# Starting Methimazole



## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

Well, I finally went back to my endo. I decided to try the Meth, for my hyperthyroidism, due to Graves. He put me on 5 mg twice a day. My question is.. Is this a fairly normal dose to start with? Or is it high or low? Will I gain alot of weight on this dosage? I'm already prediabetic, and don't need to gain all my weight back


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> Well, I finally went back to my endo. I decided to try the Meth, for my hyperthyroidism, due to Graves. He put me on 5 mg twice a day. My question is.. Is this a fairly normal dose to start with? Or is it high or low? Will I gain alot of weight on this dosage? I'm already prediabetic, and don't need to gain all my weight back


I do hope you expressed your concerns about weight gain to your doctor? I don't know but the dose you are starting on sounds about average.

Did the doctor tell you when he wants to see you for labs next? Have you taken your first Methimazole tablet yet? If so, how do you feel?


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## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

I told my doctor I was worried about going hypo, but he made it sound like it wouldn't happen. I'll take my first pill tonight. I figured 10 am and pm would be a good time for me. I do go back in a month for bloodwork. He seemed to be pushing towards RAI, but I just thought I'd start at the top and work my way down, so to speak. Here are my last bloodwork results:
T3: 396 (60-181)
thyroxine,free: 3 (.9-1.8)
tsh: still <0.01 (.35-5.50)
anti tpo ab: 48 (<60)
tsi: 188 (<125)
My CBC's were all normal, except for lymphocytes. That was below normal. Not sure what that means.
During my ultrasound, they found 2 nodules on the left. 3 mm and 4 mm. He said he wasn't worried about them, and they didn't warrent a biopsy.

Well that's about everything I know. I'll let you know how the Meth works .Crossing fingers!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> I told my doctor I was worried about going hypo, but he made it sound like it wouldn't happen. I'll take my first pill tonight. I figured 10 am and pm would be a good time for me. I do go back in a month for bloodwork. He seemed to be pushing towards RAI, but I just thought I'd start at the top and work my way down, so to speak. Here are my last bloodwork results:
> T3: 396 (60-181)
> thyroxine,free: 3 (.9-1.8)
> tsh: still <0.01 (.35-5.50)
> ...


What did the report say about the nodules? Cystic, solid, echoic, vascular, heterogenous..........................do you know?

You really are in hyper-land; that is for sure. Yes; those are good times to take your Methimazole.

You might be anemic. Did your doctor comment? I found this about low lymphocyte count.....
http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/what-causes-a-low-lymphocyte-count/


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## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

I don't see much of anything on the report about the nodules. It just says" tiny nodules. No suspicious or dominant nodules seen". Then gives the sizes. I didn't ask much about them, except if they could be cancerous, and he said not likely. I'll ask him about being anemic though. Thanks, as always, for your input!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> I don't see much of anything on the report about the nodules. It just says" tiny nodules. No suspicious or dominant nodules seen". Then gives the sizes. I didn't ask much about them, except if they could be cancerous, and he said not likely. I'll ask him about being anemic though. Thanks, as always, for your input!


As long as you are good to go re the nodules. And yes; a ferritin test would be good.

That would be the protein that store iron for cellular uptake.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> T3: 396 (60-181)
> thyroxine,free: 3 (.9-1.8)
> tsh: still <0.01 (.35-5.50)
> anti tpo ab: 48 (<60)
> tsi: 188 (<125)


Are you taking a beta blocker as well? That would help you if you are having cardiac signs and will also help lower your T-3.


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## francescabarnes (Feb 19, 2010)

When I started taking methimazole in November 2009 for my hyperthyroidism I was told to take 2 tablets 2 times a day @ 5mg. After 3 months my levels looked better and my hyper symptoms were gone (and I'd gained 10lbs back) so I was lowered to 1, 5mg tablet twice a day. A month later I had gained another 10 lbs (!!!!!) and started feeling HYPO, so I was put on 1, 5mg tablet once a day. 
Most recently I was experiencing some side effects from the meth (muscle cramps, depression) so my dose was lowered to alternate 1, 5mg tablet once a day and half a tablet the next day.

It's quite a process trying to find the right levels. Today I went back for follow up, and was told to take half a tablet every day 

I think the dose they recommened is reasonable. I think the most important thing is that YOU monitor how you feel and keep in touch with your doctor so that you can stay on top of any changes you need to make to your meds.

Good luck!


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## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

Thank you Francescabarnes, for sharing your experience. Looksike I'm on the right track.
To Andros, or anyone else reading, I have a question about a test result. 
While my other thyroid tests were abnormal, I noticed that my Anti TPO AB was normal 48 (<60). I thought that it was elevated in Graves patients. Can anyone explain what this means as far as good news or bad news. Does it mean that I won't be susceptible to other auto immune diseases, or that I have a better chance of remission?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> Thank you Francescabarnes, for sharing your experience. Looksike I'm on the right track.
> To Andros, or anyone else reading, I have a question about a test result.
> While my other thyroid tests were abnormal, I noticed that my Anti TPO AB was normal 48 (<60). I thought that it was elevated in Graves patients. Can anyone explain what this means as far as good news or bad news. Does it mean that I won't be susceptible to other auto immune diseases, or that I have a better chance of remission?


Well, I would argue that one. 48 is less than, <60 Thery are there but being quiet.

Normal Results
A negative test is normal. reference.....
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003556.htm

In my mind, <less than is not negative. 0 is negative.

The thing about antibodies and autoantibodies is this; they do wax and wane. They can be quiet for a while and then raise their ugly heads in a flash. The trick is to catch them in action.

Antimicrosomal antibodies are also indicative of a myriad of autoimmune diseases. So, it would be hard to say what your chances are but I sure hope for your sake they are good.

I think early diagnosis is good. When you are too far into it, I believe it lessens the chances.

Here is info on TPO
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_antibodies/test.html


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