Eltroxin tablets contain levothyroxine sodium, a synthetic version of thyroxine, a hormone which is produced naturally in the body by the thyroid gland. When the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroxine (a condition known as hypothyroidism), many of the body’s functions slow down. Eltroxin tablets are used to replace the thyroxine that your thyroid gland cannot produce and prevent the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Do NOT take more tablets than your doctor has indicated.
Swallow the tablets with a drink of water, preferably before breakfast. Eltroxin tablets should be taken on an empty stomach.
Make sure children take their tablets at least 30 minutes before their first meal of the day. If necessary, the tablets can be dissolved in 10-15 ml of water or mixed with 5-10 ml of water. Drink the mixture immediately.
Avoid soy-based products while taking this medicine. Soy-based supplements or a fibre-rich diet can interfere with the absorption of Eltroxin. It may therefore be necessary to adjust your dose before you start or stop with a diet that is high in soy or fibre.
Dosage
Your dose should be determined by a doctor. The recommended starting dose in adults and children is:
Adults, aged 50 years and under: 50 to 100 micrograms a day.
Elderly, aged 50 and above: 50 micrograms a day.
Patients with heart problems: 25 micrograms a day.
Children: in children, the dose is determined according to their age, body weight and the condition being treated.
If necessary, the doctor may decide to adjust the prescribed dose. For more information on dosage in adults and children, see the package leaflet.
Alcohol/driving
This medicine does not affect your reaction time or impair your ability to drive safely. This medicine does not interact with alcohol.
If you take more or less Eltroxin than you should
If you (or someone else) swallow a lot of the tablets at the same time, or you think a child may have swallowed some, contact your nearest hospital casualty department or tell your doctor immediately. Take the package, any remaining tablets and the package leaflet with you, so that the medical staff know exactly what you have taken.
If you have forgotten to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you want to stop taking Eltroxin, do it under your doctor's supervision while gradually decreasing the dose.
Eltroxin is not suitable for everyone. Do not take this medicine if:
You are allergic to levothyroxine sodium or any of the other ingredients in this medicine (see section ‘What Eltroxin contains').
You suffer from an overactive thyroid gland that produces too much thyroid hormone (thyrotoxicosis).
You have sudden heart problems (heart attack, inflammation of the heart, or acute inflammation of the heart muscle).
You have any condition that affects your adrenal glands and do not have a suitable replacement therapy.
You are pregnant, when taken in combination with medicines to manage an overactive thyroid (thionamides).
When should this medicine be used with extreme caution?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if any of the following applies to you:
You have euthyroid goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland).
You have one of the following heart problems: high blood pressure, rapid or irregular heartbeat, buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls (arteriosclerosis), chest pain and tightness (angina pectoris), reduced blood flow in the coronary arteries (coronary insufficiency).
You have diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
You have any condition that affects your adrenal glands.
You have myxedema.
You have malabsorption syndrome.
You are pregnant.
You are menopausal or postmenopausal. This increases the risk of osteoporosis when using Eltroxin.
You suffer from adrenal insufficiency (condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones).
For more warnings on the use of Eltroxin, please see the package leaflet.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. The dose may need to be adjusted and your thyroid function will need to be tested more often.
During pregnancy, Eltroxin should not be used in combination with medicines to manage an overactive thyroid (thionamides).
Other medicines and Eltroxin
If you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines alongside Eltroxin, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Eltroxin is known to interact with many medicines, including:
Certain anticoagulants.
Certain cholesterol-lowering medicines.
Medicines that decrease the production of stomach acid.
Medicines containing calcium, aluminium, magnesium or iron.
Anticonvulsants.
Beta blockers.
Certain antidepressants.
Certain anticoagulants.
Thionamides (used to treat an overactive thyroid).
Medicines containing oestrogen (e.g. birth control pills).
Certain medicines to treat infections.
Certain cancer inhibitors.
For a list of all medicines that may interfere with the way Eltroxin works, please see the package leaflet. Some of these medicines should not be used in combination with Eltroxin. The doctor will have a list of medicines that you should avoid mixing it with.
Medicines can cause side effects, although some people may not experience any. The side effects that are known to be associated with Eltroxin include:
Faster than normal heartbeat (tachycardia), raised blood pressure.
Fits, spasms.
Decrease in bone density (causing bones to become weak and brittle).
Tremor.
Headache.
Excitability.
Restlessness, irritability, insomnia (sleep problems).
Muscle cramps, muscle weakness.
Diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting.
Increased appetite, severe weight loss.
Fever, perspiration.
Hair loss.
Intolerance to heat.
Tiredness (fatigue).
Irregularity of menstrual cycle, reduced fertility.
Skin rash.
See package leaflet for a full list of possible side effects. Consult a doctor or pharmacist if you experience any side effects. It's particularly important that you see a doctor without delay if you experience severe side effects such as an acute allergic reaction, heart problems or symptoms of an overactive thyroid.
The active substance in this medicine is levothyroxine sodium. Each 50-mcg tablet of Eltroxin contains 50 micrograms levothyroxine sodium. Each 100-mcg tablet of Eltroxin contains 100 micrograms levothyroxine sodium.
The other ingredients are cellulose microcrystalline (E460), pregelatinised maize starch, talc (E553b), magnesium stearate (E470b) and silica anhydrous.
The manufacturer of Eltroxin is:
Aspen Bad Oldesloe GmbH
Industriestrasse 32-36
D-23843 Bad Oldesloe
Germany
Read the package leaflet before use. The official package leaflet of Eltroxin is available for download here.
