anybody taking iodine NOT on thyroid meds?

December 17, 2009

Hi! I am pretty new to all this, I had a TSH test done last July after my

period went whacky, very heavy bleeding, and TSH was 4.58. Dr said to check

again in 6 months, so I have done a lot of things like reduce goitrogenic foods,

eliminate fluoride, adjust supplements (add D3, magnesium, C, lots of stuff).

Around Thanksgiving, I paid for a ZRT labs test to see how things were going.

My TSH was down to 2.4, my free T4 was 1.4, and my free T3 was 0.1. I started

on iodine 2 or 3 weeks ago, I got Lugols 2% and started with 2 drops twice a day

(2 drops are almost as much as 1 drop of regular 5% Lugols, so almost the 12.5

mg iodine seacoast peoples ingest), and I am now up to 6 drops twice a day, a

little over 25 mg. I have been reading a lot, and trying to figure out the best

thing, and I saw someone mention that all of the high dose people are on thyroid

meds, so my situation could be different - I want to strengthen my thyroid, not

burn it out. Also, about the very low T3 I have, which was measured before I

started iodine, I saw a comment that selenium can lower T3. I had added 200 mcg

selenium because I read taht they thyroid needs it, and I was not eating a lot

of selenium rich foods, but I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I

found the medline page on selenium, and it is listed as a possible side effect,

but not sure what conditions might invoke this. I have since switched to the

better kind of selenium (selenomethionine). which comes in 100 mg. I was taking

one with each iodine dose. I am thinking of cutting back to one a day, and

possibly taking my iodine back to 5 drops once a day, which would be the 12.5 mg

again. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Beth in MN

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