Question for thyroidectomized patients: iodine processing issues?`

[Arrigo]

Hi, it seems to me that if I eat a bit too much seafood, I see some adverse issues. I do not have a thyroid, and wonder - since the thyroid is by far the organ with the highest need for iodine... how does iodine get processed in the body of someone who does not have a thyroid? If you also lack a thyroid, have you noticed any adverse effects after consuming foods that are high in iodine- and if so, what specifically do you seem to notice?

[DizzyD]

Hi i also dont have a thyroid. My body has been over loaded with iodine, not from food, from a medication Amiodarone which is very toxic due to its iodine content.. My thyroid levels went over range on tbis med, an still wemt over range despite levo reduction. Came off this drug 10 August but due to long half life of tbis drug its goinh to take very long time to sort my thyroid levels due to iodine issue. I still eat quite bit of fish, kall, cabbage so know im not doing myself any favours re: iodine. Be intetsting to see somemore feedback on tbis issue.If you look at one of my previous post, titled, Can iodine affect thyroid levels posted May last year you will see some very imformative replys relating to iodine an how it affects conversion of hormones, with or withoit a tbyroid

[annnsandell]

Hi Arrigo, I can remember being told not to take Iodine suppliments without a thyroid, something to do with Iodine encouraging better performance of thyroid which I don't want because I had it removed because of cancer. But nothing about fish and I can't say I have noticed, That said I am having fish today and tomorrow so I will pay attention although, I won't be testing. I do tend to have a lot of fish n holiday and obviously feel great but that is probably the warmth and excercise. What have you noticed?

[Batty1]

Im thyroid-less and never had issues eating seafood but Im not a person who eats seafood very often so maybe I don’t eat enough to notice….how much seafood do you eat?

[Poniesrfun]

I’ve never been able,to tolerate “seafood” (anything with a shell or exoskeleton) but fish seems OK. I also can not tolerate glucosamine (sometimes from shellfish origin) or the popular krill-based Omega-3 supplement, The only way I could describe my reaction was “feeling like I had blown up all over. Not like edema but like I had a layer of bubble wrap under my skin. Interesting that I’ve had horses and cats have the same reaction to glucosamine - they would look like they had air injected under their skin. Fortunately it would go away as quickly as it came on as long as you took away the source. Chondroitin,mwhich is shark or mammal-based isn’t a problem.

But I do not react to iodine. I use iodized salt and have had iodine contrast with no problem and they don’t seem to affect my thyroid meds. So I think is’t something else with seafood other than the iodine

The smell of iodine-based disinfectants (used a lot in food service and hospitals for general cleaning) makes me nauseated. I can’t tolerate being around when lobster or shrimp is being cooked. This was all well before my thyroid was removed for cancer.

Patti in AZ

[Arrigo in reply to Poniesrfun]

Yes. Blown up all over, that's how I would describe it as well - most noticeable in the face and around the ankles. For example, 4-5 lbs extra on the scale that are magically gone in a few days with no effort - other than staying away from further high iodine foods. Almost like the body is slower to process the iodine with no thyroid, bloats up while trying to process it, then reverts to normal once it excretes it.

[Bethea-Alice]

You could, like me, have an allergy to seafood so nothing to do with iodine. I don’t often eat prawns but when I did they made me feel very strange all over for about 30 minutes afterwards: spaced out/nauseous. When trying to uncover triggers for my migraines I had private allergy tests done and found I reacted strongly to eggs, prawns and slightly less to wheat. Have left them out since and all sinus issues, nausea odd sensations of feeling faint have gone. I now wonder if years of eating these foods was the underlying stressor for my autoimmune thyroiditis as I am now 70 and ate eggs/prawns without suspicion until I was 67!

[Arrigo in reply to Bethea-Alice]

I only experienced the issue I posted about after thyroidectomy, which leads me to believe it's related to a lack of thyroid rather than allergy.

[Wua13262348]

If you eat a lot of seafood you are consuming high amounts of selenium.

When sent a thyroid test kit they usually provide a narrative as regards thyroid in general , and state selenium and iodine important to thyroid .