Iodine for weight lose after thyriod removal

[Feelinglike]

I had thyroid removed ( messy and long story) and am now suffering from heart disease due to thyroid issues and am on a 100mg from 75mg of levothyroxine but cannot shift the excess weight I have put on ie over 30lb nor the feeling of bloating. My GP,Cardiology and thyroid endocrinology teams haven't been any help all refusing to steer me right as not one of them wishes to take the responsibility so what I be right to take iodine supplements to help boost my metabolism? When I say no one will advice me of a course i mean heart team say extra weight is putting more strain on my heart whilst the endo team saying they can't prescribe or alter drugs because will put strain on my heart,so can anyone advice me if iodine will speed up my metabolism as the indecision of all parties isnt helping my heart disease as has dropped from a Ejection fraction of 20% down to 5-10 in less then 4months

[Rita-D]

I have struggled with thyroid weight for 7 years. Last month I started Keto and intermittent fasting after I read the Obesity Code and the Diabetes Code by Dr Jasón Fung. I haven’t done it strictly but I have lost 1 stone in a month! I have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and told the specialist nurse what I am doing, she said Keto is good, healthy fats are good and fasting is great for helping the body to repair! I have to say that even though I have this life changing diagnosis, I have not felt better in the last 7 years. Believe me I have tried every diet going!

[Frustrated2 in reply to Rita-D]

Here’s a few functional medicine doctors you can follow for Keto/plant based diets.

drwillcole.com/functional-m...

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drjockers.com/about/

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Scroll down to recipes and he has a ton of them!!

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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All these doctors also have podcasts and books and websites if you want information.

I myself have been using this as well as western medicine. My primary care practices both.

I have thyroid issues as well as being treated for Behcet’s an autoimmune disorder.

I am not a medical professional but I’m just passing along some medical professionals I find that have been helpful for me.

Wishing you well.

[radd]

Feelinglike

An excess of iodine can have negative effects on thyroid function.

If you are medicating Levo, there is no need to supplement iodine because these meds contain sufficient within them.

Any thyroid hormone replacement meds require adequate iron, Vit B12, folate and Vit D levels to work properly. Weight gain is a common symptom of either an inadequate dose of thyroid meds or meds that aren’t working properly.

If you post any recent labs including ranges (numbers in brackets) members will comment.

[MariLiz]

I have struggled with extra weight since my underactive thyroid diagnosis many years ago. Altogether I was at least three and a half stone heavier than I should be. I think I gained two stone in the first year of taking Levothyroxine. I have also found I needed to get my B12 levels sorted, as that was very low, and I had a diagnosis of Pernicious Anaemia. Fibromyalgia has been diagnosed too, and that has pushed me to do something about this additional weight, because it really makes the aches and pains much worse.

In January this year I joined a Slimming World class along with my husband, who also felt overweight. Since then he has lost 1stone 9lbs and I have lost 2stone 3lbs. I am so pleased that this way of eating has worked for both of us, and there are others in the class with similar success stories. Maybe it would help you? Do get your B12, ferritin, folate and VitD levels checked too, they can be too low.

Best wishes

MariLiz

[greygoose]

You are unlikely to lose weight unless optimally medicated for your thyroid, meaning that your FT3 is in the upper half of the range. Do they even test your FT3? You're also more likely to have heart problems if you are under-medicated.

As I understand it, iodine does not improve metabolism. Optimal thyroid hormone improves metabolism. The confusion arises because iodine in one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone. But, if you don't have a thyroid, just taking iodine isn't going to do anything, is it.

There is 65 mcg iodine in 100 mcg levo, which is recycled in the body. So, you are getting plenty of iodine from that. Plus what you get in your food. I doubt you need any extra given that you don't have a thyroid making hormone. You actually need less iodine, not more.

I would not recommend Slimmer's World, as their eating protocol is based on low/no-fat, which is very unhealthy. The body needs fat. And, you being hypo, is your extra weight even fat? Or is it water? Hypos retain a lot of water, and dieting doesn't get rid of that. Optimising your thyroid hormones get rid of that.

As for your heart, I would suggest you read Dr Broda Barnes' book: Solved: The Riddle of Heart Attacks, where he talks about the heart/thyroid connection.

[silverfox7]

This is a bit of a grey area for me! I dont have antibodies but I have had breast cancer and reading info about it suggests low iodine as the breasts should store a lot. A visit to Prof W years ago who many feel controversial suggested my issue may have been low iodine but I really need to get it checked out. I've put it on my list!

[jamesal0]

@Feelinglike. At the risk of getting a stern telling off here.

But have tried using NDT. My Blood pressure and cholesterol dropped and I went from 107kg down to 90, when I got my T3/T4 optimal on NDT. Having said that NDT has it's own challenges.

James

[Angel_of_the_North]

Iodine will not help you lose weight and if you do not have a thyroid there is no metabolism to boost. iodine and L'Tyrosine are two of the components of thyroid hormone, but you do not have a thyroid so you cannot make thyroid hormones. You also need iodine for things like breast health, but unless you are deficient, taking it may cause more problems than it solves. What you need is an adequate supply of thyroid hormones from your meds. You are probably still on too low a dose - of course it's difficult with heart problems - but many studies show that a good T3 level increases chance of a good life in those with heart disease and a low level is a "very bad thing". If you post your blood test results for TSH, free t4 and free T3, people can advise

[HLAB35]

The consensus of opinion which I agree with is that Iodine is a red herring. It is used to make t4 in the thyroid gland, but as you take thyroid hormone replacement as Greygoose points out and don't have a thyroid gland, Iodine isn't needed. What you do actually need are things that support conversion of t4 to t3 (so get a vitamin / iron panel done) and check your t3 levels at every blood test.

If you have gained weight it could suggest fluid retention. Vitamin b6 as p5p ( which is the best form of b6) may help you. It acts as a mild diuretic to prevent bloating, it also supports your adrenals and it helps reinforce the arterial walls and lowers anxiety. Look it up as it is said to prevent heart disease. Vitamin C is also vital for good vascular walls.

For heart health, Magnesium will also help by reducing spasms, inflammation and arterial plaques ( read Dr Carolyn Dean's work on The Magnesium Miracle) which are Calcium-based. A deficiency of Magnesium in the serum will lead to more Calcium being deposited in the wrong places according to Dr Dean. Calcium:Magnesium ratio in the diet should be 2:1 but a dairy rich diet has a startling 10:1 ratio ( taken from Dr Sarah Myhill's website) - and the Calcium has to go somewhere....

Unfortunately, Calcium is a dumb mineral that doesn't know it is needed in the bones. Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 will pull Calcium in the right direction. This is why advice is to supplement Vitamin D, Vitamin K2 and Magnesium not Calcium. I read about vitamin K2 in a booklet, 'Vitamin K2 and the Calcium paradox' written by a leading U.S. heart surgeon... It is no coincidence, he feels, that heart issues coincide with weak bones... due to a lack of vitamin k2.

L carnitine supports heart health and help weight loss. It will moderate thyroid hormone uptake, so I assume should only be introduced once thyroid levels are improving. However, Dr Myhill, who treats CFS/Fibro patients with hypothyroidism recommends it for them as the benefits for the heart outweigh the negatives. She also recommends co enzyme q10 to patients with heart issues.

If you decide to take supplements make sure to inform your cardiologist first as some may interract with some meds (check the accompanying leaflets) and ask what other people on this forum with your diagnosis are doing.

Check out drmyhill.co.uk for her recommendations for heart and thyroid.

[Batty1]

Hi Feelinglike

I had thyroidectomy for cancer almost 3 yrs ago and sadly I too have gained 50lbs that won't budge. I gained most of my weight the first year and half after losing my thyroid I believe from being imporperly medicated and I also developed psoriatic arthritis that has made moving nearly impossible.

Are you able to exercise? If you can go for a walk. I would kill to be able to walk again without crying.

[Hidden]

The only time that I put on weight in my life and I am 72 years old was after my TT. I was put onto Levo for 8 months when I gained 10 lbs. This does not sound excessive but as well as feeling very ill it was the medication.

I then joined this site and started to self medicate with NDT the weight just dropped back to normal within a couple of months and has stayed the same over the past three years.

You should have your Iodine tested before take a supplement it can be bad for you.

[humanbean]

A good site for getting information on ketogenic diets is this one :

dietdoctor.com/

If you search the site for the word "thyroid" or "hypothyroidism" you should find quite a few articles and success stories.

A common nutrient deficiency found in people with thyroid problems is low iron and ferritin and this has an effect on weight. This link is worth reading/watching :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Hidden]

"heart team say extra weight is putting more strain on my heart whilst the endo team saying they can't prescribe or alter drugs because will put strain on my heart"

I agree with others here, you need an increase of thyroxine, NOT iodine.

Could you post any recent blood test results here? That will help us to see what might be going on.

I know from recent experience that HYPOthyroid can cause heart problems as well as Hyper, though for opposite reasons. I was given a decrease in thyroxine in January because TSH was low, and have been having breathlessness and swollen ankles for the last few weeks. I tried to tell them I needed an increase, not a decrease because of the way I felt, but the official attitude is "TSH is king". Hopefully they will now accept that I do need an increase in spite of the blood results (which ironically are now "Normal").

It sounds as if you are really stuck between two. The heart team don't seem to realise that you can't lose weight unless your thyroxine is increased (strict dieting could even suppress your metabolism further - make you more hypo in the long run). The endos on the other hand are afraid an increase in thyroxine will make you hyper again. But you know only too well what hyper symptoms are like, and could reduce the levo again if you began to feel them. A tiny increase (at least to begin with) shouldn't send you over the top.

So they are making your weight increase, AND your heart problem, worse by keeping your thyroxine too low.

Perhaps you could ask that they meet and discuss it instead of this standoff that is making you even more ill.

[Feelinglike]

Thanks for all your advice and thinking of upping my dose using previous supply by 25mg as sure I'll not get any joy from my either cardo or endo so going to have to make the decision myself and inform them once I believe I have right balance.

Thanks again

[pennyannie]

Hello Feelinglike

just as a point of reference a fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you daily with approximately 100 T4 plus10 T3.

I just think if there has been a medical intervention and the thyroid removed or ablated both these vital hormones should be on the patients prescription for. if and when required.

Some people get by on T4 alone, some people simply stop, at some point in time, converting the T4 into T3 which is what the body runs on, and some people simply need both these essential hormones dosed and monitored independently to bring them into balance and to a level of well being acceptable to the patient, which generally means they will both be in their upper quadrants of their relevant ranges.

I am with Graves Disease having had my thyroid ablated with Radioactive Iodine in2005. I became very unwell some 5 years ago. It's necessary that you get the blood tests for thyroid, vitamins and minerals as detailed on this site and post back the results with the ranges and people better able than me will talk you through your next steps back to better health.

I am now self medicating with Natural Desiccated Thyroid and it's another learning curve but am definitely better than when on T4- Levothyroxine alone.

[Hidden]

You are entitled to a copy of your blood results from Your GP surgery which you can share with us here. Unfortunatly thyroid care is not always what it should be in Uk, even under an endo. There is a list of more helpful doctors available via our website. Lots of people who have had their thyroid removed find some hormone replacement called NDT helpful as it replaces all the hormones that your thyroid gland naturally produces.