Category Archives: Anti-thyroid drugs

Pregnancy with Graves’ Disease – risk of birth defects for mothers taking anti-thyroid drugs

Posted on June 30, 2013 by gravity

On the never-ending thread about long-term use of methimazole (MMI), several people have asked about the risks of anti-thyroid drugs during pregnancy.  Because MMI is thought to cause more birth defects than propylthiouracil (PTU) in the first trimester, women are often … Continue reading →

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Overtreatment for GD?

Posted on October 4, 2011 by gravity

There was an article about overtreating patients in the New York Times today. It opened with the classic case of Graves’ Disease. The article looks (briefly) at the pros and cons of getting the aggressive treatment (radioactive iodine or surgery) … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-thyroid drugs, Radioactive iodine, Surgery, Treatment options | 2 Comments

The risks of PTU

Posted on March 1, 2011 by gravity

Summary There are two main drugs used to treat Graves’ Disease medically – MMI (methimazole or it’s nearly identical relative carbimazole) and PTU (propylthiouracil). As with all drugs, there are risks and side effects.  As a patient, I’ve often been frustrated … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-thyroid drugs | 8 Comments