Methimazole - What should I expect?

[kidsnchicks]

I have been prescribed Methimazole 10mg twice a day for my overactive thyroid.  What should I expect?  How long might it take to get regulated?  Did it work for you?  Any suggestions/

[suep112]

I also took methimazole twice a day until I opted for a TT for Graves. It worked almost immediately for me. I was sooooo sick with the symptoms of Graves when I finally went to the endo. I also took a beta blocker for heart palps and that helped, too. I did start to gain a little weight, but I was loosing at an alarming rate before. I looked like a walking zombie and felt horrid. I missed a month of work because I was so sick, but my gp never tested my thyroid and tried to treat the diaharha and anxiety with meds and anti depressants. Anyway...you will feel better quickly. I honestly think I felt back to normal in about a week. I stopped the beta blockers in a month or two after that because my heart calmed down. I truely thought I could take methimazole forever and feel fine. My endo said....no way...12-18 months tops and then either rai or surgery. I would have liked to just take the pills.

[Smilerdeb]

usually if your levels havent stabilised after 12 months on Methimazole then its time to start thinking of other treatments.
Use the time wisely to research all you can about Graves, Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidsim, RAI and Thyroidiectomy.
Make sure you get yr bloods done every 4 weeks as the MMI will block the thyroid function and you can go hypo on these meds very quickly.
You need to decrease/increase with each lab test and should yr heart be racing and beating hard, you need to ask your Doc for a beta blocker until the MMI kicks in (so to speak).
I was on this for nearly 12 months and went from hyper to hypo every 2 weeks due to high medication sensitivity.
Some do well on this med, some dont.
I had RAI a year ago this month and havent looked back.
Just make sure your Doc checks your liver enzymes as this med can cause liver toxicity but the count usually has to be in the 1000's for it to be damaging.
I read somewhere this week that MMI and CBZ (Carbimazole) are the preferred meds for Graves as PTU has serious side effects with the liver.
Research all you can about Graves Disease as there is so much to learn and this will help you understand the condition a lot better.
Good Luck :)

[skeeterknitwit]

Good to see you here again!  I was on methimazole for a short time, 2 months.  It was the only thing that stopped my hands from shaking.  I also gained 5 lbs. very quickly.  It was really no big deal to me, but my endo seemed really disgusted with my weight gain.  He said, "You have to be more careful what you eat."  Really?  I think if he really did specialize in thyroid disorders while in med school, he would know that it's not the food, it's the hormones that cause the weight gain.
The methimazole is going to give you and your thyroid some time to sort this out.  Hopefully it's thyroiditis and will resolve over the next year or so.
Be sure to tell your Dr. if you start feeling hypo.  You might need to reduce meds later.  It feels really good to sleep again!
Waiting this out is the hard part.  There is no quick fix to anything thyroid.

[kidsnchicks]

Thank you all for the replies.  My questions are more towards the symptoms/side effects and how quickly/slowly will I notice a difference and if there is anything specific that I need to watch for.  I started the meds last night.  This morning I had some nausea after taking it, then this afternoon I had no appetite (which was a good thing), I also was tired and felt as though I was coming down from racing.  When I say comeing down from racing, it is like I have been on a daytime cold medicine that revved me up and when it wears off I am left feeling sluggish and light headed/airie feeling.  Does it work this fast?  Are these similar symptoms that you experienced?  I assume that since I am hyper and this med is to block/counter that, then I will feel as though I am coming down from racing?  Does that make sense?  Truthfully, my symptoms aren't that bad.  They are just bad enough to know they are there and only truly show themselves when I am stressed or really busy.  I'm wondering if I should even be on meds.  Am I in denial?  I think I am borderline depressed.  The tests that have been done so far do confirm that I have an overactive thyroid but they aren't extreme.

Blood was drawn before I left.  I go back in 3 weeks for a follow-up and to see if the meds need adjusting.  They don't think I have Graves but they are testing for it.

The new Endo that I went to on Friday, said I was not very symptomatic.  Their main concern was the heart palpitations, which mine have minimized.   They are thinking that it might be Thyroiditis and will heal on its own.  Is it normal to treat Thyroiditis with Methimazole?  Are they appeazing me since I went to them for a second opinion?  Maybe I am just paranoid that someone might think I am nuts LOL!

Thanks again!

[Smilerdeb]

It is normal to treat thyroiditis with Methimazole and depending on how drug sensitive you are, depends on how fast the meds work.
I am super drug sensitive and found I felt better within 2-3 days each time the dose was changed.
Let us know how yr testing for Graves goes.
Hope that helps .

[cbread]

I threw up my methimiazole on day three, but learned to take it by itself in the morning or with coffee and never had a problem since. Now 2 1/2 years in I am on a very low dose and can take with anything.

Some people report hives on the meds and I can say my skin is itchier than normal, but other than that I haven't had many side effects. It beats being hyper!  It took about a month for most of my hyper symptoms to resolve- but I felt better each day.  The medication is a tricky one to regulate, so definitely get regular blood draws.

[ann4512]

HI WELL IT'S PRETTY SCARY STARTING OFF ON MED'S,BUT IT WILL BE FINE KEEP GETING BLOOD'S DONE EVERY 4 WEEK'S TO STAY ON TOP OF THYROID.AFTER 8 WEEK'S ON METHIMIAZOLE I WENT HYPO SO CUT DOWN ON TABLET'S,I ONLY TAKE 10MG A DAY IF YOU HAVE A COLD IT THROW'S THE TABLET'S OFF A BIT THAN SETTLE'S BACK DOWN,SO GO TO DOC AND SEE HOW YOUR LEVEL'S ARE DOING I HAD BAD MIGRAINE 3 WEEK'S AGO SENT ME HYPO FOR A WEEK NOW DOC SAID MY LEVELS HAVE SETTLED BACK TO NORMAL,8 MONTH'S MED'S NOW SO WILL BE COMING OFF MED'S IN 4 MONTH'S DOC TO SEE IF I CAN GO IT ALONE FINGER'S CROSSED.MOST PEOPLE SALE ALONG ON MED'S I HAD A FEW BUMP'S ALONG THE WAY,BUT SETTLED DOWN.TRY AND KEEP POSITAVE I NO WHEN YOUR FELLING BAD IT'S HARD. :-) XX TAKE CARE ANN4512

[kellz11]

I started taking methimazole about three weeks ago.  So far I haven't had too many adverse side effects.  I started breaking out on my face, they itch minimally.  It just ***** that its on my face.  I want to know more about the RAI procedure.  Right now I am taking the pills and watching my levels, but what is the procedure, before and after the RAI.  Thank you so much for this forum.  I was totally clueless to thyroid issues.  I am a former college athlete and I used to be very active.  It is very frustrating to be so tired, but still have a racing heart.  This is all so new to me so thank you for all of your imput

[Smilerdeb]

Has your Doctor got you on Beta Blockers?
If not...ask for a prescription as they help to bring down the T3 levels which cause the palps.
No-one can make up your mind about RAI...only you can but if its any consolation, I had it in June 2008 and havent looked back and never regretted it.
The secret to wellness after RAI, is knowing your body inside out in regards to symptoms, logging everything down and getting regular labs.
Most go every 6 weeks...mine were weekly then fortnightly first off because of heart issues.
As for Graves...thats with you for life but I dont seem to have had any ill effects from that since RAI.
Am I the same person?
No.
I am a better person but a different one.
I now know my limitations and dont push it to the limit.
Sickness makes my levels go 'out of whack' but I also know the early signs before the labs even show it.
Thats the secret to wellness and knowing what to do at the right time.
Hope that helps.

[kellz11]

Yes I am on beta blockers as well and methimazole.  This is all so new to me, having to check my levels and things like that.  Right now the dr told me to see her every four weeks.  This is so new we haven't even discussed whether RAI is a better option.  Thank you for your response.