Flat lifeless hair!

[paulax]

Hi I am currently taking 200mcgs of levothyroxine does it cause my hair to go flat and lifeless? Even my hairdresser cannot do anything with it.

[shaws Administrator]

Hi paulax

Many people on levothyroxine have hair problems, mainly thinning or loss of hair. This is a link which might be helpful.

hypothyroidmom.com/10-thing...

[Hidden]

My hair is terrible. Good job it's hat weather.

I would be tempted to have a treatment or two and seek out another hairdresser - it may down to products as well as medication.

[paulax in reply to Hidden]

I'm blaming thyroxine but like you said about my products think I will be having a change of them.thank you x

[Karispitit]

I also notice the same with my hair. When I stop taking my t3 my hair is lovely so I know it's my t3 but I still have to take it obviously.

[paulax in reply to Karispitit]

It must have something to do with the thyroxine, mine is really fine I will be having a change of shampoo and see it that makes a difference. Thank you x

[sa1234 in reply to paulax]

Hi Paulax,I had the same problem when i was on throxine.I have very fine,silky and very long waist length hair.I noticed that they were getting very frizzy ,flat and dull when I was on throxine.Not only that but my skin and complexion got really dull and dead looking.Thyroxine was making me look like an old lady and it also made me really really sick.I believe it was robbing my body of nutrients and some tests that I had confirmed that.I read that when on any thyroid hormones our body's requirement for certain vitamins and minerals increases.So it is possible that you could be deficient in certain nutrient that is making your hair look lifeless and flat.You can try experimenting with different shampoos,hair masks or oils that are rich in hair vitamins and minerals and see if it helps you.

I am sorry I can't help any further.I am new to hypothyroidism and still struggling with my symptoms.

[paulax in reply to sa1234]

Hi isn't it awful what it does to you? I stopped taking my levothyroxine but when I had my bloods took my doctor went mad with me, I am going to our local hairdresser supply shop see if they can help me. Thanks for replying x

[humanbean in reply to sa1234]

"I read that when on any thyroid hormones our body's requirement for certain vitamins and minerals increases."

I would disagree with this. It isn't the treatment (levothyroxine) that increases our need for vitamins and minerals.

It is the disease (hypothyroidism) that increases our need for vitamins and minerals.

People who are hypothyroid often have low stomach acid. Low stomach acid gives people indigestion, heartburn, bloating, wind and other gut problems. Absorption of vitamins and minerals reduces with insufficient stomach acid, so we become deficient in more and more nutrients.

Another factor is that levothyroxine is a synthetic T4. A healthy thyroid gland produces T4, T3 (the active hormone), T2, T1, T0 and calcitonin. With just levo to repair the ravages of hypothyroidism people have to be able to convert the T4 into T3, T3 converts into T2, T2 converts into T1, and T1 converts into T0. The diminishing numbers indicate an iodine atom being shed in the conversion process. The body recycles the iodine to create more thyroid hormone. Calcitonin can't be created out of levo by any form of conversion that I know of.

The problem with relying on conversion is that some people don't convert very well. And being low or deficient in vitamins and minerals makes conversion harder for the body too. But modern doctors don't believe that poor conversion is real. They think that everyone can convert perfectly - but I think many patients would disagree.

[paulax in reply to humanbean]

Hi I also suffer from all the above that you mentioned but I never even thought it had anything to do with my dose thank you.

[sa1234 in reply to humanbean]

I agree with everything you said and I have also read about the conversion from T4 to T3 all the way to T0.I this it was somewhere on the same site that talked about thyroid hormones and supplement requirements.....

paulax and I were talking about feeling bad on thyroid hormones and better when not taking them.There were also some others members on this forum who got more sick when they started thyroid replacement therapy.Some didn't even do well even on NDT or T3 until they corrected their nutritional deficiencies.

My research tells me that addressing nutritional deficiencies is must whether on any type of hormone replacement.But unfortunately doctors don't bother to look deeper.Most doctors think that thyroid hormone is the only magic pill hypothyroid patients need and thats it!....lol

[paulax in reply to sa1234]

Thank you I am going to look into it i can't cope with the way my hair is x

[Karispitit]

I think it is. As you say try different ones. When I stop taking my t3 I love my hair but when I'm on t3 (I'm on it now) my hair is also lifeless and dull and gets greasy very quickly. I also have to put up with losing a lot of hair as well although I know there are various things you can take to try and stop it. I used to be on thyroxine but it made me very ill. Interesting how we are all very different. I'm pleased it is working for you. x

[sa1234 in reply to Karispitit]

Hi Karispitit,unfortunately I don't think we can take t3 or t4 or both and expect to feel all healthy and symptoms free.Optimal nutrition is still very important especially when we are taking thyroid hormones.According to Dr.Lowe "Taking thyroid hormone increases the amounts of some B vitamins that cells use.Everyone taking thyroid

hormone should take a B complex vitamin supplement"

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

So it might be possible that when you were on T4 you needed more nutrients than T3 and maybe that's why you were feeling sick on T4?

I am in the same boat and trying to get back my health... since doctors are not much help so I have to do my own research to find out why I am sick and what can help me.

[Karispitit in reply to sa1234]

T4 didn't work for me at all as I can't convert it properly. T3 however is a miracle drug for me and all my symptoms disappeared a long time ago. I self medicate. Just felt the need to post as my T3 causes me to have limp hair at times and sometimes falls out but it always stops after a while. Didn't think your hair was falling out paulax. Hope you both are sorted out soon. x

[paulax in reply to Karispitit]

What is these t3 & t4 I'm only on levothyroxine when I get my bloods took I'm going to ask our nurse for help, thank you again x

[paulax in reply to Karispitit]

Hi I'm not losing hair it's just limp even after I've straightened it i could do with a wig lol.thanks for replying x

[Padster7]

Hi paulax. Before I was diagnosed my hair was very dry and I was shedding a lot. Since starting on levo in August last year hairs started looking a lot better and looks quite nice sometimes although this took about 3 months. I take biotin, zinc, selenium and evening primrose oil (amongst others) and I think my hair has benefitted from these. Hpothyroid mom website has some great advice.

[paulax in reply to Padster7]

Thank you I'll lave a look now x