# likelihood lowering methimazole from 10 to 5mg..will.cause relapse?



## StacyAr (Nov 10, 2012)

Lowering due to side effects after only being on it a month .. is it likely the symptoms and levels will rebound? What's everyones experience?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Most ppl on anti thyroid meds begin to lower initial dose within the 1st 1-3 months.

Your endo does not know what they are talking about.

Sadly - most endo's have limited understanding of how to properly dose and rely heavily on TSH alone to dose. It is very important to get your FT-4 and FT-3 run every lab before adjusting doses.


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## Sandbar (Nov 6, 2012)

Totally agreeing with Lovlkn most of the time except that every now and then lowering the dose will produce a return to hyper. It did for me. I was on 50mg of PTU a day for two months, reduced to 3/4 of a pill and within six weeks my FT3 was above the upper third of the range and my TSH was almost completely suppressed again after having normalized; I was having trouble sleeping and diarrhea problems again. So it can happen. Doesn't mean it will happen for everybody though. I suspect 50mg was my maintenance dose to begin with.


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

You are correct Sandbar. From what I've read, MMI is ten times more potent on a weight basis than PTU, meaning that the 50 mg of PTU was equivalent to a 5 mg maintenance dose of MMI.


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## StacyAr (Nov 10, 2012)

Hi guys, So I spoke to the doc and she said shes afraid the rash could escalate to anaphalaxis, which though rare, could happen if I stay on a med Im allergic to. She acknowledges that it could be a side effect etc or not anything dangerous, but she has to go the safe route. I said I am less worried about anaphalactic shock than liver failure, though of course Im worried about both. Plus, and this is an important point, if I go on the PTU and have more itching, which is likely(!) then boom, Im done with all meds and have to have surgery NOW. So I asked what is the harm in lowering the dose to 5mg, she said shes almost certain the 5mg may not be enough of a maintenance dose and really wants me on the 10 mg daily. She agreed to have me rebloodtested in 3 weeks to see how my levels are. I was on the low end of FT4 at last test, so I think maybe it WAS time for a decrease. But i am not a doctor. The only way to see if I respond okay to the dosage change is to wait and do bloodwork I guess?? I wonder why she thinks 5 mg will be too low. From what Ive read on line, the ideal numbers you want for your FT4 are in the high end of normal (to avoid becoming hypo? not sure why else?) and mine is def at the very low end...which would seem to me maybe a dosage change was in order?? What are your thoughts on this issue of her feeling the 5 mg will likely wind up being too low?


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