Tapazole

[MonikD]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and I'm glad to read that I am not the only one with Thyroid issues!  I am the proud mother of a new baby girl who is now 4 months old and I suffer from PPT,  I had it with my first child and now I new the signs I acted fast and saw my endo.  The problem is that I've been prescribed Tapazole to help me with the hyper stage until hypo sets in, and honestly, I'm really scared to take the medication.  The list of side effects seem pretty severe.  Is this the best process for me to take.  The other issue is that I am the lovely recipient of PPD (If I was a horse you would have to take me out!) and I'm not sure what both combined can do to me?  

I'm aware that thyroiditis is cyclical and each phase has it's own duration... should I take the medication?

Thanks
Monik

[MonikD]

Hey, Thanks but now I'm really confused!!  I have to go see the Dr. in 4 weeks from now and was given Tapazole 5mg x2 daily.  I don't understand what's going on. I don't want to be using meds if I don't have too.  No tests have been scheduled or even discussed.


Hmmm... what should I do?

[GravesGirl]

If it's really Graves, you NEED the Tapazole, you have to find out if it turned into Graves. They don't usually give you that for sub acute thyroiditis, if that's what it is, and as far as the anxiety, it takes Tapazole a few weeks to work, so I don't think it's used as an anti-anxiety med.Ask if you have Graves. Ask about those 2 tests the doc said, did you have those done? I was thought to have a short lived thyroiditis too at the begining but after scans and antibody testing, it was proven to be Graves. Hope this helps, maybe the doc will answer again.

[MonikD]

This is my second child and I had PPT with the first one as well. However, this is the first time that I've had Postpartum Anxiety and I think she wanted me to take Tapazole to minimize the anxiety and other symptoms. The PPT the first time converted into Hypo treated with levothyroxine and regulated itself after one year.  Does that makes sense then to still be on Tapazole?

Thank you for taking the time to email me regarding this issue.

[GravesGirl]

Hi there!
  If it's only short lived, I'm sure you'll be fine on the meds. I've been taking it for a year and 4 months and I'm fine on it. I take it  right before supper, as I think it might cause stomach upset, and that way it becomes a habit and I don't forget. If you read every side effect of any pill, you'd never take it. Most times the benefit outweighs the risk. Hope this helps.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Hyperthyroidism after pregancy is not uncommon.  The trick is to distinguish between post-partum thyroiditis (which does not need Tapazole) and Graves Disease (in which Tapazole would be appropriate).  Checking TSI and TBII antibody levels can help also if you are not nursing, an I-123 uptake study (nuclear medicine test) would distinguish between the two.  If we cannot tell which it is --- and at 4 months it could be either --- then tapazole is sometimes used in case it is Graves.  If it is PPT then no medication is needed and we monitor for hypothyroidism which sometimes is treated with levothyroxine, esp if more pregnancies are planned.