes in appetite or weight, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, heat intolerance, fever, changes in periods, hives, or a skin rash.

Get emergency medical help right away if you have weakness, confusion or unresponsiveness, feeling very cold, low body temperature, swelling of the face, tongue, or lower legs, or difficulty breathing, as these could be signs of a severe, life-threatening drop in thyroid hormone.

Stop taking the tablets and go to hospital immediately if you have a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, tongue, lips, or throat, difficulty breathing, severe itching with raised lumps, joint pain, sensitivity to sunlight, or feeling generally unwell.

Contact your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of a thyroid crisis: very high temperature, fast or irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, heart failure, jaundice, confusion, fits, or coma.

If you or a child may have taken too much of this medicine, get medical help right away, even if there are no symptoms yet, as signs of overdose can take up to several days to appear.

Alternatives

• Synthroid
• Tirosint
• Levothyroxine Sodium