Description:
What is the medicine Tirosint used for?
Tirosint (levothyroxine sodium) is a replacement for a hormone that is normally produced by your thyroid gland to regulate the body's energy and metabolism used to treat hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone).
Tirosint is taken in a single daily dose, ranging in strengths of 13 mcg to 150 mcg, preferably ? to 1 hour before breakfast. Tirosint may interact with medications such as calcium carbonate (Caltrate, Citracal, Oystercal, and others), iron supplements, sucralfate (Carafate), sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate, Kionex, and others), antacids containing aluminum (Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, and others), and cholesterol-lowering drugs cholestyramine (Questran) and colestipol (Colestid). Tell your doctor all medications or supplements you take. If you are pregnant or become pregnant, tell your doctor because your dose may need adjustment. This medication passes into breast milk but is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Side Effects:
Call your doctor if you see any of the following side effects of using this medicine:
- headache;
- fever, hot flashes, sweating;
- pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
- sleep problems (insomnia);
- feeling nervous or irritable;
- changes in your menstrual periods; or
- appetite changes, weight changes.
Product Code: 13165
What is a Generic Drug?
A generic drug is a copy of the brand-name drug with the same dosage, safety, strength, quality, consumption method, performance, and intended use. Before generics become available on the market, the generic company must prove it has the same active ingredients as the brand-name drug and works in the same way and in the same amount of time in the body.
The only differences between generics and their brand-name counterparts is that generics are less expensive and may look slightly different (eg. different shape or color), as trademarks laws prevent a generic from looking exactly like the brand-name drug.
Generics are less expensive because generic manufacturers don't have to invest large sums of money to develop a drug. When the brand-name patent expires, generic companies can manufacture a copy of the brand-name and sell it at a substantial discount.
