Before anyone copies my personal medical plan, consider this statement by Jorge D. Flechas, M.D:
Quote:
Traditional medical literature indicates that patients who have thyroid nodules or thyroid goiter may have the potential to develop hyperthyroidism when supplementing with iodine. Hence, before commencing iodine supplementation, it would be advantageous for a person to have their primary care doctor order a thyroid ultrasound to rule out the possibility of pre-existing goiter or thyroid nodules.
The primary care doctor should also order thyroid lab work (to be used as a baseline) before prescribing iodine therapy and this lab work should be repeated and followed at regular intervals during the patient's iodine therapy. For iodine therapy patients not also on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, adjustments to the iodine therapy should be made if signs of hyperthyroidism should occur.
Should signs of hyperthyroidism occur in patients who are taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy as well as taking iodine supplementation, the physician should first recommend an adjustment in the thyroid hormone therapy rather than in the iodine supplementation. This adjustment in therapy is recommended because iodine is required not only by the thyroid but is required for the proper functioning of many other tissues.
The presence of pre-existing thyroid nodules or goiter does not preclude the patient from iodine supplementation therapy. In fact, in the extensive research with iodine therapy done in my office, I have seen many case of pre-existing thyroid nodules and goiter shrink in the presence of iodine therapy.
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Source:
http://cypress.he.net/~bigmacnc/drflechas/iodine.htm
After doing some more reading today, it seems iodine supplementation can restore the thyroid gland in some cases, and it's more likely when the hypo is mild and/or the person has high toxicity. In general, though, it seems one can expect iodine to lower the need/dose for thyroid supplements, as opposed to bringing complete restoration.
The problem arises when a patient is already on thyroid supplementation (Armour/ERFA/other) at a dose that gives hormonal balance, and then adds iodine. It has the same or similar effect of increasing the dosage of the supplement. When patients have been dosing at or near their maximum level, i.e., very close to HYPERthyroidism, the extra iodine pushes them beyond that point of stability, into hyperthyroidism.
So it seems to me it's better to start with iodine than Armour, instead of Armour followed by iodine (or both at the same time). And monitor the same things on iodine as you would with the supplements (i.e., core temperature, heart rate, etc.).