Graves disease and new to medication

[joystitching]

I was diagnosed with Graves disease about a year ago.  My thyroid for the past 6 years has been a rollercoaster. NOT fun.  Just over the past 2 months my tsh level went from 1.26 to below 0.  My endo doc also did blood work last week and my T3's are high.  He said I have extreme hyper and that my Graves is kicking in finally.  He has put me on methimazole and I will be taking my first dose tonight.  I'll have to be on it 6 weeks and then get blood drawn again.

My question is...is there anyone else on this and what can I expect?  I just pray that this works for me and that my jittery nervous feeling will go away soon.

Anyone have any advice to a newbie?

Thanks!
Nancy

[frahmbf]

Great to hear all of your experiences!!!  My mom was just diagnosed with Grave's Disease. Boy was everything that happened before the diagnosis SCARY!!!!  My mother takes 10mg Methimazole and 100mg Metoprolol.  She also has hypERthyroidism.  We were wondering why she talked so fast:) lol.  This is very new and different for us.  She is also a smoker.  Misunderstanding the Doctor, we are wondering if she can only take the Methimazole for a 2yr. period or if she can take it for her lifetime as long as the hyperthyroidism is regulated?  She can't do the iodine treatment as long as she smokes and she isn't ready to quit smoking.  We are very concerned.  Any feedback would be wonderful....

[rollercoasterride2010]

I have been diagnosed with Grave's Disease recently and have been put on Methimazole - started at 10mg for a few weeks. Levels dropped putting me into a slightly Hypo state so the doctor lowered my dose to 5mg. I'm still having Hypo symptoms and am returning to see him tomorrow. I have been moody, gained 10 lbs, nausea and very bad muscle cramps all night. So I'm not sure what the next step is going to be. w/o treatment my Hyper symptoms were the rapid heart etc.... so not sure what is worse? Has anyone had the Iodine treatment and can tell my their experience. I'm sure surgery is not a good option at this stage. thanks!!!!!  Valerie

[CHOCOLATE065]

HI, I HAVE HYPER THYROID (GRAVES), AND I AM ON THE METHIMAZOLE, MY HAIR SHEDS QUIT A BET, BUT MY HEART HAS STOP RACING SO FAST AND THE JITTERS HAVE ALL WENT AWAY

[Smilerdeb]

I got the 'thyroid tummy' while hyper and with Graves.
12 months on anti-thyroid meds and 6 months after RAI, I still have the thyroid tummt and an extra 16kgs lol.
The PTU doesnt stay in the system as long as Carbimazole/Methimazole and all atds need to be taken 3 times a day (dose spread out) for it to be truly effective.
Stick with the Methimazole if you can. The gastro tummy is usually where you are still hyper.
If the Methimazole has stopped the rapid heartbeat, then it is doing its job but any sign of a change in symptoms, get your bloods done.
I used to go from hyper to hypo in 2 weeks flat!
I was on a rollercoaster for a good 12 months and its not nice at all.
It is normal for Hyper and Graves Disease patients to go through T3 Toxycosis every now and then.
Beta Blockers usually help lower the T3 and slow down the racing heart rate.
Good Luck and let us know how you go.

[FeathersOR]

Well, I've been on my meds for 4 weeks now and I do know something is working.  I'm sleeping better and such.  But the one thing I've got is gastro stuff.  I've been getting acid reflux and tummy/intestinal gas that I am bloated all out.  Pharmacy and doc both say that it isn't a side effect, but they can't rule it out if my medication is the only change (which is is) in my life.  My doc is supposed to call me tomorrow to tell me if he is going to change me to PTU from the Methimazole.  The PTU takes much longer to take effect so I've got mixed feelings.  But I'll find out tomorrow. Thanks for the comments!

[ann4512]

HI NANNCY
                WELL I'AM ON MY TABLETS 4 AND HALF WEEK'S THEY HAVE ONLY KICKED IN THIS WEEK, THEY WILL START WORKING U JUST HAVE TO HANG IN THEIR,I NO BEEN THEIR GOT ALL THE T SHIRT'S.BUT U WILL FEEL BETTER. XXXX


                                                    FROM     ANN4512

[joystitching]

Thank you for the info.  I know of NO ONE that has hyPER.  Everyone I know has hypo, so it wasn't any help to me. lol

My doc has me taking 10mg 2 times a day to start out. I think because I've gone into overdrive so fast in the past couple of months.  Should be interesting...I take my first pill tonight. lol

Thanks again!

[tm514]

Hi Nancy,

I took methimazole for a little over a year after being diagnosed with Graves a few years back.  I eventually had a TT, but that's a whole other conversation.

Anyway, what to expect.  Well, the methimazole kicked in pretty quickly to calm my thyroid down - almost too quickly, since I had to reschedule my 6 week followup for a couple of weeks down later and I was almost hypo thyroid at the time.  My one lasting impression of those first few weeks was that it fixed my metabolism far faster than it fixed my appetite and I gained back 10 pounds pretty quickly after going on methimazole.  

Make sure to keep your blood test appointment.  Look out for infection because methimazole sometimes has an effect on white blood cells.  Another rare side effect is liver problems.  Your doctor should test for liver function at one of your early blood tests.

I pretty much took methimazole at consistently lower doses until I averaged 7.5 mg daily at the time I had surgery.

Good luck to you.  I hope you feel better soon.