Is pTU 100mg daily helpful for graves disease? Read more

[Roble]

Hello .I'm omar from Ethiopia I joined this channel to know more about tyroid issue. One week ago I visited a clinic to more about health I didn't feel any problem but for check up since I'm so skinny and eat a lot but getting any weight I was going ask that question" he said I have to check you tyroid since it effects metabolism then he did it. He said you have high tyroid then he prescribed PTU 100mg daily. I have no any hyperthyroidism symptoms may be it's graves disease that causes hyperthyroidism. My question is that is PTU 100mg helpful?

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Welcome to forum

Yes, this medication helps treat graves’ & lowers output of thyroid so the levels fall to the normal range.

You will need frequent re-tests & the dose adjusted. Do you have further tests to come?

Being hungry & still being skinny is common with hyperthyroid.

Can you ask for a copy of test results & lab range? It’s really good to see what doctor is testing and how your levels respond to treatment.

[Roble in reply to PurpleNails]

Thanks for the reply. I'm taking the medication in a week now I'm going recheck it after week I will take the copy of my lab results. The reason I visited the clinic was to know why I'm not getting weight I eat a lot and resting bur still skinny and loosing weight.

[Roble in reply to PurpleNails]

Will my weight improve after this medication?

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Roble]

Once thyroid level are back into normal range you should be able to gain the weight you lost, yes.

Do you have to arrange blood test or does the doctor request them. See if you can have test for.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

Free thyroxine (FT4)

Free triiodothyronine (FT3)

If possible it’s very helpful to test thyroid antibodies.

Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO)

Thyroglobulin antibodies (Tg or TGab)

Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI)

Or TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb), are high when Graves is diagnosed.

The antibodies will confirm if you have Graves. Graves causes long term hyper but sometimes hyper occurs for a short time. Although it sounds like you have had this for a long time.

Aim to test every 6 weeks and adjust dose, it takes some weeks for changes to take affect & show in blood tests.

[pennyannie]

Hello Omar Roble and welcome to the forum :

Yes the PTU - Propylthiouracil is a Anti Thyroid drug and should slow down your metabolism which in turn should slow down the rate at which you eat, metabolise and loose weight -

How long has this been going on ?

Do you have any family members with the same problem ?

Very important that you also get your vitamins and minerals checked out as you need to keep your core body strength strong and solid during this phase of ill health -

Ask that your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are tested and these need to be maintained at good high levels in the ranges at around 70% through the ranges to support you through this phase of ill health.

It sounds like it might be Graves Disease - but we need more information such as your TSH, T3 and T4 blood test results and ranges and also which antibodies we found positive in your blood tests.

If you want to read around Graves Disease - the most rounded of all I found is that of Elaine Moore - books and website - web.archive.org/web/2024122...

[Roble in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you. No family history of this problem I have been I such problem for the last five years I'm eating a lot getting any weight even one KG I'm 55kg not increasing what ever I eat" that's why I suspected to know more about my metabolism. I will share with you the lab results of all you told when go back to clinic next week but luckily I'm not feeling any problem expect weight problem.

[pennyannie in reply to Roble]

Ok then - start a new post/question with any new information so all forum members can try and help and advise you, rather than tack things on the bottom of an answered question once the posts is over around 24 hours old.

[Juli_a]

Roble, welcome. before I got diagnosed with graves I was eating lots and also stuck on 55 kg. My normal before that was 56, so i thought nothing of it. I went on 300 mg PTU and put on almost 5 kg in 2.5 months. I haven't changed my diet, it was just all the slowing down of metabolism that was happening (in a good way). But note I'm on much higher dose than you. Im now thinking to get on a reasonable diet and excersise regime to stop gaining weight too fast. In short yes if your thyroid is high and then goes down you could gain weight if nothing in your diet or exercise changes.

[Roble in reply to Juli_a]

Juli.Thank you for sharing me this my weight never changed I'm 55kg what ever and I eat and how ever I take rest I couldn't get 1 additional kg. I didn't see my self any of hyperthyroidism symptoms like hair loss and large tyroid gland goiter. But my metabolism was so fast and feeling hungry finally I visited clinic the doctor checked my look my tyroid if it's large he said it's OK but I have to check blood for and he told me that my tyroid is high the prescribed 100mg of ptu daily " now I'm taking it in one week but doctor said you have to take two months. Please can you tell me the duration you took and how it helped you and if you see any side effect?

[Juli_a in reply to Roble]

Hey yes you do have to take it 6-8 weeks before doing a blood test again. Cant say what treatment plan you'll have, but for me and many others with graves hyperthyroidism first drug treatment can be 12-18 months starting on a high dose and then slowly lowering until achieving steady state. I'm on week 11 and its working exteremely well. But I caveat again that my starting dose was much higher than yours and you don't seem to have any other symptoms, so I'm not sure what route you'll be on.

PTU leaflet has side effects listed and your doctor should have explained them to you. You just need to know what signs to look out for. I personally have not had any. I found the tablets bitter tasting and I take them after food to avoid the aftertaste.

Hope this helps. Keep posting if you have any more questions or updates.