PTU reaction

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

When my endo (actually her partner) felt I was reacting to the Tap, she switched

me to PTU immediately. (I had only started treatment a week before and was

pretty hyper.) That didn't improve my swollen glands, but the itching seemed to

decrease. At that point I downplayed the itching as I was worried they'd insist

on RAI. So no, I switched meds rather than stopping, and the switch left me

either about the same or possibly better off but at least let me stay on an ATD.

No one ever mentioned that it was life-threatening to stay on the med that was

making me itch, that seems extreme and I wonder what your doctor's basing the

statement on.

Shomon's current newsletter has a piece about chronic hives and autoimmune

thyroid disease; I wonder if that's relevant to your case.

Clearly you have to monitor you doctor every step of the way (sometimes I do

wonder what we're paying them for!). Mine has been great so far but now wants

me to taper off the PTU and try for remission with absolutely no mention of a

TSI test to check if it's really time. So far it's been great not to have to

argue with her but I have to insist on this one.

I started trying to get pregnant at 35, and though I didn't succeed (turned out

my then husband, age 30, was infertile from viral meningitis), I improved my own

health in the process. In retrospect I wonder if I could have handled

complications related to Graves' and feel it was probably for the best. In your

case, though, you might reach remission in a year and still have a few good

years left to try to conceive. In the meantime, try to have a relaxing weekend,

which should help you heal.

Best wishes

B

[Guest guest]

I'm curious about the " chronic hives " . When I was first diagnosed I

was put on Methamazole. About 6 weeks later I woke up one morning

covered in hives. I had been up the previous night itching all night

but it never occured to me I was having an allergic reaction, I

thought I was going nuts. Anyway, my dr told me it was an allergic

reaction to the methamazole, and had me stop taking it. She said

there was one other med she could put me on but that most people who

are allergic to the methamazole are also allergic to the other (can't

remember the med name) and that if I were, the reaction could be much

worse. As it was the hives lasted 3 days, and once they were gone I

had fluid settle in my shoulder (VERY painful) and then it worked its

way down my arm and into my hand. It was awful! But I've noticed

since then that I break out in rashes much easier now. For instance

I can no longer wear earrings or anything metal around my neck or I

break out in a localized hives rash. Same with watches or

braceletts. I also have this weird rash on my leg (been there about

4 months) that my dr thinks is shingles. So I'm curious because I've

never heard of chronic hives and GD and wonder if this could be

related.