What happens when you stop taking thyroid meds?

[888mom]

My mom has graves disease and battles depression.  My dad had to leave town for a week and left my mom alone at home (she's 64, so that's a totally normal thing to do).  She decided to stop taking all of her medications, and my dad is wondering if she had stopped taking them before he left.  When he came back he had to take her to the ER because she wasn't really talking and not coherent and she felt so sick.  He isn't telling me that much except that she's in the hospital and she'll be fine in a few days, except she's developed walking pnemonia and possibly an infection in her bowels/intestines.  Why would she stop taking her thryoid medication?  Was she sick before she stopped taking the meds (not sure if pnemonia would make you stop taking medications) or did she get sick because she stopped taking them?  I mean, why would she stop the antidepressants either, but doesn't stopping the thyroid medication kill you if you stop it?  She has graves disease and had her thyroid removed with radiation and takes pills (supposed to) every day.  She's 64 years old.  

I'm just frustrated because my dad won't tell me anything.  I think he wants to protect her from feeling embarrassed.  But, I'm just concerned that she was tryign to kill herself.  And if that's the case, is the hospital going to keep her longer for psychiatric evaluation?  It's not like she can hide the evidence from them, but will they do anything if my father doesn't press the depression issue?  My sister said my mom was not really able to talk and was totally out of it when my dad came home.  Nobody else lives at home.  I am hoping my dad realizes that he can't leave my mom alone for any extended period of time.

So how long can you go without thyroid medication?  I just wish someone would tell me something other than my mom's in the hospital because she stopped taking the medication.  And my mom is so drugged up, when I call her she is totally loopy and I don't think she wants to talk about the issue so I haven't pressed it since i don't want her to stop talking to me.  I'm not sure why they have her so drugged up either.  For the thyroid or the depression?

[Barb135]

What thyroid condition does your daughter have?  What kind of medication is she on?  Why isn't she taking it?

[Loz98]

My daughter has not took her tablets for weeks and she will not lesson
To me but she seems ok with out the tablets . Soo I don't know wht to do she is 18  

[ChitChatNine]

I'm not sure but I would think hyper symptoms would be more imminent than hypo ones .. in other words stopping thyroid meds for a week would cause one to go hypo and brain fog and other symptoms could start to appear but I'm not sure if that alone for a week would land one in the hospital ??? But i am NOT a Dr.  If a person takes too much thyroid med that is a diffrerent story and can land you in the hospital within hours of ingestion with potentially life threatening symptoms (haert palps, etc., etc.)

I hope she is feeling better soon . I am so sorry for this.

Cheryl

[redheadaussie]

Really only about a week or two before you will start to notice symptoms. Then if it is still not taken and depending on the severity to start with it can be a medical emergency. It is never wise to stop taking the meds once diagnosed. If a person misses a dose that's ok, but never longer.
Stopping anti-depressants suddenly is going to again cause a medical emergency (I had run out once on a Friday night and no pharmacies were open over the weekend, I thought I'd be ok till Monday, by Sunday morning I was a wreck with horrendous side effects from stopping suddenly. I got a good telling off by the ER I can tell you!)
  I can only conject what happened, your mum might have been starting to get ill and just forgot, and got worse. She may have deliberately stopped, for what ever reason. Your dad may not know the answers. I am sure you are both very upset about it all, and I do hope your mum gets better soon. I am sure the hospital will do all they can to help her. It is good your dad was so aware of her condition and took her to the ER.
Good luck.