I have an under-active thyroid and my hair on the right side is getting really thin. Can anyone provide any advice?

[cag1985]

I'm on 50mg of Levo and my levels are now in a normal range yet my hair is still thinning. Any advice? It seems to be thinning on my hair line on the right side but not the left!

[shaws Administrator]

Get a copy of your latest thyroid gland blood test results, with the ranges, from your surgery and post them for members to comment. Hair thinning is a common problem until you get to an optimum medication.

[Glynisrose]

Do not be fooled by blood results!! Hair loss is a classic symptom of a poorly treated thyroid!!! Go by how you feel not by blood tests!!!!!

[Hidden in reply to Glynisrose]

There is a very interesting article on hairloss here:

btf-thyroid.org/index.php/t...

Having said that - 50mcg is not a huge dose - it's possible that you are not yet on enough.

Some people do not feel well until their TSH is towards the bottom of the range and FT4 towards the top - email me for Pulse article on this - [e-mail]

Have you got your latest thyroid bloods including the ranges?

Are you suffering from any other symptoms?

Do you take your levo with water only at least an hour before food and 4 hours apart from calcium or iron?

This information will help people to better offer informed support.

Louise

x

[Kathy21]

I remember before I was diagnosed my hair thinned considerably but on the left side. It grew back to normal when I got on more medication, perhaps your in the "normal"range but low side of range. Good luck.

[sandi]

I thought I was mad - as did my GP - as I have hair loss only on one side, the left side is fine or at least better but the right is losing hair fast. Haven't found anyone with this or reference to this before.

[treasure in reply to sandi]

HI Sandi, I had really severe hair thinning on the right side and it was after comments on two or three occasions by a hairdresser that I went to a doctor and after blood tests was diagnosed with an under active thyroid. This was about three years ago and now take 125mg Thyroxene and feel well. My hair has started to thicken again but it has taken a long time. Recently I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil and really believe this has made a difference along with the fact that a most stressful time in my life has now eased. Hope this helps x

[sandi in reply to treasure]

Thanks Treasure. Had wondered about Evening Primrose Oil generally, so maybe will give it a try. How much do you take?

I used to have a note on my file at the hairdressers that said "thick hair" - no longer! I thought it was growing back but it seems to have started again.

The thing my hairdresser comments on is that my hair is now curly where it used to be straight. I think that may be hormonal too - it happened to my friend's dog after she was spayed!

The very short bits that I thought was re growth also seem to be less grey than the old hair was - now wouldn't that be lovely!

[ribbon in reply to sandi]

Hi Sandi, exactly the same with me, worse as tsh rises. I have found a definite improvement since taking high dose vit D two weeks ago - apparently helps autoimmune disease. I put my hubby on it 3 months ago and his psoriasis of 20yrs is barely visible now, so it definitely does help autoimmunity

[sandi in reply to ribbon]

This is good news. Started on a highish dose of vitamin D a few days ago - never even thought it might help my hair!

Not sure my thyroid is an autoimmune problem but I do have another autoimmune issue so fingers crossed that the D works magic

[DonnaldIW in reply to sandi]

Hi, I too have hair loss on the right side (of my forehead). Have just ordered some Vitamin D (and K2), thank you for the tip x

[Fruitandnutcase]

I started out hyperactive then ended up really under in a very short time because of my Carbimazole, I was put on 50 levo and my hair started to fall out pretty much all over my head but because I started with thick hair it wasn't all that obvious other than to me who had to handle it. Once my levo was increased first to 75 mcg then to 75/100mcg alternating my hair stopped falling out and seems to be growing back - can see shorter bits along the front. Hope you get sorted out soon. I absolutely hated it when that happened it really upset me.

[123happy in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I've had a similar problem, now my meds are increased from 100 m to 125 m my hair is growing back, but it sticks out in all directions, the new hair is still short, I'm pleased though. Just a matter of time x

[ruthalem]

Hi cag1985 I`m not on any treatment for thyroid although I am having a lot of symptoms, including severe hair loss, I only dare to wash my hair when absolutely necessary. My GP says my TSH level 3.3 (035.4- 4.94) is fine but I still think it is my thyroid that is causing my hair loss and all my other symptoms. I haven`t been out for weeks, only to visit my GP, I am to embarrassed about how thin my hair looks. If I go to the shops I put a hat on but you can`t very well sit in a restaurant with a hat on.

[galathea in reply to ruthalem]

Tsh of 3.3 would be treated everywhere in the world, apart from the uk. You need to know your free t4 and free t3 levels too.... And ask for a 'trial' of thyroid meds.

[ruthalem in reply to galathea]

Hi galathea, ft4 16.0 (9.0 - 19.1) ft3 4.63 (3.6 - 6.5). My GP tells me that this is good, I don`t know, so I have to take his word for this but can`t think of any other reason why I feel so unwell and why I am loosing so much of my hair. He seems to think that if I can higher my vitD level (47 ) and lower my ferritin level(215.9) (10.0 - 204.0) then I will feel better, I hope so because at the moment I feel like my life is on hold just trying to figure what is making me feel so ill.

[galathea in reply to ruthalem]

It is a high ferritin, usually people with low thyroid have low ferritin and its one of the reasons for hair loss. However your ferritin may be artificially raised because of inflammation somewhere. How does the doc propose that you bring it down? Have a look here at possible reasons for high ferritin,,

medicinenet.com/ferritin_bl...

Would hurt you to have higher vit d.... D3 s the one to take.

Free t3 coud be better, maybe you could take some selenium as it useful for converting t4 into t3.

Good luck .... You need to pin down the reason for the ferritin level.

Xx g

[ruthalem in reply to galathea]

Can you get selenium supplement over the counter.

[galathea in reply to ruthalem]

Yes, holland and Barrett, Asda, Boots......

[waveylines in reply to galathea]

Be careful - always buy a high quality brand of supplements. The reason why the prices vary so much is that all vitamins are graded. The lower the grade of vitamin and mineral the cheaper they are but also the more difficulty you will have in absorbing them -very low grades of vitamins you simply don't absorb..... For best absorption you are best go for reputable brands like Solgar, Lamberts etc. Avoid Supermarket own brands -they are the price they are for good reason!

I was given this information from someone who works in the trade....

[123happy in reply to ruthalem]

My GP is now treating " me " and how I feel, she's given up with the blood results that are " normal " they can't be totally relied on. I'm on 600 mg of Iron every day for the next two months ! Ferritin was low, that's why I was so tired ! Doh !

[cag1985 in reply to ruthalem]

I am getting really upset about it now as I'm on 28 and as a woman hair is really important plus i'm getting married in 3 months I don't know what to do. I was on 50mg got told to try 75mg but had to stop as I was getting palpitations x

[ekpike]

One reply is quite right, you may be under medicated. On the other hand, by the BTA and RCP statements you effectively do not have hypothyroidism any more because you are chemically euthyroid. This suggests euthyroid hypometabolism may be concurrent (Goldberg, 1960). It requires a T3 therapy. Alternatively, you might look into Baisier, et al. (2001). They dealt with endocrinology's failures with desiccated thyroid.

May I suggest that you see Dr. Peatfield or Dr. Skinner or tpauk for help.

Have a better day, Eric Pritchard

[waveylines in reply to ekpike]

Hi Eric -good recommendation but sadly Dr Skinner has passed away and is no longer with us. rest in peace dear Dr Skinner.

[marymiles]

Has your vitamin D level been checked as well ? When my thyroid was finally normal; but my vitamin d was not, my hair thinning was still happening, but then the dr put me on 50,000 a week until it came up normal and the thinning got better! Today I take 2,000 a day cause my levels are not consistent but my hair growing is! Good luck!

[ribbon in reply to marymiles]

same here, Mary. Vit D3 is remarkably good at improving auto immune symptoms. We need to be in the high end of the range. Wish I knew this years ago. Only found out by researching for my husband's psoriasis, which is now barely there after 3mths on high vit d3 (I will get him to reduce to about 2,000 per day soon and see how he goes and get him to get bloodiest to see how much he should be taking) - we shouldn't overdo the vit d3 as you probably know

[ruthalem in reply to marymiles]

Thank you marymiles, My vit D is very low 47nmol/L and my GP has prescribed Vit D3 20,000 a day for three months. Reading your reply has given me a boost I hope I have the same successful result.

[marynotley]

From the moment my doctor found out my thyroid was nearly non-existent ( 20 years ago ) to today and on 150 mgs I have never lost my hair so I must be lucky!!!!

[ruthalem in reply to marynotley]

Hi marynotley, believe me, you are very lucky, It doesn`t sound very bad to be losing your hair, especially when there are so many people with really painful conditions, I always feel I should be grateful that I am reletavely pain free but it is still very alarming to find so much of my hair in the plug hole. I swear that if I keep losing my hair at this rate I`m going to be bald within the year.

[cag1985]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all your replies. I'll be honest, with me being newly diagnosed I don't understand all this TSH levels etc? All I know is before I got treated I had a level of 33 and after I started medication my level went down to 3 which I was told is in the normal range but the higher end of normal range? I want to start trying for a family over the next year (i'm 28) so need to go back and discuss this anyway so they may increase it to 75mg from 50mg you think? Hopefully this will help my hair and getting pregnant.

Any advice welcome xx

[waveylines]

Hi cag 1985 -yes your doc should increase to 75mcg but may have to increase again after 6-8 weeks -s/he needs to go on your Ft4/Ft3 and your signs and symptoms. I too had terrible hair loss until I was on an optimum dose for me and am afraid it took time to sort out and to grow back. How about having a word with your hairdresser -am sure they can recommend some clever tricks of styling your hair for your wedding -such as extensions, hair pieces etc...? .