Hi, Sunshine, and welcome to the Board.
I strongly recommend that you go to the National Graves’ Disease Foundation’s main web site and look at the list of books under recommended reading. They are a source of good information for you about Graves’, hyperthyroidism in general, and the treatment options that we have available to us. I started out with THE THYROID SOURCEBOOK, which helped me a lot when I was newly diagnosed, and trying to understand what was going on. Another good one, for a “newbie” to the disease is YOUR THYROID: A Home Reference. Either one of these — or both — can give you an anchor of knowledge while you are working with your doctor.
As Jan mentioned, six weeks is about an average amount of time between blood tests. But to emphasize something that she also said, it is important for each patient to pay attention to how they feel, and to stay in communication with their doctor. As you go through treatment, your doctor will give you the recommended time to wait before checking in again. But it is not carved in granite. If you start feeling that something is wrong, call your doctor and check. You need to know, first off, though, that the antithyroid drugs need some time to work. They act to stop the thyroid from taking up and using iodine to make thyroid hormone. But the thyroid also stores hormone, already made, so at first there will be a lag between starting the antithyroid drug and the time that you might feel it beginning to work. This isn’t usually a long period of time. But you will not instantly feel that things are getting better. The thyroid will use up the stores of hormone first.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
Bobbi — NGDF Asst. ONline Facilitator
Bobbi@ngdf.org
