lugols iodine : hi all, I’m starting a course... - Thyroid UK

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lugols iodine

Chara87 profile image
32 Replies

hi all,

I’m starting a course of lugols iodine on Monday prior to a thyroidectomy. I’m quite gippy with things like that. Can anyone give me any tips, such as before or after food and also can you drink something sweet straight after to get rid of the taste. Thank you

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Chara87 profile image
Chara87
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32 Replies
NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL

hi. I have used the Lugols iodine before my thyroidectomy. I put 5 drops in my yoghurt pot and I didn’t taste the Lugols iodine at all. I did this 3 times a day for 10 days before surgery. It made the yoghurt go yellow but that was it. I did not have any after taste at all when it was added to the yoghurt

Chara87 profile image
Chara87 in reply to NIKEGIRL

this perfect thank you I don’t get much information from my doctors so thought I would try here. I’m guessing it still was effective in the yoghurt ratio? Thanks again

greygoose profile image
greygoose

When I was a lot younger, and a lot more ignorant, a doctor prescribed Lugol's for me. I won't got into the details because they're not relevant here, but what I did was put the Lugol's in a liqueur glass, and sip it after dinner, like a liqueur. I didn't find the taste unpleasant at all. :)

Tuffy66 profile image
Tuffy66 in reply to greygoose

hi:) May I ask why you mention lugols and ignorant in the same sentence? Did you have a bad experience with lugols…? I ask because I have also been prescribed and having some issues but I don’t know if it’s the lugol‘s or Metavive… My naturopath said it’s because my body can’t handle the t3 and lowered my Metavive and asked me to get a cortisol test…

Any insight?

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to Tuffy66

 Tuffy66 iodine-a-collection-of-useful-information- healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Tuffy66 profile image
Tuffy66 in reply to tattybogle

thank you for the resources 😊🙏 I have read a couple of books about iodine myself, but there is alote of controversy. Though I was actually inquiring more on the personal experience of greygoose, what she did and how it affected her.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to Tuffy66

greygoose may have missed your reply ,i think the alerts have been playing up a bit recently as i've missed some this week.

She did tell us about her lugols treatment once .. can't remember if the effect was pretty bad or disastrous... but it certainly wasn't good .

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to tattybogle

It was desastrous! I hope the doctor that prescribed it - without any blood tests, any examination, or even asking me any questions - rots in hell! Really don't think I'd be in the state I am now if I hadn't taken it.

Tuffy66 profile image
Tuffy66 in reply to greygoose

I’m sorry to hear that, I have been prescribed Lugol’s as well and am having issues, detox? But I also recently started ND hormone so maybe it’s that … I hope I am able to work it out. Do you have a link we’re you might have talked about this experience more in depth, another thread on this platform perhaps ?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Tuffy66

No, I haven't really discussed it more in detail because it was a long time ago and I don't remember that well.

I wasn't diagnosed at the time - I was about 35 and wasn't diagnosed until I was 55 (I'm now 78). I had a lot of strange symptoms - and that's why I went to see this doctor - and had had since I was about 8, but I didn't even know what a thyroid was, let alone the symptoms of a wonky one! When people around me put on weight, the elders talked about 'glands' - it's her glands, you know! - but I didn't know what a gland was either.

So, after taking the lugiol's, all these symptoms got worse. Especially the monthly ones. My periods became so heavy and painful I couldn't leave the house for a couple of days. And, if it started whilst I was out - I could never know when it was coming, I was so irregular - I was in real trouble! I also put on a ton of weight, which was galling because I'd lost a lot after the birth of my third child at 29. I ended up having to have a hysterectomy because none of the dozy doctors I consulted knew anything about thyroid either! (If you want my thyroid life story, it's on my profile. lol)

It could have been the iodine that pushed me over into Hashi's, whereas before I'd just been hypo due to a stressful childhood. But, I'll never know because I didn't have any sort of thyroid testing until I was 55. But, that does happen.

Of course, none of this really applies to you, because you are having a thyroidectomy, anyway. So, I imagine you won't be on it for long. (Never heard of anyone being prescribed iodine before a thyroidectomy before. Why?) And, afterwards, you won't need much in the way of iodine at all because your thyroid won't be making hormone anymore. And, you'll be getting plenty of iodine from your thyroid hormone replacement so certainly won't need Lugiol's. :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to greygoose

Oh! Just realised you're not the OP so you won't be having a thyroidectomy. Sorry about that.

But, without wishing to highjack Chara87's thread, why are you being prescribed iodine? Not surprised a naturopath has prescribed it, they have some wacky ideas about thyroid, but what exactly does he think it's going to do for you? Iodine doesn't magically make the thyroid work well again. It's just one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone, not some magic elixior. And, as I always say, you can add as many eggs to the batter as you like, but if your oven is on the blink, you won't get a cake out of it. And excess iodine can be dangerous. 100 mcg T4 contains about 65 mcg iodine, which is recycled in the body. So, what with that, plus what you get from your food, it's easy to exceed the daily quota. Did he even test your iodine before prescribing it? Has he given you selenium to go with it? The two need to be balanced.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to greygoose

re. lugols before thyroidectomy it's given before thyroidectomy in cases of rampant hyperthyroidism who can't use antithyroid drugs for whatever reason .. it shrinks and firms up the enlarged thyroid, and reduces blood flow through it ... so the surgeon doesn't have to try and remove a squishy fragile blob of mushy thyroid while you bleed uncontrollably all over the operating room floor .. they can then remove a small firm organ relatively safely .

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to tattybogle

Ah ok. I didn't know that. Thank you. :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to tattybogle

And, yes, the alerts are playing up.

Tuffy66 profile image
Tuffy66 in reply to tattybogle

oh that’s not good, thanks for replying..

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Tuffy66

Doctors know nothing about anything thyroid connected. And that includes iodine.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie

Hey there :

Just wishing you well - keep us in the loop :

cfft20021 profile image
cfft20021

If you drink coffee it can go into that

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment

I’ve only tried it once (curiosity) and dripped it in my morning smoothie and stirred, couldn’t taste it.

Dr Myhill suggests having it at night, no idea why… try her website for best times to take it 🌱

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Regenallotment

Chara is taking Lugols Iodine as part of the pre-surgery requirements before having a thyroidectomy.

I think Dr Myhill's recommendations are more aimed at people trying to treat their hypothyroidism.

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment in reply to pennyannie

Chara was also asking about timings. I see why you might think I’ve misunderstood but I was thinking about the timings element that no one had answered in the messages before my reply.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Regenallotment

No worries - I was just concerned this post might go totally off the point and become a question more of Dr Myhill's video and suggestions on treating hypothyroidism.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to Regenallotment

I think when used for this purpose it might be given several times a day,,, found this the other day:

msdmanuals.com/en-gb/profes... msdmanuals/professional/endocrine-and-metabolic-disorders/thyroid-disorders/hyperthyroidism.

"Iodine in pharmacologic doses inhibits the release of T3 and T4 within hours and inhibits the organification of iodine, a transitory effect lasting from a few days to a week, after which inhibition usually ceases. Iodine is used for emergency management of thyroid storm, for hyperthyroid patients undergoing emergency nonthyroid surgery, and (because it also decreases the vascularity of the thyroid) for preoperative preparation of hyperthyroid patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Iodine generally is not used for routine treatment of hyperthyroidism. The usual dosage is 2 to 3 drops (100 to 150 mg) of a saturated potassium iodide solution orally 3 times a day or 4 times a day or sodium iodide in 1 L 0.9% saline solution 0.5 to 1 g IV given slowly once a day."

Alanna012 profile image
Alanna012 in reply to Regenallotment

I find it can help with sleep. Or it can keep you awake. Getting the amount right for sleep is key. That might not be the reason Dr Myhill recommends taking it at night though...

hello there, I added it to a small glass of ribena and couldn't taste it at all.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

The most common suggestion I've come across is putting it in a glass of milk.

And that is one of the two options the British National Formulary suggests:

Directions for administration

Directions for administration For iodide with iodine

For oral solution, dilute well with milk or water.

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/iodid...

If I ever needed it, I think I'd choose yogurt as suggested by NIKEGIRL - because I don't like drinking milk!

Chara87 profile image
Chara87

perfect thank you very much all. I aren’t as worried about keeping it down now. I do love this page it has really helped me x

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL

I never found any problem with digestion of the Lugols iodine inside the yoghurt. No gagging either because the taste was concealed. I took 5 drops x 3 times a day and as tatty said the purpose of the iodine was to reduce the blood flow or vascularity of the thyroid gland as the gland is said to be a blood rich area. Also my surgeon said that the gland will be “sticky” because it has been attacked so the Lugols helps to “firm up” the gland and make the surgical removal easier. I hope this helps you. I do not regret my surgery at all. I tried levothyroxine post surgery but found I am a poor converter and so I am now on NDT and doing very well thanks to PennyAnnie and many others for this site. I am sending you the best of wishes. I put my drops in a small yoghurt pottle.

Chara87 profile image
Chara87 in reply to NIKEGIRL

thank you nikegirl I have had it with yoghurt today and it has gone down fine. I have had quite a bad headache but nothing I can’t manage x

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to Chara87

I’m glad you managed to take the Lugols. I can’t say I had a headache. I can’t even remember. I was deliberately over medicated and forced under the ranges. I remember that experience very clearly. How r u feeling about your surgery? I don’t regret my surgery. Probably saved my life. I’m on NDT now and doing really well. I am 16 weeks post surgery. 20 December 2022.

Chara87 profile image
Chara87 in reply to NIKEGIRL

I’m a bit nervous but I don’t have any other choice. This condition has literally ruined my life. I met a great holistic woman before all the surgery situation but I was too far gone for her to help. I am going back to her after the surgery so alongside my medication to keep from going under I will work with her too. X

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to Chara87

I was similar in that graves took me physically and then psychologically and I lost who I was. Getting food support around u is so important and this forum will offer you good sound knowledge and insight. I will be thinking of you.

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