what happens if you quit taking levothyroxine
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ located in your neck. Although small, this powerful organ controls several essential functions throughout the body, including regulating cell metabolism and managing growth and development. When the thyroid gland is not working properly, the whole body can be affected.
What are the different kinds of thyroid medication?
To combat hypothyroidism, you need to take thyroid hormone replacement medication daily. Thyroid medications usually work by increasing circulating levels of thyroxine (T4). T4 is responsible for regulating your weight, heart rate, temperature, muscle strength, overall energy, and mood. Levothyroxine (commonly known by the brand names Synthroid and Tirosint, among others) provides synthetic T4 to supplement low levels of thyroid hormone.
There are also thyroid medications that increase triiodothyronine (T3), another major hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Examples of T3 drugs include Cytomel and Triostat.
There are also T4/T3 combination formulations available in single tablet form. In the United States, it is dry natural thyroid (CND). While each person is unique in what will work best for them, synthetic T4 is generally the standard treatment for hypothyroidism.
What happens when you stop taking thyroid medication?
When you stop taking thyroid medication, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are expected to recur. The longer you do not take the drug and the more severe your thyroid disease, the higher your risk of serious and even life-threatening illness.
Immediately after you stop taking thyroid medication, you may feel tired, tired, and depressed. The longer you go without a prescription, the stronger your symptoms may be. Not taking thyroid medication can exacerbate other health problems such as sleep apnea, depression, and type 2 diabetes.
People who discontinue medication due to moderate to severe hypothyroidism are at risk for extreme health events such as the development of myxedema. Very rarely, the development of myxedema is a life-threatening complication of hypothyroidism. This condition usually occurs when someone already has uncontrolled hypothyroidism and a triggering event such as an infection or pregnancy occurs.
The development of myxedema can cause swelling of the entire body, including the face, tongue, lips, and limbs. It is also accompanied by thickening of the skin. The development of myxedema can cause other complications, including:
dyspnea
confusion
Hyponatremia (low blood sodium concentration)
Hypothermia
shock
Seizures
Coma
People with hypothyroidism may also develop thyroid nodules. Thyroid nodules are hard or fluid-filled nodules that form in the thyroid gland. About 5% of thyroid nodules become cancerous. Taking medication as prescribed to treat the thyroid can reduce the risk of developing both malignant and non-cancerous thyroid nodules.
0 Comments