Blooming Personalities C/D 30Th November
Quizzes & Puzzles58 mins ago
Iodine
20 Answers
Can iodine in a Sea Kelp supplement help to reverse hypothyroidism ?
I am taking Levothyroxine as prescribed by my GP.
Please don't ask me to check with my GP as I do have a basic mistrust with all GPs.....
I am taking Levothyroxine as prescribed by my GP.
Please don't ask me to check with my GP as I do have a basic mistrust with all GPs.....
Answers
1 to 20 of 20
@ Matheous I would just echo Sqads sentiments. You did raise an interesting point though, regarding the trustworthin
17:19 Tue 28th Jan 2014
If your hypothyroidism is due to iodine deficiency then yes, taking iodine in your diet may well be an advantage.
However, hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency today is extremely uncommon...rare, i would say and almost all cases of hypothyroidism seen today are due to thyroid hormone deficiency as a result of an auto immune reaction.
Hence you need thyroxine and not iodine.
However, hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency today is extremely uncommon...rare, i would say and almost all cases of hypothyroidism seen today are due to thyroid hormone deficiency as a result of an auto immune reaction.
Hence you need thyroxine and not iodine.
Dear Mathous-2,
Highly unlikely but I doubt if a low level iodine would do you harm e.g. Cerebos Salt is still iodised.
Trust sqad 100% but see you doctor to have you T4/T3 monitored regularly and perhaps your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Too high a dose of T4 can lead to the opposite effect - hyperthyroidism.
Opinions or corrections please sqad?
SIQ.
Highly unlikely but I doubt if a low level iodine would do you harm e.g. Cerebos Salt is still iodised.
Trust sqad 100% but see you doctor to have you T4/T3 monitored regularly and perhaps your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Too high a dose of T4 can lead to the opposite effect - hyperthyroidism.
Opinions or corrections please sqad?
SIQ.
Thanks Sqad, -Correct on all counts. I had blood test about two weeks ago which included T3/T4.
Cholesterol had gone down to 5.3 - Doctor made no comment on 'T' levels.
Boxtops- I'm trying to eat healthy, lose even more weight and excersize three or more times a week! I have lost 13 pounds in the last six months with very little encouragement from my GP. I managed to persuade her to take me off Simvastatin. I have possibly an unfounded belief that GPs are perhaps influenced by the big drugs company's to push us onto prescribed drugs without exploring the alternatives first eg., changing dietary habits etc. I do appreciate they don't have the time to sit and pamper their patients so that's why I have done my own research and I do believe we can all do much more to help ourselves than rely on prescription drugs....
Cholesterol had gone down to 5.3 - Doctor made no comment on 'T' levels.
Boxtops- I'm trying to eat healthy, lose even more weight and excersize three or more times a week! I have lost 13 pounds in the last six months with very little encouragement from my GP. I managed to persuade her to take me off Simvastatin. I have possibly an unfounded belief that GPs are perhaps influenced by the big drugs company's to push us onto prescribed drugs without exploring the alternatives first eg., changing dietary habits etc. I do appreciate they don't have the time to sit and pamper their patients so that's why I have done my own research and I do believe we can all do much more to help ourselves than rely on prescription drugs....
Dear Matteous-2,
Please re-read sqad and my own latest posts.
Mat, you must have regular thyroxine levels regularly monitored as you have started thyroxine supplementation.
Your doctor has been doing the right thing so why the loss of faith? He/she is your first line of help in maintaining your health - you have no other choice.
Just swallowing the thyroxine regularly is only part of the process. You must be sure the dose continues to be right via occasional blood tests for a while at least.
Boxtops is generally right except that you are not self-diagnosing as thyroxine is prescription only.
Please don't be silly, see your GP whatever your worries. On this subject he/she may be happy with the dose prescribed and further blood tests may not be necessary. Make notes from this discussion and chat with GP who will explain the terms used and your future actions,
SIQ.
Please re-read sqad and my own latest posts.
Mat, you must have regular thyroxine levels regularly monitored as you have started thyroxine supplementation.
Your doctor has been doing the right thing so why the loss of faith? He/she is your first line of help in maintaining your health - you have no other choice.
Just swallowing the thyroxine regularly is only part of the process. You must be sure the dose continues to be right via occasional blood tests for a while at least.
Boxtops is generally right except that you are not self-diagnosing as thyroxine is prescription only.
Please don't be silly, see your GP whatever your worries. On this subject he/she may be happy with the dose prescribed and further blood tests may not be necessary. Make notes from this discussion and chat with GP who will explain the terms used and your future actions,
SIQ.
Dear Mattheous-2,
Sorry, our post crossed.
Nope, sometimes we need prescription drugs, certainly in your case with thyroxine. e.g. Forget kelp unless you like it but as sqad has explained, iodine deficieny is highly rare. It will have no effect on your hypothyroidism (quite common by the way and yours seems a simple form).
Right, we can help ourselves in many areas but it's always wise to discuss with your GP if taking radical measures.
You are wrong about GP's "pushing" drugs companies products unneccessarily. Quite the opposite. Prescription drugs are expensive to the surgery practice and any alternative would be preferable to the practice.
That's me done.
Good luck,
SIQ.
Sorry, our post crossed.
Nope, sometimes we need prescription drugs, certainly in your case with thyroxine. e.g. Forget kelp unless you like it but as sqad has explained, iodine deficieny is highly rare. It will have no effect on your hypothyroidism (quite common by the way and yours seems a simple form).
Right, we can help ourselves in many areas but it's always wise to discuss with your GP if taking radical measures.
You are wrong about GP's "pushing" drugs companies products unneccessarily. Quite the opposite. Prescription drugs are expensive to the surgery practice and any alternative would be preferable to the practice.
That's me done.
Good luck,
SIQ.
@ Matheous I would just echo Sqads sentiments.
You did raise an interesting point though, regarding the trustworthiness of your GP. As with any profession, you will get some practitioners whose professionalism is less than average, and some whose bedside manner is lousy, and others who are more interested in getting you in and out rather than listening to your problems - but by and large, GPs are a pretty trustworthy bunch who will have your best health interests at heart.
Here is the thing though- many GPs are far too reliant for their continuing professional development and knowledge of new drugs and best proscribing practice on the pharmaceutical industry itself, and several studies have shown that a fair number of GPs are unduly influenced by this, being poorer prescribers than other colleagues.
Ben Goldacre wrote a piece just before Christmas about the issue, which is worth a read, although I stress that it should not mean you automatically distrust your GP :)
http://
You did raise an interesting point though, regarding the trustworthiness of your GP. As with any profession, you will get some practitioners whose professionalism is less than average, and some whose bedside manner is lousy, and others who are more interested in getting you in and out rather than listening to your problems - but by and large, GPs are a pretty trustworthy bunch who will have your best health interests at heart.
Here is the thing though- many GPs are far too reliant for their continuing professional development and knowledge of new drugs and best proscribing practice on the pharmaceutical industry itself, and several studies have shown that a fair number of GPs are unduly influenced by this, being poorer prescribers than other colleagues.
Ben Goldacre wrote a piece just before Christmas about the issue, which is worth a read, although I stress that it should not mean you automatically distrust your GP :)
http://
@Matheous - Well we should be aware that this kind of activity goes on, without distrusting or disregarding everything our GP might say :)
The article itself does not mean that anything the GP prescribes for you is necessarily tainted,or incorrect, or unduly expensive by virtue of "Big Pharma".
Most GPs of my acquaintance are well aware of the issues raised by Ben Goldacre, and do what they can to be objective and up to date without undue reliance on the pharmaceutical industry.
The article itself does not mean that anything the GP prescribes for you is necessarily tainted,or incorrect, or unduly expensive by virtue of "Big Pharma".
Most GPs of my acquaintance are well aware of the issues raised by Ben Goldacre, and do what they can to be objective and up to date without undue reliance on the pharmaceutical industry.
Interesting article Lazygun.
I see no problem with a simple register of interests. I note that the title of the article had to be changed as originally it referred to GPs (See note at bottom)
I yield to no one in my admiration for Ben Goldacre -have read Big Pharma, and have signed up to the All Trials petition, but a few comments.
The "best currently available evidence" according to Ben Goldacre in the Guardian article is this large 58 paper metanalysis..
http://
Having read it , three points come to mind.
Firstly, the authors conclusions from the above are....
"The limitations of studies reported in the literature mentioned above mean that we are unable to reach any definitive conclusions about the degree to which information from pharmaceutical companies increases, decreases, or has no effect on the frequency, cost, or quality of prescribing."
They do go on to say that they..
"have found some evidence of increased costs and decreased quality of prescribing. Any conclusions about harm or benefit for patients are speculative because none of the studies that we found examined clinical outcomes"
Not exactly what I was expecting to read, and not as clear cut as one might think reading the Guardian piece.
Secondly, of the 58 papers 29 are from the US, including hospital physicians, as well as generalists. Only 5 are from the UK. The rest are from Canada Australia and Europe. I would imagine the prescribing practices in US hospitals might be different those in general practice in the UK.
Thirdly, the dates of the papers range from the 1960s to 2004, with most of them being in the 1990s. The 5 UK papers range from 1975 to 2000. Things have changed in the last 14 years. Here in the UK GPs are under huge pressure to cut prescribing costs and use generic drugs wherever possible.
I would be somewhat more worried that my GP might not be prescribing a drug I needed, rather than prescribing a drug I didn't need.
I see no problem with a simple register of interests. I note that the title of the article had to be changed as originally it referred to GPs (See note at bottom)
I yield to no one in my admiration for Ben Goldacre -have read Big Pharma, and have signed up to the All Trials petition, but a few comments.
The "best currently available evidence" according to Ben Goldacre in the Guardian article is this large 58 paper metanalysis..
http://
Having read it , three points come to mind.
Firstly, the authors conclusions from the above are....
"The limitations of studies reported in the literature mentioned above mean that we are unable to reach any definitive conclusions about the degree to which information from pharmaceutical companies increases, decreases, or has no effect on the frequency, cost, or quality of prescribing."
They do go on to say that they..
"have found some evidence of increased costs and decreased quality of prescribing. Any conclusions about harm or benefit for patients are speculative because none of the studies that we found examined clinical outcomes"
Not exactly what I was expecting to read, and not as clear cut as one might think reading the Guardian piece.
Secondly, of the 58 papers 29 are from the US, including hospital physicians, as well as generalists. Only 5 are from the UK. The rest are from Canada Australia and Europe. I would imagine the prescribing practices in US hospitals might be different those in general practice in the UK.
Thirdly, the dates of the papers range from the 1960s to 2004, with most of them being in the 1990s. The 5 UK papers range from 1975 to 2000. Things have changed in the last 14 years. Here in the UK GPs are under huge pressure to cut prescribing costs and use generic drugs wherever possible.
I would be somewhat more worried that my GP might not be prescribing a drug I needed, rather than prescribing a drug I didn't need.
@Slaney "Here in the UK GPs are under huge pressure to cut prescribing costs and use generic drugs wherever possible.
I would be somewhat more worried that my GP might not be prescribing a drug I needed, rather than prescribing a drug I didn't need."
Agreed, and also with your comments re the study the article was based upon. That having been said, I believe further reform of the way the pharma industry approaches and sells their products is required, and a register of doctors interests would aid in that,I think.
Bad Pharma was an illuminating book :)
I would be somewhat more worried that my GP might not be prescribing a drug I needed, rather than prescribing a drug I didn't need."
Agreed, and also with your comments re the study the article was based upon. That having been said, I believe further reform of the way the pharma industry approaches and sells their products is required, and a register of doctors interests would aid in that,I think.
Bad Pharma was an illuminating book :)
Indeed LG - I think we are in agreement about the need for a register, and transparency.
And thanks for making me trawl through that very long paper!
I'm afraid however the Guardian article will have done nothing to allay the mistrust that Matheous -2 feels about GPs in general.
For my part I think that the great majority of GPs are not working hand-in-glove with the drug companies, but are doing their best in increasingly difficult circumstances.
And thanks for making me trawl through that very long paper!
I'm afraid however the Guardian article will have done nothing to allay the mistrust that Matheous -2 feels about GPs in general.
For my part I think that the great majority of GPs are not working hand-in-glove with the drug companies, but are doing their best in increasingly difficult circumstances.
@Slaney "I'm afraid however the Guardian article will have done nothing to allay the mistrust that Matheous -2 feels about GPs in general.
For my part I think that the great majority of GPs are not working hand-in-glove with the drug companies, but are doing their best in increasingly difficult circumstances."
Indeed,and I would agree with you regarding GPs, most of whom in my own experience are genuinely interested in doing their best by their patients. I did caution Matheous that the linked article should not be used as proof-positive that his general misgivings over GPs were vindicated ;)
I did think his comments regarding his own mistrust of GPs/medical profession, coupled with some of the concerns raised by Goldacres article itself were interesting though.
For my part I think that the great majority of GPs are not working hand-in-glove with the drug companies, but are doing their best in increasingly difficult circumstances."
Indeed,and I would agree with you regarding GPs, most of whom in my own experience are genuinely interested in doing their best by their patients. I did caution Matheous that the linked article should not be used as proof-positive that his general misgivings over GPs were vindicated ;)
I did think his comments regarding his own mistrust of GPs/medical profession, coupled with some of the concerns raised by Goldacres article itself were interesting though.
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