Nails

[LMor]

My nails have been bad for a while with deep horizontal (beau lines) mainly on the thumbs. I’ve noticed over the last few months the pink lines half way across and some nearer the tips. Is this an indication of anything?

I’m on 75mcg of Levothyroxine

I’m totally gluten free

My last bloods done 2 months ago were very good with tsh being below 1 and t4 at the top of range (can’t remember exact readings) and I’m not feeling to bad at present.

Thank you in advance if anyone has an idea why my nails are like this

[Singoutloud]

Can't answer as to the why but my nails have just the same lines. Nails don't really grow properly as they start to peel off over the top of the lines. They've been like this since childhood. I was diagnosed hypo late 40s but every possibility I've been hypo majority of my life so could be linked I suppose. I'm well managed on t3 only and nails haven't improved at all.

[LMor in reply to Singoutloud]

Thank you so much for your reply....I used to have such lovely nails, now they just break, are like paper and full of horizontal and vertical lines and now these lovely pink lines. To be fair, though, it’s nothing compared to the debilitating symptoms Hashimoto’s brings. I hope you are keeping well and thank you again for taking the time to respond x

[kiphlthy]

Hello, does it crack or break?

[LMor in reply to kiphlthy]

At the moment they are like paper and just peel off.

[kiphlthy in reply to LMor]

just as I suspected. In my opinion you are having a biotin deficiency.

[LMor in reply to kiphlthy]

I do take a multivitamin that contains biotin. Are there other symptoms of a deficiency?

[kiphlthy in reply to LMor]

how is the condition of your hair and skin in general?

[LMor in reply to kiphlthy]

Hair is very dry, but my skin is really good

[kiphlthy in reply to LMor]

To be honest, I would really suggest you take some biotin. I have used some before and there is really no harm or side effects. I used a natural herbal extract that helped me personally. Plus it will help your nails and also hair. Maybe you can give it a try

[DippyDame]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ah! Someone else with nail problems! I posted recently the above which may be of interest.

My nails started to deteriorate over 10 years ago, GP always convinced it was a fungal problem despite scraping tests returning negative.

In the pic my nails have started to improve, at worst they had all separated from the nail bed.

Suggest you need to have FT3 test included in another blood test. If the FT3 result is low and, as you say, your FT4 is top of range then it may be that your T4 to T3 conversation is poor for whatever reason (in my case a genetic polymorphism) and the addition of T3 may be what would help.

You may need to have the test done privately as many GPs no longer test for T3

My nails are VERY slowly improving now that I take T3-only .

Hope this throws some possible light on the problem

Best...

DD

[LMor in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you so much. I can request a t3 test but I doubt my Gp will do it. I have a pre-op appointment the end of the month for an ablation so I might ask them to check my t3 levels and in fact my tsh and t4 again. If not than private it is. Thank you for your help.

[Wonderingstar]

I have nail issues. Mine are ridged and get in a bad way. I’m on levothyroxyn however have been advised it is a psoriasis problem.

[Timmy9999]

Did you ever get a diagnosis for your nails? Are they half-half nails? Or Terry's nails?

[LMor in reply to Timmy9999]

Hi. No....I haven’t asked the doctors again...they just look at you as if you’re speaking in a different language lol. If I do ask again I will post and let you know

[Timmy9999 in reply to LMor]

Thanks. My nails look like yours. I went to a dermatologist who said my nails were separating from the bed. Apparently a lot of wetting and drying of nails (i.e dishwashing, gardening) can cause this. He looked at my blood test and all is normal. He prescribed biotin and another ointment. I'll post the name of the ointment later.

[Timmy9999]

My dermatologist prescribed Tacrolimus ointment. Apparently it can help with the ridging. See: medicaljournals.se/acta/con...

[vocalEK in reply to Timmy9999]

Here's a report on some research on the drug being used to treat nails: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/227...

[Timmy9999]

FWIW Terry Nails can be associated with liver cirrhosis. Half half nails can occur with Chronic Kidney disease. These conditions can also occur in healthy persons for no apparent cause.

[LMor in reply to Timmy9999]

Thank you for your advice

[purple64]

Although my nails grow long they are ridged like that. I have graves 🤔

[Hidden]

My nails get vertical lines, are dry , like paper, and have these pink horizontal lines behind the nails too when quite hypothyroid