Iodine Supplementation

If you never eat out and only eat homemade foods, I'd tell him that. I would indicate none of your foods are pre-prepared like soups and stuff as you don't like to do that. If he gets that picture, maybe he'll realize it could be an issue.

Thanks, I bring up the matter again with him. Maybe he will listen if I say it a few more times.

I use dulse flakes instead of salt with eggs, salads etc. It's a good source of iodine. If you have a goiter, you're in serious need of iodine and maybe add kelp leaves to soups at the very least. You should read up on foods that inhibit the absorption of iodine ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goitrogen

Particularly since you're vegetarian, it's important to ensure you not only consume the appropriate nutrients but that they are able to be absorbed. It does no good to eat foods high in iodine if you can't absorb them.

Good luck & take care. Seriously.

Thanks for the link to the website. I'll read that. My doctor told me that I have non-descript thyroidist and a goiter with nodules that are not changing. My TSH has bounced around from high to almost normal (but still above 2) a few times. I have tested negative to antibodies for Hashi's twice. But according to my doctor, there's no such thing as iodine deficiency in the US because we have iodized salt. I told him I was a vegetarian who uses sea salt, but he still insisted that in the US it was impossible/improbably that I would ever be iodine deficient. Since I was looking up information on goiters and reading more information, I think it's highly probable that I am iodine deficient. So I was looking at Kelp tablets and trying to find out about dosage, and what other people do. I am not on any thyroid medication at this time.

Your doctor may be complacent about iodine bioavailability in iodized salt but this is variable depending on the individual's diet. To make a blanket conclusion that there's no such thing is sadly misinformed,

Another source for you to read is this http://www.narichmond.com/dietary_iodine.html

If your doctor is not informed, you should be, particularly if your diet is deficient in iodine or eating foods that impede its absorption.

Thank you for that link. I am trying to become educated, because I can't except that goiters just happen for no reason at all, which is what he told me - that people just sometimes get them for no reason. That just doesn't make sense to me.

1. Just for others reading, a goiter can mean either hypothyroid OR hyperthyroid. Iodine supplement = bad for hyperthyroid, so make sure you get properly tested before supplementing (sounds like you already know/suspect you're hypo vs. hyper).

Yes, I am hypo and not hyper - hair loss, fatigue, depression, TSH levels are high (above 4, although sometimes they go back down for discernible reason), weight gain/can't lose wieght, normal body temperature is 96.6 degrees sometimes going up to 97.2, cold hands/feet, etc.

2. Proper thyroid testing includes more than just a TSH test (since TSH is produced by your pituitary gland, and therefore doesn't actually directly test your thyroid). Ask your doctor to perform a free T3 and free T4 test (not total T3/T4), to get the real picture. Many doctors are still using the outdated TSH levels as well (.5 - 5.0) vs. the new levels (.3 - 3.0) -- this means that if yours came back as 4.0 your doctor could say it's fine, when it's actually not (necessarily).

He ran TSH and free T4 and total T3. He wouldn't run free T3. My T4 was a 0.8 exactly. I was normal but just barely. I can't remember what total T3 was.

3. Nodules....I would STRONGLY recommend you get a second opinion, and look at get a nodule biopsied. Did your doctor test whether it's a hot or cold nodule, at least?



To be honest, your doctor doesn't sound very smart when it comes to thyroids - it's quite easy to be iodine deficient in the US. If you aren't eating packaged food or adding iodized salt, and eating veggies from areas with depleted soil minerals (the UP is an area classically know for goiters, for example) it would be super easy.

I'd strongly recommend that you find a different doctor.

I am setting up an appointment to have them biopsied - I think only one is large enough to biopsy. I have had two ultra sounds (3 months apart because he canceled my appointment for a family event and I got the results and my GP scheduled me for another ultra in between the time I had to wait for the next appointment because I was freaking out) which have shown that they aren't growing and there are more than one (which is actually good), but they haven't been tested for hot/cold. Unfortunately, he's supposedly an excellent endo in my area. It took forever for me to even get a referral from my regular doctor who didn't think I needed to see an endo but after the TSH kept changing without medication I convinced her I should see one. But yeah, I am disappointed in him...just not sure where else to go right now. I am just waiting to get them biopsied and see the results.