posted
I have thyroid nodules and endo also suspects that I may be subclinically hypothyroid.....there's been no mention of Hashimoto's since thyroid antibodies were in the normal range last March.
Endo has agreed to put me on armour, but before I start that I would like to explore iodine supplementation.
I have done a lot of reading online about iodine and have found that people are getting some good results supplementing with iodine along with companion supplements such as selenium etc.
Would be interested to hear what your experience has been with iodine.....are you using liquid or tablets ...... how much are you using......and how it has helped you especially with thyroid issues.
Thank you!
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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I have Maine Coast Sea Seasonings 1) Sea Salt with Sea Veg and 2) Tripple Blend Flakes (Dulse, Laver, Sea lettuce)
they have about 160% and 240% of iodine per 1 and 1/4 tsp. respectively
I put them on my salad or food
was looking for a natural source of iodine and my nutritionalist recommended these or sea weeds in general
The Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Inc. products are like salt shakers for $ 3.59 each at my health food store
and Yes, I also take Se for the thyroid (I am not a doctor - not sure if that is indicated or good for you)
I had thyroid antibodies and heard about a study were about 45 people with thyroid antibodies took Se and about half of them lost the antibodies - ? not sure if this can happen but my doc at the time thought Se may help / be worth a try for me
-------------------- Persistence, persistence, persistence!!! "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence... Persistence and determination are omnipotent." attributed to Calvin Coolidge Posts: 599 | From USA | Registered: Jun 2011
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-------------------- Persistence, persistence, persistence!!! "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence... Persistence and determination are omnipotent." attributed to Calvin Coolidge Posts: 599 | From USA | Registered: Jun 2011
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posted
Harmony thanks, .....interesting products.....how long have you been using them and have you seen any positive results?
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I am using Lugol's solution for the iodine. Can mail order it. Also taking selenium. Have had autoantibodies in the past, not been checked for this in a while.
My own suspicion is that lyme attacks the thyroid in order to lower the body temperature, since it prefers lower temps. And maybe the antibodies come into play because it is intracellular in the thyroid.
Might want to get hold of a copy of David Brownstein's book "Iodine, why you need it...."
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Lou, how much iodine are you taking......I'm glad to hear that you took it even with autoimmune antibodies and you did not experience adverse affects.....I'm sure you would have known by now if it was affecting you badly.
You say: "My own suspicion is that lyme attacks the thyroid in order to lower the body temperature, since it prefers lower temps. And maybe the antibodies come into play because it is intracellular in the thyroid." This theory makes sense.....but would it still do this if the lyme load is under control? I've read about Dr. Brownstein and am definitely planning to read his book.
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
i use lugols too. I use 5% and I am working my way up on this. This is not for everybody, and I am very deficiant in iodine. I take 3 drops in the am and 4 at 4pm.
I am on thyroid meds. I was using iodorol and recently switched.
Posts: 151 | From south east | Registered: May 2010
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
I have a thyroid nodule and suspected hyperthyroid. Either that, or I think the nodule is secreting TSH. STILL waiting to get in and see an endo though.
I take prolamine iodine. I was up to five/day but am down to one.
Here is an interesting read. I've posted it before but it seems fitting here.
quote: You will use tincture of iodine which is 2% orange colored solution available in the first aid section of your pharmacy. It comes in a small one ounce bottle.
****IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE IT IS THE ORANGE COLORED IODINE.
Before you go to bed, paint a half dollar size of iodine onto clean dry skin. This should be either on your stomach, under your forearm or inner thigh where material won't rub on it.
When you wake up, you will notice the color has changed. Make a mental note about how much it has changed.
Wait for 24 hours. If the color has completely disappeared, you are iodine deficient.
The body's deficiency is proportionate - the faster the iodine is absorbed by your body, the more deficient you are.
I did the test in the am so I could keep a better eye on things as opposed to the pm. Either way would work
One more link for ya. You can print it out and record your results.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i tried but couldn't do it cuz it made my reflux so bad
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
jj29 - I have used iodine in the salt/sea weed for about 1 year but not consistently
had a thyroid nodule, too, 0.8 cm so they did not biopsy and never followed up
my body temp is usually at 97 degrees
sorry but I have no data on the effect of the iodine
never had a good doc (until Oct 2011, I hope) and have not followed iodine effects myself
I just eat it because "it is supposed ot important" - not very sophisticated on this one, I'm afraid
Thanks for making me more aware and good for you for being on the right track
-------------------- Persistence, persistence, persistence!!! "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence... Persistence and determination are omnipotent." attributed to Calvin Coolidge Posts: 599 | From USA | Registered: Jun 2011
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posted
Just be aware if you in fact do have Hashimoto's (way to tell is for doc to biopsy one of those nodules), that excess iodine can make things worse.
And Hashi antibodies can fluctuate. They can be high one month, low several months later, then high again, etc.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
Harmony, it would be interesting to see if your nodule has disappeared after your use of salt/sea weed for a year......I hope it has.
Fuel....how many drops do you take of the Iodine Forte.....is this similar to the Lugol's?
Lemon-Lyme....the biopsy report of the nodule states that it is hyperplastic which I have been told is basically begnin......I would imagine they would have said something about Hashimoto's if they found it right?
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
I use Iodoral brand iodine tablets available at some doc offices and also vitacost. It comes in 12.5mg and 50mg tablets. I used the 50mg briefly when starting and now have used 12.5mg daily for about a year or so. They make a big difference. This is way more than the USRDA. So, for those not satisfied with results of supplements in range of 100% or 300% of USRDA, you might consider 12.5mg daily, which is 8333% of USRDA. The Iodoral literature states this 12.5mg daily is similar to what people in Japan get regularly from all the food they eat (seaweed and animals).
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Thanks,Michael..... have you noticed any positive effects from taking your dose of Iodoral......do you have nodules or other thyroid issues?
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
On the blood tests, my free T4, or something crazy like that, has improved. My energy improved a lot. No nodules or other issues (although my regular doc did seem concerned with the free t4 stuff, I think from th energy standpoint).
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Michael, great to hear that your energy level improved with Iodoral...that's what I need more than anything right now.
Has anyone done the iodine loading test by Dr, Flechas? I'm wondering if this would be more accurate than doing the iodine skin patch test.
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
When I was younger the doctors refused to recognize my low thyroid because my test results were low normal. I had classic symptoms of feeling sluggish with abnormal periods and even miscarriages.
A chiropractor gave me kelp to take for another reason I can't remember. I was astonished when I began to feel better. Even my skin improved. It had been very dry and scaly on my legs and feet. Kelp contains a lot of iodine.
I took kelp for years even through my first pregnancy. It was after this that I was finally put on thyroid meds.
Unfortunately I found out too late that taking kelp through pregnancy can cause the baby to be born hypothyroid - but taking thyroid meds does not. My daughter was a huge baby - looked like a sumo wrestler! She has struggled with weight all her life and is now supplementing too.
So if I were you I would take Armour thyroid, not iodine. It is one tiny pill a day and completely natural. In the end I was taking 6 kelp tablets a day. I was put on meds when I developed a nodule. Now I also test for antibodies.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Thanks, nefferdun for your advice.....I probably will end up going on the armour ......but I've been reading so much about iodine supplementation on other sites that I'm tempted to try it but afraid of it as well.
Did the thyroid meds shrink the nodule at all?
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I was just put on Lugols iodine drops by my NP. I have a multinodular goiter. He said it would make the goiter go away and that low iodine levels is what causes goiters.
Am taking the wait and see approach. Posts: 677 | From Virginia | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
I am using Lugol's iodine. I have just been painting a patch on my skin every other day instead of taking it internally.
It has worked for me so far. My thyroid levels had been slowly starting to dip and finally went out of range. That is when I started the iodine and my levels went back into normal range and so far have stayed there which is great.
Not sure how long I have been doing this now. It's probably been since some point mid to late 2010.
-------------------- Sick since 10/2001. Tested CDC positive for Lyme 10/2008 through Quest and Igenex. Started treatment 1/2009 with LLMD. Lyme, Erichilosis, Chlamydophila Pneumoniae, Q Fever, Strep Syndrome and probably a few others I am forgetting. Posts: 451 | From Virginia | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
Katie, I'm so happy to hear that iodine helped you.... please explain how it helped you....did you have nodules or just hypothyroid symptoms?
Pam, your results are very exciting and encouraging......since you didn't mention it , I guess you don't have nodules....I wonder if using the iodine externally would gradually help to stabilize or shrink my nodules.....It sounds like it may be worth a try.
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Katie, I'm so happy to hear that iodine helped you.... please explain how it helped you....did you have nodules or just hypothyroid symptoms?
Pam, your results are very exciting and encouraging......since you didn't mention it , I guess you don't have nodules....I wonder if using the iodine externally would gradually help to stabilize or shrink my nodules.....It sounds like it may be worth a try.
Posts: 574 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I didn't have nodules so not sure if it would help with that or not. Could be worth a shot though.
-------------------- Sick since 10/2001. Tested CDC positive for Lyme 10/2008 through Quest and Igenex. Started treatment 1/2009 with LLMD. Lyme, Erichilosis, Chlamydophila Pneumoniae, Q Fever, Strep Syndrome and probably a few others I am forgetting. Posts: 451 | From Virginia | Registered: Feb 2009
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