[powergrrrl29]

#1019239

Has anyone else had abdominal pain when taking tapazole? I have graves disease and was on PTU for 3 months and doing very well. My thyroid levels (Free T4) were normalized and I was feeling fine. I decided to switch to tapazole because of the FDA’s warning about PTU and that it is higher risk for irreversible liver damage. My doctor put me on a very low dose of Tapazole (5mg/day) and as soon as I started taking it, I started having upper abdominal pain mostly on the right side that worsened when I would eat. After eating I would get a real bloated, tight feeling of my upper abdomen. It feels like I’m going to burst although it doesn’t look bloated and it will feel that way for hours. I have been off the tapazole for 2 days and it is starting to get a little better. I just had labs drawn today thyroid levels and a liver panel. Hopefully my liver is okay. My free T4 is a little on the low side so I guess I’m clinically a little hypothyroid so maybe this is a symptom hypothyroidism. Well if anyone has had an experience like this I would like to hear about it.

Thanks,
Lisa

[Ellen_B]

#1070312

Hi, Lisa

I have never been on antithyroid drugs so I cannot give you any first hand information on the subject. I have read in medical literature that one of the most common minor reactions to antithyroid drugs is gastrointestinal distress. I must say, your symptoms I myself would not classify for you as exactly minor since they were bad enough that you had to stop taking the medicine. Gastrointestinal side effects occur between 1% and 5%. The rate of side effects is greater at high doses of methimazole. For methimazole the drug related reactions are said to be dose related. In contrast for PTU they appear not to be. What this means is in some cases when on a high (or possibly a given dose ) of methimazole lowering the dose could lessen the side effects. What I do not know is whether the methimazole would still be effective in lowering thyroid hormone levels when lowering your (5mg/day) dose. Would a body even recognize as less (as far as side effects are concerned), a dose less than 5 mg?

I realize that a considerable amount of time has passed since you have posted this question. Certainly by now you probably have picked and taken a course of action. I hope whatever course of action you have taken, it has made you feel better.

If you wish to speak directly to someone, leave a message on the toll free number. If you send an email, that will get to me too.

Ellen Brightly
Administrative Assistant
Graves’ Disease Foundation
400 International Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221
Toll-free – (877) 643-3123
Email: Gravesdiseasefd@gmail.com
Website: NGDF.org

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