Hair loss

Hellooo... I was diagnosed hypo about 5/6 months ago. My last TSH was 3.71 and I've just gone up to 150 levo. And ready on iron. My hair used to be very thick but the last 3 months, it's been falling out on handfuls. I can now see my scalp very clearly through the hair. Doctor said there's nothing I can do. I won't be having any more blood tests until 8 weeks when they'll be repeating my iron, TSH and ft4... Can any one she'd any light on this?

[MacG]

Hi, I can't shed any light I'm afraid, just say that I too am on levo (100mcg) and suffering from similar hairloss. I started shedding hair a couple of years before diagnosis and to be honest it has just continued since diagnosis. As I have gradually increased my levo nothing has changed and I too can now see my scalp through my hair. I notice on the leaflet with the levo that hairloss is indicated as a possible side effect. My latest bloods showed that my TSH was good and low and that both T4 and T3 are now well in range. To be honest I still don't feel 100% - its the old conversion argument....

For me the hairloss is just one of the signs that although my blood tests are showing that all SHOULD BE OK, that is not in fact the case.

Have you read Mary Shomon on hairloss, Barbara Lougheed in a more recent book comments on how her hair fared as she experimented with different medications (T4/NDT/T3) /dosages. You might find it helpful to look those up.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[Hidden in reply to MacG]

I'll take a look at those names. We're they of any help to you? I find it very hard to concentrate when I'm reading, I can't take much in...

[MacG in reply to Hidden]

Know the feeling!

In "Living Well With Hypothyroidism" by Mary Shomon there is a whole section dedicated to hairloss - that's the easier read of the two. Mary Shomon seems to have regained hers so she must be doing something right. The Lougheed is harder work - there is not one particular dedicated section, but as she goes through her story she keeps refering to how her changes in medication affected her hair.

I have never really followed up on Mary Shomon's recommendations there are so many things going on with my health (all thyroid related!) that the stuff that makes me actually feel physically poorly is taking precedence.

Like you my GP keeps shutting down the T3 conversation. I would love to try a combination of T4 and T3. I'm working up to it and am just waiting for my results for the DIO2 gene test, which might shed some light on the situation.

[Hidden in reply to MacG]

From what I've read so far of Mary S, she's recommending Evening Primrose... She also says that starting medication can cause it but will get better as hormones balance. That makes me feel better at least...

[puncturedbicycle]

My hair continues to fall out but since I've been on t3 it seems to grow back a lot better, which means that it is all different lengths but at least it is thicker on the scalp than it was (and my eyebrows are finally back too). Any chance you could try adding in a little t3? It also helped my oedema.

[Hidden in reply to puncturedbicycle]

My doctor won't entertain t3. After asking her to consider it, she said she contacted a specialist who advised her against it.