UPDATED REVIEW: You can read my first review of this product, it talks about Hashimoto, hypothyroidism, and real low iodine levels as per lab results and how this product helped me (and hurt me). This is an important update, that made this product go from 5 starts to 1 and...run from it!
I had good results at the beginning as I said and was thrilled. But soon it started to create a lot of health problems. My stomach started to get really upset and my bladder would hurt and get swollen every time I needed to pee. I had to run to the bathroom every time i had to pee since the pain was unbearable. I also bled within periods for an entire month. Im just glad i realized what was happening and the culprit before it was too late. As I said in my previeous review I lowered the dosage, etc, but nothing worked. So when my labs came back HIGH iodine levels by almost 40 points I stopped taking it. I thought it was my fault, that I was taking too much for what I needed without consulting a Dr, etc, which is true.
So I took it for a month, iodine was high. Stopped for another month to see how my iodine levels were and they were low again. meaning taht it leaves your system quick. But then I started this month to take 2 drops twice a week and realized my stomach and blader problems soon started again. This form of iodine burns. I don't know what it did to my kidneys or other organs when I overdosed. I just realized it and was very scared. I was taking the dosage recommended after reading the entire website.
Iodine is widely used in my home country but NEVER to take internally. I thought this formula was safe for taking internally, but it wasn't, even with the low concentration. If you have used this for throat problems like me, you'll see it would burn and your tongue would stay burned for several days if it gets on it (I still will use it for this purpose and for wounds, just will be more careful). The same thing it does on the outside of your body it will would do in the inside. Please do not give this to any child.
So unfortunately I'm still looking for a safe way to supplement my iodine deficiency. I have read POTASSIUM IODIDE is the safe form of iodine to take internally (and it is the one added to table salt). But Im not taking any chances again, I will see a dr first. Good luck!
ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM JUNE 2014:
I have had Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis for two years now. The treatment wasnt doing much for me, i still had most of the symptoms including swollen tongue bitten in the sides, edema in my entire body, lack of energy. One day searching the web i read about iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism and I thought hey, maybe I have iodine deficiency along with hashimoto's. but I have read before that hashimoto's patients should not supplement with iodine bc it would bring the antibodies up and make the disease worse. I even had started to use sea salt that wasn't iodized.
I decided to ask my dr to test my iodine levels and guess what, normal ranges are 52-109 and mine was 38, that is 14 points under the minimum. So I bought lugol's and could not wait for it to get here. I started with two drops but then I upped it to 6 since I wasn't seen the results I wanted. I three days I was another person. tons of energy for two weeks. then I started to notice palpitations and trouble sleeping. then I started to feel sick but didn't stop taking it, only lowered the dosage and skipped some days. it was like that for a month but I didn't feel well anymore. after a month i went for my labs again. Iodine was high at 144 (the top is 109) and TSH was 0.06 normal 0.4 to 4. Anti TPO went FROM 182 to 133, so they actually went DOWN almost 50 points...not bad.
Conclusions:
-Before supplementing with iodine find a dr who is whiling to test your serum levels (insurance cover it). You don't have to guess.
-When taking iodine you might have to lower the dosage of the pill since your thyroid will surely start working better and do it's own part of the job.
-Don't take the iodine every day, it is not necessary. Iodine is good but too much of it also brings its own set of symptoms. Since it doesn't say how much you should take for iodine deficiency (I searched crows' website and it doesn't specifically say how much. he talks about his experiences in preventing diseases in animals, in moody hyperactive girls, etc). I guess every case is different and you are the one who needs to be checking your levels and find your dosage.
I will not stop taking the iodine. I will let it rest for a few days and then I will start taking two drops a week. I think that would be more than enough to keep my levels within the normal range. good luck
Read More...49 persons found it helpful