Has anyone got Hashimotos and tried Armour or been on the progesterone only pill?
As about three months ago I went from NP to Armour NDT as my TSH was nearly 4.5 taking 1.5 grains of NP (I have always taken 1.5 of WP and done ok on this)
But then at the same time I also changed from the depo injection to the progesterone only pill as my legs where swollen and in a lot of pain like edema for years and thought it was the depo triggering it now my hair has been shedding uncontrollable it's so thin now I need to find out what's triggered it asap as it's not stopped shedding and it's 4 months now. I always tried a biotin supplement that had a small dose of iodine 40pg around I think and I am sensitive to idoine but I didn't think that would of triggered this much hair shedding any on any experience with any of these supplements/ NDT / pill etc and hair shedding?
Also I had my bloods done and levels are: (ps I don't eat red meat or dairy often) only fish and veg mainly
April 2022
Tsh: 2.06 (0.35-5)
T4 10 (11-23) abnormal not sure why any ideas ??
See ferritin 25 (12-300)
Serum iron level 20 (10-30)
Transferrin level 3.46 sat iron binding capacity 79 (37-77)
% iron saturation 25 (25-50%)
Serum amylase level (HMS) 86 (28-100)
Vitman D 25-oh level 79 (50-150) - I was supplementing Jan-march but I have stopped in March so wondering if that could be a trigger too? Blood where April so I expect them to be lower now
Looking forward to any insight on Armour NDT or any experience with the progesterone pill as I have been on that pill before but I can't remember my hair shedding anything like this so that's what's making me think it might be the Armour and be not beable to tolerate it and has anyone any suggestions to alternative brands or thyroid Glandulars they have done well on and stabilised?
Thanks
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Merlio18
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In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
Thanks for the info I am not sure what do ask for from GP as I asked for my iron levels to be checked to rule out anaemia and so I can start supplementing but not sure with what type of iron is best to get my levels up quick? what test is missing ?
I think my low ferritin is all likely assisting with the hair loss but this shedding has been triggered by some thing as I have had it before so that's why I am wondering if it's connected to the change in NDT or Pill? Have you heard of any hair loss as a side affect to Armour?
Can you advise what a full panel is as I am sure I have had them all done so I am abit confused when you say this;
You need full iron panel test for anaemia via GP/endo
What test am I missing ? The GP just said everything is normal.
What are the best supplements to increase ferritin levels as I don't eat liver and I have had a severe h pylori infection that's been hard to get rid off in past two years and had many antibiotics so messed my gut up even more so I am not absorbing things well so I don't want to just rely on eating iron rich food as it wont be enough
Yes I only take 1.5 grain in the morning so it was 24 hrs after when I had the blood test I have had my t3 tested before a while ago and always between 4.5-6 in range
I am more concerned why my t4 is only 10 any ideas ?
I am not getting any more thyroid tests at present
the last bloods were when I was on 1.5 grains of Armour in April 22 and my T3 when it has been checked in the past has always been between 4.5-6 so top third and never changed on 1.5 grains I have always only taken this dose on any of the brand's of NDT but my levels have always fluctuated for some reason and it is a similar dose to when I was on t4 and T3 combination I likely need 2 grains maximum but I have tried before 2 grains and felt hyper I also get arrhythmias if I have to high a dose so need to be careful and I am ruling out Lyme's which hopefully will shed some light
I can't go back to levo because I started having Anaphylaxis type reactions and the only thing suppressed them where the depo/ pill thats why I am on them as there is connections to histamine/ mast cell and estrogen issues as triggers
These are my results on 1.5 grin Armour
TSH 2.06
T4 10
T3 4.5-6 approx
(Also I paid private and had the genetic test ages ago and I don't have low t3 gene)
This hair shedding has been triggered so it's likely Armour or the pill as it happen at the same time I switched both so I was interested to know if anyone else had experienced similar with the hair shedding with Armour or when switching from the depo to the pill, I have read not everyone gets on with Armour and it is not checked to be gluten free so it's probably that I just need an alternative to try but I have tried every other NDT so not sure whether to try something different I have tried products Metavive and nutri thyroid in past and nothing works
As well as improving my ferritin and other vitman levels
Hi thanks for the reply I will check out human bean posts
Can you explain why I need to split my pills up before a blood test like that what's the reason for it ?
So your saying If I am taking 1.5 grains I should take 1 pill in morning when I wake and then half a pill before bed instead of my usual 1.5 grain in the morning ?
I know you say I might be under medicated but I feel hyper on 2 grains as I have tried to increase before but I do have high adrenal issues so I think maybe that is causing issues I haven't been able to stabilise on a right supplement which the naturopath has suggested I can't seem to tolerate any
My bloods are
TSH 2.04
T4 10
T3 between 4.5-6 it never changes throughout the years it's always top end
What is the reason why I need another blood test when I have been taking 1.5 grains of Armour consistently it should be an accurate result in April of my current levels surely ?
The main change i have made is the depo to the pill and the NP to the Armour which reduced my TSH so I regardless of whether I am under medicated my hair shedding that has just started has likely been triggered by one of these two things so only way to tell I suppose is switch NDT brands again or try a Glandular but not sure which is best to try
What is the reason why I need another blood test when I have been taking 1.5 grains of Armour consistently it should be an accurate result in April of my current levels surely ?
You need to know what your Ft3 result is
Testing TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together
Your results strongly suggest you are not on high enough dose, and is reason why vitamin levels are so low
Many, many people on NDT always split their dose into two or three smaller doses across the day
Day before all thyroid tests, even if you don’t normally split dose, you should split NDT into two or three smaller doses spread through the day.
Taking last 1/2 or 1/3rd of daily dose of NDT 8-12 hours before test
This is because Ft3 doesn’t last long in blood. So taking any thyroid hormones that contains T3 is tested like this
Most important result is ALWAYS FT3……but if taking NDT or T3 it’s absolutely essential to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3
Just testing TSH and Ft4 is worthless
Your TSH is much higher than you would expect for someone on NDT…..suggests under medicated
Ft4 always low on NDT, but usually within range. Again suggests under medicated
Test early morning, ideally before 9am. Last 1/3 or 1/2 of daily dose of NDT in evening before test ……
Meanwhile working on improving low vitamin levels is essential
Levothyroxine, T3 or NDT can’t work when vitamin levels are low
Ok but if I am taking NDT in the morning instead of 0.5 a grain in the evening 12 hours before a test it will show your levels are slightly lower
So if mine have always been between 4.5-6 which is top end then it won't show any less results ? As it has been out the system 24 hours surely so my t3 is top end of range regardless of that method
And I always have in the past felt more hyper on 2 grains so I can't really increase my NDT to suppress my TSH the only thing I can do is increase vitamin levels and take an iron supplement to see if that helps or take 2 grains alternative days and take 0.5 grains in the evening and see how I feel
My hair loss which was the main reason of the post I wanted to know if anyone else had had side affects from either the progesterone pill or taking Armour to see if that could of been the trigger to my abrupt hair shedding a few months ago as it's only just started I wasn't shedding on NP thyroid or on the depo injection even tho my hair wasnt super thick and I still had symptoms it has only just started shedding out of control when I swapped to Armour and the pill
Hello Merlio 18,I hope you find some good help with your hair loss .
I'm responding to your asking about the possible side effects of the "progesterone only pill ". I just want to point out that there is no such thing. It is a PROGESTIN only pill. This is a synthetic version of the female hormone, progesterone, devised fo the purpose of birth control to bring about a withdrawalI bleed after the oestrogen in the pill has prevented ovulation. It suits some women and can be very disruptive to others as it differs in many important respects.It cannot perform the functions of natural PROGESTERONE, and can make Premenstrual Syndrome worse. Whoever decided to call this man-made compound by such a similar name to the natural hormone has created a muddle which means many doctors have no idea there is a huge difference.
So, if you have any tendency to have symptoms worsening leading up to your period, and being relieved when it comes on, it might be better to think twice about taking PROGESTOGINS. ( originally, just to confuse things, they were called progestogens).
I have back to backed it so not had a period for years as was previously on the depo injection I have Pcos syndrome too and use to have really bad PMS symptoms and pain during periods so always been on the pill or depo but when I came off it for a brief period and was on nothing I had severe PMS and hormonal systems and allergic type reactions as liellt imbalance in estrogen it's all connected to autoimmune diseases when I researched and the specialist at at Thomas's mast cell department agreed so that's why I am using it as management for now but in the long term I am hoping to work with the naturopath to balance my hormones
Would it likely have triggered the hair shedding do you think going from depo to the progesterone only pill as there both the same hormone ?
That's why I am wondering if it's the hair biotin supplement with iodine in or the Armour as it started then?
Hi Merlio, it sounds like you are taking care of yourself and gradually working out what you need. I don't know enough to reply to your question. I just searched 'side effects of Depo-Provera' and one of the listed ones is hair loss.
Thanks for your reply that's interesting but my hair shedding has only started severely after coming off the Depo and going bk on the pill but I also changed the brand of NDT at the same time from NP to Armour as my TSH was over 4 on NP now it's bk to around 2 I thought it might of settled but it hasn't so not sure what is triggering it
I have Hashi's and I took Armour in 2008, gradually working up to 3 grains.I felt brilliant. Like I had got my life back, but I did notice that my already thinning hair, got worse.
After a year I couldn't afford to continue self funding NDT and went back onto NHS levo.
Unfortunately, the hair loss has continued. (All my vits and minerals (ferritin, iron etc etc are fine.)
I'm sorry, I realise this is probably not what you want to hear.
I have no experience of the progesterone only pill.
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