Propyl-thyracil??

[ohroxy]

I live in VERY small town Saskatchewan, canada and was just diagnosed this spring with Hashi. My GP is guessing what to do with my and has me on this propyl-thyracil. Has anyone heard/tried it?

I have been going back every 2 months for checks of my levels and they continue to get worse so he just doubles my dose. Of course I now realize there are other drugs, and have come to realize (through message board) there is a specialist I should be seeing (and I will ask to be referred next appointment).

I am just getting so frustrated. I have trouble swallowing. My hair has started to fall out :( , I am so tired all the time, I feel depressed... the worst of all I "look" normal so my partner just seems to forget that I am sick? I am just sad and frustrated.

I am going for a thyroid scan (had to practically beg for that) next month. I am not sure exactly what that will tell me but...


anyway, thanks all for being here.

[GD Women]

Are you sure you have Hashi? Either you misunderstood your doctor on your diagnose - whether you are hypo (Hashi) or hyper. Or your doctor doesn't know what s/he is doing. Are you sure you are taking Propylthiouracil!

Propylthiouracil is a treatment for hyperthyroidism which decreases the amount of thyroid hormone produced by the thyroid gland. It is used in hyperthyroidism, including Graves' Disease. It has a risk of causing Agranulocytosis as a side effect. Agranulocytosis is an acute condition involving a severe and dangerous leukopenia
particularly of neutrophils causing a neutropenia in the circulating blood.

I would check to make sure what is going on with you. Either change doctors or educate yourself about your disease and then train your doctor.

Hypo (Hashi) don't need for their thyroid hormone level reduced, its already low. Hypo's (Hashi) need more thyroid hormone with the proper medication.

Good Luck!

[ohroxy]

:(
Oh my Goodness. Yes, they are certain it is Hashi's.
I don't remember my test results but my antibodies are sky high. (I am going next week for recent test results, I will write them down).
Like I said, my doctor is just guessing what to do! He phoned the Pharmacy and asked them what the drug to use, they decided on this one and thats it. Every time I go for a check up, the counts are worse so he just increases the dosage.
I am an ovarian cancer survior, you would think I would be more agressive with my health but am still intimidated with docs. :( I finally asked for a thyroid scan and am scheduled next month. I just found out (through research) I should be seeing an endo.
I am trying to get educated, thats how I found y'all.
Thankyou for your help.

[ohroxy]

I have a rapid resting heartbeat (that is actually what finally sent me to the doctor) too so they also put me on atenolol.

stupid doctors.

[GD Women]

Hypo/Hashi would have a slow heart, where Hyper would be fast. Although the are other health conditions that share either one. Its not specific to thyroid.
Having the antibodies does not necessarily mean you have the disease. A few other autoimmune conditions can have thyroid antibodies as well as normal healthy people.
There is nothing that can be done about the antibodies, there is no treatment nor cure. Anibodies are going to do what they want to do, when they want to do it and as often as they want, as long as there is thyroid cells. Unfortunately, there is no way to get ride of the total thyroid cells, unless it completely dies off on its own. Thyroid levels are the issue that is treated, not antibodies. In other wards, antibodies can come and they can go. Go from high to low, low to high, anytime throughout our life time.
Therefore, thyroid levels/test are the prevailing diagnose. Your doctor should be able to tell by your levels on how they relate to each other if you are autoimmune thyroid. If doctor needs confirmation that it is autoimmune, other test can be done to confirm what the thyroid levels relates. But doesn't make a difference if autoimmune because like I said, autoimmune is not treated, its either the hypo or hyper condition that is treated, which levels relate. Did your doctor do the correct antibody test? Some people carry both Hashi and Graves' antibodies, but one will be dominate in which will relate to which autoimmune we have. There are specific antibody test to Hashi and to Graves' which should be done. Also which thyroid test is your doctor doing. Presumably, all three.
I never went to an Endo. I also live in a small remote town but my internist was pretty savy. It sounds like you need go to a different doctor. Know this, that most endos deal in diabetes, with thyroid way down their list of expertise, so make sure the endo you pick is a thyroid specialist or one who deals with many thyroid patients per year.

Some people travel hours for a good doctor, some even out of state. I have read where certain doctors will treat over the phone after the first initial appointment or testing's.