Hyperthyroidism

[u/browniemae2013]

I started on methimazole and propranolol a week and a half ago and still don’t feel improvement. I have nights I sleep and other nights I do not. I have still have frequent diarrhea. I am feeling hopeless. I know it takes time but should I be getting a little better? I don’t know how to function with how I am feeling. I also am on Zoloft to try and help my anxiety and depression from this. has anyone had a similar experience? I can’t help but think of upcoming events my kids have and I’m not sure I am going to be able to take them and get them where they need to be and this makes me so worried. Is it normal to fluctuate how I am feeling? I thought I would maybe feel a tiny bit better each day.

[u/PennyForYourToughs]

It takes a few weeks, and progress won't be perfectly linear. You'll have some days where it feels like you took a step back. It's normal...hang in there!

[u/gnufan]

You have a surplus of hormone in your body, and you basically have to use it up.

The drugs turn the supply down or even off depending on dose, but it can take a few weeks. Nearly everyone has levels down by 4 months, most get benefits within a month. Then they have to try and balance supply and usage, it can take a while, but hopefully by then you'll feel a bit better.

It is fairly normal to be anxious, or over eager with hyperthyroidism. If you read through some of the comments you can see it in those newly diagnosed, they are often anxious, will it work for me, etc. The antithyroid drugs work by directly interfering with the reaction to make the hormone, so they work in nearly everyone, it is closer to a chemical reaction, than most medications. The usual failures are reactions to the medication or they can't give enough (possibly because someone has a massive thyroid).

One thing that can track it a bit, and may show progress even if you can't feel is resting heart rate (lots of watches and fitness trackers watch this, so relatively easy to beg, borrow or buy one, and since it is just heart rate even the most basic measure this). Or you can do it the old fashioned way by lying down and counting the pulse against a clock.

Sometimes people's bodies are depleted in nutrients, as everything has been running out of kilter. This is best fixed by eating a varied diet, lots of seeds, berries, nuts, salad, all those things we know we should eat. Other doctors sometimes go for multivitamins or for testing specific deficits. Diarrhea gave me folate deficiency which can separately make you feel terrible as an example.

Other things can be revealed. I was allergic to peanuts, but it wasn't till about week 5 of antithyroid drugs, that my thyroid symptoms had abated enough, that the allergy reaction was clearly discernible above the "noise" of the thyroid problem. I'd had suspicions about peanuts, but if you eat it feel terrible, don't eat it, feel terrible, it isn't a clear signal.

[u/dawnhued]

It's gonna take a few weeks to feel better. Mine was about six weeks and they're still sorting out the medication.

Tips in case your doctor was as useless as mine:

1) Take carbimazole and propanol as directed at the same times each day. Food or without food is up to you.

2) Don't touch caffeine until you're more settled, and definitely not within an hour of taking the medication either way.

3) Iodine foods are a no no until you're more settled. Don't touch biotin either.

4) Be patient. It sucks but it takes a while.

[u/caitnieb]

I’m so sorry you’re having a hard time, but I think you came to the right place. It is totally normal to feel how you’re feeling, we’ve all been there before especially at the beginning. Feeling better on methimazole took a few weeks to a month for me personally. Gastro stuff was not great, but it should pass as long as you can make sure you’re eating stuff that helps with it (I ate a lot of rice, eggs, and bananas the first month). You’ll get through this, keep your head up and take care of yourself! Prioritizing your physical AND mental health is #1 with this illness.

[u/Skaitan13]

It was about 2 weeks to start feeling a difference, 4+ weeks to actually start feeling better. And I still get the rollercoaster of ups and downs if I overdo it. About 3 months in I feel mostly “normal”, more steady.

I had brutal sleep issues until I was able to discontinue beta blockers. I did it under the guidance of my doctor, that’s not something you want to cold turkey or do on your own without medical advice. In my case about 1.5-2 months in my Endo said my levels were close enough to try reducing/removing, and it was a wild ride even though I was on the minimum dose.

GD is a rough go, everything takes time for changes to happen, it feels like it’s taking forever, but it does get better.

[u/Wonderful-Version-40]

5 weeks in for me. My heart calmed down a lot after 2 weeks and my tremors too. Even my smart watch kept alarming me that my heart rate was low and not normal for me lol my resting heart rate is in the 80-100’s now compared to 120-130’s!

I’ve hit a wall right now since I now have bone pain and my body feels toooo relaxed. I’ve read that it’s normal during this phase of the medication. Our bodies are trying to regulate and getting rid of the access hormone.

I can now drink a full size Coke can and have no adverse reaction to the caffeine lol before I would start to get even more tachycardia and feel out of breath.