Hi all, I wanted to ask your advice, oily skin... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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Hi all, I wanted to ask your advice, oily skin, acne, limp hair and no periods....is this normal?

LittleMi profile image
5 Replies

I'm newly diagnosed with under active thyroid, having come off the contraceptive pill after 13years I immediately suffered with fatigue and low moods. My Gp was great and within a few months I was tested and diagnosed. However since starting on the levothyroxine I've had really bad oily hair and skin, acne around my jaw line, neck and back....it's awful! Plus I've had no periods....is this normal?

Any help or advice would be really appreciated! :)

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LittleMi profile image
LittleMi
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shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Yes, having an Underactive Thyroid - Hypothyroidism - plays havoc with our whole body as our cells, which require active T3 to function lacks enough thyroid gland hormones and that's why we are supplemented. Once you are diagnosed as hypo, you don't pay for other prescriptions (not much of a consolation when you feel so ill).

Always get a copy of your thyroid gland blood test results with the ranges for your own records and you can also post on a question for members to comment on them.

It takes time to feel better and the GP should take a blood test about every six weeks approx with an increase in Levothyroxine until you feel so much better. Some GP's think it is o.k. to get your TSH within the normal range but that doesn't always make us feel well.

Take your levothyroxine on waking with a full glass of water before breakfast and wait about 1 hour before eating. You can always take it last thing at night, not having eaten for 2 hours before.

When your next blood test is due, also ask for a Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, ferritin and folate. Also ask if he will do a Free T3 (most probably not) but it's worth asking. Usually B12 and Vit D are low.

It is slow and gradual to get to an optimum medication but you may be lucky and feel well quite soon.

in reply to shaws

Re: free scrips when diagnosed as hypothyroid - ask for the form. At my practice anyway it is not automatically given to you.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Click on this link and cursor down to Thyroid Hormone Replacements and then down to The Role of Supplements.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index....

LittleMi profile image
LittleMi

Thank you both for your response...yes I get free prescriptions. I've been taking Levothyroxine for a few months now so I was hoping my skin, hair etc would improve....but it hasn't. I'm taking multivitamins with extra Zinc...I have such a healthy diet but I look drained!

Thanks for the tip with taking them with a full glass of water and waiting an hour. I've been feeling abit sick with breakfast and been sick if I've drunk alcohol the night before so maybe not been waiting long enough.

Thank you!

BeaHupt profile image
BeaHupt

I have e performing the same symptons. I have had oily skin. I wake up very oily around my nose and in my hair. I have also had pimples around my mouth and on my breast. This is horrifying.

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