new member--

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for your message. In addition to the two-dose-a-day issue, the

doctor who prescribed the PTU sent me a prescription in the mail, and did

not advise me to get my baseline lab work (for liver, CBC, etc.), nor did

he advise me to not exercise. He then said I should come back in two

months, and simply said I should look out for a rash. I think these items

reflect laxity.

Alegra,

Thanks for your message also. I guess I should go back to the pharmacy and

pick up the beta blocker. It was a different doctor who prescribed the beta

blocker, and he wanted to either " wait and see " if my condition progressed,

and if it did, then do RAI. So I thought I wouldn't need the beta blocker

since I have just started PTU. No doctor suggested that I might go into

thyroid storm (indeed none of them even mentioned thyroid storm in any

context or what symptoms might be involved).

I saw a couple of docs on the thyroid-info.com website that I may check

out. Hopefully they accept my insurance (Empire HMO). Many don't! I think a

lot of docs have dropped out of networks in the past couple of years (at

least that has been what I've found).

Thank you so much,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

yes your doctor was very lax I would say. I was put on Beta-Blockers

Prior to be being put on PTU like a week before to stop the heart

Palpitations. Some start them at the same time.

YES, go back to the pharmacy and pick up the beta blockers it doesn't

matter who gave them to you at this point I'm just so glad you were

prescribed them as you definetly need them if you have active GD.

It doesn't surprise me that you were not told all the things you

mentioned to I wasn't informed about alot of things either that

is why I fired my first Endo and moved on to Endo number 2. You will

notice alot of people referring to the fact they are on their 2nd or

4th Endo due to incompentency.

Sounds like the first doc who put you on the beta blocker was just

going to say oh well that didn't work so lets do RAI sounds typical of

a GP or even an ENDO in some cases.

You do need the beta blocker even if you just started your PTU its a

good idea to stay on the beta blocker for 3 full months everyday until

your labs are in a decent range that you can come off of the beta

blockers. (So much info here to write about it could take a week) I

will try and find more web sites.

I was warned about Thyroid Storm from 1st Endo I will give him that

but he scared me half to death. If you were not warned that is

further incompetency.

I will try to find web sites on major symptoms of storm but some are

Loss of more than 40lbs

Diarreah Exessive

major heart palps

sweating really bad

there are other symptoms keep in mind this is very very rare but if

your not taking beta blockers with your PTU it would concern me that I

would be at risk. So as long as you take your Beta-Blockers to keep

your heart in a normal rythem and the PTU. YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT

TRACK.

I just mentioned the Thyroid Storm because it is very life theatening

for us Graves Patients in severe cases. They can fix it but its very

scary so you don't want to go there if you don't have to SO DO TAKE

YOUR BETA-BLOCKERS AND YOUR PTU. I cannot stress enough how important

that is right now since you don't really know where your at with your

labs yet.

Make sure you get your

TSH

FT3

FT4

CBC done (this should be done prior to PTU therapy but some docs don't

do it I don't think mine even did it but I was lucky everything was ok

for me.

Take care and don't mess with not taking the beta blockers until you

know where your at please don't risk a thyroid storm situation.

Alegra

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Glad to hear things are settling down. Wanted to let you know that my

heartrate has never slowed down to what it was pre-Graves - my resting

norm is 80 pretty consistently now.

PTU most likely did not stop the palpitations as it takes a while to

kick in. Keep a close eye on your labs, and try to get them done at

the same place so that your numbers are consistent.

Good luck,

> Thanks, . I don't know if this is possible, but I started PTU

> yesterday and I don't have any palpitations today. Probably a

coincidence.

>

[Guest guest]

OK, . Thanks.

At 04:39 PM 6/24/2003 +0000, you wrote:

>Hi :

>

>Glad to hear things are settling down. Wanted to let you know that my

>heartrate has never slowed down to what it was pre-Graves - my resting

>norm is 80 pretty consistently now.

>

>PTU most likely did not stop the palpitations as it takes a while to

>kick in. Keep a close eye on your labs, and try to get them done at

>the same place so that your numbers are consistent.

>

>Good luck,

>

>

>

>

> > Thanks, . I don't know if this is possible, but I started PTU

> > yesterday and I don't have any palpitations today. Probably a

>coincidence.

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi again Pam,

I just spoke briefly with the doctor, who said that I am on a fairly low

dose of PTU, (200mg) and that if I start to feel hypO, we can adjust the

meds. Maybe I just need to see how it goes. I certainly won't let myself be

sick for long without saying something.

I am new to this whole thing, so a little nervous. (I hate taking

medication, and am a little scared of it, especially given the worst-case

scenarios that could happen.) But reading a lot has helped me to grasp a

lot of what's involved.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Thanks S.

I just went to the GP this morning (for my first blood work since PTU -- I

requested FT3, FT4, WBC, liver function), and lo and behold, I have a rash

on the back of my neck. I didn't know I even had a rash, as it is not

itchy; I asked the physician's assistant (my GP was too busy today) to

check out the swollen lymph node on the back of my neck, and the rash was

found under my hair, near the node. I think it feels warm, irritated. The

PA gave me a script for Westcort, and said I may need to be seen by a

dermatologist. I just left a message for the endo. Hope this doesn't mean

I'm allergic to the PTU (started it 4 weeks ago, and currently on 200 mg).

Otherwise, I feel good. Any ideas?

Thanks!