Newbie - the dangers of no lab tests and self-medicating - please help

[Guest guest]

Having been hypothyroid for a while and on synthroid, I started taking Lugol's

iodine about 6-7 months ago. I did not bother with any lab tests but instead

relied on the Broda basal temperature test for assessment.

After a couple of weeks of being on Lugol I started to notice that if I combined

a meal of chicken or fish with the Lugol and some selenium at lunch time, in the

morning my waking up basal temperature would increase. I continue with this

regime increasing the drops of Lugol until my temperature became normal. As my

basal body temperature prior to that had always been low, I started to assume

that my thyroid gland was beginning to work properly and started to cut down the

synthroid from 112 mcg to 75mcg. About a month and a half ago I forgot my 75mcg

dose and decided not to take it anymore but continued taking the Lugol. As my

basal temperature continued to be normal, I assumed that my thyroid gland was

beginning to kick in and beginning to function properly. This was not the case

and within a week and a half of stopping the synthroid I started to get the most

horrible symptoms of fatigue, hunger, imsomnia, etc. however, my temperature

was still normal, although a bit on the high side 37.3 centigrades. I had a

blood test done because I was so worried which showed that my TSH was 295 and my

T3 and T4 were negligible. The doctor was horrified and said she had never seen

anything like that before. This all happened in the Canary Islands where I do

live some part of the year. Now I am back in the UK being treated and slowly

building the synthroid levels up again. I have gone to 2 different doctors, a

conventional one who has asked me to stop the Lugol and just take the synthroid,

and a more alternative one who has suggested various tests for adrenal

insufficiency, thyroid antibodies, etc and has no problem with me taking the

Lugol. I am however, now suffering from serious anxiety due to all this and I am

not sure what to do anymore about the Lugol, as I am awaiting results of tests.

The conventional doctor wants me to continue to increase the synthroid, I am at

present on 50mcg (but feeling very fatigued)whilst the other doctor wants me to

start taking adrenal support, although he has warned me that this may make the

anxiety worse in the beginning if the dose is not correct. He has suggested that

I may have Hashimoto's and adrenal insufficiency. Everything is so confusing.

My questions are, is it safe to continue taking the Lugol with Hashimoto's or

perhaps with nodules on the thyroid (a brother of mine has this and I have not

been tested)? Why did taking the iodine increased my basal temperature? Was

this good or bad? Where did I go wrong with the iodine apart from the obvious

(withdrawing the 75mcg of synthroid from one day to another?

Many thanks.