Synthyroid

[Marty]

Yestderday my PCP prescribed Synthyroid for me. Apparently my "aging" thyroid gland has pretty much shut down. A review of the literature indicates Synthyroid( I'm taking generic levothyroxine ) tends to raise INR and should require a lower weekly warfain dose. I will stay at my dose 21 mg/week until my home tester shows a change. I'll report how it goes. Im curious to know if any of our contributors have a personal experience with hypothyroidism?

 

[Nancy]

Not a valver, but am a hypothyroider, I've had thyroid problems since I was little. One side of my thyroid is non-existant, the other is a sub-clavian goiter which has grown large enough to somewhat displace my thrachea.

I take a very small dose of Synthroid every day 0.025, and that seems to keep everything fairly normal. I do find that at times I crave fish, probably for the iodine. I believe that when you have that kind of craving, your body is telling you something, so I "feed it" some fish, sushi, pickled seaweed, whatever.

The goiter was just recently checked with a contrast CATscan by my oncologist because he wanted to see what was going on with it. It had no cancer and it has been stable for the past few years.

I cannot say that I have any appreciable problems. I wish that I didn't have to be so careful with calories. If I put any weight on, it is almost impossible to take off, so have to tow the line pretty much of the time. Sometimes, I have breathing problems, but I think (?) it is from my asthma. However, the goiter could be acting up and causing it. But it goes away.

No one wants to address surgery, at least at this point, and I am not pushing the issue either.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get to the point that they might have to crack my chest to get it out.

Sounds like Synthroid will do the trick for you. Hopefully they will give you the lowest possible dose because as you know, it's powerful stuff.

 

[lisou]

I don't know about raising your INR, before surgery I asked my GP, cardio and also surgeon about the interaction between Levothyroxine and Coumadin and they told there were none. I myself am taking 0.137 mg of Levothyroxine and still working on stabilizing my INR with 9.5mg of Warfarin, had surgery on July 29th and INR still playing.

Lise

 

[Jkm7]

I also was told there was no interaction between coumadin and levothyroxine. When I came off coumadin I was up to 88 mg per week and still had not reached therapeutic range so I doubt the levthyroxine had any effect on my INR. If it was raising my INR, I can't imagine how many mg's coumadin I would have been taking if not on it.

 

[Marty]

Interesting Lisa and jkm7 - all the books and guru Al Lodwick say Synthyroid raises the INR and you require a lower dose of warfarin after you have been on it a while. Nancy he started me on 0.025mg/day splitting 0.05mg pills. He said if I felt OK and didn't get jittery go to the whole .05 pill after a couple of weeks. He will do a new TSH test in three months. Top normal for this test which stands for thyroid stimulating hormone from the pituitary is about 5.
Mine was 12.

 

[Adrienne]

I've been taking 0.125 mg of Synthroid for ages and my endocronologist tests me every year, and I am in the right range.

I took Coumadin for about a year, and the last few months I was taking on alternate days 2.5 mg and 3 mg of Coumadin.

Naturally, since I was already on the Synthroid when I started the Coumadin, this was all factored in, and there was no need to change the amount of Coumadin because of the Synthroid.

 

[Ross]

potential interactions were found for the drugs you selected.
You searched for interactions between the following drugs:

Coumadin Tablets
Levothyroxine and Liothyronine Tablets
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Start Over with a New List of Drugs

(Note: Not all drug interactions are known or reported in the literature, and new drug interactions are continually being reported. This information is provided only for your education and for you to discuss with your personal healthcare provider. )

WARFARIN SODIUM (in Coumadin Tablets) may interact with LIOTHYRONINE (in Levothyroxine and Liothyronine Tablets)

Blood clotting normally occurs in response to a cut or other types of injuries to protect the body from excessive bleeding. Many substances are involved in the clotting process including various chemicals that are produced in the body like vitamin K. Warfarin is generally used to prevent your blood from "coagulating" or forming blood clots. Although liothyronine does not appear to directly interact with warfarin, it may increase the breakdown of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors and make your blood much less likely to clot. When liothyronine and warfarin are used at the same time, the anticoagulant effect of warfarin may be increased and this may increase the risk of excessive bleeding. If these drugs are taken together, your doctor may want to monitor you closely for signs of bleeding (bruising, nose bleeds, etc). Blood tests can be used to make sure that you are getting the right amount of warfarin. If you are experiencing problems, it may be necessary to adjust the dose of warfarin. Ask your healthcare provider about these drugs and this potential interaction as soon as possible.

This interaction is well-documented and is considered major in severity.

Last Updated: December 2003



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WARFARIN SODIUM (in Coumadin Tablets) may interact with LEVOTHYROXINE (in Levothyroxine and Liothyronine Tablets)

Blood clotting normally occurs in response to a cut or other types of injuries to protect the body from excessive bleeding. Many substances are involved in the clotting process including various chemicals that are produced in the body like vitamin K.. Warfarin is generally used to prevent your blood from "coagulating" or forming blood clots. Although levothyroxine does not appear to directly interact with warfarin, it may increase the breakdown of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors and make your blood much less likely to clot. When levothyroxine and warfarin are used at the same time, the anticoagulant effect of warfarin may be increased and this may increase the risk of excessive bleeding. If these drugs are taken together, your doctor may want to monitor you closely for signs of bleeding (bruising, nose bleeds, ect). Blood tests can be used to make sure that you are getting the right amount of warfarin. If you are experiencing problems, it may be necessary to adjust the dose of warfarin. Ask your healthcare provider about these drugs and this potential interaction as soon as possible.

This interaction is well-documented and is considered major in severity.

Last Updated: December 2003

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Intera...ts"+"Levothyroxine+and+Liothyronine+Tablets"+

 

[CThrock]

Interesting article Ross I've never knew that. I've been on Snythroid for 25 years and warfarin over two years and have never had a problem.

 

[sue943]

My warfarin has been increased by 1 mg per day since starting to take 50 micro grammes of levothyroxine each day.

 

[Ross]

Interesting article Ross I've never knew that. I've been on Snythroid for 25 years and warfarin over two years and have never had a problem.

It's like everything else, some people it affects and some it doesn't. Only way to know is test after starting it.

 

[Jkm7]

Exceptions to every rule, as they say. O