I"ve About Had Enough Of This !

[archaeo in FL]

The country life coenzyme B-complex made me feel like i been glutened. Woke up with a terable headache, D, cramps an lots of gas. Does that sound like what 100mg of soy would do?

I"ll get tested for vitimans, seems i would need to be off of them for a period before being tested. Is that correct an how long?

I"ll continue to add one vitiman a day an try these for a couple weeks. Then if i need to, i could take a break an get tested. Thoughts please

I'm with mushroom, you should go ahead and get tested, just let your doctor know everything you're taking. I find it easiest to just bring the bottles in with me - even the big ones - so I don't forget anything (because when I don't, I do forget something, and then my doc gets upset that I'm not taking it - and then I get home and think "doh!").

I'm presently taking a B complex, B12, calcium with D, a separate D, and iron, all on doctor's orders. I'll probably also start taking a multi soon since there are lots of vitamins she doesn't test for. She told me to expect to be on several of those for a long time, if not forever. Some of that might just be me (I'm a woman, and though thyroid tests are all fine, I may have some other issues, especially leading to iron deficiency).

So - don't stop taking them, you'll probably feel worse. But don't be surprised if your doc has to tweak (maybe minor, maybe substantial) what you're doing according to what you find from the tests. I think most of us have to supplement, at least for a while!!

[ncdave]

Archaeo,

Thanks for posting again, your 2nd post made me feel much more comfortable about taking the vitimans. I will go get tested, i also picked up some iodized salt. I do appericate you pointing out the differance, i never knew.

[archaeo in FL]

Archaeo,

Thanks for posting again, your 2nd post made me feel much more comfortable about taking the vitimans. I will go get tested, i also picked up some iodized salt. I do appericate you pointing out the differance, i never knew.

Sure thing! I actually never knew people could have a problem with iodine - and I don't know how they figure that out, except through what must be an excrutiatingly difficult exclusion diet! But it is added to salt for a reason. I had the opportunity to learn a little about cretinism in school, and that's where I learned that iodine is essential (fun history to Google, cretinism and Europe - written about by the Romans and others!). I assume that the folks who've determined they have a problem with it wind up getting enough in some other way, possibly unbeknownst to them (e.g., via seafood).

It's important to use non-iodized salt for other things, like neti pots, but for that I'd use an entirely different type of salt to make the saline solution.

I'm so ready to not have to take so many vitamins every morning and evening! But until then, it's the best we can do.

Good luck!

[rosetapper23]

archeao,

Finding out about the iodine association wasn't hard for me--the Dermatitis Herpetiformis broke out all over my face whenever I ate anything high in iodine (usually a snack with iodized salt or seafood).

I'm also highly allergic to iodine, both topically and internally. If iodine touches my skin, the pain goes all the way down through the muscle to the bone--it feels as though I've been beaten with a baseball bat. Iodine was accidentally used to wash my skin following a surgery two years ago, and I went into anaphylactic shock and developed Scalded Skin Syndrome where all the skin on my body peeled off in sheets a week later. I nearly died.

Here in the States iodine is so prevalent in the soil from nuclear testing fallout during the 1950s and 60s, our vegetation and dairy products contain enough iodine that supplementation is rarely needed. Therefore, I just avoid seafood, salty snacks, iodized salt, asparagus (which is very high in iodine), and certain brands of dairy. I've always been able to receive ample iodine from the foods I eat, and, of course, now I'm forced to take thyroid medication . I don't think cretinism is much of a concern here in the States (or in Canada either)--lots of iodine is naturally found in foods.

[ravenwoodglass]

I actually never knew people could have a problem with iodine - and I don't know how they figure that out, except through what must be an excrutiatingly difficult exclusion diet!

Many celiacs with DH need to delete iodine to have the antibody action stop in the skin. Many can add it back in after the DH has calmed down. I just had to drop iodized salt for a while but now am able to tolerate it. My doctor will not allow me to have any testing that requires it to be injected though and like Rose if I use it on my skin my skin blisters and peels.

[Finally-45]

It's the corn.

[ncdave]

It's the corn.

Do all those vitimans contain corn?

[ncdave]

The only one that says corn free is the zinc. I haven't even taken that yet. I am sicker today than yesterday. I will stop all vitamins till I get better, I can't handle another day like today.

[ncdave]

I thought i"d show up today with good news for a change.

I feel much better today not well yet, but much, much, better!

I called vitacost an told them what happened, they said send the vitamins back for a full refund.

I"ll get the test done next tuesday an then i"ll know exactly what i need an the right doses.

If it was corn that caused this problem, maby that will be the last piece to my puzzle!!!

Corn would explane why i got so sick trying gluten-free foods, example kraft original bbq sause. 1/2 teaspoon is all it takes. How about some more good news? I didn"t have to take any miralax this week And I got plenty of sleep. Guess i was tired of the regular ole sick an just needed a variety.

[mushroom]

Yes, yes, we need good news. Sounds like you are on the right path.

[GottaSki]

Thanks for sharing - always nice to hear when someone has improvement - great detective work!

Continued improved health to you each day

[GFinDC]

Hi Dave,

It is easy to test if the corn is the problem. No need to guess. Just eat some corn meal mush every day for a few days. Plain polenta is easy to find and would work well for a test. If it's a problem you will know shortly. How about the nightshades? Have you dropped the idea of eliminating them?

[ncdave]

I appericate your idea, but i"m heading a differant direction. How about i stop taking the multi for him 50+ that i been on for 270 days an see if i get better.

I got very sick after eating 6 hushpuppies back in nov 2010, i did eat a few fritos about a year ago but seemed any more than 6 chips an i would get sick, so i gave those up also. I never thought about the multi vitimans i take having corn in them. duh

I haven"t gave up the idea of nightshade free but i haven"t started yet either. It"s going to be thanksgiving soon an those sweet potatoes will be on sale for 29 cent a lbs, good time to stock up!!!!!!!!! I did give up butter, so now i"m gluten, dairy, soy, and corn free.

Time for a coconut, banana, honey smoothie and some enjoy life chocolate chips to celebrate!!!!!

[mushroom]

Dave, sweet potatoes are not a nightshade

[archaeo in FL]

Rosetapper23 and ravenwoodglass, that sounds awful - I'm glad you've identified the problem and can remove it successfully!

I think it's important, though, that people who don't have to exclude any specific vitamin or nutrient or mineral not do so. In an effort to eat whole foods and generally healthfully, if we shop only or primarily at local farmer's markets we're not likely to consume enough of a variety of vitamins and minerals (down here in Florida, for instance, many fruits and "winter" vegetables simply won't grow). Lots of iodine is found naturally in foods if you eat the right ones, but so many of us limit our diet - or have to, because of other food issues - that again, supplementation is necessary.

Since iodine is necessary for proper thyroid function, no one should avoid it if they don't have to.

(Incidence of goiter in the U.S. is around 5%. Incidence of Celiac is around 1%.)

Of course, the other side of this is that we all need to watch how much salt we consume anyway, for hypertension and to not consume too much iodine (for a non-iodine-reactive person) so that we don't cause other thyroid problems!