alfreda89 | Hyperthyroid kitty will remain hyper....

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hyperthyroid

Hyperthyroid kitty will remain hyper....

It's official -- Merlyn is hyperthyroid, and cannot handle the one med they use for it. It's radioactive isotopes ($$$) or nothing. Considering I have not worked in three years, I am suspicious of using radiation to kill anything, and he's gonna be 15 in August, there will be no killing of thyroid. I just have to feed him to keep up with the burn, and live with him talking constantly. (They call it night yelling. My cat sitters will be thrilled.)

The biggest concern was shortening his life, but he's outlived his brother and older half-brother, so he's doing fine. I think of him as my Dorian Gray kitty. He looks like a teenager cat! Also, this can mask kidney problems. But he may not have kidney problems, just the thyroid problem. I plan to just love him, and not give him any more of the med that made him hurl constantly and me wash the bedding every day for a week.

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So he can't handle either Tapazole or Methimazole?

It was under the Methimazole name that had him by the throat -- even 1.25 mg was too much. I thought Tapazole was another name for the same drug? From the thioamide group? I was going to see what the natural people had come up with, to see if anything works for cats.

I was low thyroid, so none of the herbal supplements I used apply in this case.

So he can't handle either Tapazole or Methimazole?

I've used both for hyperthyroid cats. I guess it's basically the same thing under different names, but I wasn't positive.

It's too bad he can't tolerate the pills, as it works so well to keep the condition under control. I couldn't afford to do the radioactive treatment for my girl either, so I sympathize. At 15, as long as her general health, weight and kidneys remain good, you should be okay.

The kidneys are the question -- is there a problem, masked by thyroid, or not? I just make sure he has fresh water.

Yes, I've had a number of hyperthyroid kitties and with one old boy that was a major question. As the vet probably explained, the overactive thyroid makes the kidneys work overtime, so if the kidneys aren't working right, the thyroid is basically making them work. But the hyperthyroidism has its own consequences, so it's really a balancing act. We struggled between keeping his thyroid somewhat controlled, but keeping his kidneys going. It's tricky.

Have you ever used the topical form on a cat? While I was out the Vet called and said we could try that -- doesn't usually trigger the GI problems.

Wow, no, I had no idea it even existed! But it's certainly worth a try. Good luck!

I've had great success with this company's products:
http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/thyroid-soothe-treatment-cats-dogs.html

Can this be bought in town, or only online? I was hoping you'd have some ideas! Three times a day...wonder if I can remember to give it to him three times a day. And when I'm gone for two weeks, he'd be on once a day.

Have you tried this one, or only other things they make?

have used their hypo-thyroid one to great effect, and tapered down to once every few days from the rec dose after a few months.

nux vomica from boiron, one round pellet crushed between two spoons, sprinkled on wet food, definitely helps my champon vomit-hurler cat. (the ear in upper left on icon)

not a full solution, but you might try camomile, a drop or two mixed in wet food, for his evening meal?

you might also contact the website and see if they have a local distributor? I haven't seen it in stores, but I suspect it'd be at more herb-specific stores, rather than the hippy groceries that I normally haunt :)

I didn't find a retail link, but sounds like they have products worth trying, so I will order a bottle from Amazon and give it a whirl. I need to get a hot plate to cook at conventions anyway.

also, the pellets that native remedy sells are TINY (vs the boiron ones meant for humans) so they don't need crushing, just sprinkle on the top of wet food.

looks like amazon sells it for a relatively decent price, too, although you don't get the 3 for price of 2 deal; still, free shipping, and you were saying something about having amazon $$ to use there, recently, I think?

http://www.amazon.com/PetAlive-Thyroid-Soothe-20-Gram-Bottle/dp/B002WC8JNE

I think I should try the stuff first, before going for the 2 get one free offer. Got too much stuff around here that hasn't worked, either for them or for me!

(sorry if you've already ordered!) just found this while trying to find more reviews for the Native Remedies product. I haven't used this product line, but it is overall cheaper to try out. (Different formula, but they do explain why each component is included)

http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Only-Natural-Pet-Thyroid-Wellness-Feline/999174.aspx

here's another, more expensive than the first link way above this (although I haven't priced out "per dose" costs) .. has some of the same ingredients as the one listed above within this comment:
http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-hyperthyroid?gclid=CKvX_5SE76ECFRUhnAodUE8aJw#ingredients

tons more reviews on that last one, so maybe at least some of these components are worth looking into?

I'm sorry, I'm a bit scattered, this isn't my prefered way of offering suggestions! I'd rather have a good list of ideas up front, rather than this piecemeal, disjointed thing.

I appreciate your looking -- since I've not been sleeping, my focus also stinks right now. I'll figure something out and order probably tomorrow pm.

the cheaper one is a pill that needs to be crushed; reviews vary as to cats tolerating it for taste, but outside of getting it in them, the formula seems to be helping their kitties.

might be a cheap route to try the types of herbs, then if it works, potentially invest in the more expensive one at petwellbeing, which is liquid and getting dozens of easy to use/effective reviews.

ok, i'll stop now, i love you! sleep well :)

Merlyn seems to have become stubborn about taste changes, so I'll think it over carefully. The liquid might save time and serious hassle -- on bad hand days, it's hard to pill him, if the pill is lousy, and I've wasted more food with pills in it. I hope the liquid doesn't make the food too weird -- he's not a bolter of food, though fast!

Thank you! XXOOOXX

Edited 2010-05-26 14:56 (UTC)

When my cats are reluctant about an herbal med that goes in their food, I'll portion out a tablespoon "appetizer" and dose that with meds, smooshed in, and maybe topped with bonito-flakes to make it extra appetizing.

Then, the rest of their food is made available to them once they've finished the med-food :)

Hummmmm.... Maybe we will try the bonito flakes. The Vet called while I was out -- said I could try a topical version of the med. Cats usually don't have GI problems with the topical. However -- Merlyn reacted badly even before the heaving, and to only a 1/4 of a tablet. So I suspect his system is too delicate for such a powerful drug.

Too bad tea can't cure it!

a few pages into the reviews on http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-hyperthyroid

there were people noting the drug you mentioned (various reviews) and how their cats reacted poorly to the drug, vomited, etc.

has your vet checked out that link?

They also offer a wiki page on hyperthyrodism, in cats specifically
http://pethealth.petwellbeing.com/wiki/Cat_Hyperthyroidism

Don't know what the Vet thinks about it, other than she has used the drug successfully, and she has found that 20% of cats react poorly to it. I'll try to do some homework tonight after the client leaves (and before, knowing him, he'll be late...)

I mean just her awareness of the herbal approach in general, aside from / in addition to and specifics of comparing the herbal with the Rx med!

Ah, yes -- she has worked with natural remedies before, and has no problem coordinating efforts using the same. I will call her tomorrow and bring up the topical and the multiple herbal preps, and we'll discuss it.

I love your pumpkitten!

darlin, check out this old thread, starting at the comment to which this feb2011 reply is attached?

in particular:
http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-hyperthyroid?gclid=CKvX_5SE76ECFRUhnAodUE8aJw#ingredients

(scroll up on that page for reviews; sort of impressive that 191 people have bothered to make some comment...)

reading this thread from March2010, back and forth discussion twixt me & thee.... perhaps bring up with your vet? what I recall is that this site seemed like it would respond to queries, so they may be able to dialog with your vet?

as a fairy godmother to cats... and especially to those cats who are particularly "familiars" to my dearest circle of friends... I would like to fund a trial of something like this (Resthyro or the native remedies product, "thyrod soothe") .. if your vet is up for careful crossing of the streams...

let me know?

I'll bring this back up to her, if she's in tomorrow -- it may be her day off, and the blood work won't be back, what with the weather last week. But this might be a good compromise -- something like the thyroid soothe and the blood pressure meds.

He actually likes the BP med -- it's in triple fish emulsion! But throwing up his mid-night snack early am Will Not Do. I can see he is calmer with the med. Guess we should wait for the blood work. I paid for it -- we need to see it!

Thank you for your offer, dearheart. I'll let you know if I need to take you up on it. I can stand one bottle. It's just if he needs all three, that's going to hurt. I may be sleeping with the windows open this summer! (With luck, this summer I can take it!)

I totally respect your choice. Why put the kitty through more, if it won't help is quality of life and you can't afford it? But as a side note, I personally have had the radioactive treatment. Yes, they do the same thing for people who have thyroid cancer. And give them the same drugs afterwards. It was something I found highly amusing when I did mine. "Oh, my cat had that..." :)

Yeah, they said it was the same thing -- quoted me around $1000 for the procedure. I have friends who totally treat their animals with natural products, so I will definitely talk with them about it. Right now, I'm bleeding money, with no guarantee I will ever be able to work a modern job again (one requiring Windows Suite or running an electronic cash register) or qualify for SSDI. Haven't given up on anything, including new novels, but I think the Universe would consider this an irresponsible use of money at this time.

It's a b*&#@ being poor....

It's difficult to have to even consider these decisions based on money. But your kitty has a great mommy who loves him. And, even if you had the money, it sounds its not be in the best interests of your cat. And there are no med options? I know there are several for people - or can they use a lower dose to get some effect but not make him sick?

No, he's in the percentage that reacts badly to any of the med at all -- so right now, no med options. But several herbal ones, so that will be next!

Your cat has my condition?!?

SHIT. The poor guy! My friend Blue describes advancing hyperthyroid as being like "a rabid turtle."

Okay, big human problem with hyperthyroidism is the constant diarhea and hyperdefecation flushes all nutrients from the system, including Carnitine, which is the nutrient self-produced by anything made of meat. Go cross-reference "carnitine" and "Graves Disease" and you will find recent human studies showing near-miraculous degrees of symptom relief after taking large doses of carnitine for about three weeks. (I am experiencing this myself right now.) New theory is that most of the big-gun symptoms of hyperthyroidism, including the heart strain, are actually *secondary* symptoms resulting from a nutrient domino-effect that happens once the body's carnitine levels are depleted.

It's very hard for a body to absorb carnitine (because we are not supposed to absorb it, we are supposed to make it.) Aecytl-L-Carnitine is the most easily absorbed form. BestVite has been the most affordable source by a mile.

Is that enough to be worth running by your vet? I hope it is.

Really interesting, Tree, thanks for telling me about it. I will ask her about doses for cats when I mention the herbal aids.

when I was in tech support at Lotus cc:Mail, our tech lead had an article on it which explained that daily dosing seemed to preclude getting head colds. It really seems to work, too.

The Acetyl version I'd heard about for, er, preventing hangovers :) seems to actually work, too, if you take it prior to drinking, or early during festivities. Something about how Carnitine helps transport fats across cell walls into the mitochondria, allowing the fat-fuel to be used by the cells, and the Acetyl version as assisting this process in the brain, particularly.

I've seen it sold as a pet supplement, too. This article discusses a bit of its use for pets: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1306+1448&aid=1341

Iz will bee reading dis evenin'....

I can sympathize with you. Sometimes it's not even the money that's the problem - it's the quality of life. Yes, you can extend the life of your fur-baby, but is it a good life if they are feeling crummy all the time and can't keep down their food? That was my dilemma with Garbo. I could have extended her life by giving her sub-q fluids and lots of meds, but that would have stressed her (and me) out greatly. I would rather have had a shorter time with her, and not had her run when she saw me.

You are doing a great job of being kitty-mom. You are making great choices and acting in the best interest of the little guys who you have taken into your life. That's all you can do.

{{{{{{{hug}}}}}}}

Yes, quality of life is important. I will definitely try at least the calming hers for him -- he's like the roadrunner sometimes, tearing around here. Right now he's complaining because he wants more food in his bowl! So getting him a bit happier is a big deal.

All we can do is our best. For all we know, we're already doing what the universe told us to do. (By the way -- did you get the job doing the theatre gig?)

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Hyperthyroid kitty will remain hyper....

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not this one, no.

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another one

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looks like

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er, no, wasn't clear :)

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fairy catmother...

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I love L-carnitine!

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