[catstuart7]

#1059654

Hi all, I thought some of you might be interested in this. So I’ve tried three different styles of taking my current methimazole dose.

1. Alternating two different very close doses every other day so the effective amount is the average. This style of dosing was recommended by one of my endos for getting an effective dose that’s hard to achieve daily with a pill cutter due to pill size. I found this kind of jerked me around a bit – I would have one active day followed by one slow day and it was a delayed effect. The day of the lower dose would be the slow day and the next day would be the faster day.
2. Taking the same dose of methimazole every day split into two doses close to 12 hours apart. This was better but I would experience big inconsistencies in my alertness, a big dip a few hours after the first dose – not as big as in #1
3. Now with very creative use of a pill cutter, taking the same dose split into 3 doses. I know with methimazole that’s not considered necessary but I thought what the hell. And so far I like it. I hardly have any fuzzy drugged periods at all and my blood pressure and pulse are stable now after a temporary rise on the first two days of the change.

My guess is that with all three styles my labs would come out the same since on average it’s the same dose but the experience is sure different!

[snelsen]

#1176558

I think that is really helpful information! Certainly for you, and for others, too.
Maybe, for your own interest and for knowledge, check that out with a pharmacist, asking the half life of the drug. The half life is the amount of time that it takes for 1/2 of the drug to be eliminated from your body.The whole deal of this subject is more complex,with more terms, and there is more explanation, but this simple explanation might explain why the 3x dosing is working better for you. And, you can check it out and tell you endo, too.
Shirley
Agree c you about the labs. And also, about what the hell!

[snelsen]

#1176559

Just an added note. There really is a bunch more to know about the bioavailability of a drug, and the purpose of why and when it is prescribed.

Lots of variables.For instance, there are compelling reasons why lots of other drugs need to be taken exactly as ordered to maintain the desired blood level, many antibiotics etc etc and more etc.
Shirley

[catstuart7]

#1176560

Thanks Shirley! Yep the half-life is so important for methimazole it is 4-6 hours. For contrast PTU’s half-life is 75 minutes and PTU is definitely recommended to be taken split 3 ways. from Desk Reference of Clinical Pharmacology My first endo prescribed my PTU as dosing once a day – when I told her I wanted to divide it and do three times a day she wasn’t opposed but seemed to think it was pointless. It felt better to me though so I still found it worth it.

[catstuart7]

#1176561

Oh and you’ll know I’ve really found the perfect dosing scheme and dose when I feel well enough to be out partying on a Saturday night instead of posting on the internet!

[Kimberly]

#1176562

Hope that you are back soon to partying on Saturday nights!

Just a quick reminder for our members to talk to your own doc about any changes to your daily regimen.

Most pills are scored, so it’s pretty easy to split them in half with a pill cutter. If trying to cut a pill into an odd number of pieces, though, that’s a little more challenging. You could potentially lose a bit of the original dose…so definitely call your doc and get in for a new set of labs if you start to notice a change in symptoms.

[kingzito]

#1176563

What is it meant by half-life?

[snelsen]

#1176564

I gave a very brief explanation in my first email of 1/19, check that out.
Shirley

[rae5]

#1176565

Hmmmm, very interesting. I am reasonably new to this and am just beginning to experience trying to find that ‘sweet spot’.(about 4 months in)
My doctor started me on an equally split dose of 15mg in morning, 15 at lunch and 15 at night. I saw my Endo a few days ago, my FreeT3 and FreeT4 are just on the low side, TSH still low.
My Endo reduced my dose by 20mg and told me to just take the doses 15 mg in morning and 10mg at night. For the last three days since the change, I have had waves of being very light headed, my pulse has gone up(am on beta blockers) and am alternating between feeling very very tired and then little spurts of energy. It’s been quite strange to experience.
After reading your posts, I am wondering if my Doc knows something my endo doesn’t, hence the original three way split. I am very curious about the effect of splitting doses three times. I will talk to my Doc about trying to split three ways again, to see if it changes anything. Will update when I’ve tried it. (providing doc agrees)

[Bella1]

#1176566

catstuart7 wrote:

the perfect dosing scheme

A few weeks ago when I was suffering so much, I too went to 3 x day because I was having dips between 2 x day doses with Methiamazole. 3 x day was magic for me (that and everyone’s support).

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