Tapazole

Tapazole is an anti-thyroid drug. It is used in the treatment of overactive thyroid gland which produces a large quantity of thyroid hormone.

It may also be used to prepare the patient for removal of the overactive thyroid by surgery or radioactive iodine treatment.

Tapazole works by inhibiting production of thyroid hormone. It is available in the form of a tablet, only with your doctor’s prescription.

Before using Tapazole, you must know all about the risks and complications associated with it.

Before starting the treatment your doctor should be informed about condition such as:

Allergy: Inform your doctor if you are allergic to any food, preservatives, dyes, or had an allergic reaction when you used this drug before.

Children: There are no adequate studies done which prove Methimazole’s harmful effects in children. Use it after consulting your doctor.

Elderly: This medicine does not cause any different side effects or problem than it does in younger adults. However, it should be used with caution in elderly.

Pregnancy: It is a category D drug. It should not be used in pregnancy. It can cause abnormalities or death of an unborn baby.

Breast Feeding: Methimazole passes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed while using it.

Drug Interactions: Methimazole may interact with other drugs. Your doctor should be informed of any other medicines which you are taking. He may want to change the dosage or drug. Some of them are listed below:

• Warfarin
• Propranolol
• Digoxin
• Bupropion
• Tegafur
• Theophylline
• Corticosteroids

Other Medical Conditions: Several other conditions may reduce its effectiveness.

Make sure you inform your doctor of conditions such as:

• Bone marrow diseases
• Liver diseases
• Exfoliative dermatitis (widespread redness and scaling of the skin)
• Agranulocytosis (very low white blood cells)
• Aplastic anemia (very low red blood cells)
• Leukopenia (low white blood cells)
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelets in the blood)

Proper usage of Tapazole requires strict adherence to your doctor’s orders. It comes with an instruction. Read and understand it carefully.

Dosage: It is different for different patients. Dosage mentioned below is an average dose. You must follow your doctor’s command.

For oral dosage form (tablets):

For hyperthyroidism:

• Adults: Initially, the dose is 15 to 60 milligrams (mg) per day, divided into 3 equal doses and given every 8 hours. Later on, the maintenance dose is 5 to 15 mg per day.
• Children: Initially, the dose is 0.4 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day, divided into 3 equal doses and given every 8 hours. The maintenance dose is 0.2 mg per kg of body weight per day. The dose is determined by your doctor based on body weight.

Missed dose: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. If it is almost a time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your daily schedule. Do not double the dose.

Storage: Store it at room temperature. Keep it away from children.

Before using Tapazole, there are some precautions you must take. Your doctor should check your daily progress at regular visits.

He/she may want a blood or urine test to check for unwanted effects. Use an effective form of birth control methods as Methimazole can harm an unborn baby.

It is a bone marrow suppressant. It temporarily reduces your white blood cells and platelets, and so making you susceptible to infections and bleeding. While using this drug you should avoid people with the infection.

Inform your doctor immediately if you notice:

• fever
• chills
• cough
• lower back or side pain
• bruising
• bleeding
• black tarry stools
• blood in urine or stools

Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters. It can cause or aggravate liver diseases.

Inform your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms such as:

• upper stomach pain
• pale stools
• dark urine
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• yellow eyes or skin

Make sure you meet with your doctor in using Tapazole to avoid unwanted potential side effects. Some people may experience none or minor side effects.

Consult with your doctor if they become problematic or frequent:

More common are:

• Change in taste
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Lightheadedness
• Muscle pain
• Nausea
• Numbness and tingling
• Stomach upset
• Vomiting

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.