Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
877337 tn?1249844450

Friend is new to hyperthyroidism ......... need help

Hello,
I am writing for a friend.  Yes, it is truly a friend.  She is very new to hyperthyroidism.  She has just recently been confirmed as having hyperthyroidism but just yesterday had the graves test done.  Her current 4 hour RAI uptake was at 65% and her 24 hour uptake was at 89%.  I do not have the refernce ranges.  She started with Methimazole today.  She started with propanalol (I think) last week to help with her heart rate.  She was not sleeping or when she would she would then sleep walk and do all sorts of crazy things.  

Anyway, she is on the right road now and it will just take time for to get results, educate herself and get her levels in check.  I'm writing today to see if there is anything she can do naturally to help ... such as diet (things to eat or avoid, vitamins to avoid or take) or anything else that will help.  The beta blocker is making her sick to her stomach and now, a week later, she is starting to not rest as well.  I suggested she call her doctor and talk to them about this.

What advice do you have for her until she gets more results and the ATDs kick in?
6 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
393685 tn?1425812522
and yes - have her get the TSI test done.
Helpful - 0
393685 tn?1425812522
I can't say this is fact or not - but I did have these saved in my articles However I found this stuff out after I had RAI so I do not know any proof on it. Your asking about natural things to suppress - so this is the only thing I can offer you.

If you have symptoms of Graves' disease, see a doctor and take the prescribed medication. Do not attempt self-treatment, even though it worked for the young woman whose story began this chapter. In addition to following your doctor's advice, and with his permission, you might also try these herbs.

Bugleweed (Lycopus, various species). Bugleweed has a considerable folk history for treating thyroid conditions, and modern research supports this use. This herb inhibits iodine metabolism and reduces the amount of hormone that's produced by thyroid cells.

( I read about Bugleweed alot with hyperthyroidism)

Leaf extracts are more active than root extracts. The recommended oral preparation is a tincture (alcohol extract) rather than a tea. In one study using laboratory animals, bugleweed tincture resulted in a significant decrease in thyroid hormone levels.

Bugleweed is widely used in Europe as an herbal treatment for early-stage Graves' disease, often in combination with lemon balm. However,  take caution that bugleweed--and other herbal treatments for Graves' disease--have mild effects and are best used in early stages of the condition or in addition to synthetic pharmaceuticals.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). In Europe, lemon balm, also known as melissa, is often recommended along with bugleweed for treating Graves' disease. Studies show that lemon balm causes a decrease in blood and pituitary levels of TSH after a single injection, thus reducing thyroid hormone production. It's not clear if lemon balm has a similar effect when taken orally. It's probably worth a try.

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris). A quarter-pound serving of self-heal greens with bugleweed tubers, spiced up with basil, oregano, rosemary and spearmint, should contain significant quantities of the compound rosmarinic acid, which helps suppress thyroid hormone production.

Kelp (Laminaria, various species). Herbal pharmacologist Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D., author of The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine and Herbal Tonic Therapies, notes that among the Japanese who consume a great deal of kelp, thyroid disease is practically unknown, but among the Japanese who have become Westernized and eat little or no kelp, thyroid disease is on the rise

You can buy powdered kelp in health food stores to sprinkle on your food as a seasoning.

The last paragraph I am not sold on. I hate kelp and find it very dirty and inconsistant. If I went this route and wanted to entertain iodine then I would move forward to potassium iodide and eliminate using kelp.

Remember - this is only thoughts.. I'd have her read more on all this.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Its amazing how helpful this site can be,.......people here were a life saver for me 2 years ago. And even though I've got through the worst, I still stay here to help out the new ones on their 'journey to wellness'.
Its not just the thyroid support but the support knowing we are not alone in this.
Helpful - 0
877337 tn?1249844450
Thanks for the replies.  I forwarded your information on to her.  She is to get a copy of her uptake/scan results today.  Hopefully she will be able to share the images with us. She really doesn't want to do anything permanent at this time (unless diagnosed of cancer or such importance) so I hope she does well on the meds.  After speaking with her again, she is beginning to think the upset stomach is more from the thyroid than the meds.  She just didn't realize it was one of the hyper symptoms.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that her 23 year old daughter has hyperthyroidism as well (and she is pregnant so I advised that she talk to her doc soon), her mother, brother and sister are all hypo and take daily meds for it.  No confirmed "disease" that I know of.

Not patting myself on the back or anything but I am really glad I read so much and asked so many questions.  If I had not been so familiar with the symptoms, I would not have been able to recognise what she was going through.  Who knows what might have happened.  She had actually been to her ob-gyn and cardiologist and they never questioned the thyroid.  I thank this board for the help and information I received.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Tell your friend to 'space out' the doses of beta blockers.
I was on 40mg daily and I took 10mg morning, 10mg after lunch and 20mg at night to sleep.
I found this easier to cope with.
Also advise your friend that she can go HYPO within 2 weeks of MMI if she has a low tolerance to meds.
Either way...I was checked every 2 weeks to avoid levels going too high/low.
I suggest she does the same.

With the % of uptake, I would say that RAI or TT is on the cards for her because with levels like that, the anti-thyroid meds will not work enough to stabilise the levels.
Tell her to avoid IOdine at all costs and iodised salt, goiterous (green) vegetables (broccolli).
She should start feeling some relief with 3-4 days of being on the MMI (methimazole).
My heart goes out to her as Graves and Hyper is he//.

You are a good friend xxx
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
combo of propanol/methimazole made me sick at first, but your body gets used to it after 3-4 days.  I did accupuncture and loved it! It lowered my heartrate instantly and calmed me down if she is open to trying it. Mostly she just needs to trust the medicine will work and every day it gets better.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community

Top Thyroid Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
MI
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.