[prknight]

#1063551

Sounds so familiar. I have been off methimazole since July. So far so good!! I was on it for a year. There is hope! Praise God! Praying I will not go back hyper!! I feel great!

[fj122876]

#1018256

I saw my endo today and he said my levels where coming down, I’m still hyper but my doctor says he is happy with the results we’ve had so far. He also said there is about a 40% chance of remission if we continue with the methimazole through July (one year after we started) I know it seems silly to be excited about a 40% chance at remission but after feeling like I was never going to get better again, I feel like there is hope. He did remind me that I am still sick, not to push myself to hard, and I am still in the early stages of recovery, he also reminded me that my odds of not going into remission are 50-60% and if I don’t we will have to discuss other options like removing my thryoid or RAI. Am I crazy to feel excited after a very hard couple of months or can I look at the glass as half full and hope for the best.
Thanks
Jessica

[optimist]

#1063552

Good for you. The ones who never achieve remission are far and few between, so don’t count yoursellf out!

[Ellen_B]

#1063553

It’s great to hear that your levels are going down. I believe that only 50% of individuals who take antithyroid drugs can get there levels down–so you already are in the right group. Let’s hope your good luck continues and that you are in the right group again–that is in the next 50% of the 50% who are able to go into remission. I have all my fingers and toes crossed to make sure the good luck goes your way!
Ellen Brightly
Administrative Assistant
Graves’ Disease Foundation
Toll-free – (877) 643-3123
400 International Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221
Email: Gravesdiseasefd@gmail.com
Website: http://www.NGDF.org <http://www.ngdf.org/

[mamabear]

#1063554

I am one of the lucky ones!!! Of course you can be excited! If it doesn’t happen so be it but at least you are looking forward to it if it does. Its better than sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Been there done that, happy to hear you have a good endo who also looks at the good as well and doesn’t mind saying that if that doesn’t happen what the other options might be.

[Kimberly]

#1063555

Just a quick clarification on Anti-Thyroid Drugs: to my knowledge, ATDs are close to 100% effective in reducing thyroid hormone levels for patients with Graves. ATDs go to work immediately by blocking the production of *new* thyroid hormone, although it *does* take 4-6 weeks for the body to burn off its excess stores of thyroid hormone. So it can take some time before patients start to feel relief from the hypER symptoms. And the dosing is part science, part art – some patients might need a dosage increase if their levels aren’t responding.

However, ATDs are not considered effective at all in conditions such as thyroiditis, where the problem isn’t that the thyroid is manufacturing too much hormone…but that the thyroid’s existing stores are “leaking out” into the body. So I’m wondering if the 50% figure encompasses all conditions where the body has too much thyroid hormone.

As for remission (defined by some docs as remaining euthyroid for a full year with no meds), I’ve read various sources that quote a pretty wide range of success rates: anywhere from 20% to 50%. And there is another subset of patients who are able to remain euthyroid on small doses of Anti-Thyroid Drugs. So you will still have choices as to your treatment options a year down the road, even if remission isn’t in the cards at that time.

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