Hypothyroidism and Hairloss. Please Help! - Thyroid UK

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Hypothyroidism and Hairloss. Please Help!

cherylwadey profile image
10 Replies

Hi All, I have been taking Levothyroxine for 8 years and have had no improvement with my hairloss and weight gain. I don't sleep well and always feel really fatigued by 2pm each day. I keep fit and eat healthily but cannot lose weight however it is the hairloss that bothers me the most. I saw an endo through the NHS and after blood tests he increased my Levo to 75mg. He discharged me after one consultation and after 3 months of taking the higher dose nothing has changed at all. Should I go back and see him Privately or maybe see a different consultant (this option would be very costly)? or should I try Natural Dessicated Thyroid which I have read is extremely effective? Can this be taken whilst using HRT Estrogen patches?

My blood results were as follows:

TSH = 0.52 Free T4 = 15.1 Free T3 = 3.7 Cortisol = 186

HbAlc (DCCT aligned) = 5.0 HbAlc (IFCC aligned) = 31

Please could someone advise me of the best route to go down.

Many thanks

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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Can you add the ranges on these. Each lab is different

Both your FT4 and FT3 look on low side, but need range

Have you had Thyroid antibodies tested ever? If so were they high? If high this is Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease

Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's

Have you had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested? These are often too low and need to be optimal. Many need to supplement, but important to test FIRST.

Ask GP to test

cherylwadey profile image
cherylwadey in reply to SlowDragon

HbAlc (DCCT aligned) 5.0%

HbAlc (IFCC aligned) 31 mmol/mol

TSH 0.52 mIU/L ( 0.3 to 3.94 )

Free T4 15.1 pmol/L ( 12.3 to 20.2 )

Free T3 3.7 pmol/L ( 3.70 to 6.70 )

cortisol 186 nmol/L ( 133 to 537 )

It said adrenal insufficiency is unlikely.

Thyroid Peroxidase Abs 11.0 iu/ml ( 0.0 to 35.0 )

Tissue Transglutaminase IgA <1.9 U/ml

I believe I was tested for autoimmune disease and vitamin levels in the past but I did not see the results of these tests. I was told over the phone that everything was normal.

Thank you for your help with this. It is much appreciated.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to cherylwadey

You are undermedicated. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their respective reference ranges if that is where you feel well. You need an increase in dose of Levo. In support of requesting this, refer to thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the... > Treatment Options

"Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine, "The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

Dr Toft is past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist. You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at tukadmin@thyroiduk.org and highlight question 6 to show your GP.

Check this article about hairloss and vitamins healdove.com/disease-illnes...

cherylwadey profile image
cherylwadey in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you so much for your help and your knowledge, it is greatly appreciated.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to cherylwadey

You are likely under medicated and/or low vitamin levels

FT4 is too low - should be at least 18

FT3 at bottom of range - needs to be at least mid range

Ask for 25mcg dose increase and to test vitamins

Would also suggest trying gluten free

But only make one change at a time

Get dose increase first and vitamins tested

Look at Prof Toft advice - in lots of my replies

And above in SeasideSusie reply

cherylwadey profile image
cherylwadey in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your help.

cherylwadey profile image
cherylwadey

Good Morning

I picked up a copy of my blood results from 18/12/17. These tests were 6 weeks after my dose was increased to 75mg.

Serum Folate 6.9 ug/L

folate reference range : > 3.8 ug/L

N.B. New folate range from 03/12/16

Thyroid Function Test

Serum TSH level 0.53 mIU/L 0.30 - 3.94 mlU/L

Serum free T4 level 13.7 pmol/L 12.30 - 20.20 pmol/L

Serum free T3 level 4.4 pmol/L 3.70 - 6.70 pmol/L

Serum Iron Tests

As of 27/01/17. Please note new adult reference range for iron. The concentrationof iron in serum is dependen on ingeston of iron and is subject to circadian variations.

Serum iron level 29 umol/L 5.80 - 34.50 umol/L

Serum TIBC 57 umol/L 45.00 - 70.00 umol/L

Saturartion iron binding 51 % 14.00 - 51.00%

Serum ferritin (VR2686) Normal 47 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00 ug/L

As of 23/11/15, new reference range quoted for Vitamin B12 due to change in method. Interpretations of results at the lower refrence limit can be unclear. See Chemical pathology handbook for more information.

Then there is a whole load of results for the full blood count which overall was normal no action.

I can't see there is much change in the results really but then again I don't know what i'm looking at really.

I would value your thoughts on this.

Many thanks.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to cherylwadey

I can't see a B12 result here

Your ferritin is on low side, eating liver or liver pate once a week should help

Low Zinc is common with hypothyroidism and with hair loss. Suggest you try some vitamin C with zinc

cherylwadey profile image
cherylwadey in reply to SlowDragon

Hi Slow Dragon, I have started taking Ferrous Fumarate 120mg twice a day and have been advised by the lovely people on here to take Vit C with it because I suffer horrendously with constipation all day every day and the iron will make this worse. It seems I should be taking a lot of supplements such as the above plus magnesium, zinc, B12 and D3. I have just had bloods done yesterday and will get the results on Tuesday afternoon when I see my GP and this time I asked them to test my Vit D and B12 levels. I really appreciate your help with this matter.

Many thanks.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to cherylwadey

Calm vitality magnesium powder is great for constipation and helping improve magnesium levels too.

Best to start low and slow and increase slowly or you may have the opposite problem!

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