[smklly72]

#1059404

My son age 12 was diagnosed with GD 6 weeks ago, he suffers from aspbergers so his communication is not very well, I have no idea what he is experiencing. Hoping to get some insight, he is taking (propranolol 40mg, 4xday) (methimazole 20mg 3x day) Often he gets quiet and goes to his bed to lay down, when i ask him whats wrong he just states that he don’t feel well, I notice he is pale and clammy he seems confused, i check his heart rate witch runs between 72-86 bpm. temp is normal,

[Bobbi]

#1174503

I would definitely talk with the doctor about the pale and clammy, and ask for another blood test to check his thyroid levels. We start out on a dose of the antithyroid medication (methimazole) that is a rough guesstimate by the doctor about how to get the thyroid levels rapidly under control. The methimazole interferes with the thyroid’s ability to produce hormone. But sometimes we get too big a dose, and it makes us hypOthyroid, and we have to adjust the dose down. Or, conversely, too small a dose, and we remain hyperthyroid and the dose must be adjusted up. Checking the blood every few weeks is appropriate until a dose is found that seems to control the thyroid levels in the normal zone. Even then (when it seems we’re controlled in the normal zone), we need to have periodic blood checks to make sure things are stable. The problem is caused by antibody action, and those antibody levels can change for no well-understood reason.

[Kimberly]

#1174504

Hello – For some additional background info, you might check out the GDATF’s YouTube channel, which includes a couple of presentations on children and Graves’:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following links, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://www.youtube.com/user/gravesandthyroid?feature=results_main

Also, there is a Facebook group for Graves’ parents. This is not an official group moderated or controlled by the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation, but includes many parents who have come together to share their personal experiences, including a couple who have attended our past conferences. They are located at http://www.facebook.com/groups/265484340175004/. It’s a closed group, but you can request to join, and the organizers will approve you if you let them know you are a parent of a Graves’ patient.

Hope that your son can get some relief soon!

[Author]

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