OK after waiting about 3 months for my first Endo appointment, it was just cancelled on 4 hours notice because of Hurricane/Storm Sandy. We are currently experiencing a soft rain and a little wind, but nothing that would be noticed as bad weather in Seattle. I was polite with the scheduler, it took all my diplomatic skills, but I pulled it off. Frankly, I expected it and maybe, by 3:00 PM when I would be driving home for 10 miles, I would think it a wise idea. Anyway, she could reschedule me for Dr. X's first available opening - in April! Another Doc in the practice has a spot just before Christmas, so I grabbed it, only another 2 months wait. That's better than 6.
Here's my question. I feel I am euthroid. I think the 15 mg of daily methimazole has completely put me into remission. I would like to stop or lessen the dose and see if I remain healthy. That's what I would have discussed with my Endo today. Any thoughts? I've seen others post that they changed doses with varied effects. Of course, I appreciate the disclaimer that this board doesn't give medical advice. Maybe, once the storm passses, I can get a call into either my new Endo, or my old referring MD, who prescribed the drugs. I'm also taking 100 mg of Metoprolol, It helps as I'm now at 120/60, pulse of 55. Without it I'd be 140/80. pulse of 65. I think I could get good results with 50mg a day.

Just because you feel normal while taking a dose the antithyroid drug, that does not make you in remission. These drugs work to interfere with the thyroid cells' job of making thyroid hormone. They create a chemical block to the production of thyroid hormone. If we are taking the proper dose of them, we are at normal levels of thyroid hormone, and should (eventually) feel normal. If you were in actual remission, the dose you are on would make you hyPOthyroid, not normal. Don't compare your dose with someone else's either. It is individualized, much like Goldilock's “chairs.” You are looking for YOUR dose, not the dose that someone else needs to take to be normal. It might well be that you can tolerate a lowering of the dose, but you will not be able to tell that until you've have lab work done and seen the doctor.

You might try calling your endo every few days to see if there is a cancellation that you might take advantage of. Sometimes that can make a difference, if only by keeping your name in the scheduler's mind.

And good luck with the storm. It sounds like it is going to be nasty along a wide swatch of the NE.

I also had trouble finding an endo to see me before 3 months! I gave up and my doctor called around and found someone to see me sooner. I have had an ultrasound, an uptake and a visit to the endo before the scheduled appointment I found myself. But, I am still keeping that appointment as a second opinion. Who knew endos were so hard to schedule!?

I think what Bobbi said sounds about right, it's the meds doing the work. How long have you had graves?

Also, don't you need to be euthyroid before doing RAI or surgery. Let me know what you decide?

I'm right behind ya!

@Khadijah - Just a quick note that the preference is to get the patient euthyroid using ATDs prior to doing surgery, in order to reduce the risk of thyroid storm. Whether or not ATDs should be used to bring levels down prior to RAI is a subject of some controversy, so this practice will vary from doctor to doctor.

Khadijah, I lost about 40 lbs, from 190 to 150 from Christmas to Easter. By July, I had decided I better go to the doctor. I have always been athletic, jogging 4 miles and swimming 1 km, very easily. By July, I was unable to jog 1/2 mile. I had an excessive thirst which could not be slaked no matter how much I drank. They had me do a urine output measurement one day and I had about 3x normal output over a 24 hour test. After an uptake scan I was diagnose with GD in July and began 100 mg metoprolol and 15 mg methimazole a day in August. I will see my first Endo just before Christmas. I decided to cut my metoprolol in half to 50 mg, and I have reduced my methimazole to 10mg. I feel great, better than before I got sick. I can exercise, no thirst anymore and have gained back 20 lbs to 170 where I think I am stabilizing (6 ft, 59 yr old male). I have no plans to have RAI or surgery, but we'll see what the Endo says in Dec. and how I feel. I think I am one of the lucky 30% who just take the ATD's and normalize. I hope you feel better.

Hello - Just a quick note that it's best to make dosing changes in conjunction with a current set of labs, as well as a consult with your doc. I can *almost* always tell where my labs are going to be according to symptoms, but occasionally, I get labs back and realize I was off the mark! In that type of situation, you can actually make things worse by adjusting your dose in the wrong direction.

It's particularly advisable to get labs every few weeks when starting on methimazole, so that the dose can be fine-tuned as needed. Your General Practitioner should be able to help with this if you aren't able to see the endo for another few weeks.