# Dosage.. high or low? I'm nervous about taking the drugs.



## jayde (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi

My labs are:

TSH < 0.02 (range 0.34-5.6)
FT3 = 5.5 (range 2.5 - 3.9)
FT4 = 2.81 (range .58-1.64)
TSI = 300 (baseline 140)

The endo diagonsed me with Graves and recommends RAI. I have refused and asked for a low dose on the drugs. She prescribed 10mg Methimazole twice daily for a week and then 5mg twice daily for a week..

I am terrified to start taking these drugs, (I'm an "all natural" kind of girl) but also know I can't just leave this untreated. Does anyone have any input on whether this is a low/ high dose, and how I am likely to feel when I start taking it. I am also worried about the weight gain, hair loss and liver damage, etc

Please can someone comment on this dosage and what I am likely to expect.

THank you SO much

J


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

jayde said:


> Hi
> 
> My labs are:
> 
> ...


I am no expert, and can only relate my experience but I think your dose is kind of middle to lower end of the road. You are correct, you cannot leave this untreated. I don't know of any natural remedy that treats Graves. At least you know you are being treated until the ablation.

I sarted on 30 ( 3x 10) and was on 45 for a bit and it was too much. I felt much calmer right off. My heart wasn't racing nor was I as sweaty or shaky as I had been. The ATD( methimazole) didn't do much for the insomnia, fatigue nor the mood swings but it was nice not to have my heart jumping out of my chest.

I chose surgery as the RAI scared me more. I have not regretted my decision once. It took a little time to get the medication regulated. I feel great, and if I behave, I do not have a weight problem!

Best wishes to you!


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## slivola (Jun 27, 2012)

Hi Jayde-
I posted a reply to you in a different thread, so please take a look there as I shared the website for the graves scientist, Elaine Moore, and I think that will help you as well. http://www.elaine-moore.com What she explains is that new research shows that starting at 20mg is now just as effective as 30mg, plus the potential side effects to the liver are drastically reduced by starting at 20mg. I also have recently switched to a new endocrinologist after being over medicated. After 6 weeks on your starting dose, retest your thyroid. Once your Free T4 is in range, then you will go on a maintenance dose which is around 10mg depending on your starting dose. Then you retest every 4 weeks and adjust based on your results. The TSH typically won't change for quite a while and that is fine.

Regarding your side effects questions, they are all reversible once going off the medicine and the liver side effects are rare and less likely to occur if you do not take a dose higher than 20mg (I started at 30mg and now realize how lucky I am that my liver was okay.) In terms of hair loss as a side effect of the medication, for me, it was actually a side effect of graves and my hair loss stopped within a week of taking the anti-thyroid meds. The weight gain and any additional hair loss would only happen if your thyroid swings into hypo, and those are the side effects that people who are hypo experience. Proper monitoring of your Free T4 and Free T3 (if your doctor offers Free T3) is the best way to make sure you don't become hypo. Most graves patients feel best when our Free T4 and Free T3 are in the higher end of the range. Again the TSH will not change for many months and that is fine and should not be used to determine if you are still hyper. It is important to keep in mind that within a few weeks on medication, your metabolism will slow down to a "normal" speed. If you are used to eating all day long like I was just to maintain your weight with graves, you will need to go back to eating like a healthy person with an average metabolism.

I think you'll feel so much better once you start your medication!


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