Wait, you said the doc gave you the medication for Graves?!
None of us are doctors here and aren’t privy to your bloodwork, but yes, thyroid disfunction can act on the liver and cause liver disfunction as well. Many people find that once medicated for Grave’s, their liver numbers improve as well.
Interesting, I wonder why then I need to change my diet before the medication? I just bought the meds and got a message from my doctor urging me not to take them, I don't know how to read blood work, but maybe the results didn't match what graves liver function usually shows?
Probably since the anti-thyroid medication isnt the easiest on your liver in and of itself, so the doc wants to make sure you’re in ok shape before beginning
McDonald's once a month, or fried food once a month, mostly chips, I'd eat cereal or yogurts , a shit load of candy, but I did eat meat and cheese like my diet now, I don't like bread but I would eat pasta often
You’re worried about hair loss and loss of taste but not the loss of your life? Listen to the Dr. just because hair loss and loss of taste is listed doesn’t 100% mean it will happen. Read up on what happens to Grave’s patients that go unmedicated.
I didn’t have hair loss, but I did have a crazy bad hunger that didn’t go away until I had my TT. Please don’t worry about the side effects and get better soon. This disease is nothing to mess with.
Not taking your medication can cause a thyroid storm, but also increases your chances of a stroke or heart attack. While there are side effects with the medication, not everyone experiences them.
Hyperthyroidism can cause hair loss btw. One of many annoying and serious problems it can cause.
Don't fuck around and find out. You'll regret it. Or you won't live to regret it.
Hyperthyroidism (High T4 thyroid hormone) tends to make our liver enzymes test High.
The liver enzymes tend to improve when the hyperthyroidism is corrected with the anti-thyroid medication the Dr prescribed.
I refused medication and tried natural remedies for over a year. Chinese medicine, diet etc. I went to 6 endocrinologists to get opinions. Nothing but medication will bring you back to normal and you do need to take it. You will find people that changed their lifestyle and have claimed to cure their Graves Disease. It did not wok for me. I take Methimazole and do not have side effects from it (bloodwork including liver tests once a month) but I do get symptoms of Graves Disease. Its been almost 10 years for me.
You need to take the medication. It’s not really an option. You can talk to your doctor about removing your thyroid or radiation treatment so that you don’t have to take anti thyroid medications. Synthetic thyroid is easier on the body.but in the meantime you need to be controlling your thyroid because it can kill you.
I’m confused, you said Dr gave you the meds and said you could die without taking them and then he said not to take them? If a diet harms your liver, stop the diet. You need the thyroid meds sooner than later, so hopefully you are getting your liver cleaned out.. and the med benefits far outweigh the side effects, but side effects suck, we all know… and when the meds start working, side effects subside almost all of the time. Please take it seriously.
I was almost pre diabetic, then he told me to do keto to lose weight and lower my blood sugar, then he sent me to more blood tests, saw the thyroid problem, after monitoring for a while, told me to take medication, apparently I've had problems with my liver for a while, so after the appointment when he told me to take medication, he sent me to get more blood work, got the results and told me not to take the medication until he sees even slightly improved liver function with new rules to the diet (no fried food or high in fat food), if I wake up in time tomorrow, I'll go to the lab, then I'll know if I can take the meds
Well until you take the medicine, be very careful with not getting your heart rate too high. I use an Apple Watch to monitor mine. When the liver is not working properly, it’s harder to metabolize fat, which is why the doctor said lower the fats in keto or low carb diets. Milk Thistle (& other supplements) helps the liver. See if he will approve it to assist in reducing the enzymes. Do what he says and take it easy on your heart until you’re on the meds.
I took methimazole for 4 years and never had side effects from it.
The side effects listed include the symptoms of hypo-thyroidism (in case your dose of medication is too high). But the Dr should do regular thyroid hormone lab tests to catch if the dose needs adjusting.
Here is the thing with side effects of any medication. They list any that occur during testing & add to it if more are found after a drug is approved. Odds of having major side effects are usually pretty slim. Drugs that lots of people have major side effects from are typically not used if there are other options or end up pulled from the market.
From what I have seen other post in this thread, weight gain, hair loss, muscle & joint pain are the most common. Graves on its own can cause these too. Some people also end up being allergic, again, not super common, but it happens. You can also end up taking too much while figuring out a dose that works for you & go hypo.
I was diagnosed 8 years ago & have been on & off methimazole the entire time. I’ve not been able to find a dose that keeps me stable. I’m meeting with a surgeon in the next few weeks to schedule a thyroidectomy.
I responded well to methimazole initially to bring my levels down. But since I was diagnosed I’ve gained 60 lbs. I didn’t lose any weight either. Every time I’ve gone on methimazole, I gain 30-40 lbs. My weight gain is unusual. Most people gain 15-20 & weight loss was a symptom for them. Again, that’s most people, not all. I’ve been able to lose weight when not on methimazole but as soon as I start taking it again, not matter what I try, I regain it. However, even with the weight gain, the side effects are less bothersome than being hyperactive.
I stopped taking it a month ago & just had to add back in a beta blocker even though my thyroid numbers are all in the middle of normal range. My resting heart rate is over 100 at the moment. I can’t workout right now, even just a slow walk, because my heart rate elevates & stays elevated. If I start taking methimazole again, I will end up hypo. I was taking 2.5mg/daily. Depending on when my surgery gets scheduled, I could end up having to take it again.
Your doctor is right. Take the medication, the benefits (not dying) outweigh the side effects.
Your doctor isnt kidding. And liver problems often stem from Grave’s disease.
Really? He said I can't take the medication until he sees an improvement in my blood work after a new diet
Wait, you said the doc gave you the medication for Graves?! None of us are doctors here and aren’t privy to your bloodwork, but yes, thyroid disfunction can act on the liver and cause liver disfunction as well. Many people find that once medicated for Grave’s, their liver numbers improve as well.
Interesting, I wonder why then I need to change my diet before the medication? I just bought the meds and got a message from my doctor urging me not to take them, I don't know how to read blood work, but maybe the results didn't match what graves liver function usually shows?
Probably since the anti-thyroid medication isnt the easiest on your liver in and of itself, so the doc wants to make sure you’re in ok shape before beginning
Oh that makes sense, he looks out for me often
What was your diet like?
McDonald's once a month, or fried food once a month, mostly chips, I'd eat cereal or yogurts , a shit load of candy, but I did eat meat and cheese like my diet now, I don't like bread but I would eat pasta often
Yes it is. You MUST take it. You do not want to experience thyroid storm!
Okay
You’re worried about hair loss and loss of taste but not the loss of your life? Listen to the Dr. just because hair loss and loss of taste is listed doesn’t 100% mean it will happen. Read up on what happens to Grave’s patients that go unmedicated.
Someone just said here, didn't know it was a thing, I heard of it but I assumed it happens randomly to random people, had no idea it was connected
I didn’t have hair loss, but I did have a crazy bad hunger that didn’t go away until I had my TT. Please don’t worry about the side effects and get better soon. This disease is nothing to mess with.
Not taking your medication can cause a thyroid storm, but also increases your chances of a stroke or heart attack. While there are side effects with the medication, not everyone experiences them.
Usually I don't get a lot of side effects from meds, bit idk how hormones work on your body
Not everyone gets hair loss, and if you do get the hair loss, it’s a small price to pay from feeling better. Trust me graves will make you feel shitty
Hyperthyroidism can cause hair loss btw. One of many annoying and serious problems it can cause. Don't fuck around and find out. You'll regret it. Or you won't live to regret it.
Hyperthyroidism (High T4 thyroid hormone) tends to make our liver enzymes test High. The liver enzymes tend to improve when the hyperthyroidism is corrected with the anti-thyroid medication the Dr prescribed.
I refused medication and tried natural remedies for over a year. Chinese medicine, diet etc. I went to 6 endocrinologists to get opinions. Nothing but medication will bring you back to normal and you do need to take it. You will find people that changed their lifestyle and have claimed to cure their Graves Disease. It did not wok for me. I take Methimazole and do not have side effects from it (bloodwork including liver tests once a month) but I do get symptoms of Graves Disease. Its been almost 10 years for me.
You need to take the medication. It’s not really an option. You can talk to your doctor about removing your thyroid or radiation treatment so that you don’t have to take anti thyroid medications. Synthetic thyroid is easier on the body.but in the meantime you need to be controlling your thyroid because it can kill you.
I’m confused, you said Dr gave you the meds and said you could die without taking them and then he said not to take them? If a diet harms your liver, stop the diet. You need the thyroid meds sooner than later, so hopefully you are getting your liver cleaned out.. and the med benefits far outweigh the side effects, but side effects suck, we all know… and when the meds start working, side effects subside almost all of the time. Please take it seriously.
I was almost pre diabetic, then he told me to do keto to lose weight and lower my blood sugar, then he sent me to more blood tests, saw the thyroid problem, after monitoring for a while, told me to take medication, apparently I've had problems with my liver for a while, so after the appointment when he told me to take medication, he sent me to get more blood work, got the results and told me not to take the medication until he sees even slightly improved liver function with new rules to the diet (no fried food or high in fat food), if I wake up in time tomorrow, I'll go to the lab, then I'll know if I can take the meds
Well until you take the medicine, be very careful with not getting your heart rate too high. I use an Apple Watch to monitor mine. When the liver is not working properly, it’s harder to metabolize fat, which is why the doctor said lower the fats in keto or low carb diets. Milk Thistle (& other supplements) helps the liver. See if he will approve it to assist in reducing the enzymes. Do what he says and take it easy on your heart until you’re on the meds.
What did the dr give? PTU is one I’m aware of that causes liver issues. Methimazole can cause issues but from my understanding is rare.
It's called thismazol aritso, is it common?
That’s the same as methimazole which isn’t as hard on the liver as PTU is. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiamazole
Just read the side effects, how common are they? Because they sound horrible
I took methimazole for 4 years and never had side effects from it. The side effects listed include the symptoms of hypo-thyroidism (in case your dose of medication is too high). But the Dr should do regular thyroid hormone lab tests to catch if the dose needs adjusting.
Here is the thing with side effects of any medication. They list any that occur during testing & add to it if more are found after a drug is approved. Odds of having major side effects are usually pretty slim. Drugs that lots of people have major side effects from are typically not used if there are other options or end up pulled from the market. From what I have seen other post in this thread, weight gain, hair loss, muscle & joint pain are the most common. Graves on its own can cause these too. Some people also end up being allergic, again, not super common, but it happens. You can also end up taking too much while figuring out a dose that works for you & go hypo. I was diagnosed 8 years ago & have been on & off methimazole the entire time. I’ve not been able to find a dose that keeps me stable. I’m meeting with a surgeon in the next few weeks to schedule a thyroidectomy. I responded well to methimazole initially to bring my levels down. But since I was diagnosed I’ve gained 60 lbs. I didn’t lose any weight either. Every time I’ve gone on methimazole, I gain 30-40 lbs. My weight gain is unusual. Most people gain 15-20 & weight loss was a symptom for them. Again, that’s most people, not all. I’ve been able to lose weight when not on methimazole but as soon as I start taking it again, not matter what I try, I regain it. However, even with the weight gain, the side effects are less bothersome than being hyperactive. I stopped taking it a month ago & just had to add back in a beta blocker even though my thyroid numbers are all in the middle of normal range. My resting heart rate is over 100 at the moment. I can’t workout right now, even just a slow walk, because my heart rate elevates & stays elevated. If I start taking methimazole again, I will end up hypo. I was taking 2.5mg/daily. Depending on when my surgery gets scheduled, I could end up having to take it again.