My story, my cure...

[ChristSavesAll]

For those of you out there that are suffering from ppd, anxiety, hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, depression, FBD, PCOS, etc. I wanted to share with you how I changed my life around, even my mother and husband have changed lives all because of one small change to our life. It doesnt take time, costs very little, and we are all healthier thanks to it.

Are you ready? It may sound crazy, but supplements. Vitamins and minerals are essential to health, we need these, without them well thats how you end up here. Not all vitamins are the same, I've tried many and never saw a difference in the way I felt. But while out looking for one that contains no allergens I came across one that started the great change, One'n'Only, that was just a start, then I found omega 3's VERY important, and Iodine, wow that is #1 on the list.

More info following, scroll down..

[ChristSavesAll]

What happened to my husband...

In June 2008 while I was in my last few months of pregnancy I noticed a lump on my husband's neck. After visiting his doc he was sent to an endocrinologist, who then sent him to get an ultrasound and blood tests. The results revealed that he had a large nodule on his thyroid gland and despite this the doctor's were convinced he didn't have a thyroid condition based solely on his blood tests that said he was within the "normal" range. Hearing this news was devastating to my husband as he knew something was wrong with his body but the doctors couldn't tell him what it was, they merely suggested he have his thyroid removed.

Time went by as the excitement of our daughter's birth distracted us, and thankfully so. Delivery was smooth but there were some complications afterwards necessitating two trips to the ER in an ambulance. The stress threw Kris into a downward spiral. His thyroid was taxed and he began dropping weight and having anxiety attacks, at first they would be a couple times a week but soon it was a few each day. Kris had three seperate trips to the ER because of his anxiety attacks, he didn't know what was causing them and hoped someone could give him some answers, or drugs ; )

The first prescription they gave him was Paxil which was out of the question, it was a psychotropic drug and had warnings regarding its use by people that were paranoid, that's Kris all the way. The second drug was a sedative which he could not take at work which is where he experienced the most attacks due to late hours and exhaustion. On a mission I began looking online, I slowly learned more and more about the thyroid and natural remedies to treat thryoid conditions. After much research I formed the conclusion that he was originally hypo and something dietary had changed over the past year that caused a change in his thyroid that brought on the goiter and then the hyper symptoms. He was in the middle really, he had the attacks and the rapid weightloss associated with hyper yet was suddenly cold all the time, dozed off way to easily and still suffered from exhaustion. All these symptoms, three blood tests later and the doctors still insist he is "normal". I was determined to find a natural cure, I spent all night researching and woke him up to tell him we were gonna shrink his goiter naturally and make him feel better, I made him promise not to get surgery until he tried the things I'd found. The first thing I found was coconut oil, oh what a blessing it was to find out about this. Coconut oil helps to regulate the thyroid so that it functions better. I went out to buy some after picking Kris up from work one evening, he was exhausted and starting to feel an anxiety attack coming on. It took 3 stores to find one that carried it and by then he was already starting to get the anxious feeling. Before driving home I asked him to take some, he scraped some out of the jar and ate it. The drive home was about 20 min. and right before we got home he told me that he was no longer tired, didn't feel anxious or panicky anymore and actually had energy! We were both excited, that began our natural journey towards a healthier life.

The kelp that I bought was to increase his iodine intake since I had learned the importance of iodine for ones thyroid. I had read that some kelp contains arsenic, so I researched the brand I bought. Funny enough the brand I bought had been found as the culprit for high arsenic levels in a mother and daughter who were taking it, sadly the mother died. Soooo I took that back and began trying to find another source for iodine, that's when I found out about Iodoral and how necessary "high" doses were.

[ChristSavesAll]

What happened to me...

I have always had weight problems, an addiction to sweets, an irregular period and after the birth of my son, headaches.

It took me 3 years to get pregnant with my daughter, Seraphim who is now 8 months old. Shortly after becoming pregnant I was sooo exhausted all the time, it never let up, even during the months I was supposed to have energy I really just wanted to sleep all day. And as far as eating well, my sweet tooth only grew, I felt like I had no control anymore I just wanted more and more and more. Poor Seraphim really didn't get much nutrition while I was pregnant with her. I decided to have a home birth long before I became pregnant, thanks to a friend who shared her own UC story. So we planned a UC and we had a UC, very exciting very much worth it.
I ran into some problems after having her, one the placenta took forever to detach completely (was part way out) so my hubby freaked and call 911. Everything was fine though, it detached baby and me were fine. I had only gotten about 10 hours of sleep the week leading up to my delivery, I suffered from insomnia and then I also had a 36 hour labor ( in the last hour my water broke and she came out after 30 minutes of pushing) after she was born I still had trouble sleeping. This time though it was because I began having anxiety attacks, just before bedtime I was feeding Seraphim and she began turning purple, she pinked up once I held her up and rubbed her to ensure she was breathing. I was sooo freaked because I was worried about her, I was worried about taking her to a hospital and dealing with social services trying to get in the way because we UC'd, worried about if she was ok and I was just leaning in to much when I was feeding her. I was terrified to hold her and passed her off to my mom, I was so afraid it was me that caused her to turn purple, and so afraid that I would do it again. A few minutes later my mom returned and Seraphim was doing it again... she never did it again after that and I have no idea why she did it in the first place but that sent me over the edge, I was terrified to sleep, and yet terrified to be awake. I thought it was because of my husbands side of the family that she had done that because my husband then told me that his little sister had sleep apnea, that totally freaked me out. I was such a mess, I wandered from room to room trying to find a comfortable place to sleep because I felt like I was having a heart attack, it was the most awful feeling ever! I was crying because I was so scared and hoped that I could cry myself to sleep, when I finally fell asleep I woke up just an hour or so later. I honestly felt like I was dying or going to.

The fun didnt stop there either, I finally was able to relax and got some much needed sleep, only to waken two mornings later with the feeling of numb arms and legs. I actually remember waking up and not being able to move my arm and trying to wake Kris up, he didn't budge and then I don't know what happened, I must've passed out because the next thing I remember was waking up and laying on the floor and feeling that numb feeling.
I hollered for Kris (my hubby) and told him something was wrong, he went and got my mom and I told her what I was feeling, it felt like I was losing blood and I thought maybe I had since my placenta had taken so long to detach. My husband again called the ambulance and that time I rode with them to the ER, I remember waiting for the ambulance and telling my mom I was scared that I didn't want to die (if you know me, you know that is not my personality) I continued to have trouble sleeping even in the ER with a dark warm room, I kept having mini anxiety attacks and feeling like I was just going to die if I finally rested. After some blood work the doc came in and told me I was slightly anemic... HA my levels were 8.8, that is NOT slightly! A normal person is between 12 and 16! He told me to pick up some iron supplements and take some of that, seriously that's what he said, no prescription, no reference to what dosage, just "some"... After getting home I remembered the coconuts I had bought in case I bled too much (really though I barely bled so it was weird to have suffered anemia) I drank the water from 4 coconuts and felt slightly better, the next morning though I was feeling much better, I again drank from 3 coconuts and felt even better the following morning. Though I was still having panic attacks the next morning and wanted to see a dr to make sure that I was not having a heart attack and that Seraphim was ok (she was looking yellow now, the 3rd day after she was born) Just hearing someone else confirm that 1. the ER doc was a moron and I was waay more than a little anemic, 2. that I was not haveing anxiety attacks, and 3. that Seraphim was doing just fine aside from the jaundice (she wanted a full blood workup and that well thats a whole other story). Anyways so I was finally able to relax and calm down after that, I was finally feeling less anemic and more normal, that doc had also told me specifically what kind of iron to by and what dose to take so we went out and got that. It didn't take too long before I was back on my feet and feeling the way I did before all the drama, I still fought off anxiety attacks, anytime I was worried it began turning into an anxiety attack, such a horrible feeling.

Though that's when the problems with my husband occurred and I found out the wealth of information that changed our lives.

[ChristSavesAll]

Now...

Now my husbands anxiety attacks are gone, his goiter is almost gone, he lost 60 pounds from the hyperthyroid and recently was able to put 10 pounds back on, his anger has diminished, he no longer suffers from narcolepsy, he feels better than ever and is much happier now-a-days.

I too lost 60 pounds, just got pregnant again, no more anxiety attacks, no more sugar or junk food cravings, no more getting sick, no more migraines (after Seraphim they became more frequent every other day), healthier hair, skin and nails, no more depression, no more mood swings ( my mom and husband especially love this ), no more stinky sweat, no more sunglasses (my eyes don't hurt in the sunlight anymore), I started having my period a couple months ago and it was regular (every 30 days) that is until I became preggo! My daughter stopped spitting up after taking the supplements (on days I skipped it she spit up again), I have not just energy but stamina I can actually clean the WHOLE house now whereas before I could only clean a room at a time, a rash I've had since I was young is GONE, increased libido and at the same time I no longer have any desire at all to masturbate (I hate getting so personal but I'm hoping that this can help someone else who is struggling with this), I no longer feel faint when standing up or coming out of a hot shower, no more cold hands and feet or just always feeling cold, there's soo much that I can't even remember right now but I even feel healthier!

My mom has had similar results though she also noticed that she actually slept through the night (before she could only sleep a couple hours), her breast tenderness is completely gone and she said that they are now sexually sensitive (not sure if this will help anyone else but hey, ya never know) she also has less frequent trips to the bathroom and her memory has improved!

My son has also been taking a kids set and hasn't been sick since taking them, he also has less emotional outbursts and is happier overall.

[ChristSavesAll]

Here's what we take...

* Iodine- as Iodoral 12.5mg (1 tablet) per day (this is a minimum dose for adults and can be increased, I began with a few drops and worked my way up to 1 Iodoral, a week later I took 2 Iodoral, a couple more weeks later and I began taking one potassium iodide pill 32.5mg, I am only taking that currently and will continue until I reach sufficiency, then the Iodoral will be my daily maintenance dose.)

* Selenium- 300mcg per day (already in the multi I suggest, though an additional supplement may be beneficial if your food intake does not have high amounts) mineral's potential to reduce the risk of thyroid problems, pregnancy and fertility problems, heart disease, and progression of HIV to AIDS, among others.

* Multivitamin (One'n'Only by Life Essences does not contain many of the usual allergens or the goitrogen soy, and it's made with whole foods)

* Chromium- 400mcg Chromium is a trace element that plays a significant role in helping to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood and maintain blood sugar and cholesterol levels that are in the normal range.

* Vanadium- 1mg Vanadium is a biologically important metal that is essential for normal cell function and development. Vanadium has been shown to help maintain blood-sugar levels that are in the normal range by its insulin-like effects in the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose (fat that surrounds our organs) tissue.

* Omega 3 Cod liver Oil (1000mg) protects the thyroid gland and may reduce the severity of hypothyroidism - deficiency can interfere with normal nervous system and brain function
* Vitamin C - 3000mg
* Vitamin B complex (in One'n'Only Multivitamin)
* Vitamin B8 Inositol Inositol helps with the transportation of fats throughout the body and also helps neurons communicate better with the body's nervous system.(Inositol deficiency causes hair loss, eczema, high cholesterol, constipation, and eye problems.) Inositol is a fundamental ingredient of all cell membranes and is necessary for proper nerve, brain, and muscle function. Therefore our bodies need inositol to function properly.

* Vitamin E - (in One'n'Only Multivitamin)

* Siberian Ginseng (2 capsules per day) (ok to use while breastfeeding)Siberian Ginseng is an adaptogen that may help individuals resist fatigue also helps improve the ability to withstand the pressures of modern lifestyles or Licorice Root (not for people with high blood pressure)Licorice Root ingredients have effects that may naturally support immune functions for adrenal support.

* Magnesium 500-750mg is critical to many cellular functions, including energy production, protein formation and cellular replication. Magnesium participates in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, in particular those processes involved in energy production. (already in the multi I suggest, though an additional supplement may be beneficial if your food intake does not have high amounts)

* Potassium: in a chronically fatigued person, low potassium levels are commonly seen. Potassium plays a significant role in the regulation of stomach hydrochloric acid and helps normalise stomach acid function. (already in the multi I suggest, though an additional supplement may be beneficial if your food intake does not have high amounts) My husband has felt 100% better after eating some bananas, they are a good source of potassium.

* Zinc is vital to support immune function, sensory functions, sexual function and skin health. Low adrenal function usually involves zinc depletion. (Note that increased caffeine consumption can deplete zinc, magnesium and copper.) Copper is required for proper iron absorption and utilisation and is necessary for the proper cross-linking of collagen and elastin. (already in the multi I suggest)

* Fenugreek Modern fenugreek seed uses are quite different. In addition to its use as imitation maple flavoring, the benefits of fenugreek may include increasing breast milk production, treating diabetes and lowering cholesterol. (I have stopped taking this, my mother continues to take 2 capsules a day)

* Ferrous Sulfate (Iron) Iron is an essential mineral and an important component of proteins involved in oxygen transport and metabolism. Iron is also an essential cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. This you should get tested for, overdosing is much too easy to do and the effects can be quite detrimental to your health. ( I take one 65mg tablet only once a month, to avoid overdoing it, I will continue to look up new information to provide of a proper daily dose)

[ChristSavesAll]

How familiar are the following signs and symptoms?

How familiar are the following signs and symptoms?
Exhaustion or fatigue, depression, sensitive to cold or cold hands & feet, weight gain, muscle & joint pains, carpal tunnel, painful soles of the feet, swollen or puffy face, eyes, arms or legs, menstrual abnormalities, constipation, breast tenderness, fuzzy head, infertility, voice changes, increased response to allergies (itching, prickly hot skin, rashes, uticaria), regular infections such as sinus or thrush, dry hair, skin & nails, hair loss, thin eyebrows, high cholesterol, or haven’t been well since an infection/virus.

How familiar are these symptoms?
Weight loss without trying, insomnia, irritability, panic attacks, poor concentration, palpitations, rapid pulse, high blood pressure, increased sweating, tremors, diarrhea, tiredness, thickening of the skin, anxiety, infertility, amenorrhea or light menses, muscle pain & weakness (upper arms and thighs particularly), eye problems, bulging eyes, mood swings, fine and brittle hair.

Many people experience symptoms from both sides of the spectrum. Unfortunately most people are unaware that they are suffering from a thyroid problem due to a deficiency in Iodine. Though it is important to be getting all your vitamins and minerals, Iodine is the most important, yet it gets the least attention. Reversing your deficiencies results in a reversal of the symptoms you are experiencing.


What is Iodine? Why do we need it? How much do we need?
Iodine may just be the most overlooked mineral, yet its importance to overall health and well being cannot be overstated. Iodine is critical for the formation of thyroid hormone in the thyroid gland. When your thyroid suffers, so does the rest of your body. A major connection exists between low thyroid and low adrenal. Low adrenal, also called adrenal insufficiency, can actually cause someone's thyroid problem to be much worse than it would be otherwise.

Why many people are iodine deficient
First of all, most of us don’t consume enough iodine. On top of that, we consume many substances that block iodine absorption in our body. There are halogens in our water including fluoride, chlorine, and perchlorate (rocket fuel). Goitrogens also block iodine uptake. There are some notable goitrogens in our food supply. One of them is bromide which is in most commercial bread, as well as citrus flavored drinks (Mountain Dew for example). One of the biggest goitrogens in our food supply (and it’s everywhere) is soy. Soybean oil, flour and protein can be found in all packaged breads, cakes, candies chips, and crackers. Soybean oil is in salad dressing and mayonnaise & commercial baby formula. Just about every meal you eat at a restaurant cooks their food in soybean oil or uses soy flour, protein or lecithin in all prepared meals. Not only that, but most of the cows, poultry and pigs in this country are fed a diet of industrial corn and soybeans. So even if you think you’re not eating lots of soy, you probably are". Health conscious people expect conventional produce to be grown in soils deficient in essential minerals. They may be surprised to find out that organic produce is also often lacking sufficient amounts of iodine.

Iodine has many actions in the body
A shortage of iodine can cause changes to the thyroid gland that directly lead to poor function of metabolism and immunity. Iodine deficiency promotes free radical damage in the thyroid gland that puts the gland itself at risk. Iodine blocks various compounds from binding to and accumulating in the thyroid gland, such as fluoride, perchlorate, and goitrogens. Environmental pollution significantly aggravates an iodine lack and displaces iodine in the body.

Iodine is in high concentration in the ovaries and breast tissue, acting as a buffer to the growth stimulating effects of estrogen and as a promoter of proper estrogen metabolism. Iodine assists the functioning of hormone receptors throughout the body, helping hormones communicate more effectively. Thyroid hormone governs the rate of other hormone formation, and thus governs sexual function.

Iodine is essential for proper brain development and cognitive ability. There have been many studies showing the importance of iodine during gestation when cognitive potential is formed. A mother with adequate iodine levels will be more likely to produce a child with superior brain development.

[rclaz]

Hi,
What a post! My husband and I both fall into some of these categories. I'm a bit confused, though. Are you both Iodine deficient? What is the definition of the 2 ranges of the spectrum you mention in your last post? How did you diagnose yourself?
Thanks,
Rebecca

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by rclaz

Hi,
What a post! My husband and I both fall into some of these categories. I'm a bit confused, though. Are you both Iodine deficient? What is the definition of the 2 ranges of the spectrum you mention in your last post? How did you diagnose yourself?
Thanks,
Rebecca

Hi Rebecca,

Yes my husband and I were both deficient, and (I know someone is going to jump down my throat for this but please study first) in fact close to 95% of Americans are. Diagnosis is simple, you can either purchase a test online and let your doc give you the results (between $110 and $250) or you can diagnose yourself based on your symptoms and knowing whether you are getting enough iodine in your diet. Unless you eat high amounts of seafood and sea veggies, like the Japanese, you are deficient.

There are two sides of the spectrum, while most people get just enough iodine to keep them hypothyroid there are others who either get none or are getting much more of the iodine blocking heavy metals in their system which causes them to become hyperthyroid.
Now relax, most people misunderstand what hyperthyroidism actually is, even doctors (except holistic, homeopathic, or naturopathic).

Hyperthyroidism is when your body is sooo deficient in iodine it begins attacking itself, it's called an autoimmune thyroid condition, either thyroiditis, hashimotos or graves disease.

The reason for this is that your entire body requires iodine not just the thyroid, however, when your diet is low in iodine it only concentrates in your thyroid. You have iodine seeking enzymes in your body, that when you are sufficient in iodine get the iodine they need from your blood, however when you are deficient the enzymes seek out iodine and find it in your thyroid, they literally tear your thyroid apart just to get to the iodine.

So the first bit is consistent with hypothyroidism and the latter is consistent with hyperthyroidism.

Some people exhibit both symptoms, that's because your body is transitioning from hypo to hyperthyroidism and if you think things were bad, they are about to get worse. This is what happened to my husband.

When beginning supplementation one should begin slowly as I did, especially if you are hyperthyroid, because though you need it more you are hypersensitive to it.

I used liquid potassium iodide and gradually increased over a couple weeks from 4 drops to a squirt in each cup during the day. That brought me up to about 2mg per day, then I got the iodoral and later the potassium iodide in pill form.

I hope this answers your questions... Let me know if you have more!

[amlikam]

thanks for sharing

[JaneS]

Iodine is one of the most important minerals that is so misunderstood! Dr. Brownstein's book "Iodine Why You Need It Why You Can't Live Without It" is extremely important.
http://iodine4health.com/special/hal...n_halogens.htm

Connects breast cancer with low iodine... our breasts have a large amount of iodine receptors in the body which can instead uptake toxic halides (which include bromine, chlorine, fluoride etc) instead of iodine.

You can have serious detox symptoms from it (the halides leaving your body) so search for salt flushes, we've been talking about them previously.

Vitamin C to bowel tolerance is also important for detox.

I would do high vitamin cod liver oil with vitamins A and D (Blue Ice or Radiant Life) as those 2 nutrients are also essential for the thyroid.

[Avani]

Thank you for the info, i am still working my way through a bout of severe depression and anxiety that increased after the birth of my third baby and went away with my fourth but came back with my fifth. I am pregnant with my sixth and am digging my way out with the use of supplements and accupuncture. I will have to add in the Iodine you suggest but everything else i am taking.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

How familiar are the following signs and symptoms?
Exhaustion or fatigue, depression, sensitive to cold or cold hands & feet, weight gain, muscle & joint pains, carpal tunnel, painful soles of the feet, swollen or puffy face, eyes, arms or legs, menstrual abnormalities, constipation, breast tenderness, fuzzy head, infertility, voice changes, increased response to allergies (itching, prickly hot skin, rashes, uticaria), regular infections such as sinus or thrush, dry hair, skin & nails, hair loss, thin eyebrows, high cholesterol, or haven’t been well since an infection/virus.

How familiar are these symptoms?
Weight loss without trying, insomnia, irritability, panic attacks, poor concentration, palpitations, rapid pulse, high blood pressure, increased sweating, tremors, diarrhea, tiredness, thickening of the skin, anxiety, infertility, amenorrhea or light menses, muscle pain & weakness (upper arms and thighs particularly), eye problems, bulging eyes, mood swings, fine and brittle hair.

I've had the bolded symptoms at one point or another during the last 3 years - many are still here. After Ds was born (during my pregnancy I was under immense emotional stress & even more acute stress after his birth), so I crashed, my adrenals went kaput. During my acute phase, I had painful soles of my feet, a sunburn-like feeling all over my body, mostly head, neck, shoulders & arms. My floaters increased drastically (& are still here, 3 years later.) 2 years ago, chronic muscle pain began - in my upper arms & thighs! My hands & feet are *always* cold, I even lose color & feeling in two of my finer tips every time I get chilled, even if it's on a chilly night in summer.

I'm fatigued (which I attribute to the adrenal fatigue), brain fog, *horribly* itchy upper arms (which oddly has been in remission for the last few months...), first two sinus infections in my entire life, multiple food allergies.

Weight loss without trying, though I've *finally* reached my "normal" weight & have even recently put on a couple of extra pounds (!) - though only around my belly.

Heart palps, rapid pulse, used to have *awful* anxiety but that was the first thing to disappear when I started treating my adrenal fatigue.

I actually used to think I was hyperthyroid back when I was knee deep in health anxiety but my tests came back "normal" - even by my naturopathic adrenal doctor (who specializes in endocrinology.) BUT, he does say that the thyroid is almost always affected in adrenal fatigue, even if it doesn't show up in testing.

SO, what the heck does that mean? I'm showing both hypo & hyper symptoms?

Originally Posted by JaneS

You can have serious detox symptoms from it (the halides leaving your body) so search for salt flushes, we've been talking about them previously.

Is this safe while still nursing?? What if your liver might not be up to par? Does the salt allow the halides to leave your body in another way (besides liver)?

Is there an iodine supp that doesn't have potassium? I have an imbalance of sodium & potassium because of the adrenal fatigue & can't tolerate potassium.

Thank you ladies, for the insight!

[lil_miss_understood]

Subbing for now.

[ChristSavesAll]

Wow Mama Sequoia,

You've definitely got it very tough, I'm so sorry you are going through all this and I know that you will start feeling better soon..

As far as hyper and hypo symptoms, you are at the point right now before you have completely developed an autoimmune problem, I don't care what the Docs say about you not having a thyroid problem because its ridiculous. Doctors rely waay too much on their tests : . Like previously posted, my husband experienced much of what you are experiencing as well as myself.

You have an adrenal problem because you first had a thyroid problem, this is how it works...
Your thyroid is starved, it needs iodine but instead it gets all the other heavy metals which harm it, it tries so hard to filter your blood looking for iodine and still doesnt find it, it gives up... Your adrenals kick in and take over but they can only pick up the slack for so long before they too become to exhausted to do anything anymore... That's in a nutshell I hope it make sense, if you want I can add some links that back that up.

I am bfing my dd who is just about 9 months now and I began supplementing when she was 2 months, so as far as it being safe, yes. In fact, yes we are detoxing heavy metals, but your body needs the iodine just as much as your little one does. Whatever metals may pass into your breastmilk can be excreted by your baby so long as they are receiving the iodine they need. I started slow however so that the detox would be a little slower and easier for her body to take, as of now she has never had any problems with me supplementing and in fact I have actually seen improvements in her, since supplementing she no longer spits up, her once a week poos went to once a day, her protruding tongue no longer protrudes as much as it did prior to supp. BTW I'm also pg now and still taking my iodine.
One of my friends who also started supp after I told her of my family's success is also bfing and her and her son are healthier than ever...

As far as your liver is concerned, beginning your supplementation slowly should help your body to detox slowly, though I've seen a study that says that you really don't detox that much with 12.5mg of iodine...

For the salt flushes, I never really worried about that, the most I did was take some epsom salts when I had a detox headache, my husband took additional magnesium and it alleviated them as well, some people do it but we haven't.

I think the people doing salt flushes are ones probably taking higher doses than my family is, my mom, husband and self are each taking 32.5mg each day.. I took about 3-4 weeks to build up to it so my detox symptoms were not very bad at all,I really just had an occasional headache.

BTW after a couple weeks of supplementing you really start feeling just incredible!

Potassium iodide is the only form that I'm aware of (I've looked around a LOT)... I would say start with the liquid potassium iodide and take it a few drops at a time, most imbalances have a lot to do with other deficiencies, correct the deficiency and you then correct the problem, I will look into the problem with the potassium and get back to you.


Avani - I'm so glad you are getting healthier, so many people are unaware of the importance of vitamins and minerals, heck even I was until a year ago! I look forward to an update on the difference you see in using the iodine.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

Is this safe while still nursing?? What if your liver might not be up to par? Does the salt allow the halides to leave your body in another way (besides liver)?

Is there an iodine supp that doesn't have potassium? I have an imbalance of sodium & potassium because of the adrenal fatigue & can't tolerate potassium.

I've been wondering the same thing for a long time, Metasequoia. It was only yesterday that I started really looking into it (can't remember why). I know that Sonnambula/Firefaery added in iodine while she was nursing (she's said as much) and felt comfortable doing so. I just found out why, I think, in the research I did yesterday.

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

From this site:

The thyroid hormone and thyroid gland together with iodine are the most important factors by far for completion of a normal pregnancy and normal baby. Iodine is put into the mother's milk by the lactating breast to levels that are 30 times the levels in the mother's blood. Iodine still has important functions in the child's brain development after birth.

I think it's time for me to order some Iodoral.

Bolding is mine.
So basically, the majority of the iodine you take in during the initial "ramping up" period, would likely be going into the nursling, detoxing them *first*. Then, as you ramp it up, the levels in your breastmilk are increased as well, preventing the toxins from finding a "foothold" in the nursling. (At least, that's what this says to me.)
Also, I've read some research articles (which got deleted from my bookmarks ) saying that people with adrenal fatigue need both sodium AND potassium, despite some things I've read here on MDC. I can't remember the mechanics, exactly but I think it was something like the body is excreting sodium in huge amounts because it's trying to maintain an appropriate ratio with potassium, which is what we're really lacking. So by supplementing with *both*, we allow the body to continue to excrete the sodium as it sees necessary but also allow it to regain the potassium it needs.
HTH.

ETA: And thanks for reminding me that I had to look into the mechanics of detoxing with iodine while nursing, Nichole. I know you'd given me information on the nutritional aspects of this before, in the Thyroid Thread, I think.

[Annikate]

subbing

[Mama~Love]

Subbing too, as this might explain the way I'm feeling.

[Panserbjorne]

Yup. I discovered iodine 4 years ago and started supplementing 3 years ago this July. I personally was comfortable using it while nursing, and I was taking 50 mg a day (Iodoral.) I know that many people are not. Based on my personal research I felt it was the best option for us.

[ChristSavesAll]

Panserbjorne can you tell us how things have changed for you since supplementing, even if with other vitamins and minerals?

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

I am bfing my dd who is just about 9 months now and I began supplementing when she was 2 months, so as far as it being safe, yes.
I am a big fan of supplementation...but I'd be careful with a statement like this. There just isn't enough research and there may be things people need to do to support themselves while they are nursing. I would just caution a "yes" across the board.

In fact, yes we are detoxing heavy metals, but your body needs the iodine just as much as your little one does. Whatever metals may pass into your breastmilk can be excreted by your baby so long as they are receiving the iodine they need.
Again, I'm there with you...but iodine deficiency is not the only cause of metal toxicity. At least I haven't seen anything to support that nor does it make a ton of sense. Also my ds has been taking iodine via MY breastmilk since he was a month old and he at 2 was still very metal toxic...so just make sure to your own research. It's not black and white.

As far as your liver is concerned, beginning your supplementation slowly should help your body to detox slowly, though I've seen a study that says that you really don't detox that much with 12.5mg of iodine...
It depends how toxic your body is though.


I think the people doing salt flushes are ones probably taking higher doses than my family is, my mom, husband and self are each taking 32.5mg each day.. I took about 3-4 weeks to build up to it so my detox symptoms were not very bad at all,I really just had an occasional headache.
I have worked with people who took 6 months to work up to a whole pill (12.5 mg.) Again it's going to depend on your individual situation.

BTW after a couple weeks of supplementing you really start feeling just incredible!
Indeed. I felt amazing within 2 days. I took the loading dose for the urine test and called my doc and demanded to be put on it that minute!

All good info, just a reminder to pay attention to your individual circumstances. We all work a bit differently!