Vitamin Supplements for Graves/Hyper

[alish2006]

Hello,  I have been diagnosed Hyperthyroid/Graves(eyes bulging).   I am going to a new Endo next week and hopefully get moving on this.   Below are the vitamins suggested by the health food store.
Are they good? Some of the ingredients I have never heard of and I don't want to take anything that will make this worse?

Solaray Brand - B-Complex 50
            
            Amt per capsule    % daily value

Thiamine        50mg             3,333%
Riboflavin      50mg             2,941%  
Niacin          50mg               250%
B6              50mg             2,500%
Folic Acid     400mcg              100%
B-12            50mg               833%
Biotin          50mcg               17%
Panothenic Acid 50mg               500%
PABA            50mg                 -
Choline bitatrate 50mg               -
Inositol          50mg               -
Other Ingreidients: Gelatin Capsule, Whole Food Base (Whole Rice Concentrate, Aloe Vera Gel), Magnesium Stearate and Silica.
------------------

Solaray Brand - Cal-Mag Citrate with Vitamin D ****Have to take 6 capsules a Day for to equal these amounts**********


                        Amt Per Serving     %Daily Value
Total Carbohydrate          <1g               <1%
Dietary Fiber               <1g                4%
Vitamin D                   200IU              50%
Calcium                    1000mg             100%
Magnesium                   500mg             125%
Other Ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose Capsule, Cellulose, magnesium Stearate, Parsley Leaf, Alfalfa Leaf, Watercress Leaf and Dandelion Root.

[LinnyHyper]

I have all the symptoms of Graves disease excluding weight loss. One of the most signifcant is insomnia, sensitivvity and soreness of the eyes, nasal congestion or reoccuring sinus infections, joint pain and loss of memory. I'm only 41 years old. I'm active and I refuse to take the medication. I'm scared of the future, are these symptoms going to worsen? The other thing I wannt to mention, I had asthma up to the age of 18. I was always on medications with steroids largely in them for chronic asthma. I wonder sometimes if there was a link between steroid use or not? The joint pain I experience everyday is difficult for me. At times, its hard to get out of bed. I want to talk vitamins and supplements for this disease. I'm a strong beleiver in natural healing. I need help! I don't know what to take?  

[Elizabeth247]

You should look at the supplements on Jigsaw Health's website.
I have been taking their calcium, magnesium and B-12 and they seem to have the right % of each vitamin your body needs, without adding more or less of what the body doesn't need.
Plus, their website has so much research/information, it is awesome. More than my doctor has ever shared with me!

[GravesLady]

Depends on each individuals system. If you have celiac wheat should be avoided. High fiber diet might interfere with thyroid hormone/medication absorption but the important issues is to be consistency.  Don't jump around, that is, on again off again with the fiber which might effect TSH level and also how you feel.  When you start meds. taking them in the AM on an empty stomach and waiting an hour before eating will give maximun absorption.

I also had the sleep problems for 6 years until I couldn't tolerate it any longer so decided to take sleeping pills which I only need for a few months.  It must have put the sleeping part of my brain back to normal because now I sleep real well, with only now and then problems.

I agree, read all you can and become well  informed before making any decisions.
ATDs and Near-total thyroidectomy have little, if any, effect on the course of ophthalmopathy. RAI might have a temporary effect or temporary worsening in some and some say their TED got better with RAI. TED has it own antibodies, however similar to autimmune antibodies GD or Hashi, and is going to do what its going to do, at anytime it wants and as many times as it wants.  All three treatments have their good and their bad.  They all are not immuned to TED.
Here is a couple of unbias sites that are not anti-RAIers(1-131)
http://groups.msn.com/GRAVESDISEASEANDRAI/whatsnew.msn
http://bb.ngdf.org/bb/new.asp?TC=O

Good Luck!

[NURSELPN]

Just a suggestion...
Get as much info about graves disease & it's treatment as you can before seeing an Endo ...
It's possible to make big mistakes in your treatment if your not educated. NOTE: I-131 treatment (where they give you a dose of radiation to kill off a percentage of your thyroid) is acommonly used to treat hyperthyroidism due to graves & is contraindicated in patients with thyroid eye disease. It will make the eye disease much much worse... NOT ALL DR'S AGREE WITH THIS but it is a fact that many unknowing graves suffers have found out the hard way. This is a good website if you have any further questions about what to expect... http://mediboard.com/groupee/forums/a/frm/f/150103281
Good Luck & God Bless, Jean

[GravesLady]

Vitamins/minerals are not necessarily a cure all for Graves' but can possibly curb or reduce symptoms. However you should discuss taking vitamins/minerals with your physician first.  

Keep stress to a minimum,avoid environmental triggers, if you smoke stop, avoid iodine found in salt and processed foods and sea foods. Avoide sugar and saturated fats.
Follow a nutrient-rich diet encluding yogurt with L. acidophilus and cooked spinach.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to prevent dehydration, get at least 8 hours of sleep and strive for a restful consonant lifestyle.

For eyes, omega-3 oils found in flaxseed (flaxseed oil) and fish oil,  or supplements.  Antioxidant, 100 mg Grape Seed extract twice a day is a great antioxidant which protect against free radical damage and to help improve circulation and strengthen blood vessels, benefit TED and  improves immune responses, allergies, healing, energy, and vision. Also 5 drops of colloidal of Sliver which also helps other ailments as well.   Zinc and copper at a ratio of 3:1 for zinc:copper.  All are important for eye health.

V-C, V-E and  beta-carotene.  I can go on and on and on. Selenium, Chromium and Potassium. Not just one vitamin/mineral or group of, but all nutrients are as equally as important and work together for optimum good health. If we took one
multi-vitamin/mineral pill in a single dose that a healthy body required, it would be as big as a golf ball.

Vitamins/minerals can be costly, but it can be more costly to be sick.

[alish2006]

I will definitely try some or all(after I see endo) of the things you listed.

Sleeping 8 hours would be wonderful, but.....I am averaging about 2 hours for the last 2 weeks, it was only 4 per night for the month prior to my diagnosis.. and I feel terrible. (2 per night with a Xanax and Inderal)  Hopefully, when i get on some medication, it will get better.

Is wheat bad for hyper/graves?  I see my oatmeat is 100% whole grain.  Some sites list it as bad, and others say it is ok?

Thank you soooo much for the help.
Alish

[alish2006]

Thank you very much for helping me.  Until I get on meds I am trying to do everything possible to not get worse.  If there is anything else you think I should be taking, please let me know.

Again, many thanks!
Alish

[GravesLady]

Hello,

Make sure they contain no iodine until you are sucessfully treated.

Your B's look good to me, the same as mine.
I take B-50s as well, twice a day with meals, preferable three times, that is with each meal.  All vitamins and  minerals should be taken with meals and far away from thyroid medication as possible.
I take mega vitamins and some minerals in separate form, except the B-50s, however I add  some exrta B's to the B-50s.  

Your calcium and magnesium look good as in porportion to each other, but 6 capsules a day , eeeks, LOL!  However, I take more than that with all my vitamins and minerals combined, twice a day.
I take my calcium separate twice a day and V-D with V-A once a day in the AM with healthy oils, or foods containing natural healthy oils, etc. Vitamin D/A (and V-E) are oil soluble.  However the calcium does have some D in it, its not enough for my needs, and I take magnesium to help with D absorption. A and D together, for or incase of, toxicity because I take mega dose.

Looks good to me.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

These probably won't aggravate the Graves (ie, they don't appear to have iodine) but no data to support they are necessary.  A good multivitamin and perhaps a selenium (200mcg) supplement are really all you need.  There may be variuos opinions on this, but again I am just going by medical literature.