Can thyroid medication cause problems?
Yes, it’s safe to take levothyroxine for a long time, even many years. However, high doses of levothyroxine over a long time can sometimes cause weakening of the bones (osteoporosis). This should not happen if you are on the right dose. It’s important to have regular blood tests to make sure your dose is not too high.
How long can you take antithyroid drugs?
Medical evidence suggests that about half of people treated by the titration method will get better (achieve remission) after 18 to 24 months of treatment. However, about half of those treated by the ‘block and replace’ method will achieve remission within six months of treatment.
What is the side effect of methimazole?
Stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, or mild rash/itching may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
When do you stop taking antithyroid medication?
In patients with Graves disease, antithyroid medication should be stopped or decreased after 12-18 months to determine whether the patient has gone into remission. In these patients, remission is defined as a normal TSH level after cessation of antithyroid drug therapy.
Is hyperthyroid medication for life?
Once your thyroid hormone levels are under control, your dose may be gradually reduced and then stopped. But some people need to continue taking medicine for several years or possibly for life.
Do antithyroid drugs cause weight gain?
Treatment of hyperthyroidism with RAI or anti-thyroid medications is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and even developing obesity. This risk is slightly higher with RAI therapy compared to medications.
Can you gain weight on methimazole?
After methimazole treatment, body weight was initially increased (0–8 weeks), subsequently plateaued (8–24 weeks), and gradually decreased in the later period (24–52 weeks) despite the decreased food intake.
Why is methimazole hazardous?
Methimazole has been classified as hazardous because the medication impedes the body from using iodine to make thyroid hormone, thereby inhibiting synthesis of the hormone. The drug may cause birth defects and has been found to cause cancer in rodents.
Can thyroid come back after radioactive iodine treatment?
Once hypothyroidism has been achieved, it is usually irreversible with the patient requiring lifelong thyroid replacement. Early recurrences are reported in 20–54% of cases within 3–6 months, which can be due to inadequate RAI treatment or early Marine Lenhart syndrome.