Sara (Crescent City, Fl) on 02/11/2013:

I had run across info about taking iodine for this, but was scared off by the wrong info that iodine was the worst thing for hyperthyroid, but at my wits end, I dug deeper.

In the meantime, doctor told my husband to consider killing his thyroid, as something should have happened by now. He told hubby to up meds to 30. Also said that iodine would do nothing. For some reason he set his next appointment for 3 months away, which he never had done before.

So, on our end, and behind the doctors back, my dear hubby agreed to try iodine therapy for 3 months, which was 50 mg Iodoral (normal daily dose is said to be 20 I think). Also took magnesium for better absorption and selenium to bind the heavy metals the iodine collected. We did nothing different for 3 months accept for the iodine and company. He did continue the 20 mg. of methimazole, but now I wish he had not.

So, time for lab results after the 3 months. We were nervous because his neck was swollen, he was having swallowing trouble and hubby was convinced he had thyroid cancer. Awesome news! For the 1st time in a year and a half, movement in his levels! Now his TSH is 7.590 (to HIGH) and T4 compensated by switching to low .79. Doctor got excited and said " we have movement". He thinks he did this with the poison meds. Really?

The swelling in his neck was because the med was too much. I also now know that we should have upped his selenium along with the iodine. We are so excited and feel confident that he will be able to discontinue his meds. We also know that when hubby started to sleep better was when his range was "normal", so now we don't have to rely solely on lab results to know how he is doing.