[amosmcd]

#1059364

Hi, I just started a week ago on 10mg daily (once a day) of Methimazole. I first took it at night since I eat a snack at bedtime, but found I couldn’t sleep. After a couple days I switched to taking it in the morning with breakfast. In the past few days, I get a very hard to describe feeling within a few hours of taking it that lasts most of the day. Sort of a foggy feeling and my energy levels just drop. I also get a mild headache, which I know is a side effect, but this fogginess and lack of energy are scary for me.

I’ve read that many times Methimazole is taken in 2-3 doses a day, rather than the once a day that I take mine. Would that make any difference? I’m not having any improvement in any of the symptoms I’m taking it for yet, so it’s discouraging to have the hyper symptoms and now this side effect from the med that’s supposed to help me. I know a week isn’t long, but I hate to think about it when my doc said it might take a month to feel better. Do the side effects eventually go away?

Amy LC

[cheezitluvr]

#1174308

I also just started taking methimazole. I take 10 mg 3 times a day. I haven’t really noticed any side effects from the methimazole. As for the hyper symptoms you have, you should be taking a beta blocker for those symptoms. I take propranolol several times a day. It causes the hyper symptoms to subside. Ask your doctor for a beta blocker, it makes a difference. My blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal with the beta blocker. My trembling also stopped.

[cmac]

#1174309

amos, I have been on 15 mg a day of methimazole for a couple of weeks now, taking a 5 mg pill 3 times a day. i had a very slight sensation of the fogginess and weakness you describe, but it seems to have gone in the last few days. For example, i remember feeling, while swimming, that I was swimming through jello. The water just seemed heavy. That feeling is gone now. I also take 100mg of a beta blocker, metoprolol, once a day. Maybe you should ask your MD about that. I hope you feel better in a week or two.

[PolishTym]

#1174310

I was on a similar dose as you and felt similar until my body adjusted and eventually got a lower dose.

[Ski]

#1174307

A week is very early in the process — it can take a while just to flush the excess thyroid hormone out of your system, and until things level out, it’s likely that you’ll feel a little weird. Talk with your doctor about how often they recommend having labs done, and make sure you comply, then work with your dose that way. The best way to find your best dose is to do everything as recommended, then they are working with accurate information as they adjust your dose levels to find the one that keeps you comfortably in the normal range.

Remember that your body has, quite literally, been under assault by excess thyroid hormone. It’s going to require healing, before you feel truly well. You can’t start to heal until you’ve found normal levels and stabilized there.

[amosmcd]

#1174311

Thanks for the replies and advice! I really appreciate them.

My blood pressure has been normal and my pulse goes from upper 80’s to about 110 bpm although it may be faster if I’m exercising. When it gets above 90 I really feel my heart pounding in my chest and my heart skips beats a lot. I’m not sure what is meant by tremor. My hands don’t shake. My endo never mentioned a beta blocker, so maybe my heart rate isn’t high enough to warrant one?

I’m due to get my labs rechecked in 5 weeks. My endo said he will call me with the results rather than me going back in for an appt.

I’m following the instructions my endo doc gave me. I know how important it is not to vary the medication. I only switched from night time to morning after I asked a pharmacist if it would be okay.

I should just be grateful my Graves isn’t as bad as it could be at this point. I forced myself today to get things done rather than give into the energy drain and lay around. Now that it’s evening, I can relax and watch football.

Amy LC

[Carito71]

#1174312

Hello Amy and welcome to the forum.

I too take 10mg/day. I split my dose so I take 5mg in the AM and 5mg in the PM. My Dr. just said take 10mg but since the pill is scored and I’ve read that it is better to spread it out, I decided to split it. I was taking 30mg/day and back then I used to take 10mg 3 times a day (AM, noon, PM). It works good for me. As a matter of fact, I’m hypothyroid right now. Anyway, if you would like to read my lab history, I just opened a post with it title “Labs Update …”.

As for the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, I didn’t feel any positive changes until 3 weeks after taking the Methimazole. I couldn’t do much of anything. I felt miserable almost all of the time but like everyone kept telling me then, the symptoms do go away and if the Methimazole works for you, you will feel better, no doubt.

Regarding exercise, I was told by my Endo and my General Drs, not to exercise while hyperthyroid. I have finally been given the go ahead by my Gen. Dr.

Hope you feel better soon.

Caro

[cmac]

#1174313

Well Amy, I’m no expert on this, but it seems to me that a pulse above 80-110 is high enough to warrant discussion of a beta-blocker. Raise the issue when you get a chance.

[amosmcd]

#1174314

Thanks, Carol!

I think I’ll call my endo tomorrow to ask about splitting the dose. The weird feeling I get kicks in about 3 hours after I take it and lasts about 6 hours. If I can decrease that by splitting the pill, it sure would make things more tolerable.

My endo has never mentioned not exercising. I started walking last spring as part of a weight loss program (who knew how much I’d lose without trying!) and I don’t think I’m stressing my heart much by doing it. I just do a fast walk of 2 miles. I checked my heart rate this evening right when I was done and it was only 108. I get to 108 just sitting at my desk at work doing nothing! Just sitting in my recliner now, it’s only 80. But that number changes all the time.

Since I’m calling him, I’ll ask about exercising. I hope I don’t lose that–it’s the only thing keeping me sane!

Amy LC

[amosmcd]

#1174315

Thanks, Cmac!

I’ll ask my endo about a beta blocker when I call him tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

Amy LC

[amosmcd]

#1174316

Okay, here’s an update!

I left a message for my endo regarding beta blocker, splitting my Methimazole 10mg in half to take 1/2 twice daily in am and bedtime, and exercising.I explained that I found a support group and had research a lot about GD and these questions had come up. He called me back a couple hours later!

I was very happy that he thought exercising as I’m doing is fine, I can split the Methimazole in half, and he prescribed Atenolol 25mg for me to take to relieve the rapid heartbeat I’ve been having. I asked my pharmacist if I can split the Atenolol in half to start with, and she said that was fine. I’m having enough weird things going on with my body I didn’t want to throw something extra full blast at it. I’m going to try with the half pill twice a day of Methimazole for a few days before I try the Atenolol. Then I’ll start with half a 25mg pill for a few days and go from there.

Thank you all so much for providing me with ideas, information and support while I figure things out!

This makes me feel like I have a bit of control over my treatment. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Amy LC

[Carito71]

#1174317

Hello Amy,

I’m so glad you have gotten some answers from your Dr. I was splitting my Metoprolol (beta blocker) and I told my Dr. about this and she suggested getting me a prescription for 25mg instead of 50mg. So that is what I’m doing now. I started with the 50mg b/c my heart was going 124 bpm but now that the Methimazole has lowered my thyroid hormone enough for me to even be hypothyroied, I’m on the 25mg.

I’ve started walking. I used to walk miles before all of this but when I became sick walking was no longer an option for me. With my heart rate being so elevated and loosing weight so fast, my Drs told me to wait. I actually went walking a couple of times before they gave me the okay (walk around the block) and I felt sick afterwards. Now is not so bad so I’m building up to walking like I used to.

I wish you the best with splitting the pills. I hope the changes will help you feel better soon. Take care of your heart (it is recommended to keep it between 60-90 pbm when at rest – the beta blocker will help you with this).

Caro

[amosmcd]

#1174318

Hi, Caro–
I noticed yesterday that my heart rate is dropping. And this is without the beta blocker. Right now sitting in my recliner, it’s only 68. It tends to spike in the evening for some reason.

I haven’t noticed much improvement yet in splitting the Methimazole to twice a day. It does interfere with my sleep, but Im hoping that will go away after a while. I’ve always felt good after walking. I was hoping to take dance lessons, but I just know that wouldn’t be good for me yet. Maybe later this Fall when things have stabilized.

I’m hoping not to get too hypo. I felt bad for so long being just subclinucally hypo, when my labs were normal. But, again it’s a waiting game.

Does your endo say how long before your heart rate returns more to normal, now that you’re hypo?

Take care, Amy

[Kimberly]

#1174319

Hi Amy – Just a quick note that the goal is to adjust your dose quickly enough that you don’t go hypO. Every patient is different, but most will experience common symptoms of hypo that can include fatigue, joint pain, unexplained weight gain, constipation, dry skin, cold intolerance, and slow pulse.

If you feel these coming on prior to your next scheduled appointment, definitely call your doc’s office and tell them you need a new set of labs ASAP.

Take care!

[amosmcd]

#1174320

Hi, Kimberly–

Thanks for your reply! The only thing I’ve noticed that stands out is I feel like my blood sugar is crashing the past few days. I don’t know why that would be connected to being hypo or hyper. I had tended towards hypoglycemia in the past from eating the wrong type of food for breakfast, but that hasn’t happened in a long time. The fatigue is directly related to starting the Methimazole 2 weeks ago.

I’ll keep an eye on the other hypo symptoms. Cold intolerance was a big one for me when I was hypo. When people were in shorts and t-shirts, I was in jeans and sweatshirts and a coat.

This has been an interesting past couple of weeks, I have to say. Just will roll with things until they stabilize.

Amy

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