Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take methimazole as follows:
- Take methimazole dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
- Methimazole could be taken on empty stomach. Patients can sometimes present with nausea and vomiting, secondary to methimazole intake. Taking the methimazole dose with some food or snack can counter these unpleasant gastrointestinal side-effects.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- Observe compliance with periodical lab draws ordered, for evaluation of the thyroid hormone levels in the blood.
- Your physician could change the dose of methimazole, based on the lab results, relief obtained from symptoms of hyperthyroidism, or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, as scheduled. Be accommodative to the plan of frequent dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- This medication can be slow to act and could take time to adjust to your blood levels and produce the desired effect.
- Do not discontinue taking methimazole without consulting your doctor, even if you fail to see the benefit of the medication. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without physician recommendation, can lead to recurrence of symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
