Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

Ok, so I have Graves Disease (Hyperactive thyroid). I've been on new medication (PTU) for almost 1 year now (I used to take Tapazole). Anyhow, my levels have constantly been going down:

first-1.45
2nd visit-.35
3rd visit-.25
last week-.10

Now each time my doctor (who I like) increases my dosages. Now I'm taking 7 pills a day. Now she wants to up it to 8 pills a day. Any case, the meds. make me sleepy and my metabolism is basically completely non-exsistant (making losing weight nearly impossible).

Please explain why if my levels are constantly going down, why I would need to take more meds. I can't stand taking so many meds. Initailly I was taking 12, but after 2nd visit, she moved it to 6, then 3rd to 7, and now 4th to 8. I know they want to have my thyroid at a 0.0, but I'm so close, is it neccessary to take an extra pill.

I'm waiting for my doctor to call me back. Thanks Kerry

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

Has your doctor discussed a more permanent treatment? I was diagnosed with Graves Disease 10-12 years ago. I did a short round of beta blockers with steroids (because my eyes were messed up) and then treated with a dose of radioactive iodine to kill a portion of the gland and reduce the activity. Now I am a bit underactive and just take one synthroid a day -- it's a thyroid hormone replacement pill.

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

I don't want surgery and I don't want the iodine radioactive treatments. See the reason we aren't doing the iodine is you can't become pregnant for 12 months after the iodine and even though we are TTC's now, you never know. I also don't want them to remove my thyroid 100% which is what surgery is.

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

I didn't want surgery either which is why I did the RI but I wasn't concerned with TTCing at the time.

Good luck!

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

Thanks. Hopefully my doctor calls today. I just don't understand, if my levels are consistantly going down, why must I increase my medication.

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

That is a lot of pills, if you are not up for surgery or iodine it might be your only option. I did the iodine 10 years ago and now I have hypothyroidism. I only take 1 pill a day.

Re: Need Doctor Help, Endo especially

well I just got off the phone with my doctor. My levels are so close to be normal. We'll go with the 8 pills until my next visit in October, if the levels don't become normal, we may discuss other options. She and I are very against the RI because you can't become pregnant for 1 year. I'm TTC, but hey accidents happen, you never know. She thinks surgery is the best, but I'm not feeling it. We'll see. If for some reason my levels don't drastically drop to normal by October, than I'll consider other options.

The reason she is upping the dosage is because it will hopefully shock my thyroid quicker, in hopes of drastically reducing my levels.

FYI, you always take more pills being hyper rather than hypo.