Supplements

[adflores]

My doctor put me on Iodine supplements, says that should help my body absorb the medication better..he also told me to stay on the prenatal vitamins, since I hope to try having another baby within a year... how long should I be waiting before I take these and does the iodine really help my body absorb it?

[bobsmydog]

That's interesting. Did he test for iodine deficiency first? What dose did he put you on?

I'm sorry I can't answer your question, but am interested because I'm self medicating now on iodine to see if it helps me (too soon to say yet).

[adflores in reply to bobsmydog]

He did not test for iodine deficiency as far as I know. He put me on this bioTe Medical BioTE Iodine PLUS 12.5 mg... Since I really don't know much about medicine and supplements, I have no idea if this is a high or low dose for iodine supplements.. And due to pharmacy error and giving me different brand for my thyroid medications, I can't tell if it is helping me or not..

And that's ok, please let me know if it works for you, hopefully it will help me out too!!

[bobsmydog in reply to adflores]

Right, that's the same dose as I'm taking, so we can compare notes as time goes on!

There's a lot of controversy over iodine supplementation. The RDA in this country is just 150mcg (that's micrograms not milligrams!).

So yes that dose is very high according to official guidelines but low according to "iodine practitioners" who advise building up to above 50mgs! Its all very confusing.....

[adflores in reply to bobsmydog]

Awesome, I have only been taking it for about a week and a half..

Oh wow, I didn't know that...I also heard that pregnant women cannot take iodine supplements, and I know my doctor says I can't try until he knows my thyroid is at the right levels, but he didn't tell me when that will be.. so I am a little confused.. they confuse me each doctor says something different..but thank you for clearing that up..

[LuckyKat]

My last blood tests, taken after being on iodine for six months, for the first time showed a high FT3 and low FT4, which would be expected when taking NDT, so I'd say that iodine does help.

Iodine needs to be taken with selenium.

[adflores in reply to LuckyKat]

Oh ok, hopefully once I am on the correct dose, it will help me.. The supplement I am taking says

Iodide as Potassium Iodide USP 7.5 mg

Iodide as free Iodine USP 5 mg

Zinc as Zinc Amino Acid Chelate 10 mg

Selenium as I-Selenomethionine USP 200 mcg

Potassium as Potassium Iodide USP 1.2 mg

and the prenatal vitamins says it contains 150 mcg of Iodine...

Hopefully I am not taking too much..

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to adflores]

About high doses of iodine in pregnancy, I know nothing. Though many pregnant women are advised to take modest iodine supplementation as the need for iodine does rise in pregnancy, huge doses are an entirely different matter.

I do urge you to be cautious.

[bobsmydog in reply to LuckyKat]

Yes I take Selenium too - this apparently protects against too much iodine and also is thought to help T4 to T3 conversion, I believe?

I read The Iodine Crisis by Lynne Farrow and found that useful.

[Jazzw]

You're only on half a grain of NDT. That's a long way from being an average dose. Most people end up in 2-3 grains, and some need more than that.

Why on earth didn't he simply raise your dose of NDT? If you're short on thyroid hormones, iodine isn't going to help - unless he knows from blood tests that you're deficient in iodine.

[adflores in reply to Jazzw]

I am going to pick up my blood work results tomorrow and I will post them up..that way it will give you all a better idea (I honestly understand nothing about it) so I really need some help since some times I feel doctors aren't as mindfull of informing us. But thank you!

[Treepie]

Are you hypo or hyper? Iodine may be ok for latter but controversial for hypo.

[adflores in reply to Treepie]

I am hypo according to my doctor, I really don't know how it works though.. I am on 32.5mg of WP Thyroid, once a day.. but I will post a more detailed post tomorrow evening to give y'all a better idea..

[greygoose in reply to Treepie]

Except iodine could make you more hyper.