In a nutshell, I took iodine drops for three weeks nearly a year ago, and since then I cannot tolerate thyroid medication, milk, or physical exertion without developing tachycardia, anxiety, and super weak, achy muscles. I've been following Peat's suggestions for 10 months and experimenting a lot with diet and supplements, tracking everything, asking Peat for help. I feel like I'm doing everything almost perfectly, but I've yet to find anything to get me out of the ditch I'm in.
Some more detailed info:
I'm 35 and female. I've had issues with glycogen storage (I'm guessing this is the issue since I get hungry soon after a balanced meal, and often wake up in the night ravenously hungry and with racing pulse) ever since I did a very low carb diet for a year in 2010-2011, which also caused me to gain 30 pounds (I never had weight issues before this).
I was on Armour for most of 2013, which helped a lot with my symptoms of constant hunger, pounding/racing pulse, insomnia, etc.
Then, in January 2014, I took 1-2 drops Lugol's 2% iodine for three weeks. I stopped the iodine, for good, when I developed a "thyroid crisis"--pulse of 120, panic, insomnia, and muscles so weak and achy that it was difficult to get out of bed or lift my arms for three days. I also stopped the Armour for a few days to let the excess thyroid hormone clear out of my system.
But when I tried to take even a tiny dose of Armour again, I got the same reaction. I tried a few more times over the following months, but couldn't tolerate it.
In March 2014 I found Peat's work and since then have followed his suggestions for diet and supplements (both his general suggestions and those made to me personally). So I've experimented with niacinamide, thiamin, vitamins A, D, E, K, Progest-e, pregnenolone, zinc, selenium, aspirin, magnesium, calcium... probably more. I have to take a lot of progest-e the second half of my cycle because my symptoms are worse after ovulation. No PUFAs, low starch (have tried eliminating it), no grains, eat dairy as much as I can (in the form of cheese, since I react to milk), liver, bone broth, shellfish. Currently eating around 80-100 gm protein and 300-350 gm carbs. I live in southern Mexico and get plenty of strong light.
My symptoms of hypothyroidism have increased quite a bit since the iodine incident, which are: another 30 pound weight gain, depression, cold extremities, pounding/racing heart, especially at night, anxiety, acne, dry hair and skin.
I've recently done a few trials of cytomel and/or cynoplus, at dosages ranging from 1 mcg or less to 6 mcg. I always get the same reaction I got from the iodine: a strong hyper-adrenaline reaction.
My TSH has gone from 2.5 to 3.2 since I started eating this way. Pre-ovulation temps are around 97.5 and post-ovulation 98.0. Pulse is usually 80-90 upon waking (I feel super anxious upon waking after having gone a few hours without food, so I'm pretty sure the pulse is fast due to adrenaline). Temps have not really changed in 10 months of Peating.
It seems to me that I got sensitized to iodine, since I can't tolerate thyroid meds or milk, which also has iodine (more than most seafood). It doesn't seem to be a lactose issue because I get the same reaction from lactose-free milk or goat milk.
I've asked Peat about this a few times and he never responds, though he always responds to my other questions. I guess this is a difficult case, but I'm hoping someone here might have some ideas!
Thank you!
Some more detailed info:
I'm 35 and female. I've had issues with glycogen storage (I'm guessing this is the issue since I get hungry soon after a balanced meal, and often wake up in the night ravenously hungry and with racing pulse) ever since I did a very low carb diet for a year in 2010-2011, which also caused me to gain 30 pounds (I never had weight issues before this).
I was on Armour for most of 2013, which helped a lot with my symptoms of constant hunger, pounding/racing pulse, insomnia, etc.
Then, in January 2014, I took 1-2 drops Lugol's 2% iodine for three weeks. I stopped the iodine, for good, when I developed a "thyroid crisis"--pulse of 120, panic, insomnia, and muscles so weak and achy that it was difficult to get out of bed or lift my arms for three days. I also stopped the Armour for a few days to let the excess thyroid hormone clear out of my system.
But when I tried to take even a tiny dose of Armour again, I got the same reaction. I tried a few more times over the following months, but couldn't tolerate it.
In March 2014 I found Peat's work and since then have followed his suggestions for diet and supplements (both his general suggestions and those made to me personally). So I've experimented with niacinamide, thiamin, vitamins A, D, E, K, Progest-e, pregnenolone, zinc, selenium, aspirin, magnesium, calcium... probably more. I have to take a lot of progest-e the second half of my cycle because my symptoms are worse after ovulation. No PUFAs, low starch (have tried eliminating it), no grains, eat dairy as much as I can (in the form of cheese, since I react to milk), liver, bone broth, shellfish. Currently eating around 80-100 gm protein and 300-350 gm carbs. I live in southern Mexico and get plenty of strong light.
My symptoms of hypothyroidism have increased quite a bit since the iodine incident, which are: another 30 pound weight gain, depression, cold extremities, pounding/racing heart, especially at night, anxiety, acne, dry hair and skin.
I've recently done a few trials of cytomel and/or cynoplus, at dosages ranging from 1 mcg or less to 6 mcg. I always get the same reaction I got from the iodine: a strong hyper-adrenaline reaction.
My TSH has gone from 2.5 to 3.2 since I started eating this way. Pre-ovulation temps are around 97.5 and post-ovulation 98.0. Pulse is usually 80-90 upon waking (I feel super anxious upon waking after having gone a few hours without food, so I'm pretty sure the pulse is fast due to adrenaline). Temps have not really changed in 10 months of Peating.
It seems to me that I got sensitized to iodine, since I can't tolerate thyroid meds or milk, which also has iodine (more than most seafood). It doesn't seem to be a lactose issue because I get the same reaction from lactose-free milk or goat milk.
I've asked Peat about this a few times and he never responds, though he always responds to my other questions. I guess this is a difficult case, but I'm hoping someone here might have some ideas!
Thank you!