Hello I've been diagnosed about 5 months ago with subclinical hyperthyroidism...i have all the kind of symptoms my primary Dr put me on Beta blockers and Xanax..and then send me to see an endo
My Endo put me on Methimazole but u had such a bad reaction to it..so she stop it and said all she want to do is watch it for now but i can't live like this..so what should i do? Should i seek a 2nd opinion? PLEASE HELP!
Hi Jason
Wat symptoms do u have ? Well I was diagnosed with the same condition almost 9 yrs back. But fortunately I don hav any symptoms. I just monitor my levels every 6 months and im not on medication. The doc said it wud be preferable to not start medication for this condition and unless I show symotims I don't need to unnecessarily take meds.
.
Yes absolutely get a second opinion. What are your symptoms? You have to be your own advocate when it comes to your health.
Thanks for commenting!
I have all kinds of hyperthyroidism symptoms from anxiety to tremor weight loss hard time staying concentrated..i feel like my life has stopped and I'm 22 years old which keep making my Dr. Taking easy on me..but I'm afraid I'm risking other conditions if i leave it untreated.
Thanks for commenting!
I have all kinds of hyperthyroidism symptoms from anxiety to tremor weight loss hard time staying concentrated..i feel like my life has stopped and I'm 22 years old which keep making my Dr. Taking easy on me..but I'm afraid I'm risking other conditions if i leave it untreated.
Hi Jason
I would get 2nd opinion because if you have symptoms such as anxiety, rapid pulse rate, palpatations, weight loss and aching muscles the beta blockers will not help . You will need thyroid medication to sort the symptoms out. If you had a reaction to medication , why haven't they given you another type of medication?
Jac
Doctors left me untreated for my hyperthyroid for many years. Mine started with palpitations, general weak body feeling, tired, weak muscles and the list goes on. My worse symptom was anxiety so they put me on anti depressants because all doctors thought I was a hypochondriac because I told all doctors that I knew I had a thyroid problem. They wouldn't do anything because my levels were "normal" so I've been on anti depressants for 13 years now. 2 years ago, I found a new doctor who finally believed me and diagnosed me with Graves' disease which is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid. My thyroid is now huge and has multiple nodules that are suspicious looking. I am on tapazole until the surgeon can get me in for surgery to take my thyroid out. The doctor told me the graves is progressing too fast for my meds to keep up. I have been through hell because doctors would not listen to me. A bad functioning thyroid can cause so much in your body. Your numbers may say you're ok but your body is saying you're not, listen to your body and don't let them sweep you under the rug. Thyroid disease is one of the biggest misdiagnosed conditions in health care.
Hi Vanessa
Totally agree with you. Do u have a suggestion for me. I have no symptoms as such. Been subclinical for a decade almost now. Is it advisable to let it be until symptoms rise. Can it affect the bone and heart in the long run. Shud I take medication. I am told takin meds for this is more harmful than good. My tsh us real low but my t3 and t 4 is normal. Wat do u suggest for me?
Yes guys you are totally right!
my TSH started at 0.15 two more weeks it was 0.10 and then they started me on Methimazole that i took for a whole month ignoring the the bad reaction i had towards it but after a month I couldn't handle it anymore i went to the ER and it was effecting me badly so my endo had me stop it
then she wanted me to be on PTU and I refuse because i read that Methimazole has 3 cases liver damage while PTU has 28 i was like Noo I'm not doing this to my self "you can live without thyroid but not without lliver"
so now my endo just wanna watch me even tho my TSH is down to 0.01 with normal t3 and t4
That's a very low TSH but I would absolutely get a second opinion.
my TSH started at 0.15 two more weeks it was 0.10 and then they started me on Methimazole that i took for a whole month ignoring the the bad reaction i had towards it but after a month I couldn't handle it anymore i went to the ER and it was effecting me badly so my endo had me stop it
then she wanted me to be on PTU and I refuse because i read that Methimazole has 3 cases liver damage while PTU has 28 i was like Noo I'm not doing this to my self "you can live without thyroid but not without lliver"
so now my endo just wanna watch me even tho my TSH is down to 0.01 with normal t3 and t4
Hi Vanessa
Any words of advice for my condition ?
If you have no symptoms at all, I would watch and wait. How low is your TSH?
Hi Vanessa
It's real low. About 0.02 uIU/ml.Wat do u think?
Has the cause of your subclinical hyperthyroidism been identified? The other thing is: What was your daily Methimazole dose? Some patients benefit even from a very low dose (e.g. 2.5 mg every second day). At a low dose Methimazole and Carbimazole tend to have less side effects.
If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you mean by bad reaction?
When I started taking Carbimazole 30mg (which is converted by the body to Methimazole) I experienced itchy skin and hives but it helped me reduce my thyroid values. My dose was then gradually reduced up to 2.5 mg and I have been taking it for about 17 months.
During the month that you were taking Methimazole did your symptoms of hyperthyroidism improve?
Another suggestion would be to try taking L-Carnitine. Some patients on this forum have had good results taking this supplement. You can google research findings related to hyperthyroidism and L-Carnitine for more information.
Hi Dan.
I was on 10 mg once a day..i was so sick in my stomach nausea and vomiting flu-like symptoms muscles aches joint pain tiredness and fatigue couldn't get out of bed.
I don't know if it reliefed my hyperthyroidism symptoms I'm mean it gave me a whole new st of symptoms to the point i forgot how it felt to have hyperthyroidism symptoms. But i think i didn't have to take Xanax for 10 days when i was on it. But as i said it gave a whole new set of symptoms!
Hi Jason, I understand now why you were reluctant to try PTU and why your endo instructed you to stop the medication.
There may be many reasons why you felt poorly. Hyperthyroidism and Methimazole may cause a reduction of the white blood cells which can make you more prone to get infections. In extreme cases Methimazole can cause bone marrow suppression. Patients with hyperthyroidism sometimes also have liver abnormalities that can cause symptoms like nausea.
If your thyroid values are not too high then you might be able to cope with it without medication. Just make sure you have a well balanced diet to get plenty of minerals and vitamins. Due to the increased metabolism patients running hyper easily deplete their stores of minerals and vitamins. If might be beneficial to include 'goitrogenic food' in your diet like cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, spinach, strawberrys, etc. Selenium is also a mineral that is beneficial for hyper patients (Brazil nuts are rich in Se). Also make sure you get enough Calcium and Magnesium.
Hi Dan
That's a good way . I'm assuming that u hav read my posts as well. So is it okay to not go on medication when one has no symptoms. Although my tsh is as low as 0.02 . I have been with this condition for the last 9 years
Doc says meds not needed and we continue to monitor as long as no symptoms are observed.
Wat is ur advice ?
Priya
You mentioned above that your thyroid hormone levels (T3 and T4) are normal. That's why you don't show any obvious symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Your doctors are doing a good job monitoring your condition to detect any problems early.
In many elderly patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism increased bone density loss is an issue. I would suggest you make sure to get enough Ca and Mg to prevent this.
Yes, t3 and t4 have been in the normal range for the last 9 years
also, yes I have read that it can affect the bone and the heart. I will ensure I get my calcium and mg. I'm careful on a diet. but does it meM that people who are subclinical needn't take meds if there are no symptoms?. I'm thinking wud this condition not cause some invisible damage in the long run becoz of the condition. Ideally a healthy condition wud be indicated by normal tsh as well. The fact that mine is not normal can have some effects that I'm not seeing rite.? Is that possible. Am I neglecting something? The management of this condition had always been controversial .
Thanks for ur reply, Dan