Is Withdrawal Of Carbimazole Safe Before Elective Surgery?

Posted on Tue, 1 Sep 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 1 Sep 2015 Answered on

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been on 5mgs of carbimazole for 2years. My doctor has just stopped my carbimazole to see how I go, but I am due to have elective surgery in about one months time and would like to know if I would be safer staying on the carbimazole for now. My doctor is away at present, for another 2 weeks. Thank-you.

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (52 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
When I see someone in my practice who presents to me with a similar problem, I do not attempt a withdrawal of carbimazole during such a time when a surgery is coming up.
As you seem to have correctly surmised, it is best to have normal well controlled thyroid status on medication until well after recovery from the surgery. Following that one may fairly consider weaning you off carbimazole with appropriate clinical and laboratory follow ups.
Your thyroid labs need to show TSH and Free T4 in normal range so as to be sure that the medication has kept your thyroid stable

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar