As mentioned in my other post, my serum levels show that my T3 is very low while my TSH & T4 are fairly good. My doctor called yesterday and wants me to try to correct this with iodine or thyroid supplements. If it doesn't help then later we will try meds. I'd really like to think that this iodine could help. Anyone have any luck?

She was also telling me my soidum levels are low. They were low the time before when I tested too I beleive so it's not something nen for me. She told me that an electrolyte imbalance could cause lethargy and feelings of malaise so maybe during this time of peri and change our bodies start fluctating with a lot of different issues and it's not just hormones we have to be considering but all the different small things that make up the entire package.

I will be interested to hear people's reports on the iodine. I just started taking it, as my doctor tested my iodine with a 24-hour urine test and said it was way low. I also have a thyroid nodule so she wants to see if the iodine helps that and recheck it in six months. I'm trying to decide whether I should ask to be referred to an endocrinologist. Not that I want to have a biopsy or anything -- but just wondering if I should have it thoroughly checked.

As far as the iodine, I can let you know after I've been taking it for a coupel of weeks. On the other hand, I sometimes think that all my impressions about what helps and doesn't help are wrong. This past winter I was a total mess -- shakes, anxiety, weakness in my legs, several other symptoms. They found my Vit. D was at 9 -- way low. I started taking it and started feeling better. Then they found deficiencies in iron, magnesium, zinc, and low b12. With all those supplements, I felt better for about four months. God, what a relief. I thought for sure the supplements were doing the trick.

But I haven't stopped taking them, and in the last couple of weeks, suddenly I'm weak again and have that weird nervous system feeling. Feels like whenever someone touches me I go boing! inside. I kind of feel like my whole body is one big funny bone. I feel like I'm oversensitive to everything and have to clench my body to hold on -- to what, I don't know. Of course, I realize how insane that description sounds and I know when I tell people they're just going to be thinking anxiety, anxiety, anxiety. However, while I know I do have anxiety, I know that these weird waves of symptoms are something else -- although my anxiety increases when they mysteriously pop up.

Does anyone else find this unpredictability of symptoms?

Missy

Carol, you can add iodinized salt to your diet! Lucky you!! I hardly ever use salt anymore! Wish I could!! How much water/liquids do you drink in a day? Perhaps too much? The "new" standard is 6 glasses of all liquids a day. It is no longer 8 glasses of water PLUS whatever else you drink as it used to be. They discovered all that water is hard on the kidneys AND it flushes out too much good stuff...ie: sodium!! Now IF you are working out, or it is VERY HOT you can increase your liquid intake, but as a rule....6 glasses a day! What a relief that was for me as I just can't force down 8 glasses of water a day.

I haven't tried using iodine in any serious way before. I have rubbed it on my skin to see how long it takes to absorb it....but that test isn't supposed to be very accurate according to some sources. So I don't know. I guess Armour is an option too. A messed up thyroid COULD explain why you have had such a battle trying to lose weight though!

Thanks Missy, I picked up some iodine so maybe we can compare notes. As to your question of unpredictable symtpoms, yes.. all the time. I wonder though if then it's not that we go from being under supplemented to being balanced to being over supplemented.. Balance is always the key..
en

Floater, I usually use Sea Salt and I wonder if that may be why I'm so low. Since I don't eat gluten, I don't eat processed foods which also contain lots of sodium and I don't eat that much dairy either so I'm not getting a lot of iodine. I looked at my past records for T3 and they have steadily decreased. Once I go back, I'm going to go over that with her too. Yes, I think maybe this is why I can't lose weight but I sure hesitate to go on thyroid meds. I've heard some people gain weght on them... that's the last thing I need.

What was they thyroid on the arm suppose to do? I remembe having it as a child and we put it on our cuts.

I'm using iodine under the supervision of a physician. It's a small piece of the big puzzle that seems to be my health. I am feeling a tad better and have lost weight. My basal body temp started to go up a bit, but now in the middle of very much stress, it has plummeted back down.

Be careful tho with the iodine - thyroid storms.

Yes, it was dr who put me on mine too. It's encouraging to me that you have lost weight. Did you notice any energy increase? How soon before I notice a difference? This is my 2nd day and I'm taking 3mg a day.

Yes I have noticed an overall small increase in energy. Some days are better than others, but we have yet to address the adrenals. That's the next piece of my puzzle.

I use the iodine drops and he determines the amt by my basal body temp. We're still trying to bring it up (I run under 97 deg.) And it did come up, but with all the stress of the last week or so, it's gone back down.

The first day I used the drops I did feel somewhat buzzed and filled with a nervous type energy, but that leveled off after a couple of days and now as I said, it's a small overall increase.

supposedly if you put iodine on your arm or leg and wait for 24 hours and see if the stain is gone. If it is you are low on iodine, if not you are ok. But mixed reviews on whether this is accurate or not.

Hmm that's interesting. I may try it. Thanks for the tip.

I did feel better today and I'm sleeping like a baby now. Of course that could have more to do with running after barbarians all night at vacation Bible School. (( exhausting))

Marrin, I now see what you mean by 'under doctor's care'. That's a lot more hands on than I'm getting. She just sold me the supplements and I take a pill each day. I hope I get the same results. Interestingly enough I was reading about low sodium, which I also have, and one of the causes of this is low thyroid so I'm convinced my thyroid needs help and I just hope the iodine is enough or that she writes me a script for something stronger soon. I'm ready to get well!