Hair loss/growth and t3

[puncturedbicycle]

Posting this because I sometimes see questions here about hair loss. For me it has been a hypo symptom but it didn't go away even when on the 'right' dose of levo.

I still don't understand why when my bloods looked good on levo (tsh under 1, t4/t3 high in range) my hair continued to thin until t3 was added separately. (Other symptoms relieved by the addition of t3 are constipation and oedema, which did not respond to levo alone.)

I have never seen this discussed or explained until I saw this in the comments here: restartmed.com/reverse-t3/

I still seem to have a fair bit of hair fall, but it always seems to be growing well, which seems to reflect what Dr Childs is saying.

[Naomi8]

I was on T3-only for almost 2 years & my symptoms improved apart from a big increase in hairloss.My last blood test showed I was probably on slightly too high a dose,though I always kept it below a point where my pulse would go up.

I am now on a T4/T3 combo,hoping that my hair growth will improve.I didn't observe hair shedding on T3.This was noticeable on T4-only over the years(in hairbrush & plughole)I suspect my hair was not regrowing on T3,rather than falling out,hence not much hair in hairbrush or plughole.

I am hoping that T3-only for that length of time has resolved issues with reverse T3 & healed my adrenals.My FT3 wasn't on the floor before I started,but I have felt the difference T3 has made to my wellbeing.The endo who has refused to accept I need T3 & has cancelled my entitlement to it wanted me back on T4 only & has refused to monitor me on the combo,so I will continue to buy my own T3 & my GP has agreed to regular blood tests.

[muscatarosie in reply to Naomi8]

Similar to Naomi8, my hair started falling when I stopped taking Levothyroxine and was only taking T3 alone. On the other hand, I kept a diary of all my symptoms and all but the hair improved!, My hair was falling the worst it has ever been. Following 3 months and losing a lot of hair, I decided that I was too proud to lose all of my hair! Reintroduced Levothyroxine and the problem went away.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to muscatarosie]

I have never successfully managed to go on t3 alone. This is not an incentive I guess! Shame all but the hair improved on t3. I hope you haven't had to compromise too much on your other symptoms after reintroducing levo.

[muscatarosie in reply to puncturedbicycle]

I am not surprised that you have had a similar experience. I have now given up Levothyroxine entirely and have moved to dessicated thyroid plus T3. So far, it has been 3 weeks and now hair falling, fingers crossed. Other than that. I seem to be feeling better in some ways.

[Naomi8 in reply to muscatarosie]

My plan has been to reintroduce T4 back with thyroxine,then try NDT with T3.I am on 75mcgs thyroxine,30mcgs NHS weak T3.When I've used up my stock of NHS T3,I will be taking 25mcgs greek T3.

How much dessicated thyroid are you taking?Which brand are you using?How much T3 do you take alongside?

[muscatarosie in reply to Naomi8]

Hi,

Sorry for my late reply. I take12.5 mcg T3 plus 2 grains WP Thyroid. So far all ok. No hair falling. Temperature a bit on the low side but no different from before. Brain fog slowly lifting! ☺

[Naomi8 in reply to muscatarosie]

thanks muscatarosie

[Hillwoman]

Interesting. I've had hypo since infancy - later on, Hashi's and peripheral resistance as well - and I've always had the rapid hair growth cycle referred to.

That is, until 11 years ago, after 20-plus years on levo. At that point my scalp hair became so thin I contemplated buying a wig, and my eyebrows were almost non-existent. I started seeing Dr P, who concluded after several months that I could not tolerate T4 at all and started me on T3 monotherapy. Scalp hair and brows did recover quite well, but they've never grown back to their former glory. At one time, my hair was so thick I could keep my pencils in it!

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hillwoman]

It is odd how things can turn on a sixpence when you change your meds. The first time my hair regrew w the addition of t3 it was wonderful, it all came in at once so there was no wispiness.

I tried ndt and, w very little luck dosing by symptom (my symptoms are never straightforward) I managed to go very hypo and again had some hair loss. When I was back on a good dose of t3/t4 it came back but w that accelerated cycle mentioned above, so it's thick at the scalp and at the length but because of the millions of different lengths it's fluffy and flyaway everywhere. I will take it over thin hair any day, but it is deffo different to when it all grew in in one go when t3 was introduced.

[DoubleM]

I've been hyper with high T3 being the problem and suppressed TSH for nearly 9 years only episode of hair loss I had was last year and my levels were in range.

[hellybaybee]

Really? My eyebrows came back on T3

[puncturedbicycle in reply to hellybaybee]

Me too. I also used Latisse on and off and I think that helped, but I'm sure something about using t3 made it possible to hang onto my brows. I used to have just one eyebrow hair in a row on the outer third, now they look much more normal and I even occasionally have to pluck a stray.

As a teenager I had thick, manly brows! Those days are gone forever.

[Bobsy1]

Hey,

Anyone in this thread found that T4+T3 was making the hairloss worse. So, stopping the T3 might help?