Hairloss after being ovemedicated??: Hi, I was... - Thyroid UK

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Hairloss after being ovemedicated??

Sarahlouise1980 profile image
7 Replies

Hi,

I was over medicated on Levothyroxine from around the end of November until the end of January this year. My Levothyroxine was reduced down to 125mcg and I’m now back in range. My question is, I’ve just started to have hairloss and I’m wondering if it could be from when I was over medicated and had been delayed for some reason? Help! Hairloss always really worries me!

Thank you!

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Sarahlouise1980
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7 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Unfortunately Sarahlouise1980 hair loss can be due to being hypothyroid.

It is a common complaint.

btf-thyroid.org/information...

NWA6 profile image
NWA6

How do you know you were over medicated? Did you have Hyper type symptoms? You could very well have been on the right dose but your Dr only looked at your TSH? Have you got results from before/during and after changing your medication?

Sarahlouise1980 profile image
Sarahlouise1980 in reply toNWA6

Hi Paula,

After reducing from 150mcg to 125mcg my results are:

TSH 0.005 (0.38-5.33)

Free T4 16.3 (7.0-16.0)

Free T3 5.1 (3.8-6.0)

I was obviously over medicated on 150mcg as my results on 125mcg are still top of range.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply toSarahlouise1980

So in your reply to Maisegray you said that you had daily headaches, that’s the sort of thing I was asking about. Just checking that you’re making decisions based on Symptoms and bloods combined. As long as you feel happier with the lower dose and your bloods do look good 😀

I haven’t heard of hairloss from over medication but 🤷‍♀️ maybe look at your diet and supplements? I think it can be quite stressful trying to balance everything. How bad do you think it is?

Sarahlouise1980 profile image
Sarahlouise1980 in reply toNWA6

The only symptoms I had when I was over medicated was headaches every day until I lowered my dose. A quick google has informed me that you can lose hair when hyper/over medicated so hopefully that’s what it is!

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray

Hair loss can arise due to a number of causes including hypothyroidism, low zinc, etc etc. Poor nutritional levels can often be associated with hypothyroidism in any case, due to issues such as low stomach acid and poor absorption, and that then has a knock on effect on thyroid functioning and of course, health in general - change in hair and nails can be good indicators of this. So if you are experiencing hair loss it would be particularly useful to have vitamin and mineral levels tested (many of us here test privately). But you say you were over-medicated - what were your FT4 and FT3 levels that indicated that you were, and what are they since your dose reduction?

Sarahlouise1980 profile image
Sarahlouise1980 in reply toMaisieGray

Hi MaisieGray,

My results eight weeks after reducing from 150mcg to 125mcg were:

TSH 0.005 (0.38-5.33)

Free T4 16.3 (7.0-16.0)

Free T3 5.1 (3.8-6.0)

I feel a lot better and the daily headaches have subsided, I’m just wondering if this hairloss is from when I was obviously over medicated. I’m guessing I must have been over medicated at 150mcg as at 125mcg my results are just over.

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