Thyroid hormone influences the speed with which your body burns calories as well as how quickly your heart beats. It effectively controls the rate of metabolism, and ensures a healthy level of calcium in blood through a hormone called parathyroid. Hyperthyroidism is a condition wherein your system makes too much of the thyroid hormone. An excessive level of secretion leads to an accelerated rate of metabolism and a few other undesired conditions. Methimazole is medication which is commonly administered for treating an excessive secretion of thyroid or hyperthyroidism. What happens when you take it along with alcohol? It becomes essential to know the likely outcomes.
Methimazole
Thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is seen on the front portion of your neck. When this gland makes excessive amount of thyroid, it results in hyperthyroidism. It shows up through a few distinctive signs such as being tired, mood-related problems like anxieties, staying nervous, etc. People with hyperthyroidism tend to lose weight without much effort, experience tremors or shaking, live with sleep related disorders, witness erratic menstrual periods, frequent movements of bowel and inflammation of the thyroid gland; a condition known as goiter.
Treatment of hyperthyroidism is based on a host of factors; key among them are age, weight as well as how much overactive is your thyroid gland. Treatment is also based on the type of hyperthyroid condition you are living with. Your treating doctor may prescribe anti-thyroid meds, radioactive iodine, beta blocking meds, etc. In some one-off cases, a surgery is recommended; but surgical options are explored only when meds have yielded limited results.
What is methimazole?
This medication forms part of a class called anti-thyroid meds; its main task is to inhibit your thyroid gland from making excessive levels of hormone. It is usually prescribed for a fairly longer timespan; typical duration can range from 15 to 18 months. You are likely to witness positive changes in a matter of a few weeks; however, a long term intake of methimazole is widely prescribed. Never stop taking this drug without telling your treating physician. For better results, you are advised to take this med at the same time each day.
Side effects methimazole may trigger
This med is likely to cause a few side effects; common discomforts include nausea, upset of stomach or vomiting. In some cases, skin conditions such as rashes, discoloration or itchiness have also been observed. Most of these side effects may cease to show up when your body gets used to the key chemicals of methimazole. But, if any of these discomforts persist for long, you are advised to consult with your caregiving team without any further delay.
Severe discomforts of this med
This anti-thyroid med is unlikely to cause severe side effects and discomforts. But, in some stray cases, you may encounter painful joints, shallow respiratory cycles, symptoms of hepatic impairment (yellowish tint on skin or eyes, dark urine or pains in stomach), tingling sensation, etc. Also, watch out for acute blood-related disorders like drop in count of red, white cells and platelets. Those who witness a significant drop in white cells may get infected very often. So, inform your caregiving team if you experience frequent spells of infections or flu accompanied by soreness of throat. You need to remember that methimazole is not an over the counter drug; it has to be taken as per instructions of a qualified caregiver.
Can I take alcohol while consuming methimazole?
It is not a safe practice to consume alcohol while you are taking methimazole. This is mainly because of the adverse impact it can cause on your liver. Your hepatic function may come under stress when you mix alcohol with this anti-thyroid med. Some of the cough and cold medications may contain alcohol in them; you are hence advised to talk to your doctor about the intake of such meds. As an extended precaution, use of tobacco products is also not recommended while you are taking this med.
Excessive dosage of methimazole is likely to cause liver problems. Dosage recommended for adults is pegged at 15 milligrams (mg) each day. This drug works well when there is some trace of it in your bloodstream. Hence, missing a single dose may have wider consequences. Those who are consuming two or three doses each day must ensure spacing their doses evenly. This drug is sometimes given to children living with hyperthyroidism; for them, the typical daily dose is 0.2 milligram per every kilogram of weight. Their doses are also evenly spaced out into 3 doses per day. It is unsafe to make changes to the strength of doses without telling your caregiving team.
In some remote instances, this drug may trigger spells of hypothyroidism; this condition is marked by a suboptimal production of thyroid. Common signs of this condition are dryness of skin, mood shifts including depression, loss of hair, cramping of muscles, slowdown of heartbeats, being weak as well as tired. You may also experience episodes of constipation. Use of a laxative is recommended when this problem becomes severe; however, a daily use of laxatives can be habit forming.
In general if you observe darkened stools or dark urine, excessive levels of dizziness, breathing difficulties (gasping or panting), you are advised to seek medical attention on an emergency mode. If you are living in the US, call 911 or reach out to the helpdesk of the FDA. On the other hand, if you are living in any of the Canadian provinces, rush to a poison control unit or call Health Canada urgently.
In sum, methimazole is a widely used anti-thyroid med. It helps inhibit the thyroid gland from making excessive amount of hormone. Common side effects of this med are abdominal problems such as nausea, indigestion or vomiting, skin conditions like itchiness, discoloration, hives or rashes. These adverse side effects may disappear once your body becomes used to the key ingredients of this med. You need to remember that it is not safe to mix alcohol and methimazole. Those who took alcoholic drinks witnessed liver problems and a resultant build-up of stress on your hepatic function. You are also not advised to use tobacco products while using this drug. It is highly recommended to talk to your caregiver about the safety precautions associated with the intake of methimazole.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
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