Methimazole and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Tex...
• January 27, 2020

For Hyperthyroidism "This medicine is brutal. After a short week of Methimazole, I began to start feeling aches in my muscles, nerves, and joints. I am miserable. I’m walking around here like a drunk lady. My head hurts too. My entire body feels like it’s been through a wreck. Dizziness, constipation, headaches, nausea, muscle pain, nerve pain, joint pain. I feel nauseated and dizzy and can’t go poop now! My stomach is feeling so bad. And I feel unwell all day. I’m not sure if I can keep taking this medicine. Has anyone else felt this way? Help me!"

• sur...
• October 13, 2020

For Hyperthyroidism "In June 2020, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism due to heart palpitations. After a blood test, I was referred to an endocrinologist. Initial test readings were T4 31.6 and T3 11.6. Started 10 mg methimazole a day and 40 mg propranolol for palpitations. My second test showed methimazole 15 mg a day and propranolol stayed the same. I started to feel short periods of being dizzy to longer periods of dizziness. T4 shows 18 and T3 8. My third blood test showed T4 12 and T3 at 6, all normal levels. TSH level 0.01 now lower dosage back to 10 mg a day, and no more propranolol. My heart rate is now 65 to 75 bpm, no palpitations. Been told by doc TSH 0.01 will be back to normal in weeks (range 0.045 to 4.5). I gained some weight too... In conclusion, I felt propranolol saved my life with heart palpitations, methimazole brought my T4 and T3 levels way down to normal range. T4 normal levels (9.0 to 26), current 12.1, T3 normal levels (4.0 to 11), current 6.0, TSH normal level (0.045 to 4.5), current 0.001 low will see later. Greetings from Canada."

• dru...
• March 18, 2023

For Hyperthyroidism "It was a terrible experience for me. I developed thyroiditis following a severe cold, which in turn damaged my heart. I was subsequently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and was told that I had Graves' disease, Hashimoto's disease, two worrisome nodules, thyroiditis, and another condition. The medical professionals suggested various treatment options, including drinking an iodine cocktail, undergoing laser surgery on the nodules, possibly having my thyroid removed, and taking medication. Interestingly, they initially believed that my hyperthyroidism was caused by a long-standing iodine supplement that I had been taking. However, it turned out that the cause was actually virus-induced hyperthyroidism with four insignificant nodules. I was prescribed a 10 mg dose of medication, but I experienced adverse reactions and promptly informed my doctor that I would be reducing the dosage. A few days later, I informed my doctor that I had stopped taking the medication altogether, as I was experiencing constant heart racing, elevated blood pressure, daily headaches, dizziness, weight gain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. Prior to this, my heart rate had been too slow. As the patient, I believe that my doctor is working for me and should therefore focus on identifying the root cause of my condition."

• Tas...
• January 17, 2021

For Hyperthyroidism "I have Graves’ disease. I’m on and off this medication. I really don't like it but have no choice but to take it because I want to keep my thyroid as long as I can because once you take it out, all it will do is go to another organ, then there's another problem. I don't like the side effects of this medication: headache, nausea, constipation, dizziness, body aches, tired all the time, like you have no energy, low white blood cells. It sucks. They need to make a new medication. It’s no winning with this disease and medicine."

• Fun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2020

For Hyperthyroidism "I was diagnosed with Graves' disease on Halloween 2019. Been taking methimazole ever since. Started out taking 10 mg twice a day. Now, my endocrinologist has switched me to 5 mg every other day. I feel better, but get crazy dizzy spells. I also get a little stomach pain, but after a while it goes away. I also get crazy back cramps that feel like labor!!"

• sur...
• January 7, 2021

For Hyperthyroidism "This is an update on my hyperthyroidism. I'm at the beginning of month 6. I'm taking 10 mg a day now, but I started with 30 mg. With my treatment, my side effects started at month 4 with being dizzy all day and feeling like gastro. I started having a lot of gas, and my stomach makes weird noises. I did all the tests twice, he said, I saw all your results and all is good, then you have to wait until we finish the treatment. It may be the meds. Finally, the nausea is gone, but I still feel my stomach weird sometimes and also some tingling. Also, a few days ago, I got some red bumps, an allergy on my right arm, but very mild and is almost going away. About the weight gain, I got 20 pounds, but I started to get back to normal once they lowered the meds. No more water retention. Just to finish, I ask you to put the time when your side effects started, because in the pharmacy, they said the side effects are at the beginning of treatment, but I doubt it. So that's why I put the time frame, so we can all compare. Cheers."

• Zan...
• August 20, 2016

For Hyperthyroidism "I just started taking methimazole, and I don't like how I feel. My back hurts, and my right hand near my little finger gets sharp pains shooting through it. I can't eat because I'm nauseated all the time. I get dizzy and can't focus. I looked at the side effects, and I have a few of them, I don't like that."

• Goo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 11, 2022

For Hyperthyroidism "I love and hate methimazole. I love that it effectively keeps my flu-like symptoms, mood swings, and anxiety attacks under control. I hate that I let this drug get me so sick just because it was “the lesser of two evils” for so long. Two months after starting a low dose of 5 mg, I started getting regular lower abdominal pain, dizziness, muscle pain, and peripheral neuropathy. Now, seven years later, my body has finally said enough. I am so nauseous and dizzy and anxious I can’t go out of my house. I have swollen glands in my neck that are painful, and I pee all night long. My recent symptoms have gotten much worse lately, and I’m getting my thyroid removed soon so that I can get off this drug. Praying whatever drug I’ll need to be on next will at least be a little better than this."

• Rud...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 7, 2019

For Hyperthyroidism "I was on 30 mg/day methimazole for 6 months for amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism. This dosage hardly moved the TSH level, just 0.03 mU/L to 0.05 mU/L compared to the normal range of 0.27-4.20. My doctor recently increased the dosage to 60 mg/day and will test the mU/L after 6 weeks. The side effects I notice are loss of taste, loss of weight, and being very weak with a loss of balance. But more seriously is the Afib and high pulse rate. I started a beta blocker, and that reduced the pulse rate to normal levels but did not help the Afib."

• Hyp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2018

For Hyperthyroidism "I've been taking this drug for a week. The first week, I took it along with a new set of anxiety and allergy pills... and BOY, let me tell you, be careful driving while taking this pill. I was on the way to work in 8 AM Atlanta traffic and felt really woozy and dizzy in that traffic. I also was on an iced coffee binge that week, and it really upset my stomach. In addition to stomach pain, nausea, headache, and loss of appetite. I just recently found out I was hyperthyroid last October, and I battled back and forth with starting this medication. I honestly preferred the radioactive iodine based upon research, but my doctor advised this would be the best route for me to take. My symptoms have eased, and I don't suffer from as bad stomach cramps, nausea, and loss of appetite."

• sur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2021

For Hyperthyroidism "This is my 4th update. I went to the endo, and he told me to do RAI because if tapazole gave me a rash, other meds probably will do the same. So, on Feb 2, I'll take iodine and the 3rd scan to see how much iodine my thyroid absorbed. So, on the 4th of Feb, I will take the RAI. My endo said it will take a small amount that he doesn't need to get rid of the entire thyroid, just enough to keep normal levels and that probably I won't need synthroid. I think this is for the best. I stopped tapazole on January 15th because of the rash on one arm, but my legs were itchy too. The sensation of itchiness on my legs finally stopped, but my left arm started itching too. I scratched a bit, so now I have a bit of a rash too. The first 4 months of tapazole were okay, but after that... dizziness, stomach pain, and rash started. They lower the thyroid levels fine, but the side effects are too much."