Why do people abuse levothyroxine?

Athletes may abuse levothyroxine as a performance-enhancer, but sometimes, others abuse it to lose weight. Stimulants like Adderall and cocaine have been abused for this reason, and they are more commonly found as drugs of abuse among people who have eating disorders.

What does it mean if you take levothyroxine as a drug?

Levothyroxine is a medicine used to treat an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). The thyroid gland makes thyroid hormones which help to control energy levels and growth. Levothyroxine is taken to replace the missing thyroid hormone thyroxine.

Is levothyroxine a narcotic?

Levothyroxine is not a controlled substance.

What happens if you take a lot of levothyroxine?

What happens if I overdose on Levothyroxine (Synthroid)? Overdose symptoms may include headache, leg cramps, tremors, feeling nervous or irritable, chest pain, shortness of breath, and fast or pounding heartbeats.

What happens if you take levothyroxine and you don't need it?

What happens if you don't need thyroid medication. Suppose you are taking medication to treat hypothyroidism and don't need it. In that case, you will likely have symptoms associated with too much thyroid hormone (or hyperthyroidism). These symptoms may include insomnia, anxiousness, diarrhea, and heat intolerance.

How to take Levothyroxine (Synthroid) Correctly | Side Effects All Patients Need to Know

Can you ever get off levothyroxine?

Do not suddenly stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely. Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you or your child are using this medicine.

Do you have to be on levothyroxine forever?

An underactive thyroid is a lifelong condition, so you'll usually need to take levothyroxine for the rest of your life. If you're prescribed levothyroxine because you have an underactive thyroid, you're entitled to a medical exemption certificate. This means you do not have to pay for your prescriptions.

What are the rare side effects of levothyroxine?

Some rare but serious side effects can occur as a result of levothyroxine toxicity (overdose): Atrial fibrillation (a dangerous heartbeat irregularity) Fast or weak pulse. Disorientation.

How much weight do you gain on levothyroxine?

In one study of 1,373 patients treated for an overactive thyroid, men gained nearly 18 pounds and women gained 12 pounds.

Does levothyroxine cause anxiety?

Levothyroxine is a common treatment for hypothyroidism, but if your dose is too high, it can directly lead to anxiety and cause symptoms like rapid heartbeat and shakiness, which can make anxiety worse, says Rosenfeld.

Can thyroid medication be abused?

Unfortunately, there are instances in which TH is misused or abused. Such misuse may be intentional such as when individuals take thyroid hormone for unapproved indications like stimulation of weight loss or improved energy.

How does levothyroxine make u feel?

Conventional doctors prescribe it to most hypothyroidism patients (not hyperthyroidism). However, some types of thyroid hormone medications are better for different people. Common side effects of levothyroxine include fluctuations in weight, mood, appetite, body temperature, tiredness, and menstrual cycle.

Is levothyroxine used for anxiety?

Although levothyroxine is a good treatment for the symptoms of hypothyroidism, it may not be enough to prevent development or persistence of depression and anxiety by itself.

What does a levothyroxine overdose look like?

The common clinical signs following thyroxine overdose can either be limited to tachycardia, agitation, nervousness, insomnia, anxiety, tremor [2], or severe features, though less likely, like thyroid storm involving cardiac, neurological, respiratory and thermoregulatory center [3].

What is the black box warning for levothyroxine?

A black box warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous. Thyroid hormones, including levothyroxine, should not be used for weight loss or to treat obesity. Taking doses that are higher than recommended can lead to serious or even life threatening effects.

Does levothyroxine speed up your metabolism?

The most commonly prescribed thyroid hormone is called levothyroxine (Synthroid®), but there are others available. Thyroid hormones increase the body's metabolism which may cause weight loss.

Does levothyroxine burn fat?

Because of this, certain thyroid medications like levothyroxine can be seen purely as a weight-loss tool. The reason why thyroid medication would be prescribed exclusively for weight loss is due to its ability to increase metabolism and help individuals to burn more energy.

How quickly do you lose weight on levothyroxine?

Generally, people begin to notice weight loss about three to six months after hitting a therapeutic dose of their medication. People lose about five to ten pounds on thyroid medication or less than 10% of their body weight.

Why was levothyroxine recalled?

Westminster Pharmaceuticals is recalling all lots of its thyroid drugs levothyroxine and liothyronine in five dose forms because they were made with an API from China's Sichuan Friendly Pharmaceutical.

How much levothyroxine is toxic?

Toxic dose

An acute ingestion of more than 5 mg of levothyroxine (T4) or 0.75 mg of triiodothyronine (T3) is considered potentially toxic.

What happens if you skip levothyroxine for a week?

Levothyroxine levels in the body start to drop significantly after about 6 or 7 days, so you'll likely notice symptoms of hypothyroidism if you miss a week or more of the medication. If you're taking a form of thyroid hormone that doesn't last in the body as long, the symptoms will be even more noticeable.

Will thyroid medicine give me energy?

Where daily hormone replacements tablets, such as levothyroxine, are prescribed for an underactive thyroid, symptoms including fatigue should gradually begin to disappear. Similarly, patients receiving anti-thyroid drugs for an overactive thyroid should begin to see an improvement in their energy levels.

What happens if I don't take levothyroxine for 3 days?

If you miss your dose of synthetic thyroid hormone (Levothyroxine), don't panic. Supplemental T4 hormone circulates in your blood for several days, so one missed dose won't harm you.

What not to take with levothyroxine?

A number of drugs have been shown to impair the absorption of levothyroxine; these drugs include calcium carbonate, aluminum- containing antacids, sucralfate, iron supplements, cholestyramine, sevelamer, and, possibly, ciprofloxacin, raloxifene, and orlistat.

What happens if you stop thyroid medication cold turkey?

If you stop taking your thyroid medication, you can expect your hypothyroid symptoms to return. Typically, the longer you go without your medication, and the more severe your thyroid disease is, the higher your risk for severe and even life-threatening conditions.