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The potassium iodide pills are specifically for the thyroid and nothing else. You should be told (have batteries for your radio and know your local emergency stations) if it is appropriate to take them. The worst thing that can happen if you don't take them and the specific thyroid endangering radiation zaps you is that you will end up taking thyroid medicine for the rest of your life after some thyroid surgery.

Consider just getting a bottle of betadine scrub from your pharmacy (Hershey Medical Center had a study on this alternate way of getting the iodide) ...if you ever need it you can coat one arm from shoulder to hand and your body will absorb the right amount for your size. Betadine scrub is a rusty colored surgical scrub...if you ever had surgery and had some dark orange red stain around the suture site you've had it on you.

Very Important: If you have shellfish/shrimp allergies or lots of allergies in general, don't take the pills and don't use the betadine scrub until you speak with your physician. I have seen patients severely react to imaging contrast mediums containing iodide.

I am concerned folks think these pills are going to really protect them from all radiation...it is only a specific form and they only protect the thyroid (now if we can only prevent the cataracts from developing.)

No, I understand what it's for. I'm not even getting it for myself. I have friends who, most likely, won't do any of these things, for themselves, who do live in harms way, and WILL accept things from me, as gifts, and will use them, if necessary. At least this way, I'll know I did everything I can do to help.

Consider just getting a bottle of betadine scrub from your pharmacy (Hershey Medical Center had a study on this alternate way of getting the iodide) ...if you ever need it you can coat one arm from shoulder to hand and your body will absorb the right amount for your size. Betadine scrub is a rusty colored surgical scrub...if you ever had surgery and had some dark orange red stain around the suture site you've had it on you.

Can't you also paint a certain amount of tincture of iodine as well?