What Is Methimazole?
Methimazole is the generic name for Tapazole, a prescription drug used to treat an overactive thyroid.
An overactive thyroid can be brought on by conditions like Graves’ disease, inflammation of the thyroid gland, or Plummer’s disease.
Tapazole comes from a group of drugs referred to as anti-thyroid representatives. It works by interfering with the production of thyroid hormones– an action that decreases levels of these hormones in the body.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first authorized methimazole under the trademark name Tapazole in 1950. King Pharmaceuticals initially made it.
Methimazole Side Effects
Common Side Effects
Tell your medical professional if any of the following side effects are severe or don’t go away:
- Itching, hives, or a rash
- Darkening of the skin or jaundice (yellowing of the skin, nails, and whites of the eyes).
- Queasiness and throwing up.
- Transformed taste and heartburn.
- A headache, sleepiness, or dizziness.
- Joint pain, irritated nerves, and swelling.
- Swelling of lymph nodes or salivary glands.
Severe Side Effects
The following significant side effects require urgent medical attention:
- Low platelet, leukocyte, or red cell count.
- An absence of new members cell production by bone marrow.
- Liver damage.
- Kidney infection or inflammation.
- Poor or slow blood clotting.
- Inflammation of the lining of the arteries.
Methimazole and Weight Gain
Methimazole is a medication that is used to help individuals that have hyperthyroidism. It acts by reducing the quantity of active thyroid hormone levels in the body. It is likewise true that people that have excessive thyroid hormone (such as yourself) are more likely to drop weight than gain weight. The reverse holds (people with low thyroid are most likely to gain weight). Thus, anybody that is placed on this medication is most likely to gain weight.
The essential question is if you are getting excessive f the methimazole. The response to that question depends on the blood test for the stimulating thyroid hormone (TSH test). The TSH test is done to see if someone is hyperthyroid or hypothyroid (insufficient thyroid hormonal agent). Your TSH when you were hyperthyroid was too low.
Now that you are on methimazole, it will be higher. You have to make sure that you and your endocrinologist have not overshot and triggered hypothyroidism (with a high TSH). The only way to find this out is to get it tested. If your TSH is normal, then the methimazole dose is proper and must not be changed. Your endocrinologist will know the response to this question. I recommend that you arrange an appointment to work out these issues.
