Hi...this is my first time on a blog. Have gotten much help from the stopthethyroidmadness book and website. I have some questions and wondering if I am on the right track and how to proceed.
I was diagnosed with Hashimotos about 2 1/2 years ago, probably had it before that. I have been on Naturethroid since that time...only 1/2 - 1 grain for a long time, until about 6 months ago when I heard about the importance of raising it and dosing by symptoms.
I have worked up to 3 1/2 grains (65mg per grain) and have been on that for 6 weeks. My last labs at 2 1/2 grains showed much improvement. TSH at .08 T4 mid range and T 3 upper quarter. My temp has been better too. around 97 on digital thermometer in am & usu. around 98 about 3pm. Fatigue improving. However my hairloss is the biggest symptom that is not improving at all. In fact, it seems like it is getting worse as I raise.
I am a bit confused...do I dose to symptoms therefore continuing raises until hairloss stops...or will my hairloss continue to get worse as I raise. Although blood pressure is good at around 123/83 or 120/76 sometimes and pulse not higher than 80...usu. 65-75, I am afraid to continue raising for fear of more hairloss. I had very thick hair, and now....scalp showing, tiny ponytail, ugh!
I had my iron done about 3 months ago.... saturation low at about 11% ferritin 10 total iron 42
after supplementing...just had them redone ...saturation about 31% ferritin 42 and total iron 108. Even with these numbers climbing, hairloss has showed no sign of slowing...even seems to be increasing.
Working on Vit. D as well. up to 53 on last labs, but that was about 4 months ago, thinking it should be higher now.
B12 not low....actually over the top of range high.
My TPO and other thyroidglobulin or whatever numbers high....900 and 425. Saw a drop at first starting selenium down to 625 on TPO. But then began raising iodine supplementation and next labs showed TPO back over 900. Uggh! So, I stopped iodine until I can get the numbers down.
Taking the Naturethroid, triple action thyroid, selenium, Vitd3, B12, Iodine Cofactors, and Easy Iron or Floradix, and until just recently protandim. I don't swallow pills, so, this in and of itself gets tricky. I open them and put in maple syrup, or do sublingual and chewable when I can.
Working on very low progesterone as well, which I know is part of problem. But on 50mg on days 10-20 of cycle and still last labs showed very low progesterone. So, assuming I need to increase dosage.
But pretty frustrated to be doing so many things that are supposed to help and still Hashi numbers so high, progesterone so low, & losing hair!!
Sooooo...plz any suggestions?
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gophers
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If I were you, I would stop the iodine forever! Iodine will only help if the cause for you hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency. The cause of your hypothyroidism is, apparently, Hashi's. Iodine will make Hashi's symptoms worse. More is not better, and excess iodine is not a good thing. Remember, you are getting a huge amount of iodine already, if you are on 3 1/2 grains of NDT!
Have you not considered that you might be over-medicated? If your FT3 was up in the to 1/4 of the range on 2 1/2 grains, it is probably well over on 3 1/2. And over-medication can cause hair-loss, too. If I were you, I would get tested very soon.
Do you take vit c with your iron? That helps absorption - and protects your tummy. You can take about 1000 mcg with iron.
I am beginning to wonder if you don't just have something there. I guess I just keep raising because I was looking for the elimination of symptoms. but maybe I should lower some and stay longer to see if the hairloss subsides. I will get my labs done soon. thanks and yes I took vit c with iron.
Well, it's a common mistake. You don't always get hyper symptoms as such. So many symptoms can be hypo or hyper, so you just go from one to the other without noticing, if you increase too fast.
If I were you, I would reduce by half a grain, and stick at that for six weeks, see how it goes. If there's no change, try reducing by a quarter grain and stick at that for six weeks. And, so on and so forth.
Hi! I know it has been a few months, but wanted to thank you for your earlier input! I backed off on my NDT and am now at 2 grains per day. The hairloss has greatly improved...just appears to be normal loss at this time. So evidently you were right about taking too much. However, although hairloss has greatly improved, I haven't seen any real regrowth. Still extremely thin on top. Do you think this is just a matter of time, or is there something more I should be looking at?
Have you had your nutrients tested? Vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. If you're deficient in any of these, it will have an effect on your hair.
Do you take good care of your scalp? Do you give your hair a good brush every day, till the scalp tingles, brushing the hair over your head, getting oxygen and blood to the roots of the hair? And, when you wash your hair, do you give your scalp a good massage, to keep it supple? If the scalp becomes hard and ridged, the new hair will not be able to grow.
b12 and folate good. working on ferritin and Vit D....better but not optimal yet. Am rechecking soon. will make extra effort on the brushing daily. Any recommendations on a specific brush, or does it matter?
your story is so similar to mine although Im on levothyroxine now up to 125. Saw an Endo in guildford yesterday who was so flippant I left terribly upset. Losing hair is not life threatening but after 15 months of dreading showers, crying and feeling depressed and generally this whole experience of hashimtotos its sooo hard and there is so much conflicting info and it seems like no one really knows. I wish you luck and glad things have got slightly better xx i had beautiful hair but its now like a young childs wispy and still falling
if it were me, i would continue to raise, not looking at labs, but until symptoms improve. You would know it if you were hyper..i have been there many times. If you get hyper symptoms, cut back by 1/4, every 3 days, until they stop. T3 only may be what you need. ndt is still mostly inactive t4. With hashimoto, many feel ill no matter what type of thyroid med is used. You must tackle your autoimmune disease, not only focus on dosing. Hashi's can be put into remission
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