Hair loss and Thyroid

Hi there. I was diagnosed (hypo) last February and I'm still trying to find the right treatment. I'm on two grains NDT and my doc has been holding me here for a while. Tried Levo with T3 for a minute but the Levo was BAD for me so went back on the NDT.

I'm doing everything right. Taking supplements to support my health, taking my 2 grains NDT, sleeping, exercise, decreasing stress (as much as possible) yet my hair continues to recede and it's getting bad. The front hairline area of my head is broken off, thin, brittle. The hair on the front sides of my head are short. The back of my head is fine (for now). It's at the point that the hair is more devastating than my hypo diagnosis. I literally am going bald and feel helpless and it affects my mental and emotional health. Leaving the house is starting to create anxiety because of how I look.

Has this happened to anyone? Were you able to reverse or figure out the issue? I know it takes time for hair to grow back but almost a year later, my hair is losing more and getting worse.

I take a multi, B Complex, Adrenal Blend, Probiotic.

Thank you.

34 Replies

oldest • newest

shawsAdministrator

in reply to Mjames13

8 months ago

Don't worry too much about RT3 and you can read about

it and go to the date March 24, 1999 on the following link. This is an excerpt :

Another enzyme called 5-deiodinase continually converts some T4 to reverse-T3. Reverse-T3 does not stimulate metabolism. It is produced as a way to help clear some T4 from the body.

Under normal conditions, cells continually convert about 40% of T4 to T3. They convert about 60% of T4 to reverse-T3. Hour-by-hour, conversion of T4 continues with slight shifts in the percentage of T4 converted to T3 and reverse-T3. Under normal conditions, the body eliminates reverse-T3 rapidly. Other enzymes quickly convert reverse-T3 to T2 and T2 to T1, and the body eliminates these molecules within roughly 24-hours. (The process of deiodination in the body is a bit more complicated than I can explain in this short summary.) The point is that the process of deiodination is dynamic and constantly changing, depending on the body's needs.

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

Mjames13

in reply to shaws

Thank you for posting Shaws. That's interesting. I read through and did not see any suggestions on how to address. Even though my TSH (recent labs posted last night) is below 1 and I'm on 2 grains of NDT, I'm so hypo at the moment. I've gained a few pounds over the past month and I'm very sluggish/slow. I don't know what to do. I'm pretty frustrated. This is all so confusing and complex. I know my feelings are not unique although I'd love to figure something out because I *think* I'm doing all the right things (nutrition, treating, sups, exercise, rest). Gaining weight, losing hair, and and feeling exhausted...I'm at a loss. : ( Sorry, having a poor me moment.

I tried levo which was horrible for me. I'm on Nature-Throid now which at first was nice but now I'm back to feeling like I'm walking through quicksand.

When we take levo it is different to how we take NDT.

NDT we gradually work up to a dose which relieves clinical symptoms.Usually the starting dose is equal to what we took on levo and should take pulse/temp when beginning. If we've not take NDT previously we start on half grain and every two weeks thereafter increase by 1/4 grain until we feel well.

web.archive.org/web/2010112...

The above link is by a doctor who was also an Adviser to TUK. He would never prescribe levo but only NDT or T3 for thyroid hormone resistant patients.

Also, this is how he treated patients:-

Blood tests were introduced along with levo which is T4 only. Therefore on NDT, which is T4, T3, T2 and T1 and calcitonin a person cannot compare with T4 alone. That's why Dr L was most concerned about relieving clinical symptoms which was the priority. That's also how NDT was i(ntroduced from 1892) and prescribed up until levo and blood tests began.