PLEASE HELP!! Subclinical hyperthyroidism
Posted , 10 users are following.
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!
0 likes, 31 replies
jason08441
Posted
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
vanessa45115 jason08441
Posted
That's a very low TSH but I would absolutely get a second opinion.
pri16055 vanessa45115
Posted
Any words of advice for my condition ?
Guest jason08441
Posted
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.
jason08441 Guest
Posted
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!
Guest jason08441
Posted
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.
pri16055 Guest
Posted
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
Guest pri16055
Posted
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.
pri16055 Guest
Posted
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
sandi36602 jason08441
Posted
ABSOLUTELY! Hyperthyroidism if not treated can severely hurt your body, for example you can go into AFIB, tremors, weight loss, and much worse GRAVES Disease...It's a horrible problem. There's PTU that you can try and one other anti thyroid drug, I believe.
What was your reaction to the methimazole? I've been taking it for 17 months now.
AmyYamy jason08441
Posted
No matter what happens with your medications, to cope with the stress of hyperthyroidism, you need supplements in addition to the meds. You need all the vitamins required to make ATP, and all the nutrients (proteins mostly) needed to make the machinery which then makes ATP. Also, anti-oxidant support.
Here's an excerpt from the university of maryland medical center page on hyperthyroidism:
Address nutritional deficiencies with the following supplements:
1) A daily multivitamin, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium.
2) Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, to help reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Omega-3 fatty acids can have a blood-thinning effect. If you are taking blood-thinning medications, speak to your doctor before taking Omega-3 fatty acids.
3) Vitamin C, as an antioxidant and for immune support.
4) Alpha-lipoic acid, for antioxidant support. Can potentially interfere with certain chemotherapy agents. Alpha-lipoic acid may be dangerous in people with low thiamine levels, a condition commonly seen in alcoholics. (Note: I'd skip this one. Many hyperthyoid people are low in thiamine. Be educated about thiamine deficiency so you can recognize the signs. This happened to me when I took ALA, and I do not drink any alcohol.)
5) L-carnitine, for decreasing thyroid activity. May have blood-thinning effects and therefore increase anticlotting effects of certain medicines, such as warfarin (Coumadin). L-carnitine may increase the likelihood of seizures in people with a history of seizures.
6) Probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus), 5 to 10 billion colony forming units (CFUs) a day, when needed for maintenance of gastrointestinal and immune health. Some acidophilus products may need refrigeration. Read labels carefully. If you are immune compromised, or if you take immune suppressive drugs, speak with your physician before taking probiotic supplements.
AmyYamy jason08441
Posted
Just read that subclinical hyperthyroidism increases use of thiamine in particular, and can lead to beri beri. It can even cause permanent memory problems and nerve damage. Since thiamine is so safe (no upper limit and no toxicity) I'd run out and get a strong B1 vitamin now.
jason08441
Posted
Thanks everyone for your comments!
I am goning to call my Dr to find me a better Endo..I'm over her already she just doesn't listen i had an appt with her yesterday and i was telling her how hard is for me to swallow nowadays and just ignored me and said i can't do anything for this...she didn't even exam my neck to see how big my thyroid or mu nodules are!!
She said all we can do is watch it for now..and I'm like i had this for 6 months now with no improvement my TSH was 0.15 and then 0.10 and now is 0.01 so what else do you wanna watch...she find out i have thyroid peroxidase antibodies was 20 and 2 nodules and she doesn't even tell me which one is causing the problem.
Not to mention the part that she didn't even advice ne to take 1 supplements even tho my weight keep dropping! I need to see a better one.
sandi36602 jason08441
Posted
I hate to say this but that's not professional and she's coming across as a quack and uncaring. You need a thyroid ultrasound.
Get a new doc and good luck!
jessicalynne jason08441
Posted
Hi Jason!
My Endo just diagnosed me with subclinical hyper too and prescribed Methimazole, but I haven't taken it yet because I've been seeing so many people say they have had bad reactions to it. What kinds of reactions have you had?
My endo recommended that I have a complete thyroidectomy which I'm really hesitant to do. I'm thinking of getting a second opinion. I have all of the same symptoms you do, heart palp, anxiety, extreme weight loss and fatigue, trouble sleeping, heat intolerance. It's awful. I'm looking into natural treatments, but it terrifies me that untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to bone, heart and infertility problems in the future...