I am battling with a server case of chronic telogen effluvium which started when I had my first child. Over the last 12 years I’ve lost a significant amount of hair.
My mums hair went the same and she got diagnosed in her 50’s with hyperthyroidism and is now on thyroxin. So I believe it’s something thyroid related or hormone related.
I’ve had test after test and everything keeps coming back normal. Now I do suffer with low ferritin. But I recently read that I need to get a transferrin saturation test done to see if I am truly iron deficient. I’m booked in for this test tomorrow.
I’ve been requesting my full thyroid panel but they’ve only checked my TSH and FT4 and one type of antibodies. My GP then said I’m costing them too much money and they are now refusing to allow me anymore tests. They told me to draw a line under it. They have referred me to a dermatologist for my hair loss which I find bizzare! Surely an Endocrinologist would be where I need to be?
My TSH first test was 2.2, second was 1.9. My FT4 15.5 and my thyroid peroxidase antibodies 17. My ferritin is 59.
Written by
Ollie_R
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I understand completely how you feel. Unfortunatley doctors know little except to look at a TSH result and if it is under 10, wont diagnose. They've been directed to wait until the TSH is 10 (in UK) in other countries if it reached 3+ with symptoms they're diagnosed.
Did you have your blood test at the very earliest? Fasting? (you can drink water). This keeps the TSH at its highest.
Your TSH results don't indicate hypothyroidism but the clinical symptoms you have might do so, but they still wont prescribe. Before the introduction of blood tests and levothyroxine we were diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and given NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) on a trial basis.
When you post results you also have to put the ranges. Ranges are figures in brackets after the results, due to labs using different machines and have different ranges.
Your doctor has not tested your Free T3, and this is the most important - he has tested your FT4 but without the range I am assuming it could be a bit higher.
You need thyroid antibodies to be tested. If you do have antibodies they have to prescribe, despite your TSH. You may have to get a private test if your doctor wont do all of the following:-
TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.
If antibodies are present it would mean you have the commonest form of hypothyroidism and it is called Hashimoto's.
If you prefer, you can get the Full Thyroid Funtion Test by one of our recommended private labs. Ensure you are well hydrated a couple of days before blood draw and ensure blood draw is at the earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow a 24 hour gap between dose and test.
GP has to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as deficiencies also cause symptoms.
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testing/private_tests.html
p.s. NDT means natural dessicated thyroid hormones which were the very original replacement made from pigs' thyroid glands. It contains a number of thyroid hormones and levothyroxine (T4) which is prescribed in the UK has to convert to T3. T4 being inactive and T3 the active hormone which is needed in our millions of T3 receptor cells in order for our body to function properly.
If we take food before test, it reduces our TSH which may make the difference between getting an increase or not, so next time remembe to fast and it also drops throughout the day so an early a.m. blood draw would be different than a late afternoon one.
You will see on the following link how we 'really' have to know our results.
It would be miraculous these days if any doctor or endocrinologist took account of any clinical symptom as that skill has been lost as our older doctors have retired and it was they who seemed to have that skill.
Yes my mum was never diagnosed until her 50’s, I won’t have any hair left at this rate! She said her mum lost her hair also went thin. So it seems I’m following suit. All I know is my hair was fine before pregnancy and it has been on a slow decline ever since. I’m sick of the doctors not listening and taking it seriously. I know that something is wrong but I think they just see hair as cosmetic and brush it off, they don’t take female pattern hair loss seriously!
My ferritin is very low but I’ve read that hypothyroid causes low ferritin and that supplementing with T4 can increase ferritin by upto 200%. I’m going to have this transferrin test tomorrow to see what my iron saturation levels are first, I think I’ll fast for it as it’s an early appointment. I think I’ll also get the well woman test from medicheck, it covers all the hormones and most the thyroid apart from the reverse T3, or do you think I should pay extra for the reverse T3 to be done too??
After that I can’t think of anything else that could be causing it?
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