[Alyk July 21, 2012 at 12:54 pm Post count: 13]

#1059220

Hi everyone. I’m new here, and recently diagnosed (early June) with hyperthyroidism due to a multinodular thyroid. I had horrible anxiety, heart palps and tachycardia as my main symptoms. They started me on Tapazole 10 mg once a day. The anxiety has reduced, and I’ve noticed many of my symptoms have improved. I did, however, have increased anxiety about my health directly. I was really worried about the meds causing side effects and liver failure, etc. So, I went back to the doc to see if I could try going off the meds and try the wait and see approach. He discouraged it but said it was up to me, but if I decided to stop the tapazole, I needed to take Inderal to prevent heart problems. Later that day, I decided I felt confident in trusting the doctor and am not going to stop the tapazole. I emailed him to let him know, and asked if I should still take the beta blocker. He said if I was having heart palps, I could go ahead and take the Inderal. I do still have palps, and I’ve also been having some mild chest pains/discomfort. I don’t even know if you could call it pains. More like twinges and I don’t know if it’s in my head or if it’s really there… Make sense? Anyways, I’ve been waiting (anxiously, lol) for my med to be ready for pickup, but it seems to be delayed. I guess it won’t be in until Monday, and I might have to call the doc to see what is going on with it and why it hasn’t been sent in (it’s electronic). I’m worried in the meantime that the chest pains might be something serious, but for various reasons, I do NOT want to go to the ER if they might overreact if it’s just a thyroid symptom that isn’t harming me. I also have a history of panic attacks, so it could be symptoms of that…

Just looking for some reassurance I guess. Really wishing my meds were ready to pick up as I have a feeling they would fix all of this!

[snelsen July 21, 2012 at 1:16 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173077

Hi, welcome (to the club you’d rather not belong to, just like all of us!)
This forum ROCKS!
It has been a long time since I’ve been hyper, but I remember it WELL!
Couple suggestions.
1. First, call the pharmacy to see if the RX has arrived.IF the RX is at the pharmacy now, call’em now, ask them to expedite the preparation so you can pick it up today. In my experience, they are really good about this.

2.Re heart-What is your heart rate? Feeling the way you do right now, is pretty typical. The palps are typical, BUT if your heart rate is over 120, 130, if you don’t have a beta blocker available, you should go to the ER, give them your history, I am sure they will give you a beta blocker.
I Know you don’t want to do an ER trip.

In addition, if you have a history of anxiety, this is a perfect time for you to feel worried and anxious. With you history of panic attacks, you maybe can think about that, too. If you have a med available for that, and think you are having a real one, I guess you can consider that, too.

I am so so glad that you have decided to continue with the ATD. We really need the anti thyroid drugs to get us safe.
The wait and see option for this particular issue does not work, and cause a lot of harm to us.
Do write again. You’ll meet a lot of new friends on this forum.
Can you consider coming to the conference in October (info on home page.) They are great!
Shirley

[Alyk July 21, 2012 at 1:34 pm Post count: 13]

#1173078

Hi! Thank you for the warm welcome!

I did call the pharmacy already (3 times actually, lol) but they have no record of it. I think the doctors office failed to forward it by the end of their business day or something. They normally send scripts once a day at the end of the day, but it seems they missed mine this time. I will have to call them first thing Monday.

My heart rate is actually normal. 82 BPM (it was hanging out around 100-115 BPM when I was diagnosed) and I’m not feeling many palps, just the twinges the last few days. I do have anxiety meds and have been taking them at bedtime (they are for use as needed) to help me sleep through the night without worry. They do make me drowsy, so I only like to take them at night. I carry them with me at all times though, so if it would get worse I would try it earlier if need be.

Question about the Inderal (have you been on it or something similar?) What sort of side effects did you have? I’m worried about drowsiness on that as well, and also worried about whether I could take Aleve while on it, as I get frequent headaches and Aleve is the only thing that works! I will ask the pharmacist, but thought I’d ask you in the meantime

[Alyk July 21, 2012 at 1:35 pm Post count: 13]

#1173079

Also, if I DID do a trip to the ER just for the purpose of obtaining a beta blocker, would they keep me and run me through a slew of unnecessary testing? Or could they see that I actually just need the beta blocker and send me on my way? I have a feeling they wouldn’t take my word for it…

[snelsen July 21, 2012 at 1:51 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173080

I’m thinking that a trip to the ER is a waste of your time and money.
The thing that would warrant that trip, is a rapid heart rate, as I mentioned before. I’d be surprised if they gave you anything based on your symptoms now. Too many knowns. Hyperthyroid, history of anxiety, and basically a normal pulse rate. It would be hard to justify emergent treatment based on that, I’d guess.

Another suggestion-call the on call for the office, or, who knows, maybe your own doc is on call, explain the situation, and they can fax/call the RX in, if, as Since your providers seem to be online electronically, I presume, they can pull up the last chart note stating the plan. Is this possible? Not sure where you are in the U.S, but if it is not a 24 hour pharmacy, and it gets there, you should definitely call them and request them to expedite it. My local pharmacy at the drug store closes at 7 on Saturday, rather than staying open until 9.

Most of us are on a beta blocker, I do not see many posts about it bothering people. I suppose if your heart rate is really low, it might make it lower, thus could make you light headed, especially if you are volume depleted (not drinking enough water.) But it sounds like you doc wanted you to have it in case you needed it. Good question for the pharmacist and docs, but it seems that you already know the answer.

Tons of people take beta blockers for years, (remember I am not a medical professional, just using common sense. But I suspect it is fine to take Aleve. Now THAT is something you can check out right now with the pharmacist by phone or dropping by to ask your question.
Ask, “are there any contraindications to taking Aleve when I am on a beta blocker?”

I know that when patients come for surgery, we tell them to take their beta blocker, and we prescribe and sometimes give in the recovery room, Aleve or Tylenol. Pretty sure the pharmacist will tell you that it is a non-issue.
Shirley

[Alyk July 21, 2012 at 5:43 pm Post count: 13]

#1173081

Thanks so much for all of your advice. You really helped to calm me down, which is exactly what I think I needed. I really do think it’s just the thyroid stuff along with the added anxiety that comes along with it, just worrying about it so much. Hubby and I went out for dinner and on the way back, I started thinking about it too much again and was on the verge of a panic attack. I was able to talk myself down and focus on other things to get my mind off of it again and avoided it. I wish that would just go away!!

Thanks for telling me about the side effects of the Inderal and about the fact that Aleve is probably ok. I will confirm with the pharmacist when I go to pick up the beta blockers (when they finally get my script in) because I have a question about dosing anyways. I had a thought, I could always go to my family doctor tomorrow (they have walk-in hours on Sunday) and show them my doctors notes from my endo appt on Friday that state that he prescribed the Inderal. They would surely write me a script if I feel I need it right away.

Thanks again for helping to ease my mind!!

[catstuart7 July 21, 2012 at 5:54 pm Post count: 225]

#1173082

Hi Alyk, since you were on Tapazole before and if this is the same pharmacy you are expecting the prescription to be sent to you can ask the pharmacy for an emergency advance. I had a similar situation and Walgreen’s gave me three pills to tide me over till they got the fax. I don’t think they would have done this if they hadn’t already held my prescription for that drug in the recent past but it sounds like you are in the same situation. Ask to speak to the pharmacist directly and give it a go, good luck!

[Alyk July 21, 2012 at 7:16 pm Post count: 13]

#1173083

It is the same pharmacy I have been using, but I haven’t had this particular medication filled before. I have the Tapazole, but I’m waiting for the Inderal. Do you think they would be willing to do an advance on a med that I haven’t had filled there yet? It’s CVS pharmacy. I do have the doctors notes from my appointment (provided to me from the doctor) that shows that he prescribed inderal as well as the dosage…maybe they would take that and give me a few? I might try that tomorrow and see what they say! Thanks!

[snelsen July 21, 2012 at 7:51 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173084

Possible, not probable. Did you try calling the on-call doc? they can access the notes, call it in for you.
On the other hand, it seems you are doing a great job with yourself. Of the two meds, it is far preferable to take the ATD, as you are doing. Glad you went out to eat. It was cold in Seattle yesterday morning, so I made Tuscan bean soup, which really tasted good tonight after a really BAD Woody Allen movie. I reluctantly went, he is so full of himself, and the movie sure proved that. But if anyone is a Woody fan, this is not one his best ones. Glad I had the good soup to cleanse my palate!!
Shirley

[snelsen July 21, 2012 at 7:51 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173085

Possible, not probable. Did you try calling the on-call doc? they can access the notes, call it in for you.
On the other hand, it seems you are doing a great job with yourself. Of the two meds, it is far preferable to take the ATD, as you are doing. Glad you went out to eat. It was cold in Seattle yesterday morning, so I made Tuscan bean soup, which really tasted good tonight after a really BAD Woody Allen movie. I reluctantly went, he is so full of himself, and the movie sure proved that. But if anyone is a Woody fan, this is not one his best ones. Glad I had the good soup to cleanse my palate!!
Shirley

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