MISA VERY ILL WITH HYPER T..NEED SOME HELP PLEASE

[Kay and Penny]

I can't access the very informative Yahoo group at the moment - think it must be related to the recent Yahoo problems - have a look at what Tanya has to say about HT though http://www.felinecrf.org/hyperthyroidism.htm

don't be put off by the fact the info is US based - the States are way ahead of us on this subject, and their vets are way ahead of many of the UK vets too on the best way to treat HT

[heather sullivan]

Oh I am sorry to hear that. Silvie had to be stopped on all meds a week before she had the RI injection. Her levels before treatment were around 200 and when she got to the vets at Canterbury they were around 550 which is really high. The vet I spoke to said he had seen cats with results of around 1000.  I am not sure where you live, but Barton Vets at Canterbury, Kent where Silvie went had the shortest waiting list but it was around 6 weeks.  I hope you can get Misa treated asap. Sending best wishes to  him and you.

PS what were his HT levels?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

WHAT IS THE HYPER T GROUP?

HOW DO i ACCESS PLEASE?

i HAVE MISAS BLOOD TEST REPORT HERE.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

GARETH SAID THERE WAS A NEW TREATMENT .........THE GEL............ BUT SAID HIS KIDNEYS LOOKED OK, ITS THE HYPER T LEVEL OR WHATEVER RESULT THAT ARE BAD.

GEEZ THINK I AM GETTING CONFUSED NOW!

i THINK i WILL HAVE TO TALK TO GARETH ABOUT THIS COS i KNOW NOTHING! WAITING FOR HIM TO RING.

[Kay and Penny]

I can't remember now what dose of Felimazole I had Trigger on, but I know I went down the small dose route too, and my vet was open to that - mind you, Trigger had not lost weight and was not really ill - just demanding food all the time

Bristol can mean waiting longer, Gill, as they are one of  only two centres who will take cats with the rare thyroid cancer, which are always urgent cases

I had a lot of success with Felimazole in Webbox because I used to feed him sitting over him, so his head was raised and his throat tilted, meaning he swallowed the  pieces whole , rather than bending down and nosing out the bits of pill 

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

based on Tiny's experience I would be very wary of jumping straight in to the I 131 treatment while his levels are so high Gill.  Is the transdermal get not an option?

Sorry can't mange to increase font size on iPad.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Just looked at link kay and equa-distance to Bristol.

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

My Tiny's levels were also off the scale when he was first diagnosed and our experience was the same as Kay's in that neither radio iodine treatment nor surgery was feasible until he had a period on tablets to get his levels down and see what happened to kidneys.

This was back in the days before felimazole was available and he was prescribed carbimazole (the 'human' treatment).  I used to crush them and administer in potted beef but I think felimazole is more nasty tasting than carbimazole.

I know Misa's levels are sky high but don't be pushed (or tempted) to start him on a high dose.  In Tiny's case a high dosage was counter-productive because it made him very ill and in fact I nearly lost him.  If I hadn't found the Yahoo HyperT group I may well have done because although my gut feeling was that the worsening of his condition was tablet-related the vets didn't agree.   The first vet I saw wanted to increase the dose (which thankfully I refused to do) and the second said his problems were in his stomach and unrelated to the HyperT or the medication.  when I founds the hyper-t group there were so many stories of people's cats being started on a high does and either being very ill or worse  . that I knew my instinct had been right.  I took him off the tablets altogether for a few dYs and then started him on a much lower dose and gradually built up from there.  He stayed on tablets for the rest of his life and it was cancer that took him in the end.

Many vets still say you have to start on a high dose but it's far better to be patient (difficult I know) and build up the dose gradually.  I liken the high starting dose strategy to sudden withdrawal of drugs from an addict.  OK, they desperately need to get clean but going cold turkey makes them very very ill.   Misa will have been living with high thyroid levels for quite some tiime and his body is now 'dependent' on them even though they aren't good for him and T his age sudden withdrawal could have disastrous consequences. Far better to do it gradually. 
Kay what dose did Trigger start on.  I know you were a member of HyperT group too so you probably know their recommendations for felimazole.

[Dawn F]

MRI Referral Centre




Wotton-under-Edge Veterinary Surgery & MRI Referral Centre

Bradley Green

Wotton-under-Edge

Gloucestershire

GL12 7PP

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes I am positive this will not work with Misa as he doesnt like it!

However a vet would be able to pill him but notb sure how long!

I forgot to say I need to travel with him as he will be so terrified just being bin his cage.

Gareth my vet didnt mention this Kay although I did tell hin I knew about htoer T masking kidney probs, i read the other thread!

He did say they would give a battery of tests and as I had told him that i was gonna need help to get him there he said that Misa could stay there while the treatment was waiting to come in , about a week.

My insurance company has confirmed they will cover the treatment and an email has gone off to Bristol and they are waiting for a reply.

so many things to worry about!

Havent looked at the link yet Kay but Alison said it was in Wooten something so suspect Wiltshire? Bristol is actually closer I think. But will look now and my vet did a search for other places and it didnt come up.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

GILL, AM VERY SORYY TO HEAR THIS ABOUT MISA.

I WOULD SEE IF YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE SUGGESTIONS KAY HAS MADE, AS I CANUNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT TRAVELLING ANY DISTANCE, AND IF THAT COULD BE SHORTENED IT WOULD BE AN IMMENSE RELIEF FOR YOU.   

[Kay and Penny]

I think you will find that no centre will accept him right away - because HT can mask kidney disease, it is usual to insist on medication to get the HT down to see what happens to the kidney function, bearing in mind that once the radio active injection has been administered very little treatment for other conditions can be done for two to three weeks

I got umpteen doses of Felimazole into Trigger using bits of Webbox - the pills are very small and I used to cut them in half - are you sure this isn't going to work with Misa?

also check out the centre I used http://www.rowevetgroup.com/wotton-surgery/4590359759 it's nearer, cheaper and cats are isolated for less time than at Bristol

[alisonandarchie]

HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH GILL AND HOPE TO HELP OUT LIFT WISE.

VERY MUCH THINKING OF POOR MISA AND GILL

[Dawn F]

once we know when I'm sure something can be sorted 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I DONT KNOW THE ANSWER TO EITHER OF THESE YET BUT WILL HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT IF NO OTHER OPTION.

[Sootyca]

oh no poor misa.  When will he have to go? Would  a pet taxi/transporter be an option?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

JUST BACK FROM VETS AND MISAS RESULTS ARE NOT GOOD, HIS LEVELS ARE OFF THE SCALE AND i HAVE DECIDED THAT HIS BEST CHANCE IS RADIO IODINE TREATMENT, IF BRISTOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WILL ACCEPT HIM.

HOWEVER DUE TO MY EYES I DONT THINK I CAN DRIVE ALL THE WAY AND IF ANYONE CAN HELP WITH THE LAST PART OF THE DRIVE THERE AND BACK I WOULD BE SO GRATEFUL.

i HAVE ASKED SOMEONE ELSE BUT ONLY A FEW MINS AGO AND DONT KNOW IF SHE WILL BE ABLE TO AND TRYING TO GET ALL MY DUCKS IN A ROW ASAP.

MY VET IS RINGING BRISTOL THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN WILL RING ME.

MISA HAS LOST MORE WEIGHT OVER LAST 48 HOURS AND DOESNT EVEN WANT TO GO OUT WHICH IS UNHEARD OFF, SO I THINK HE HE IS GOING DOWNHILL VERY FAST 

IF ANYONE CAN HELP I WILL PAY ALL YOUR COSTS.

i COME STRAIGHT DOWN THE M4 AND WOULD HOPE TO LEAVE MY CAR IN A SERVICE STATION ON M4.