Could this be the cause of my hair loss? Previous results from June when hair loss was also a problem show Free T4 lower at 13 (same range) and Free T3 lower at 5.1 (same range). I have lost around a stone in weight, could this account for the change in blood levels of T3 & T4? Any advice would be great - losing my mind with this hair loss!!
Please help!
Sarah x
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Sarahlouise1980
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Unfortunately some people do find they have hair loss. Myself, I developed Alopecia Areat ten years ago, hair comes back in winter only to drop out around spring. AA is another autoimmune disease and I've read if we have one we can develop other autoimmune disease. Why? I don't know.
Vitamin d was showing as insufficient at 34 - Now on loading doses of 25,000 units per week for 6 weeks. Followed by maintenance doses.
The NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary says to follow the loading doses with a maintenance dose of 800iu. If this is what your GP proposes then you need to take matters into your own hands because your change of dose depends on what your level is after the loading doses. You need your Vit D level retesting after your loading doses. If your GP wont do it then do a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:
Then post your new level on the forum and you can be directed to the Vit D Council's page where you can see what your new dose should be.
The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L. Your GP will only go by whether or not you are in the "Sufficient" category, they have no concept of "optimal" levels which is what we need.
Also, your GP won't know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council
D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.
D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray
Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.
Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.
OK thanks. So you don't have a false high with your FT4.
Your FT4 is very slightly over range and your FT3 is 91% through range. They're well balanced. Your TSH is suppressed because you're taking Levo at a dose that's giving you high hormone levels, therefore your pituitary is satisfied and doesn't need to send the signal to the thyroid to produce any - so TSH is low.
These levels may be where you need them to be, but you may be fine with them a bit lower so you could trial a slight reduction - say reduce by 12.5mcg - and see how you feel.
What brands of Levo do you take?
If you had a change of brand, did the hair loss coincide with this?
No change in brand. Since I was diagnosed over 20 years ago I’ve taken Almus 100mcgs and mercury pharma 25mcgs tablets. Could it be possible a filler in the tablets has changed and I’m reacting to that? So confusing. Hair was fine one day and started falling the next! could a filler cause hair loss?
I don't know of any change of fillers in the tablets, but that doesn't mean to say that there hasn't been any.
Almus is actually Actavis rebranded for Boots. One member has recently said that he thinks that his Actavis is causing him problems he hasn't had before and was asking if any other members had noticed anything. One of the things he mentioned is hair loss. Here is the thread if you want to read through it:
The only other one I was thinking of was Teva as their new formula contains Mannitol instead of lactose. In France one brand of Levo there was reformulated to include Mannitol and it caused many problems for patients and the French government ordered the company to go back to the old forumula. One of the problems reported was hair loss. But as you don't use that brand then of course it doesn't apply to you.
I’ve compared a new and an older box of the almus I have and the ingredients list is exactly the same. So does that mean nothing has changed? I’m just very confused.
One would presume so but there are those members in the thread I linked to about Actavis who have had new reactions they're putting down to the Actavis.
But your hairloss may not be down to Levo, as the article I linked to shows, there are vitamin deficiencies also possible causes for hair loss. Stress is another cause, my mother had hairloss after the death of her partner.
I wouldn't have thought so. The active ingredient - levothyroxine - will be at the stated dose, it's only the fillers that are different so unless the different brand doesn't agree with you then in theory you shouldn't notice any dramatic difference in levels.
B vitamins best taken in the morning after breakfast
I prefer Igennus Super B complex. Nice small tablets. Often only need one tablet per day, not two. Certainly only start with one tablet per day after breakfast. Retesting levels in 6-8 weeks
Or Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results
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Please advise re my latest Results
Please advise on my ratio
Advise on levels please
Please advise what these results mean.
