Why would a doctor put me on BOTH tapazole(20mg) and Synthroid(75mcg) for Graves disease?

A few months ago I was diagnosed as having Graves and was started on 20mg of Tapazole a day and have had monthly blood work and just this week my endo has started me on 75mcg of Synthroid along with my Tapazole. But I don't understand why. It seems to me the medicine would cancel each other out. I can't seem to find much when I search online and was hoping someone could explain this to me. Thanks in Advance.

One answerer suggested the T3/T4 balance. That's a good answer.

Another answerer suggested asking your doctor. Excellent advice. I'd add that you need to find a new doctor if he can't or won't explain his actions to your satisfaction.

Another possibility is that this treatment is an attempt at antibody reduction and remission. The methimizole encourages a reduction in antibody production. But while lessening antibody production, it can send your hormone levels too low, and send you into hypothyroidism. Not good. So you add back in some hormones to keep your hormone levels normal, while continuing to take methimizole to keep lowering antibodies. This is called block and replace therapy. You can Google it for all of the info.

It does seem kind of strange to give an med to decrease thyroid and increase it at the same time. But my question to you is, why do you ask it here? You should be asking your doctor these things. There could be an underlying reason. Bottom line to EVERYONE reading this is, if you have a question about your treatment ASK THE DOCTOR. He is the one designing treatment for you. He should be the one to answer the questions.,

The wouldn't exactly cancel each other out. Synthroid is synthetic T4, which is just one of the thyroid hormones. Tapazole is reducing both T3 and T4.

Sounds like your doc wants to let Tapazole knock down your thyroid hormones, but adjust your T4 up a bit.

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