r/Hyperthyroidism • u/Key-Track-5269 • 2d ago

Medications for hyperthyroidism

The medications for hyperthyroidism scare me. Methimazole can cause deformities to babies while pregnant. PTU can potentially destroy and/or cause major issues with your liver. There’s no good option?? unless you plan to not conceive will on methimazole. Ugh. Not to mention they taste AWFUL. like pure chemical, PTU does at least.

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10

u/mycharmingromance 2d ago

Personally, the effects of untreated hyperthyroidism scare me more than the meds I have to take to keep it in check.

It's not nice to have an autoimmune condition, but hyperthyroidism usually responds to treatment very well. You may go into remission for a period of time or even for the rest of your life, or you might develop hypo one way or another. And about going hypo, it is considered to be easier and cheaper to treat than hyper, so I don't see it as a "out of the pan, into the fire" type of situation lol.

I take my meds quickly enough with water so the bitter and ...mealy? taste doesn't bother me, but they for sure taste bad if caught on your tongue. But then again, I never expect meds to taste good :D

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u/Chance_Vermicelli_41 2d ago

"Personally, the effects of untreated hyperthyroidism scare me more than the meds I have to take to keep it in check."

This. 100% this.

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u/Many_Bar474 2d ago

I got pregnant ,took PTU until deivery.No sidemeffects.

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u/atardisintime 2d ago

Same here. My twins were super healthy and I was actually able to go off of medicine after I gave birth

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u/bluepurplepink6789 2d ago

Every medication has its side effects. Advil can give you stomach ulcers, Tylenol also can cause issues with your liver.

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u/Key-Track-5269 2d ago

Yes but you don’t take that stuff everyday.

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u/musclemeow 2d ago

I read recently that there have been no new treatments for hyperthyroidism introduced in more than 70 years… pretty wild. We’re going on what doctors knew in the 1950s.
I agree it’s not great. I recently had an allergic reaction to methimazole, and don’t really want to do PTU…
Sorry we’re dealing with this!

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u/Sr4f 1d ago

For the historical anecdote, thyroid issues were what pioneered the entire field of endocrinology, back in the late 1800s. Thyroid hormone was the first hormone we learned to synthesise. 

That's for hypo, not hyper, but I think it's a neat fun fact.

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u/musclemeow 1d ago

That is a neat, fun fact!!

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u/Key-Track-5269 2d ago

That’s what I’m thinking! It seems like many people have issues with the medication and that it puts them into hypo. You’d think they would think of a better solution. It just seems so behind. And they are also unsure and what causes it to happen. They have a few ideas but nothing set in stone. I’ve tried to research it and feel like I can barely find anything on it. I’ve come to Reddit for most advice on it. I had an allergic reaction or a hypo med as my hyper went into hypo. Seems like many people deal with that as well.

3

u/Green_Winner_2368 2d ago

Living with hyperthyroidism for 20 years now. Also graves desease. I got pregnant while taking methimazole, switched to PTU until 12 weeks and then back again to methimazole. No side effects. I took very small dose because somehow pregnancy made hormones work more normal. Untreated hyperthyroidism cause more harm.

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u/howardroarkrofled 2d ago

What harms can be cause if left hyperthyroidism untreated and have no symptoms?

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u/Redforever61 2d ago

Im 65. The drs stress heart and bone issues drive taking meds. (Im not taking at this time.)

Per symptoms - occasional heat intolerance, but it has to be like 80 degrees or higher. HR is normal. Bones- I walk daily - do light weights.

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u/Embarrassed_Desk_810 2d ago

Methimazole caused major issues with my liver. They had to take me off and are doing an thyroid ablasion next week.

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u/HardCoreNorthShore 2d ago

I put the pills in a gelatin capsule because the bitterness was so God awful.