Iodine Overdose Caused Mysterious Chronic Illness

[Seb]

@haidut Potentially what could have happened from taking 5 drops of Lugols Iodine daily for a few weeks (about 6 mg iodine and 9 mg potassium iodide daily) and it caused a horrible reaction including massive fatigue and difficulty walking without getting out of breath, debilitating anxiety, blurred vision, huge digestive upset, anhedonia, loss of sex drive, diagnosed small fiber neuropathy, unsteady gait and loss of coordination, terrible brain fog, learned helplessness behavior, inability to socialize without experiencing a massive anxiety reaction, can't think of the words when socializing, intolerance to stress, heart palpitations, eating 4000 calories+ and losing weight or staying the same weight, and general extreme serotonergic response and digestive upset and inflammation.
For reference, I am 20 years old. My whole life I did an intense sport (gymnastics) while undereating, and later on weightlifting and calorie restriction. The overdose happened 2 years ago and I am still experiencing some of the effects, however, now it is less depressing. GI damage is definitely part of the picture because I couldn't digest anything without bloating, gas, and other very uncomfortable digestive symptoms.

What are some blood tests you would recommend I take or specific things I could use?

Recent Labs:
Something to consider is that 6 months ago my TSH was over 2 and it decreased to 0.14. It think it's because I started taking thyroid 2 months ago. My T4 also dropped from 0.83 6 months ago to 0.52. I also think it was definitely the thyroid. I was probably taking too much T4 and T3 daily - sometimes 60mcg T4 along with 40mcg T3. Right now I am experimenting with 500mg niacinamide, 20mg progesterone, 150mcg lisuride, and 25mg T3 daily, so those might have had some influence on these results. Another thing is that my bilirubin has come out high every time it's been tested. Let me know if you have any insight!

 

[tasfarelel]

You can hardly be "overdosed" with 5 drops Lugols. I would say that what you experienced is pure coincidence / iodine fanboys on curezone may say that you experienced a hefty release of fluoride and bromide, both displaced by the iodine and would recommend salt loading (basically take one teaspoon salt per hour until psychiatric issues disappear).

 

[Seb]

You can hardly be "overdosed" with 5 drops Lugols. I would say that what you experienced is pure coincidence / iodine fanboys on curezone may say that you experienced a hefty release of fluoride and bromide, both displaced by the iodine and would recommend salt loading (basically take one teaspoon salt per hour until psychiatric issues disappear).

Interesting. I am a swimmer so maybe it released a bunch of chlorine too? I stopped all supplements after I started feeling weird symptoms. A few months later I tried the iodine again and 10 minutes after I experienced a horrible reaction that hasn’t disappeared after 2 years. And I swear my symptoms get worse after drinking milk eating seafood or eating sushi which are all high in iodine. I had to avoid those for about the first year. I don't think it’s a coincidence but I appreciate your response. I have tried high sodium and I still get probably 5-10 g per day.

 

[Peater]

Did you take selenium methionine as well?

 

[youngsinatra]

I know someone whose blood levels of other minerals dropped by nearly 50% after using a relatively high dose of iodine: namely copper, zinc, iron and manganese.

So make sure you are replenishing those, especially if you have those (neurological) symptoms that point to copper deficiency if you ask me. I‘d test serum copper, ceruloplasmin, zinc and ferritin.

Whats your daily diet like?

 

[Seb]

Did you take selenium methionine as well?

I did not. I was very uneducated

 

[Seb]

I know someone whose blood levels of other minerals dropped by nearly 50% after using a relatively high dose of iodine: namely copper, zinc, iron and manganese.

So make sure you are replenishing those, especially if you have those (neurological) symptoms that point to copper deficiency if you ask me. I‘d test serum copper, ceruloplasmin, zinc and ferritin.

Whats your daily diet like?

Thank you youngsinatra. Here's an example of my diet:

 

[youngsinatra]

Thank you youngsinatra. Here's an example of my diet:

I think that you are deficient/insufficient in at least a few essential nutrients.
The high amount of refined sugar can cause a thiamine (B1) deficiency, which would fit with your symptoms.

Unfortunately there are few B1 sources besides whole grains, legumes and pork, so it’s very easy go get low in it for many of us, who typically don’t eat those foods.

 

[Dutchie]

Iodine is an antifungal. Could it be that you (unknowingly) are dealing with a fungal/Candida infection?

 

[Seb]

I think that you are deficient/insufficient in at least a few essential nutrients.
The high amount of refined sugar can cause a thiamine (B1) deficiency, which would fit with your symptoms.

Unfortunately there are few B1 sources besides whole grains, legumes and pork, so it’s very easy go get low in it for many of us, who typically don’t eat those foods.

I think that you are deficient/insufficient in at least a few essential nutrients.
The high amount of refined sugar can cause a thiamine (B1) deficiency, which would fit with your symptoms.

Unfortunately there are few B1 sources besides whole grains, legumes and pork, so it’s very easy go get low in it for many of us, who typically don’t eat those foods.

Thanks, I’ll make sure to take Energin frequently, maybe get a high dose B1 to see if it helps along with liver and oysters.

 

[youngsinatra]

Thanks, I’ll make sure to take Energin frequently, maybe get a high dose B1 to see if it helps along with liver and oysters.

Energin should be good by itself, I think it has a very bioavailable form of B1 if I remember correctly.

Oysters and liver sound like a good idea too! Shrimp and mussels are great additions too.

 

[Seb]

Iodine is an antifungal. Could it be that you (unknowingly) are dealing with a fungal/Candida infection?

Giod idea. I definitely think I had a bacterial overgrowth because I was dealing with some terrible intestinal symptoms. Penicillin VK helped quite a bit. I do still get a reoccurring white tongue so maybe a fungal issue. Advice on how to clear that up?

 

[Seb]

Energin should be good by itself, I think it has a very bioavailable form of B1 if I remember correctly.

Oysters and liver sound like a good idea too! Shrimp and mussels are great additions too.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Dutchie]

Giod idea. I definitely think I had a bacterial overgrowth because I was dealing with some terrible intestinal symptoms. Penicillin VK helped quite a bit. I do still get a reoccurring white tongue so maybe a fungal issue. Advice on how to clear that up?

Unfortunately, I have no clear advice on how to clear it. There are so many antifungal "remedies' out there, which work for some but not for others.
You need to find the root of what caused it and tackle that, otherwise it'll keep coming back.

 

[Jam]

I think that you are deficient/insufficient in at least a few essential nutrients.
The high amount of refined sugar can cause a thiamine (B1) deficiency, which would fit with your symptoms.

Unfortunately there are few B1 sources besides whole grains, legumes and pork, so it’s very easy go get low in it for many of us, who typically don’t eat those foods.

He's well above RDA with that amount of milk and OJ alone.

 

[youngsinatra]

He's well above RDA with that amount of milk and OJ alone.

But the 300 grams of white sugar require more thiamine than that to oxidize glucose on top.

12 signs you might have a thiamine deficiency

Have you ever heard of thiamine? Chances are, your answer was “no.” As it turns out, this often ignored — but crucial — vi...

www.bswhealth.com

 

[youngsinatra]

 

[bell]

Wolff-Chaikoff effect: "The Wolff–Chaikoff effect is a presumed reduction in thyroid hormone levels caused by ingestion of a large amount of iodine." (from wikipedia)
With iodine (or iodide), you need to give enough, but not too much. Too much can cause the thyroid to shut down to protect itself, creating hypothyroid.
If this is what's happening, it should improve in a few days.
--
AND, what youngsinatra is pointing to with B1 is on point. If I'm reading right, you're eating 3/4 of a pound of sugar a day. (That seems over the top even in a Peat community, but feel to correct me if I'm missing something.) Processing that much sugar takes a ton of thiamine. If thiamine goes too low, you're into the symptoms of beriberi

 

[tasfarelel]

Just to chime in that the so called Wolff-Chaikoff effect was later never replicated = is likely nonsense and many other organs, especially everything that belongs to the reproductive system, also need Iodine, so you cannot think just in terms of the thyroid.

 

[tasfarelel]

I have tried high sodium and I still get probably 5-10 g per day.

It's actually not just high salt - the remedy for psychiatric issues due to high iodine intake is really literally one teaspoon salt per hour until feeling normal again. If this means 30g, then 30 it is.