propylthiouracil and propranolol

[Tristan23]

Hi, I haven't posted before and just had a quick question about these drugs.. I was taking carbimazole and propranolol but the carbimazole didn't agree with me so now I'm on ptu.

Can propranolol be taken with propylthiouracil?

Thanks

[pennyannie]

Hello Tristan and welcome to the forum :

Both Carbimazole and Propylthiouracil ( PTU ) are anti thyroid drugs that block your own thyroid hormone production.

Both can have side effects, so please read the PIL enclosed in the box and inter changeable:

The Propranolol is a beta blocker and can be used with either.

There is nothing on your profile page :

What have you been diagnosed with as forum members can help explain anything that may concern you and your treatment options going forward and the longer term considerations you may not be aware of.

I'm diagnosed Graves Disease and had RAI thyroid ablation back in 2005 - a treatment I deeply regret, but back then, I knew nothing and so totally compliant and followed doctors orders - I now buy my own with full spectrum thyroid hormone replacement as I have been refused the relevant treatment option on the NHS when T4 - Levothyroxine - seemed to stop working for me.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Welcome to forum,

Yes they can be used together.

Propranolol is often prescribed along side both anti thyroid medications as can help relieve symptoms while PTU addresses route cause.

Propranolol does also have mild antithyroid element so also helpful for hyper.

Do not stop propranolol abruptly - must be reduced slowly.

What is cause of your hyper?

Do you obtain & track your results? Recommend you do.

Post any results here and we can explain more.

[Tristan23]

Thanks for getting back to me guys.

Doctors haven't gave me a cause yet, graves was mentioned because antibody level was slightly raised.. The problem with all this is that i have been dealing with some kind of viral infection since being diagnosed as hyperthyroid.. Just over 2 months now.

The latest results i have tell me FT4 23.7 TSH <0.01

Cortisol level is raised at 569

White cells borderline at 3.93 but with a neutrophil 1.99

My liver function test is improving, the carbimazole seemed to be why that went really off.

Any help much appreciated.

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Tristan23]

Find out which antibodies were tested.

For Graves you need either:

TSI - Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin

TRab - TSH receptor antibodies - (measures stimulating, neural & blocking antibodies)

Often doctors just look at :

TPOab - Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies

TGab - Thyroglobulin antibodies

Which indicate autoimmune but could equally be thyroiditis which can cause transient hyper - ultimately under active thyroid.

For full test you are looking for.

TSH - Thyroid stimulating hormone (pituitary signaller to thyroid *not reliable*)

FT4 - free thyroxine (thyroid hormone)

FT3 - free triiodothyronine (thyroid hormone)

Also Important to test.

Folate

Ferritin

B12

Vitamin D

Your TSH is supressed which is what you’d expect to see with high thyroid levels.

Suspect a FT4 of 23.7 is not too high above range? Was this after taking antithyroid for a time? was it higher on diagnosis?

Ranges vary between labs so must be added to interpret accurately.

Gluten issue often issue with Graves - any stomach issues?

Eye issues can sometimes occur with thyroid issues - higher % in those with Graves - are you aware of this?

[pennyannie]

Which antibodies are you referring to ;

There are 2 thyroid auto immune disease which both start off with a level of hyper - over activity - one much more extreme as the other and the treatment is different.

With Graves AI Disease you need positive and over range TR AB - thyroid receptor blocking antibodies or TSI - thyroid stimulating antibody for a diagnosis and which sees the T3 and T4 thyroid hormones rise higher and higher which this is considered life threatening if not medicated with AT drugs which block your own thyroid hormone production.

With Hashimoto's AI Disease you will have positive and over range TPO - thyroid peroxidase and or TgAB - Thyroglobulin antibodies.

You will experience similar symptoms but the T3 and T4 do not keep rising and fall back down into range by themselves and so not as acute and longer term as the thyroid becomes further damaged from this AI disease you will start to become hypothyroid and need to supplement to support your thyroid function.

Do you have on line access and can see which antibodies were positive ?

Do have any blood tests at diagnosis and can see where your TSH, T3 and T4 were ?

We can help more, if we know more.

If you wish for someone specific to reply you need to reply detailing there name by pressing the reply button under their post - as people tend to answer and move on unless recalled by the original poster.

If you wish to read around both :

Graves - elaine-moore.com

Hashimoto's - thyroidpharmacist.com