i have been on 300mg/day of ptu now for about 4 weeks and 60mg/day inderal for about 6 weeks. i have had so much trouble this summer and been on so many meds, i am not sure what are my symptoms any more and what are side effects from meds i have taken. currently i have weak feelings in my left arm, hand, and fingers. for instance, it feels very awkward when i type, like my fingers and hands are weak and it feels like i have to push extra hard on the keys to get them down, but i know i have strength because i can grasp and hold things normally. i also have sharp pinpoint pains in the arm muscle, the muscle at the elbow, and forearm (usually in the same place). i usually feel these pains when i stretch the muscle out. has anyone else ever had these kind of side effects from the ptu or inderal? or could this be a symptom from my hyperthyroidism? i have felt no better since i started taking the meds for they hyperthyroidism (tremors are much more fine, but i still feel them inside.) or is this possibly something else going on?
Typically we are started on a high dose (300mg of PTU is a normal starting dose - but it should be taken as 100mg three times a day). After a few weeks, it is necessary to get new thyroid labs done and see if the medication needs reducing. Only the "Free T4" and T3 test results should be used to adjust medication (reduce the dose, but still three times a day dosing) as the TSH result will remain suppressed for many weeks or months after being hyperthyroid. (It takes a while for the pituitary/thyroid axis to normalize and work properly again after being hyper).
What you are feeling *could* be signs of you edging into HYPOthyroidism.
The higher dose is necessary in the beginning as you have to use up your stores of thyroid hormone as well as interfere with new thyroid hormone production.
After 3-8 weeks, most of us are hypo if our dose is not adjusted downward.
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Dx Graves 4/99, tx w/Tapazole & Atenolol - Remission 7/03; Relapse 1/06, back on Tapazole, remission & off meds again 11/06.
Thanks for the info. My endo has been on vacation since he put me on ptu. He is supposed to call next week, but I was going to call tomorrow and request my labs be done because I am starting to feel sluggish at times and would like to know where my levels are now. I haven't even gotten my bloodwork results back from my appointment 4 weeks ago because he has been on vacation. I am still having tremors all over my body. They have never gone away, so I am trying to figure out how I can still feel so shaky (hyper symptom), and still have my Free levels be going down, if that is what is happening.
Hi Carol l too have hyper t l m on ptu inderal stopped some weeks ago l too had a few probs now l have good days too as well as the bad it can take sometime to feel better.....so they tell me l will reply in a bit more depth later today i have spent my weekend in hospital with my 8yr old and l am truly exhausted from the shock!! (she had a seizure l dont know whether the meds are doing me any good at mo because since been dxn about 3months ago anything that can go wrong cause stress etc etc is!!!)Im absolutly exhausted... take care
Hi Carol l too have hyper t l m on ptu inderal stopped some weeks ago l too had a few probs now l have good days too as well as the bad it can take sometime to feel better.....so they tell me l will reply in a bit more depth later today i have spent my weekend in hospital with my 8yr old and l am truly exhausted from the shock!! (she had a seizure l dont know whether the meds are doing me any good at mo because since been dxn about 3months ago anything that can go wrong cause stress etc etc is!!!)Im absolutly exhausted... take care
So sorry to hear about your daughter. Hope everything is ok. I have a call in to doc today and I am supposed to call him tomorrow am to discuss my results from 4 weeks ago (outdated results now), and am requesting that I get a new round of bloodwork done as it has been 4 weeks since I started and the last thing I want is to go too far the other way!!! I have felt crappy for 6 months now, with no prospect for feeling better. I will never take my health (or my family's health) for granted again. I am sure you feel the same way after this weekend.
See your doc again explain how you feel lve felt rotten for a bout a week now maybe its the block n replace then again was feeling rotten before l started it!! One thing l have realised is how crap l do feel!!! Now lm on treatment sods law eh? Hopefully soon we will be sorted proper and feel good l think 4 weeks is still a short time to notice any major improvement pls keep in touch sorry this is short but lm still weary from my weekend shes fine thank you take care x
l will reply in a bit more depth later today i have spent my weekend in hospital with my 8yr old and l am truly exhausted from the shock!! (she had a seizure l dont know whether the meds are doing me any good at mo because since been dxn about 3months ago anything that can go wrong cause stress etc etc is!!!)Im absolutly exhausted... take care
shes fine thank you take care x
