ses: Thyroid Management
Chemical Name: liothyronine Sodium
Quantity: 100 tabs
What TERTROXIN is used for
TERTROXIN contains "liothyronine" which is a naturally occurring thyroid hormone.
It is used for treating:
disorders of thyroid deficiency or low thyroid levels in the body
coma or unconsciousness caused by severely low thyroid levels in the body
an overactive thyroid gland which occurs in thyrotoxicosis or Grave's Disease, together with other medicines
a low thyroid level after treatment of thyrotoxicosis.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking TERTROXIN, contact your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other foods, medicines, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if:
you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.If there is a need to consider TERTROXIN during your pregnancy, your doctor will discuss with you the benefits and risks of using it.
you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.TERTROXIN passes into breast milk and therefore there is a possibility that the breast-fed baby may be affected.Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking TERTROXIN when breast-feeding.
you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
diabetes
adrenal gland problems
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking TERTROXIN.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and TERTROXIN may interfere with each other. These include:
medicines used to treat blood clots
phenytoin and carbamazepine, medicines used to treat fitting or epilepsy
digoxin, a medicine used for certain heart conditions
cholestyramine, a medicine used to reduce cholesterol levels
tricyclic antidepressants
oral contraceptives or the pill
ketamine, an anaesthetic
insulin or tablets used to treat diabetes.
These medicines may be affected by TERTROXIN, or may affect how well it works. You may need to take different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking TERTROXIN.
How to take TERTROXIN
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.
These directions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the bottle, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
In adults, the usual dose for low thyroid levels is one tablet taken two or three times a day.
In children, the usual dose is half a tablet taken once to three times daily.
In both adults and children the dose will depend on the condition being treated and the level of thyroid hormone in the body.
How to take it
Swallow TERTROXIN with a glass of water.
When to take it
Take TERTROXIN at about the same time each day.
Taking your tablets at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablets.
It does not matter if you take TERTROXIN before or after food.
How long to take it
TERTROXIN helps to control your thyroid problem. Therefore, your medicine must be taken every day. Continue taking TERTROXIN for as long as your doctor prescribes it. In some conditions you will take this medicine for the rest of your life.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) or go to casualty at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much TERTROXIN. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
If you take too much TERTROXIN you may feel:
irritable
nervous
have a headache
an abnormal heart beat
muscle cramps
flushing or skin redness
diarrhoea
heart conditions may become worse
While you are using TERTROXIN
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking TERTROXIN.
Tell all of the doctors, dentists, and pharmacists that are treating you that you are taking TERTROXIN.
Be sure to keep all of your doctor's and blood test appointments so that your progress can be checked.
