How Much Does Synthroid Cost?

Thyroid patients taking Synthroid are often on the “lucky” end of the prescription spectrum. While many prescription medications are absurdly expensive in the United States, Synthroid is more reasonable than some of its counterparts.

At NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can purchase a 90-day supply of brand name Synthroid for as little as $28.00, which works out to just $0.31 per pill. Higher doses are a bit more expensive — about $38.00 for a 90-day supply, working out to $0.41 per pill.

But don’t worry, these prices for brand name Synthroid are still lower than what you’ll pay for a generic version in the United States.

In the U.S., you’re unlikely to find the brand name Synthroid. You’ll likely encounter the generic form. There are actually two different generics available in the U.S. — levothyroxine and euthyrox.

Typically, the price starts at about $15.00 for a one-month supply of the generic levothyroxine, or about $0.50 per pill.

Depending on the dose you require and where you purchase it, you could wind up paying closer to $35.00 per month, or about $1.17 per pill.

There are many different dose amounts approved, starting at 25 micrograms and working its way up in small increments, with the highest being 300 micrograms. The price may vary between doses, depending on availability and demand.

It’s important to note that generic drugs are only approved if they’re exactly suitable to substitute the brand name. The doses and the active ingredients must remain the same, but some inactive ingredients (sometimes called filler ingredients) may vary.

Most people can take the generic version of a prescription drug without noticing any kind of difference. However, some people find that they have adverse reactions to the generic form, and in those cases, it’s typically an inactive ingredient that their body doesn’t respond well to.

If you’ve tried the generic form of Synthroid but have found that it isn’t working as well for you, NorthWestPharmacy.com can help you find the medication you need.

Synthroid (Levothyroxine) Side Effects

Every medication, whether it’s only available through a valid prescription or easily purchased over-the-counter, comes with some risk of side effects. Some active ingredients carry higher risks than others, and you should always discuss your unique health concerns and history with your physician.

For Synthroid, the list is rather extensive, but not necessarily life threatening. The most commonly reported side effects for levothyroxine are:

If you’re experiencing any new symptoms after starting Synthroid, you should keep track of them and discuss them with your doctor. They’ll be able to weigh risks versus potential benefits, and discuss other possible options with you.

What is Synthroid?

Many people take their medication without knowing very much about how it works. They take it because their doctors recommended it, and because it makes them feel better, or works behind the scenes to solve partially invisible problems (such as high cholesterol).

If you need thyroid medication, it’s important to understand how the medication works. This comprehension may help you realize why medication adherence is so critical.

Synthroid, or levothyroxine is a synthetic form of a hormone that the thyroid gland typically produces on its own. The thyroid produces two specific hormones (triiodothyronine [T3] and thyroxine [T4]) that are critical for many functions in the body. Most importantly, T3 and T4 regulate temperature, metabolism, and heart rate.

When the thyroid is off balance — whether moving too fast or too slow — the T3 and T4 levels in the body get out of whack, which often causes change in weight. Weight differences are often the first thing people notice, but the heart rate is obviously rather important.

Synthroid was designed to replace the T4 hormone, specifically. Another prescription medication called Cytomel was designed to replace the T3 hormone.

T3 is more potent than T4. If you take one milligram of Cytomel, it will have a stronger effect than one milligram of Synthroid.

This difference in potency is likely to influence your doctor’s decision on which medication to prescribe to you. Another factor will be the functionality of your remaining thyroid (if any of it has been removed), and the severity of the negative effects of your thyroid disorder.

However, another major factor is the chemical reaction of T3 in the body. T3 is absorbed more quickly than T4, which can actually cause T3 levels to reach the point of toxicity. This is also classified as hyperthyroidism — the opposite of the intended effect of taking the medication.

You’re not just switching out some symptoms for others, you’re creating an entirely new problem that can have its own catastrophic effects.

For this reason, Synthroid is often preferred by physicians over Cytomel. Of course, every situation, diagnosis, and patient is different. If you have concerns, you should speak to your doctor.

What is Synthroid Used For?

Synthroid is used to replace the T4 hormone that the thyroid gland is no longer making on its own. Typically, patients who are prescribed Synthroid either have a hypoactive (slow) thyroid, or have had at least part of their thyroid removed for one reason or another.

In some cases, the thyroid has been removed because of thyroid cancer, and in others, the patient had a hyperactive (fast) thyroid and part of it was removed in order to level out the hormones it was creating too much of.

When taken properly, Synthroid should help alleviate symptoms the patient was previously experiencing as a result of an underactive thyroid, such as:

Synthroid will not serve as a substitute for the T3 hormone but is quite effective at helping patients with low thyroid hormone levels.

The Dire Need for Affordable Thyroid Medication

Thyroid conditions come in many varieties, from autoimmune disorders, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism.

For unknown reasons, women are between five and eight times more likely to develop a thyroid condition during their lifetimes. In fact, one in eight women will eventually develop a thyroid condition.

The main consideration in this information is that thyroid conditions aren’t the type of problems that go away. Once thyroid disorders present themselves, they’re there to stay. The thyroid does not simply repair itself or get back on track on its own. If it’s overactive, it will remain so. The same goes for an underactive thyroid.

The complication is that thyroid conditions can go undetected for quite some time. Symptoms can be disguised as other conditions, or symptoms can appear and then disappear. It’s not always as simple as a blood test.

However, doctors will recommend starting treatment through prescription medication as soon as they’ve discovered the root of the problem. As previously mentioned, the hormones the thyroid creates regulate critical functions in the body that can lead to life-threatening issues if ignored.

Health Risks with Thyroid Dysfunction

Thyroid dysfunction can lead to increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and infertility. If a pregnant person has an untreated thyroid condition, there is an increased risk of miscarriage, developmental issues with the fetus, and preterm labor.

If someone is unable to afford their thyroid medication, the effects could be catastrophic. Not taking the medication that regulates T3 and T4 in the body can have a ripple effect across multiple organ systems.

And of course, once someone begins thyroid medication, they’re extremely unlikely to ever come off of it. It’s critical that they continue to take it because again, the thyroid will not fix itself.

In fact, sometimes overactive thyroids are simply removed, which means there’s nothing creating these critical hormones. People who’ve had their thyroid removed need daily medication in order to remain healthy vitals.

People with an underactive thyroid will continue to live with a gland that isn’t doing them many favors. They rely on their thyroid medication to replace hormones that their body isn’t naturally making.

A patient who has had their thyroid removed (entirely or partial) is often treated in the same way that hypothyroid patients are treated. Removing part of the thyroid gland may slow it down to “normal” levels, but complete removal means that there’s no natural source of T3 or T4. And that’s where Synthroid comes in.

If someone starts taking these medications prior to retirement, they may be able to afford more expensive medications. However, people who are retired and living on a fixed income may not have the financial flexibility they once had.

It’s critical that patients can afford their medications. If people cannot pay for their medication — and therefore, don’t take it — their symptoms will get progressively worse and may eventually cause irreversible damage.

How to Save Money on Synthroid

If you’re looking to save money on Synthroid, or you simply can’t find the brand name medication in the United States, NorthWestPharmacy.com can help. Regardless of the dose you need, we can ship it directly to your address — there’s no need to leave your house.

We pride ourselves on having the lowest possible price for your medication. In fact, we’re so dedicated to this principle that we offer a lowest price guarantee. If you can find a cheaper price for your medication elsewhere, all you have to do is tell us about it — and we’ll beat it.

Another point of pride is our dedication to safety and accuracy. We understand that first-time shoppers can be a bit nervous about ordering international and Canadian drugs through an online Canadian pharmacy or international drugstore.

We do everything we can to keep our customers safe, which is why we adhere to strict safety standards according to two professional pharmacy associations: the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) and the International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia (IPABC).

Their guidelines are designed to ensure accuracy and include important checks in the process. Among others, these requirements include verification of the prescription by a pharmacist, keeping patient history on file so the pharmacists can check for contraindications, and allowing customers to speak to our pharmacists whenever they would like.

As a result, we have over 400,000 online pharmacy reviews through third-party websites that are overwhelmingly positive. We’re proud to say we maintain an overall 4.8/5 star rating and are the most reviewed and independently five star-rated online pharmacy in the world.

If you have questions or concerns, you can always call our knowledgeable customer service representatives. They’re available to you seven days a week to help you find your medication, answer your questions, and even walk you through the ordering process.

Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-866-539-5330. You can always email us, too – we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

We look forward to helping you keep your hard-earned money!