Hyperthyroid tablets Vidalta and bad side effects - worried sick!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

She is looking very contented 

[cool4cats]

Thank you Gill ... it's encouraging to hear about your Napoleon.

Here's a couple of photos I took of Tazzy this afternoon, she'd just woke up and is basking on a chair which has a warm radiator behind it 





Gill

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

My late Napoleon only had one functioning kidney for at least 3 yrs, maybe longer

So pleased she is doing well 

[cool4cats]

Thanks for your reply Rosella moggy, I'll be sure to deliver your chin tickles 

[Rosella moggy]

Sorry to hear of kidney probs.  Thyroid probs can often mask kidney probs but at least it's only moderate atm.  Cats can carry on for a long time with less kidney function.  Fortekor is commonly prescribed. 

Since she came home on Tuesday evening she's been eating fine, purring and is her old self. 

Isn't that just fabulous    Sending a few chin tickles her way 

[cool4cats]

Thanks to everyone for your comments and well wishes regarding Tazzy and her condition.

She's now had the thyroid gland removed and is doing fine.
Unfortunately blood tests taken prior to the surgery revealed she has got moderate kidney failure 
The vet has suggested putting her on a special diet for cats with kidney failure and she's to take a daily tablet of Fortekor.

Since she came home on Tuesday evening she's been eating fine, purring and is her old self.
I'm hoping she gains some weight over the next few weeks.

Thanks again.

Gill

[Rosella moggy]

...... they should be on either for 3 weeks before bloods should be taken to see if the T4 was back within normal range so I was a bit surprised your vet only suggested a few days.

I really dislike second guessing other peeps vets in case it causes unnecessary worry but have to agree to some surprise here too at short stabilising time before op.  Hope Tazzy is feeling much better 

[Wiggins]

I've had two hyperthyroid cats within the last year (brother and sister) and both were treated with I131 rather than surgery. As with the surgery though, they still had to stabilised first. My understanding is that hyper-t can often mask other health problems, particularly kidney problems. Once the thyroid imbalance is stable, they can check kidney function properly. If a problem with the kidneys is found once they are stabilised, it can affect both the surgical or medical options.

Re. the drugs, one of my cats reacted to Vidalta so we switched her to Felimazole 2.5mg twice daily and she tolerated that perfectly so I would probably be tempted to try Tazzy on that. My other cat however, was absolutely fine on Vidalta. He started on 10mg but was increased to 15mg. Whilst both drugs get the thyroxine level down, I think they are metabolised differently so a reaction to one, doesn't necessarily mean a reaction to the other. I was also advised by the head of internal medicine at the referral centre that they should be on either for 3 weeks before bloods should be taken to see if the T4 was back within normal range so I was a bit surprised your vet only suggested a few days.

Hope Tazzy is doing okay  x

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

There have been a couple of interesting threads on here about Videlta !
I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not a fan of the drug. While many cats cope will with it, many others don't and the side effects can be very distressing and sometimes fatal

[Rosella moggy]

Hi Gill.  This is a trustworthy source of info on HyperT that I suggest you read through.  Whilst you may feel it is too much to digest, it will probably help when you later discuss things in detail with your vet before the op.

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/hyperthyroidism/info.html

Every cat is different and your vet really is the best person to properly advise you on Tazzy.  Is there any reason why you would not trust your vet's advice?  Your vet should be very much guided by results of blood test and general health/age of Tazzy. 

[Liz]

We took just over 4 months to stabilise Max who is 12 in May as his numbers so shocked the vet they were done twice and samples sent out as well we are waiting on his vets wrist being unbroken so he can have his op at the end of February

Max will have a drip as standard with his op as his liver and kidney function according to the vets is wonderful

Hoping all goes well for the op

[HelenD]

So pleased to hear shes picking up already - hopefully the Vidalta will be out of her system soon and she'll get back to normal and her appetite will pick up

Do you know what her T4 levels were? If they werent too high, they may have decided to do the op with no meds beforehand, if shes reacted that badly to them?

But if you arent sure I'm sure they wont mind you asking, I was regularly pestering our vets for details when Schmoo was first diagnosed so I could understand what was going on

Schmoo is a very tiny (currently about 2.7Kg!) 14yr old, but it took us over a year to get her T4 levelled out with tablets, and they said she wasnt strong enough to handle a big op unfortunately. But if Tazzy can have it done then from the sounds of other peoples experiences, its the best thing to do if you can

Helen
x

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

back in the days before purrs and finding cc, kocka had a thyroid out and nothing special was done.........this was back in the dark ages tho, about 10 yrs ago.

she could not be pilled anyway and suspect things have changed a lot since then.

the only thing i would sat is that if your cat is over 10 yrs old make sure that your vet is going to put her on a drip, cos kocka was about 16yrs and suffered kidney damage which she didnt have prior to the op.

[cool4cats]

Thanks to Gill and Liz for your replies.

I've posted an update to Tazzy's condition which you may have already read.

I'm pleased Tazzy is picking up a little, Vidalta really made her quite ill.
All I concerned with is the fact that the vet hasn't suggested putting her on anything else prior to the surgery ... I wondered how important it is to stabilise her before it?

Gill

[cool4cats]

Hi Rosella moggy,

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my posting.

Tazzy is a little brighter today, she's eaten a little and is still drinking.
The vet has told us to turn up for the op as planned a week today, he didn't mention her going on a different drug.
She did react badly to Vidalta ... I thought she was on the way out.

Maybe he's loathe to put her on anything else for fear of a bad reaction again. I swear she's lost a pound or two over the last couple of days because of her reaction to Vidalta.
I'd like to know how important it is for her to be stabilised prior to surgery ... although as I said the vet didn't suggest her going on any other drug.

She's in discomfort with her teeth too, she needs a couple removing ... so she'll feel better when that's done.

Thanks again for your help.

Gill

[cool4cats]

Hi Helen,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my posting.

Tazzy is a little brighter today, she's more responsive and has eaten a small amount. She has been drinking water all along so that's good.

The vet put her on Vidalta 10mg until she has her op a week today, within a few hours she went downhill ... I felt so sorry for her.
The vet said she'd had a bad reaction to the tablet and told me to stop them, he didn't mention putting her on anything else ... just to keep the op appointment for next week.
How important is it for cats to be on meds before surgery?  I'm a bit worried ... although I'm scared she'd have the same reaction on a different drug.

I'm sorry your cat can't have surgery, how old is she/he? 

Gill

[HelenD]

Hi Gill,

So sorry to hear Tazzy isnt feeling too good :/ Not sure if I can help of not, but our cat Schmoo is on Vidalta and has been for well over a year.

Thyroid meds are designed to reduce the T4 hormone which is overproduced when a cat has hyperthyroidism. This hormone basically sets the cats metabolism to overdrive, which if left can cause rapid weight loss (even with them still eating) and then increased heartrate & blood pressure etc.

Its great news if they can operate to remove the thyroid, but they will need to get the T4 level down before they operate so its safer, which is why they will have given you these meds.

As far as I am aware there are 2 main tablets used currently - Vidalta and Felimazole. They work in slightly different ways. From what I understand (in laymans terms - I'm no vet LOL!) Vidalta is a once a day 'slow release' med which the cat metabolises throughout the day into the drug that will sort the T4. This may be why even after you stopped giving it, it will take a while to get out of her system?

But Felimazole is already the 'T4 fighting' drug, which is why you have to give it twice a day, as it works almost immediately so you have to spread it out?

Cats seem to react differently to both - with Schmoo we couldnt stabilise her on Felimazole (we cant operate as shes too old) so we are on Vidalta 10Mg daily.

Do you know what dose of Vidalta you are on? They should start low and then build it up, but agreed that Felimazoles doses do start lower - I think they have a 2.5Mg tab, so that would be a start dose of 5Mg a day? If shes reacted that badly though I would suggest trying Felimazole? But hopefully your vet will go over this with you when you speak to them.

In terms of eating, I think its a case of trying a variety of foods, but if you can stick to lighter stuff as the vet already said - boiled chicken works with Schmoo when shes got an upset tum? Also if she doesnt already I'd try wet food - then shes less likely to get dehydrated as well if shes not drinking?

Schmoo is currently on Royal Canin Digest Sensitive - but the vet should be able to give you some senstive tum food to try?

I hope you get on ok with the vets and Tazzy starts feeling better soon! 

Helen

[Rosella moggy]

Everything will depend on how an individual cat responds to this or another HT drug. 

Our Tom reacted badly to it but am still convinced the dose was too high and he was only mildly HT.  Vidalta is not the only medication on the market.  Tazzy needs to go back to the vet and you need to have a thorough discussion with your vet about the choice of drug, the dosage bearing in mind Tazzy's test results and the length of time it might take to stabilise Tazzy before surgery.  I was told a gradual build up of HT medication allows the system to adjust to it more easily.  I am however NOT a vet.

ETA From what I've heard, a drawback of Vidalta is the lack of lower dosage tabs whereas Felimazole does allow lower doses although has to be administered twice daily rather than just once with Vidalta.  A couple of links to NOAHs compendium may help you formulate a few questions for your vet.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/MSD_Animal_Health/Vidalta_10_mg_tablets_for_cats_and_Vidalta_15_mg_tablets_for_cats/-55499.html

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Dechra_Veterinary_Products_Ltd/Felimazole_ACY-reg_ADs-_2_5_mg_Coated_Tablets_for_Cats/-40419.html

Sending every good wish for Tazzy and you for that matter 

[Liz]

Our HT boy Max had been on 30 g of Vitalda for 5 months and was a bit runny but his thyroid count was well over the odds and he is now stable and waiting for the removal

Ensure the cat has a lot of water bowls around the place as they do make them thirsty

Also if no better contact the vet asap as this type of thing can dehyrdrate a cat very quickly

Just to add they usually stbilise the thyroid before removing as sometimes the parathyroid can be affected by the op

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I cant help you on the tablets or illness but have had two cats with very runny tummys and was given capsules called  protexcin synbiotic d-c caps. Half a capsile sprinkled on food a day solved the problem for both.

One cat was a 10 month old kitten and the other a 12/13 yr old cat who had been living rough since last October to a week ago. The kitten had been ill for months and nothing else had worked so tried on the older cat whose tummy was terrible and they worked in 3 days.

My vet prescribed them so maybe worth asking the vet if these would help to get the system back to normal quickly.

[cool4cats]

My cat Tazzy has just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, she is having one of her thyroid glands removed next week.

The vet said that she needed to go on antithyroid tablets for a few days before the surgery to get a hormone balance.
Before she took the tablets the only symptoms of her thyroid problem were weight loss and hyperactivity, about 5 hours after taking the first tablet she had diarrhea.
We thought this could be due to the stress of going to the vets.

Yesterday she had her second tablet, she then vomited a couple of times and went right off her food.
Today she still has diarrhea which is running from her just like a liquid where she sits and she has vomited twice and is refusing to eat but is drinking water.

I found out that Vidalta can cause these side effects in some cats, but I called the vet this morning to ask his advice.
He told me to stop the tablets and when she started to eat just to give her a light diet .... but it's now after 8.30pm and she still hasn't eaten and the watery runs are still coming from her.
I'm worried sick about her ... she was OK until she took this damn tablet.
I know that hyperthyroidism can also can give a cat diarrhea and vomiting but she didn't have any of that ... so it must be the tablet causing it.

If she's still the same by tomorrow lunch time I'm going to take her to see the vet.

Please has anyone here had a similar experience with their cat on this drug?
It's a little over 24 hours since she took the last tablet .... how long will it take for it to be out of her system and how long before she gets back to 'normal'?

Gill