crazy or not

[teachei]

I just found out that i have a hyperthyroid. symtoms have been on and off since december. recently i seem to be on edge all the time. i am on atenolol 50 mg 2x's a day. and methimazole 10mg 1 time per day. how long does this take to work. sometimes im not sure if it is my thyroid or just plain anxiety. please help!!

[fern3]

Hi- This is my first time on this  forum. I have been diagnosed with a hyperthyroid due to Graves'. I have been on Methimazole 10mg 3x a day for four weeks and was on propranolol for the first two weeks. I am off the propranolol. After three wks I am now taking methimazole 2x a day. Since the on set of this illness I have had achy/painful gums which seem to get more severe with each episode. I have seen my Dr., dentist and a periodontist. Tylenol helps. No one can find a cause for this pain. I went off the methimazole thinking it maybe a side effect but even after 72 hrs off the methimazole, the episodes still come. Could this be part of the Graves? Someone help me.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

It takes 1-3 weeks for the methimazole to work (we usually repeat labs at 3-4 weeks, but symptoms improve sooner), the atenolol should help immediately.  Anxiety can be brought out by thyroid problems, so would suggest re-evaluating the anxiety after normalizing thyroid function with the methimazole.