Take your doses at regular intervals to keep a steady amount of the drug in your body at all times. Be sure to check with your doctor before you stop taking these medicines. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. I'd never stop any medication cold turkey. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Do not use methimazole in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. You need to be involved in the decisions regarding your care, and how you feel about your medication and its effects are of great importance. I just watched my diet, no red meat, no sugar, no wheat or dairy, and room temp water. The ENT in the group did suppression therapy. Paying for medications can be stressful. It is also used before thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine treatment. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. One thing my Endo and I agree on is that he will not stop a patient's medication entirely unless their antibody levels are within the normal range even if all their thyroid labs are normal. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. Thyrotoxic Crisis Oral Some clinicians recommend 60-80 mg daily. 6 years ago, Methimazole is an excellent medication for Grave's disease and other forms of hyperthyroidism which works by interfering with the production of the thyroid hormones. A dosage change can start to be felt for me in 3 days and reaches fullness in about a week, but if it is too big a dosage change the symptoms can last for week(s) afterward till my body adjusts. Her overall presentation does not seem to add up in being secondary to urosepsis. Hello I'm glad I found this. Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex. Nabil N, Miner D, Amatruda J. Methimazole: an alternative route of administration. Continue reading. Natural Solutions For Graves' Disease & Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. The risk of serious side effects due to thyroid medication is extremely smallfar lower than the risks of remaining untreated. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Hello, what you think of my lab results & should I see another doctor? Registered number: 10004395 Registered office: Fulford Grange, Micklefield Lane, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6BA. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. When I asked if my numbers should have been closer to hypo range if I was a candidate for remission, she said yes but wanted to see if I could wean off anyway. Our clinical information meets the standards set by the NHS in their Standard for Creating Health Content guidance. Seemed like it got stuck or something. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The screen reading the results was behind me, and I was in a bed. I was on 10mg daily of Tapazole, went to 7.5 in the early winter but also returned to work at same time (bad idea). While many people understandably want to stop taking their thyroid medication immediately, the best approach is to begin the protocol and then begin to gradually wean off the thyroid medication under the supervision of a medical doctor. You should not breast-feed while using methimazole. Dr. Fereidoun Azizi. A Community for those living with and dealing with Graves' Disease. The antithyroid drugs methimazole (MMI) and propylthiouracil (PTU) are used as one option to treat patients with hyperthyroidism, especially those with Graves' disease. By using this Site you agree to the following, By using this Site you agree to the following, The Best IOL for 2022 RXSight Light Adjusted Lens, Will refractive surgery such as LASIK keep me out of glasses all my life. Thyroid medications usually do not work right away. I have my test results and I am taking 15MG Methimazole a day since 5/25 and the Endo told me to continue taking the same dosage Hi, Then later when I added supplements and my lab tests were improving very quickly, my new Endo would decrease my dose by no more than 2.5 mg at a time. Thanks, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING. I occasionally would ask my husband what the readings were. I remember being on armour thyroid. Press J to jump to the feed. Stomach/digestive issues (gassy feeling/bloating), depression and fatigue are certainly hypo symptoms, but many people who are hyper have them as well. My doctor took me completely off Methimazole at 1 year with very poor resultsI was off the charts in 2 1/2 weeks and back up to 20MG a day to get me stable. Please get back to me.. I was on 5 mg daily and now my dr halved it to 2.5 daily. Read our editorial policy. The maintenance dose is 5 to 15 mg per day. Answer. All of this has been a real struggle for me since I have a huge phobia of taking meds. Mine endo only did it once every 6mo and within that time my tsh was no longer detectable and I got super super sick. Your number for what was 2.13? Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with Graves' disease who were initially on MMI, in whom this drug was stopped because they had undetectable thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAbs) or were euthyroid after at least 24 months on MMI treatment. This medicine is available only with your doctor's . I have very receintly been taken off Methimazole cold turkey atfter 6 years. She enjoys giving lectures and writing articles for both the lay public and medical audiences. These side effects usually mimic the side effects of hypothyroidism, because if you stop taking your medication your body will not be able to produce it naturally for some time. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed. Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. Methimazole is used to treat hyperthyroidism, a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. 2 days on, one day off and this past week my endocrinologist gave me the choice of either going right off Tapazole or going off it slowly. Diagnosis of thyroid storm can be somewhat of a challenge because of this, but a scoring system developed by Burch and Wartofsky 1 can assist in determining the likelihood of thyroid storm in patients based on presenting signs and symptoms. Comments: Daily doses are usually given in 3 divided doses at approximately 8 hour intervals. thanks for letting us know what you have gone through. We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure, Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them. At my last visit, my Dr suggested seeing if I could wean off my medicine. What was your heart rate when you were at the hospital on Saturday? IS THERE A WEIGHT LOSS PLAN THAT ADDRESSES THYROIDECTOMY - what do you do to lose weight? I have hyper numbers - very low TSH and high/normal T4 and I have the same kind of symptoms you have: freezing cold and sometimes achy legs. Alfadhli E, Gianoukakis A. Also did the same with Vitamin D and Magnesium. It can take a few days to a few weeks for you to even start noticing a difference in how you feel. HELP. 0.84 t4 sounds pretty low so maybe that was part of the decision? What many people don't realize is that there are quite a few symptoms that can apply to either/both hyper and hypo. The dose is taken in 3 divided doses every 8 hours. These are valid concerns, but they are not reasons to stop taking your medication; the risks of going untreated are far too serious. If someone else had been through this I'd certainly like to know their opinion. Thank you so much! When I stopped in 2015, I went hyper againin approx 8 months, so after a lotof readingand research, I've decided to taper my dose rather than stopping. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Thats what Im saying. Side effects are also most likely to occur within the first three months of treatment, so keep that in mind if you are beginning a new regimen. Yes, hair loss (alopecia) is listed as a side effect of methimazole (brand name: Tapazole) and other thyroid medications. Endocrine causes of dangerous Fever. It is not really safe to stop it suddenly. I want to know if I should see another doctor. Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex. Ive been on the 5 mg daily for a few years now. I don't remember the rest of the reading. But didnt feel any on the 5 mg. How long were you on Methimazole before weaning off? She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution. :-). Helpful - 0 Comment leilajax Gimel is right, it only has a 6 hour half life. Home Treatment For Low Thyroid: What Essential Oils Are Good For Hypothyroidism? Twice, I got worried because my hand and arm were deep red from the tightness of the cuff. Then I tried one 500 mg capsule and saw how I felt on it beofre I raised it to the dose that was mentioned in the research article. He wanted me at 0 TSH. 2013 Nov;31(4):969-86. I have nevery had anxiety attacks before. I was tested again today my gp ordered that I do will have results later today. I've read of people getting off Methimazole all at once and doing okay, although many do have "withdrawal" symptoms (symptoms of being hyper) as their body purges the medication. If you are covered by Medicare or Medicaid coverage, your thyroid treatments should be paid for under these plans. I'm not on meds yet but I agree with AnnLW. Have been able to come off of the beta blocker as my blood pressure and heart rate have dropped back to a low/low normal range. I'd get night sweats and have trouble sleeping. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal. So I don't think there is one size fits all but I do believe you need the information from the tests your doc does as well as learning about your body and its symptoms and what works and what doesn't in order to get well. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services. I retired in 2015 because I was unable to work. (PTU), Methimazole, or Tapazole thyroid medicine 4 days before their tests. Thyroid storm. ALiEM by ALiEM.com is copyrighted as "All Rights Reserved" except for our Paucis Verbis cards and MEdIC Series, which are Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. From what I've read, it can take a couple of weeks for those symptoms to go away. If you are on a beta blocker for your heart rate (propranolol, atenolol, metoprolol, etc), your doctor may discontinue, decrease the dose, or keep the dose the same with plans to wean the medication in the weeks and . The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. Endocrinologic emergencies often fall at the wayside and are not generally considered as a possible diagnosis up front in patients in the emergency department who meet the criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Yet to you, something does not seem right. pale skin, easy bruising, unusual bleeding. We went to the ER. Are you losing weight? respect of any healthcare matters. The third type of carnitine is Proprionyl-L-Carnitine recommended for heart disease. .50 was the low normal range. I am also trying to wean off and am having really really really bad anxiety is this normal???? If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using methimazole. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine. As far as symptoms go, I have been gassy (for no reason), fatigued more than usual, depressed, short tempered,and I'm either too cold or too hot. Stop using methimazole and call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, sore throat, cold or flu symptoms; painful mouth sores, pain when swallowing, red or swollen gums; or. So I now went to Winthrop Hospital and am off 5 mg of methimazole since I'm taking the nuclear test this week. But I was stressing about some dumb things before. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, headache, joint pain, fever, itching, swelling, or pale skin and easy bruising or bleeding. unable to get any financial help*SSI/DISABILITY DENIED X4, ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use. My body symptoms were freezing weak cold tired muscles and bones hurt. And then see if you need the beta blocker if what you're experiencing is heart palpitations/shakiness. If you are not taking your thyroid medication because of one or more of the following reasons, try the suggested solutions to address your concerns. I just have to say thanks for always replying to my posts. Shaky? Your hair loss or hair thinning may also be a symptom of hyperthyroidism, when your thyroid gland is overactive and makes too much thyroid hormone. Same as sudden weather changes, we get headaches etc. Recently, after a six month stint of being in the normal range, my bloodwork indicated I was hyper. And there are no natural substitutes for antithyroid medications, either. I agree, doctor should have told you this. What Should You Expect When You Arrive at the Medical Office Late? fatigue and hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease. Methimazole is an antithyroid medicine. Brand names: Tapazole, Northyx My methimazole was 5 mg once a day. Can You Eat Soy If You Have a Thyroid Condition? My GP suggestd similar action as my TSH levels started rising (only just out of range)and my FT4 dropped. This was very irresponsible of them and I was not able to be well enough to work for a year after that. tightness in the chest. I STOPPED TAKING mathemizol on may 11, 2017 after 3 years of being sick. I did this (decided to lessen the dose) all by myself with a naturopath's advice (my "specialist" seems to have forgotten about me and never did the follow up in mid-March, and I am not disappointed =;) The biggest help has been to deal with my stress.