Two questions!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Two questions!
16
Tue, 03-08-2005 - 3:23pm

Hello,

My first question is:

If a person has slightly elevated TSH (say 3-ish) and they feel fine...good, in fact...should medication be increased? Also, are there negative long term effects of having a slightly elevated TSH...even IF you feel fine?

(Ooops, I guess there's three questions in total!)

I was wondering if any of you take/recommend a multi vitamin good for someone who is hypo? I take Vit C regularly...haven't had a cold in years, either! But, I'd like to start a more rounded supplement regimen. I am not a big fan of swallowing pills...so I'd prefer a chewable.

Thank you very much for your time!
~Karen

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
In reply to: p2jojo36
Tue, 03-08-2005 - 9:52pm

Hi Karen - I think if you're TSH is slightly elevated and feel fine, then your doctor would be really reluctant to increase your medication because there really wouldn't be a need. But an elevated TSH level can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease so it's something that you would want to monitor - these are unseen problems that a person with just a slightly elevated TSH might never encounter. But it's good to keep a close watch!!

About the supplements, here's a good list from The Thyroid Solution
by Dr. Ridha Arem's book.

vitamin C: 250 - 1000 mg
vitamin E: 200 - 800 IU's
Beta carotene and mixed carotenoids: 1000 - 5000 IU's (This is vitamin A)
Selenium: 50 - 100 mcg
Zinc: 15-20 milligrams
A good B-complex, plus B-6 at 25-50 milligrams
Folic Acid: 400 - 600 mcg

Hope this helps! Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: p2jojo36
Sat, 03-12-2005 - 10:57am

>vitamin C: 250 - 1000 mg
vitamin E: 200 - 800 IU's
Beta carotene and mixed carotenoids: 1000 - 5000 IU's (This is vitamin A)
Selenium: 50 - 100 mcg
Zinc: 15-20 milligrams
A good B-complex, plus B-6 at 25-50 milligrams
Folic Acid: 400 - 600 mcg<

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Thank you so much for your very informative response (as always), Cathy! : )
I have just begun taking Centrum vitamins. The supplement increments are as follows:
Vit C - 60 mg (however I take a 500mg tablet, as well)
Vit E - 300 IU
Vit A - 3500 IU ( 29% as Beta Carotene)
*Selenium - 0
Zinc - 15 mg
*B-Complex - 0
*B6 - 2 mg
Folic Acid - 400 mcg
OK, so As listed, Selenium, B-Complex, and B6 are lacking. Are these supplements available individually? I guess it would be asking for a miracle to hope they come in chewable form, as well? (lol) I am able to swallow pills...I just can't stand the "horse pills"!
Also, what brands are good specifically for the B6/Complex and Selenium.
Does anyone else take Centrum? Is that an acceptable brand? I only purchased it because it has a chewable. (I was taking Flintstones Vitamins!)
Thank you again for what advice/help any of you may have!
~P2JoJo

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
In reply to: p2jojo36
Sat, 03-12-2005 - 8:14pm
I don't think there are chewables out there but I know Shaklee makes liquid vitamins! You can check them out. You have to pay to join before you can buy vitamins and other products but it may be worth it for you. It seems like their website is Shaklee.net but I haven't been there in a long while! I just bought Sundown or Nature made selenium and I have Vitamin World brand B-6. Fron what I understood from the Shaklee presentation, it's hard to get enough of the B vitamins in a multivitamin supplement. That's probably why yours doesn't even try! LOL! I had the Shaklee B-complex and bought Nature's Bounty, I think, when I replaced it. That's a good brand, btw. I think Centrum is good, too, for the multiple. It's probably best for you since you don't like to swallow pills and they can really add up when you take them individually. Here's a site that tests vitamins to make sure they're pure and contain what they're supposed to have in them: www.consumerlab.com. Even without paying, you can get a lot of free reviews. Hope this helps! Cathy :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
In reply to: p2jojo36
Sat, 03-12-2005 - 9:20pm
Vivactiv (the company that makes that chewable calcium supplement) makes a vitamin supplement for women now. I got free samples the last time I bought my calcium chews. The chocolate is ok, the fruit flavor tastes nasty!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 10:03am
That's interesting! I've never seen them. I'll have to check them out next time I'm at the store. I used to love the chocolate and caramel calcium chews. Cathy :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 10:10am

>The chocolate is ok, the fruit flavor tastes nasty!<

If the fruit your talking about is anything like their calcium fruit chew...I agree! They ARE nasty!
The Centrum chewables I am taking are nasty, too. (IMO) I am forcing myself to continue taking them...and I have gotten somewhat used to the icky taste!
I am looking into other supplements to add, as well.
Thank you all for the advice and information! This board is so wonderful! I have posted on a couple of other boards, and this is the only one where I am not "afraid" to ask a question.
Everyone is treated so respectfully, and we have GREAT CL's! : )
Thanks again!
~P2JoJo

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 8:42pm

Well, thanks!! I'll never understand why anyone would bother to be nasty on a message board!! It's cyberspace, for goodness sake. Don't we all have to deal with enough rudeness in the real world? LOL! The least we can do here is be nice and respectful. That's how I look at it, anyway. :)

I had my appointment today and spoke to my doc about taking vitamins again and he said it's ok to take a good mutli and a B-complex. It seems that he was more concerned with some of the other things I was taking, like L-tyrosine and DMAE etc but the vitamins themselves are ok. He also spoke about the recent studies that showed that Vitamin E doesn't do anything to protect our heart and that in large doses it might do more harm than good. So it looks like I won't bother with that one til I talk to my ob/gyn, who told me to start taking it!! LOL! But I just wanted to pass that on to you. Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 8:49pm
Another caution is that if you are on any kind of anti-coagulation therapy you have to be careful not to take additional vitamin K, as it could counter the effects of your blood thinning medication. That's why I jsut started the calcium chews, I couldn't take them before because I was on Coumadin for my atrial fibrilation.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-14-2005
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 9:15pm

You also might want to check out Puritan's Pride. It is a vitamin company where the vitamins do not have anything artifical added, like coloring. They have a lot of different types of vitamins and supplements. They also have specials where you buy a bottle and get one free or buy 2 bottles and get 3 free! I have been very happy with the company and their service!

Danielle

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: p2jojo36
Wed, 03-16-2005 - 11:17pm

>I had my appointment today and spoke to my doc about taking vitamins again and he said it's ok to take a good mutli and a B-complex.<

OK, so I am on the hunt for a good B-Complex. Nature Made, probably...that is the Vitamin C that I take. And of course the gross tasting Centrum Chewable.
Oh, and another thing...why do vitamin manufacturers make the bottles DARK? People like me need to see how big the pills are! LOL!

~Karen

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