Iodine - Iodoral and Thyroid Replacement

[DianeJune]

Hi I had my entire Thyroid gland surgically removed in 2006, basically because my needle biopsy results came back questionable for cancer.  My final diagnosis was Hashimoto's Disease.  Unfortunately, I now have no thyroid gland and have to live with the replacement challenges.  I was on Armour thyroid replacement but never could get adjusted to a normal state, I was either hypo or hyper never within a normal realm.  Since 2006, I have recently been diagnosed with RA and a breast lesion.  I've been told that Iodoral Iodine replacement is very helpful with Thyroid balance and fibrocystic breast disease.  I've also been told that using Armour Thyroid is not a good treatment option if my Anti-Thyroid antibody levels were high, so I switched to Synthroid and started on Iodoral, now I'm in a hyper state, my family physician has started to cut my synthroid meds back, I was on 300mcg, now on 287 mcg.  My symptoms are classic for hyper with the addition of some neurological spasms my doctor called them fasiculations?  With my heart racing and not being able to sleep very well, these spasms are happening with increased frequency especially with the muscles in my mouth affecting my ability to speak.  Dilantin has been added to my pill regimen.  My questions:
1. Is Iodoral Iodine therapy a good thing?
2. Are there documented neurological symptoms with Hyper Thyroid states?
3. How often can the synthroid be cut back to releive the hyper symptoms so that the heart racing and sleep deprivation go away.  It's been two weeks since my change noted above and my heart palpitations are still happening especially at night, along with profuse sweating and mild chest pain.
4. should I see an endocrinologist versus an internist?

[christsavesall]

Your welcome! I hope you find all the info you are looking for on there! I'm one of the members, perhaps I'll see you around on the forums!  : )

[4helen]

Thx so much for mentioning theiodineproject.com link!!!! Was looking for such info as had heard about a recent Lancet report reputedly linking iodine deficiency with breast cancer and the role of supplementation in reversing some thyroid problems.  : )    

[christsavesall]

Also, experiencing a hyper state sounds like a sign that your thyroid is starting to work again, I would seriously consult your doc and definitely take down your dose of synthroid...

[christsavesall]

Though you may not have all of your thyroid, they can't surgically remove all your thyroid since the tissue closest to your voice box and I believe trachea are too dangerous to touch. Your thyroid is not the only part of your body that requires iodine, your WHOLE body does. So yes Iodine supplementation is very important, and some people who have had their thyroid removed have regrown their thyroid (this is actually a wonderful thing since people really just blindly walk into surgery and feel just as bad after the surgery if not worse). You can find more information about the importance of iodine at
theiodineproject.com

[DianeJune]

When I was on the Armour replacement, I could not get stabilized, it was like I still was suffering from the up and downs associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I was more hyper than hypo though..

[stella5349]

Were you feeling hyper when you were on Armour - or were your labs saying you were?

[stella5349]

What about if you had RAI and the gland may still have little to some function?

[898]

In plain terms the thyroid hormone is a 'cake' 'baked' in thyroid ['oven'] from iodine and other ingredients
If you are have no thyroid [no 'oven'] and receiving replacement, the iodine would not be used without the thyroid, so it is not necessary for iodine supplementation