[tracymar58]

#1019267

I started methimazole last Friday (for Graves disease) and within 12 hours starting having severe abdominal cramps (like painful muscle spasms in the area of my abdomen and pancreas, limiting my ability to move, bend etc just like a muscle cramp or spasm would). It’s been 4 1/2 days now, and the cramps keep getting worse, so that I’m unable to work or do much of anything – and I haven’t been able to eat for over 4 days now.

I went to a primary care doctor who is trying to determine the problem (she did many tests – results not yet in – and said that the pain seemed to emanate from the area of my pancreas) and talked to an endocrinologist on call (waiting to hear from my regular endocrionologist) who says that abdominal area cramps is not a side effect of methimazole. However researching online, I see that such cramps is indeed a symptom, although rare.

I’m relying on methimazole so that I don’t have to do RAI, but I fear that these horrendous cramps are being caused by methimazole, and wonder if I should stop it. I’m self-employed and have already had to cancel my work far more than is feasible this year, and I’m not going to be able to work till these cramps stop. Plus the pain has been severe for over 100 hours now, and my nervous system feels stressed beyond belief.

Has anyone had abdominal cramps as a result of methimazole? As a result, did they stop when you stopped taking it (I’m debating now skipping my nightly dose just in the hope that I’ll wake up without this pain.
Tracy

[ely2009]

#1070442

Wow – you poor thing! I’ve been on methimazole since March, but have not had any major side effects. Sounds like you are on top of figuring this out. Best of luck and hope you feel better soon.

Emily

[Ski]

#1070443

I had some horrible abdominal symptoms about a week after my RAI, which no one was ever able to successfully and absolutely diagnose. My doctor put me on a liquid diet for a few days, after which I was "okay." Eventually all returned to normal. My SUSPICION (no one has been able to conclusively say) is that it has more to do with the radical drop in thyroid hormone, than the method by which our thyroid hormone is being lowered. But sorry, I have nothing to prove that. Keep in touch with your doctor, but please don’t mess with the dose of methimazole without full cooperation from the doctor. You can end up confusing the issue as you go forward with methimazole treatment.

[powergrrrl29]

#1070444

I just switched to methimazole 2 days ago. I was on PTU before and went off that due to the FDA saying it was higher risk for liver failure than methimazole. I never had any side effects with PTU, but I’m on a very small dose of methimazole and I am having abdominal discomfort in the epigastric area. It feels like a tightness or bloatedness although I don’t look bloated. It’s very uncomfortable. I’m hoping it will go away after I take this for awhile because I’m not sure I can tolerate it.

[Wolfmother]

#1070445

My abdominal cramps occurred after RAI and up to 6 months into raising my thyroxine doses. As I got closer to stabilising they slowly ceased. I know what you’re going through. The pain is so intense you cant move out of the position your in to release it and even when you try moving it seems to get worse. I’ve never experienced severe cramping like this before – I thought one of my organs had torn it was so painful. I found it happened mostly when I tried to get up from a sitting position.

I hope by the time you get this they’ve gone for good!

[Author]

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