17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION
Dosing and Administration
- Instruct patients that CYTOMEL should only be taken as directed by their healthcare provider.
- Instruct patients to notify their healthcare provider should they become pregnant or breastfeeding or are thinking of becoming pregnant, while taking CYTOMEL.
Important Information
- Inform patients that the liothyronine in CYTOMEL is intended to replace a hormone that is normally produced by the thyroid gland. Generally replacement therapy is to be taken for life.
- Inform patients that CYTOMEL should not be used as a primary or adjunctive therapy in a weight control program.
- Instruct patients to notify their healthcare provider if they are taking any other medications, including prescription and over-the-counter preparations.
- Instruct patients to notify their healthcare provider of any other medical conditions, particularly heart disease, diabetes, clotting disorders, and adrenal or pituitary gland problems, as the dose of medications used to control these other conditions may need to be adjusted while taking CYTOMEL. If patents are taking anticoagulants (blood thinners), their clotting status should be checked frequently.
- Instruct patients to notify their physician or dentist if they are taking CYTOMEL prior to any surgery.
Adverse Reactions
- Instruct patients to notify their healthcare provider if they experience any of the following symptoms: rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, leg cramps, headache, nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, tremors, change in appetite, weight gain or loss, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, heat intolerance, fever, changes in menstrual periods, hives or skin rash, or any other unusual medical event [see Adverse Reactions (6)].
- Inform patients that partial hair loss may occur rarely during the first few months of CYTOMEL therapy; this is usually temporary [see Adverse Reactions (6)].