Need help for Brain inflammation and kidney problems caused by methimizole

My 20 year old cat get brain inflammation from methimizole, which I have been giving her for 4 years now,  Methimizole is given for hyperthyroidism.  For the past 2-3 months it seems she is having head irritation because the brain gets inflamed if the platelets are low, which hers are.  As supplements I give B-complex, vitamins, and circumin.  But I would like to know of other ways to handle this problem.  I have also lowered her dose by half.  Her kidneys aren't doing too well either.  Kidney problem is exacerbated by methimizole.  Can anyone help?

renehelene1 said:

 
My 20 year old cat get brain inflammation from methimizole, which I have been giving her for 4 years now,  Methimizole is given for hyperthyroidism.  For the past 2-3 months it seems she is having head irritation because the brain gets inflamed if the platelets are low, which hers are.  As supplements I give B-complex, vitamins, and circumin.  But I would like to know of other ways to handle this problem.  I have also lowered her dose by half.  Her kidneys aren't doing too well either.  Kidney problem is exacerbated by methimizole.  Can anyone help?

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There is a fairly new food, by Hills called Y/D which can treat it, my neighbors cat is on it and eating it up like crazy.

http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-yd-dry.html

Y/D food is crap with yucky ingredients that cat shouldn't eat. It should be the last last resort.

I recommend you join the feline-hyperT group on yahoo. They are very knowledgeable.

@Aoi chan I respectfully disagree with your POV.  We're talking about a cat with brain inflammation on the only drug that can help vs offering the only commercially prepared food that can also help and discussing quality of ingredients in this case is a little bit like talking about the paint job on a car as it drives off a cliff.  @renehelene1's cat is 20 years old!  This is not the time to be talking about the amount of corn gluten meal in the food.   A 20 year old cat eat whatever it wants, and in this case, the only thing we need worry about is the cats thyroid problem.

There are reasons why Y/D might not be the first choice for treating thyroid, especially if the cat was young, but this food actually works and were talking about a geriatric cat who's brain is going bad on meds.

Even to the extent that YD should be a last resort treatment, the OP is at that place.  The cat is too old for surgery or radioactive iodine and reacts badly to the meds, even sites critical of YD says that this is the point to use that food.  http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felinehyperthyroidism

See these links on Y/D

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.c...s/hills-updates-guidelines-for-yd-feline.aspx

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesconditionscat/a/Feline-Hyperthyroidism-Hills-Y-D-Diet.htm

l'm not sure if this is of any help, but this is another liquid, highly digestible "food" that cats apparently go crazy for. lt's low phosphorus and low sodium:

http://www.abbottanimalhealth.com/docs/CLINI-079R2_CliniCare_Technical_Data_Sheet_Canine_Feline.pdf

http://www.abbottanimalhealth.com/v...cts/nutritionals/clinicare-canine-feline.html

Being liquid, it can be either tube fed or syringe fed easily, as well as lapped up independently. There is also an RF formula.

Good luck with your kitty   

Andrya, the idea of y/d is that it replaces the need for methimazole. It isn't a healthy food, and under normal circumstances, there are usually superior options. But given the situation, it would seem to be worth considering. It is low iodine, which can control the hyperthyroidism.

Now, that said, I just did a search for alternatives to methimazole. This article was written in 2001, so it is old information, but there are alternatives: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=510

R renehelene1 , you should ask your vet to consult with Dr. Mark Peterson, the leading expert on feline hyperthyroidism. He is the vet that discovered the condition in cats, and developed the radioactive iodine treatment. If anyone will be current on alternatives that would be appropriate for your 20 year-old girl, it is him. http://www.animalendocrine.com/

Everyone-Thanks for your advice.  I think a 20 year old cat might be harmed by radioactive iodine.  I DO use Y/D as an additional food to her regular food because it has things in there that are good for the kidneys.  My vet thinks that Y/D isn't the best alternative as the ONLY food because it doesn't supply iodine to the diet.  Iodine IS essential for certain other things even though it exacerbates hyperthyroidism.  I will try to go on that hyperthyroid site someone recommended.  Thanks for your help.  At this point, I think I should stay on the methimizole but lessen it, which I've done,  And also I would like to find something to lessen the harmful side effects.  I am thinking of getting 2 oz. vials of unflavored Pedialyte because it has potassium ions in it, which is good for the kidneys.  Regular Pedialyte in the quart goes bad in 48 hours.  Any comments?

I posted a link to those that were known to the vet community - but the article is from 2001. It seems there ARE alternatives, and it would seem to me that renehelen1's best bet is to have her vet consult with THE leading specialist (Dr. Mark Peterson, of the Animal Endocrine Clinic).

renehelene1, if your vet does contact Dr. Peterson, and there is an alternative you can use to methimazole, we'd love to know about it.