Side effects
Since Thyronajod® replaces the body’s own hormone thyroxine, the side effects are similar to hyperthyroidism, especially at the beginning. In the course of the stimulation of the circulation, heart palpitations can therefore occur as a result of a too fast heartbeat (tachycardia), which can even lead to reduced supply of the entire heart with chest pain typical of a heart attack, which then often radiates into the left arm. Heart rhythm disturbances can also occur.
Furthermore, the extreme stimulation of the metabolism in the entire body can lead to a feeling of heat, which can be accompanied by excessive sweating. Many patients also complain of hand trembling (tremor) or insomnia. The gastrointestinal tract also reacts to the overactivation and those affected can suffer from diarrhoea.
If one of these side effects is observed, the dose should be checked by a doctor and if necessary reduced for a certain period of time. The additional iodine contained in Thyronajod® can cause reactions such as fever, skin rashes, itching, chesty cough, diarrhea or headaches due to hypersensitivity to iodine. Here too, a doctor should always be consulted to optimize the intake of Thyronajod®.
What else should I consider?
In Germany, Thyronajod® is only available on prescription, i.e. it may only be prescribed by a doctor on a prescription and dispensed by the pharmacy. The use of Thyronajod® can interact with the use of other drugs. Here, particular attention must be paid to anticoagulant drugs such as phenprocoumon (Marcumar).
By changing the metabolism, the effect of blood sugar-lowering drugs for diabetes mellitus should also be controlled, as the increased metabolism can weaken their effect and this can lead to high blood sugar levels in those affected. In this case, the dose of the medication must be adjusted by the doctor for the duration of the therapy with Thyronajod®.Furthermore, a switch between different preparations for the treatment of hypothyroidism is only permitted under medical supervision, since the same ingredients can differ considerably in their duration of action and the way they are metabolized in the body. For certain drugs, a time interval of 4-5 hours must also be observed, so that absorption from the intestine could otherwise influence each other.
These include drugs to lower blood lipids, some drugs to combat high cholesterol concentrations in the blood (the so-called bile acid complexing agents) or drugs to combat high potassium concentrations in the blood. An interval of two hours between doses is necessary for aluminous preparations against heartburn. The decisive factor for all these preparations is their absorption in the intestine.
Many medications are absorbed into the intestine via the same routes. If too many active ingredients are present in the intestine, they compete with each other and it can no longer be guaranteed that all active ingredients are absorbed in the body in sufficient quantities. Since the list of interactions with other drugs is very long, every affected person should always inform his treating physician of all drugs without exception before taking L-thyroxine in order to avoid the interactions, which should not be underestimated.
In addition to medications, there are also dietary habits to consider. Affected persons who eat particularly soya-containing food may have to take a higher dose of Thyronajod® because soya, similar to the drugs described above, can reduce absorption from the intestine.
