[Anonymous March 26, 2000 at 3:03 am Post count: 93172]

#1039525

I have been on PTU for 3 months, 400 mg/day, and propanol, and the last time I went to the Dr.s she said the blood tests showed that I wasn’t any better. Does this medication not work for some people? I still have heart palpitations if I don’t take the propanol.

[Anonymous March 26, 2000 at 9:05 am Post count: 93172]

#1127892

As with any other medical treatment, there can be individual patients who are not helped by one treatment as much as other patients might be helped. We all respond individually, and differently. You need to talk with your doctor about what other options you have. Could the PTU be increased? Could you try the other antithyroid drug? Do you have to consider RAI or surgery? You need to understand your doctor’s reasoning, and ask the questions that you have, so that you can better understand what is going on.

Wishing you luck,
Bobbi — NGDF Asst. Online Facilitator

[Anonymous March 27, 2000 at 11:24 am Post count: 93172]

#1127893

According to my endo, there is no standard dose of PTU. You pick an “arbitrary” dose, and adjust to how you respond, and then readjust by an arbitrary amount as your disease progresses and HOPEFULLY remitts. I was on 900mg when my disease was at its worse. According to my MD, once you make the decision to be on the drug, don’t feel like you are “worse” because you need to take more. You just need to take what works for you. I am concerned that they had you wait 3 months after starting PTU to do your blood levels. When beginning treatment, more frequent blood tests are usually done until you stablize, usually 4-6 weeks. 300 mg is a reasonable starting dose, but you have a lot of room to increase it, and the likelihood of side effects does not increase with the dose, although my stomach was a bit off when I was taking 18 pills a day.
Good Luck, Mag

[Author]

Posts