Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take synthroid as follows:
- Take synthroid early in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast, as synthroid is best absorbed on empty stomach.
- Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
- Do not crush or chew the capsule. Take them as a whole. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the capsule, you may take it in the form of a tablet, which could be cut or crushed to allow easy swallow.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency (usually once), to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- Observe compliance with periodical lab draws ordered, for evaluation of the thyroid hormone levels in the blood.
- Your physician could change the dose of synthroid, based on the lab results for thyroid hormone evaluation, relief obtained from symptoms of hypothyroidism, or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, as scheduled. Be accommodative to the plan of frequent dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- This medication will be slow to act and could take a few weeks to adjust to your blood levels and produce the desired effect.
- Synthroid is usually prescribed for life. Do not discontinue taking synthroid without consulting your doctor, even if you fail to see the benefit of the medication. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without physician recommendation, can lead to recurrence of symptoms of hypothyroidism.
