Iodine symptoms and conditions

I just read many postings here regarding lisinopril/hctz and the sexual problems it had caused you. I'm a 26 year old male, just married, and am having major problems with my sex drive and erections as well. I've been to several andrologists and they all concluded that 'everything is fine' and that i shouldn't be having the problems i'm having (based on many blood tests of course). I actually used to have a very high sex drive and no problems at all with erections, but i started losing my sex drive slowly but surely a year ago when i started taking lisinopril/hctz. Few months later, my erection started getting weaker and weaker as well. Now, i almost have no sex life. I quit lisinopril/hctz just 3 weeks ago, and i THINK i'm experiencing better morning erections, but still my sex drive is abnormally low. Sometimes my wife gets offended. I may get an erection during foreplay, but the erection is usually short lived, since i have no sex drive in the first place. Could anyone please share with me their experience with quitting this poison, and please let me know if you recovered your sex drive/life. Many thanks,

I've had numerous side effects from Synthroid, but the ones that finally scared me off the drug were the thoughts of death, dying and suicide.

These thoughts came as casually as thoughts of what I'll wear tomorrow, which was more frightening. They also came unbidden. First, I was thinking about death generally. About a month later, I began thinking about dying, and the whole process of dying. Then, when I started thinking about just walking in front of a train, I got on the Internet and did some research.

Synthroid was the only medication I take daily, so I stopped taking it at once. And about a week later, the thoughts of death, dying and suicide stopped. My doctor refuses to prescribe natural thyroid, so I'm out of luck until I find a doctor who will help me.

Hi I have been on syn for about 5 years now and it's made my life a living hell. I had so much hair shed it was insane. I finally saw a hormone therapist and she put me on synthetic t3s it worked ok but I started breaking out and I was still very tired and hair was still shedding. So now I'm going to finally go on armour and pray this is the final and last med that will help me and my hair. Can I switch from syn straight to armour right away?? Or do I have to let the syn get out of my system. Do you know why the synthetic T3's didn't work?? Please email me at ******

Also wanted to add that those on syn have to take iodine too

Foot pain, to the extent that I cannot touch the bones in my feet. I had moderate heel spur pain which became extreme when I tried to resume the synthroid, even a minor 25mcg dose of synthroid. Bone and joint pain in the past made me stop taking the synthroid, especially shoulder and upper arm weakness on one occasion, and leg weakness and foot pain on the second occasion. This third time was related to heel, ankle and the bones in my feet. These problems went away within 5 days of not taking this medication.

I have been on prednisone since I was two years old (I am now sixteen) because I have Autoimmune Hepatitis IIa. I would like to point out that there is still a life worth living being on prednisone, maybe I say this because I do not know life without it, but at least we're alive! Last year I had a flare up of the AIH and had to 6x my dose of prednisone. It sent me into a spiraling depression of constant sleep, crying, hopelessness etc....but I made it through. Just PLEASE keep hope that things would get better, because I know what it's like being on the dreaded drug better than most.

O my!!! Here is my long story short, 2 yrs ago was put on synthroid, after a routine physical. I didn't even know I had a problem, gained 20-25 pounds, tried to diet, NOTHING, started breaking out on my face, actually leaving scares, etc...........10 days ago I ran out of my prescription - no refills - forgot about appt. and I actually have lost 3 pounds without even trying. AND my skin has no new blemished!!! I am staying off to do a trial on myself!! Good luck my friends and goodbye synthroid!!!!

You Can Now Boost Your Thyroid Function,

Eliminating Your Most Troubling Symptoms…

Without A Prescription and Without

Begging Your Doctor!

How? By adding a simple but vital supplement to your diet: Iodine.

Just how important is iodine? Consider this… about 25¢ worth is all that stands between an infant developing normally and one that’ll be severely mentally handicapped the rest of its life.

Iodine is essential to a proper functioning thyroid. But as we grow older, our thyroid starts slowing down. It just can’t metabolize the iodine it needs as efficiently, and that means the hormone produced (also known as thyroid) goes down as well.

There are 2 other reasons why most of us are iodine deficient:

Inadequate dietary intake, and
Exposure to toxic substances that displace iodine.

Iodine is a mineral, but one that is not abundant in the food we eat. Primarily found in very small quantities in seawater, soils are naturally deficient in iodine, especially the further away you get from the ocean.

Iodine is also fairly easily displaced from your body by toxins called toxic halides… fluoride, bromine and chloride.

Fluoride is by far the worst culprit. Found in toothpaste and in your water supply, every time you take a shower, brush your teeth or drink from the tap, your body gets a little exposure to fluoride, leeching out good iodine. And contrary to popular belief, fluoridated water is actually rather poor at preventing tooth decay.

Why is it in our water supply then? Poor science combined with corporate greed and political ignorance paved the way. Basically a toxic by-product of aluminum production, fluoridation was sold as a way to prevent cavities because some areas with natural fluoride in the water also had lower instances of tooth decay. Based upon that spurious observation, fluoridation began.

If You’re Human, You’re Most Certainly Iodine Deficient!

Because of these factors, 96% of all people tested are iodine deficient! This according to a study of 4000 patients conducted by Dr. David Brownstein, Medical Director for The Center of Holistic Medicine, and renowned author of several books on hormones, iodine and hypothyroidism.

The World Health Organization also concurs, estimating that 72% of the world’s population is being affected by iodine deficiency.

This trend is worsening. Over the last 30 years, the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I) shows iodine levels have dropped 50% in the U.S.A. alone.

I have been on Levoxyl for years. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's when I was 13 years old. I'm 35 now. I have been on every medication made and this is the only one that didn't make me want to sleep all the time. I have suffered from Depression my whole life, but that started before the thyroid too. My mom was one of the first people to be treated with Iodine when she was a kid and it worked for years then her thyroid acted up again in her 50's. When she was younger it was Hyper and now it went Hypo. She takes Levoxyl now too and it's been great. I think part of my problem has always been a lack of exercise. A lot of the symptoms everyone has mentioned went away for me when I started hiking and walking regularly. After being inactive for so long due to the depression and exhaustion because of the poor diagnosis of my thyroid medications for so long, my blood pressure was too low, my circulation was poor and my depression got worse . Now with a combination of meds for my depression and my Levoxyl, I don't feel like there is a giant weight on me when I wake up in the morning. So many of the meds described have similar side affects I've stopped judging by side affects and rather my energy level, my weight, goiter size and sleep pattern.
Just my experience. Good luck to everyone

I've been on it for about 2 months, the first month nothing really happened...but the last month its just been getting worse and worse. Light headed, sweaty hands, cold feet, tinglinging in the fingers, heart palpitations, etc...the worst are the heart palps, and light headedness (I feel like I might pass out right now!). I stopped taking it today, my last pill was yesterday morning, so hopefully the side effects will subside today or tomorrow.

for those who went off the drug, how long did it take for the side affects to disappear?

Oh My Gosh....I cannot believe I just stumbled across this site. Feeling so NOT LIKE MYSELF for quite sometime now made me decide to google Snythroid side effects, wondering if this medication I am on could possibly be the reason I am feeling so badly. I am 50-years old and started taking synthroid (Levythyroxine) about a year ago for hypothyroidism. I have been struggling tremendously with anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, more hot flashes, emotional instability, and sudden weight gain (about 10 lbs) since I started taking it. I never had any weight issues. I have just assumed this was all related to being "menopausal" (and I'm sure some of it is) and stress-related.....but here's the thing....BEFORE I started taking it, I felt "normal" emotionally, I never had a problem with my weight, and never really had any major "pre-menopausal" symptoms....in fact, I think I had A LOT LESS hot flashes and emotional turmoil, BRAIN FOG, etc., BEFORE I went on this stuff. I was technically POST MENOPAUSE two months ago. Okay, so symptoms should be subsiding now. Any menopausal symptoms would/should have been worse during pre-menopause. Again, I never remember having any major symptoms going through "the change" and felt blessed in that respect......so could it be possible that this hell I have been going through COULD be related to this fricken Snythroid????!?!? I want to just stop taking it to see if I feel normal again, but don't know if it's SAFE to go off all of a sudden. What is this Armour?? I cannot believe how many others out there are feeling like me. I hope this is the reason, so I can feel some hope. But now what do I do? I'm sure I still have to get my TSH levels or whatever regulated. Any suggestions out there? I'll try and make a doctor's appt and check levels again and see what my options are...I was told I probably had to stay on this stuff for the rest of my life. Thanks, everyone.

I was put on prednisone for asthma. I tapered down from 80 mg to 10 mg over 2 weeks. After coming off of the prednisone, I experienced nausea, extreme dizziness, felt disoriented, and had muscle weakness so bad that I could barely stand up. After several trips to the emergency room, my doctor, and an endocrinologist, they figured that I needed to be tapered off of the prednisone more slowly. The endocrinologist started me back on 10 mg of prednisone and tapered me down to 2.5 mg. Since I have stopped taking the prednisone, I have experienced dizziness,headaches, tremors, a rapid pulse rate, blurry vision and a sensitivity to light. I have been off the prednisone for two weeks now and every day is different. I have some good days and some bad days. Although I have my strength back and the nausea has subsided, the dizziness is debilitating and it seems that my balance and fine motor coordination is off. I feel very mentally foggy. The doctors do not seem to have any answers for me as to why all of this is happening. It has been a very scary and frustrating experience. I am concerned that the prednisone has done some serious damage to my nervous system. Has anyone ever had these side effects? Do they eventually subside and how long will it take? It has been the longest month of my life dealing with all of the effects of this medicine. Any advice would be appreciated.

i just started taking synthroid for the first time, i am 54, started me on 25mcg which is a low dose, i noticed after about a month i started getting hot flashes all over again and my appetite was increasing, i am not overweight but i will be soon , I know i gained about 5 pounds in the last month, I do not like this so I decided (forget that) if it going to make gain weight, not sleep, have hot flashes, and i don't have any more energy and even getting more forgetful, it not worth it, I'll see how I feel without it!

Hello Ladies....I am 56 and diaged Hashimotos disease 3 years ago.At the moment on 112mcg of synthroid....dosage started off low and have gradually worked up....So angry with drs...was seeing endo, but moved and using family practice...so frustrated with weight gain approx 25lbs since diag. Also does the word sweat ....mmmm perspire for all us ladies, mean anything? I can't even wash dishes without breaking out in to a sweat...mmm beads of perspiration....Dry skin, I own stock in Aveeno....Also....does anyone get "boil type" skin eruptions in the nether region...butt, inner thighs etc? Does anyone or has anyone done any serious research on Iodine? I try to eat as well as I can, was doing Weight Watchers and gained weight do ya hear me? I am questioning my idodine intake or lack of....Presently take mulit vit with 150mcg. Considering uping it and dc ing my synthroid...cuz docs have been useless....eat less, (how much more less?) exercise more...I swim so much I look like a freaking prune....Any comments?

My mother and I have both been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and we both take levothyroxine. We both experience extreme pain and she has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I have not been diagnosed with fibromyalgia but I experience the pain body also. Another thing. I have been losing my hair. No reason, it's falling out from the root and I have some serious thinning. Memory...what memory. I can't remember anything. Has anyone received advise from a MD? Thanks

I have being taking thyroid medicine since 1994. I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and prescribed Synthroid. It didn't work. Instruct to take radioactive pill. Now, diagnoses change to Hypothyroidism. Prescribe Levoxyl. Endocrinologist said I would lose weight, but instead I have gone from a size 8 to 16. I feel really bad when I miss my doses. Really anxious when I take it every day. I am noticing that I have moles growing out and spreading all over my body. Switch back to Synthroid three months ago. That when start experiencing a great deal of hair loss. Decide to switch back to Levoxyl but a lower dose. The hair loss has slowed down a little. But, hair is growing slowly. I am having problems focusing and some memory loss. I really don't know what to do. I have change endocrinologist twice. I really think that Levoxyl and Synthroid have bad side effects on human after long term usage. I am miserable because I can't control my weight. I know that it has something to do with this medicine. If anyone know of some other medicine that would Hypothyroidism in check without all of the side effects that I mention. Please share it with me.

I have been on Levothyroxine 50 mcg
for six months I have really bad leg cramps
and in the morning when I wake up I can
barely bend my ankles to walk I am 45 years old I have also gained 10 pounds since
I have been on this medicine. My Doctor is sending me for more blood test, she says
it may be hormonal.
A.R Chicago

hello everyone
i am a full time college student and I believe that i have some side effects from synthroid. As i was reading everyones blog i notice that some people feel the same way that i do. At times i feel that i'm normal but if something upsetting happens i get really tired, depress, and I have a never time concentrating at school and home. My body hurts all the time. especially my joints and i feel that i don't want to do anything. I have about a year left until i graduate and its the going to be hard. I cry sometimes for no reason. help! i'm going to talk to my doctor but if any body else feels the same way please reply.

I take 5 mcg of cytomel a day. I have symptons like "hayfever". Sneezing,runny nose, sinus drainage, my eyes are sometimes itchy,burning, watery. The glands around my neck swell a little, my jaws hurt, and the inside of my ears itch. The PA in my doctors office said to contiue to try and take it for 2 weeks to see if the symptons ease off. I have started taking cytomel 3 different times and stopped because of the above symptons. I just can't see being this miserable for 2 weeks. I also take 150 mcg of syntroid once a day. I had diagnosed with graves disease in 1994 they gave me radiactive iodine to stop my thyroid from functioning.

I developed a staff infection from a horse throwing me and landing on my leg. What I though was scraped up skin was actually a big chunk of dead skin where there was no drainage. They drained about a 1/2 cup of puss from the back of my leg. Then I was presented with the choice of losing my leg or taking antibiotics. I chose the antibiotics because within 12 hours the infection had taken up almost all of the lower leg. I was given two antibiotics, one of them being levequin. I was on levequin for 15 days. I had no really severe reactions until the 14th and 15th day. Now the pain is very extreme in the sacral area and I have trouble sleeping sometimes, nightmares, and depression. My feet and hands became very dry and had burning pain. I had very bad stomach cramps which I used a flora/probiotic for and it corrected. I took 5 doses of 10 capsules... one that evening and 4 the next day (2 to 3 capsules equals 60 billion viable cells per gram of flora or acidophilus and bifidum cultures. I am now continuing that treatment taking 10 capsules a day. I have heard that lactobacillus GG is the best culture for antibiotic resistant bacteria (C-diff toxin bacteria colitis).
I have been praying and searching for a holistic treatment for the problems. Because the fluoride in levequin makes the body very acidic and robs the body of calcium I have taken many supplements and done a lot of raw juices. I think the reason I did not react sooner is because I have been using a rounded teaspoon of dulse (a seaweed containing natural iodine with naturally occurring minerals) a day and a teaspoon of chlorella, both of which (iodine and chlorella) are specific for eliminating toxic metals and poisons in the body (ex. copper, radiation, mercury, fluoride, etc.). The best product I have used for the pain is an alkaline water call Essentia. I can be in horrible pain and drink a full glass of this and I the pain eases right up and my brain clears. The water is sold at the Smith Food Stores and I would like to see someone else here try it and see what it does for their pain. I honestly believe that the human body has the intelligence to heal provided we can supply it with the right healing substances to carry the poison out.
I will be trying acupuncture to hopefully further accelerate the healing process and stabilize the back, so I can do a let you know how that works. I would like to see more feedback of what works to alleviate the problems.