Hair Loss

[sunlx]

Does levothyroxine cause side effect of hair loss? GP says not but I am sceptical as have lost so much hair cannot bear to continue to take it.

[RedApple Administrator]

Welcome to the forum sunlx

Levothyroxine is a replacement for the hormone that your thyroid would normally produce and does not itself cause hair loss. Hair loss does frequently occur due to inappropriate levels of thyroid hormone though.

Let us know how much levothyroxine you are currently taking, how long since you were started on thyroid medication and what your most recent thyroid test results were. This will enable members to suggest what steps you might need to take to improve things.

[mischa]

Hi

I had massive hair loss when starting Levo. With each increase the hair loss also increased. Hair loss slowly, over time, subsided. However, any increase in Levo would result in hair loss. It does say on the leaflet that hair loss can occur in children but it also occurs in adults.

My sister, on the other hand, had no hair loss on Levo.

[Regenallotment]

after going up to 125 mcg Levo and more optimal vitamin D, Ferratin and folate also selenium supplements my hair is thicker than in years and zero in the plughole after showers. 12 months ago pre diagnosis and undermedicated I was losing a thick plughole shaped mat every day that was quite alarming.

What dose are you on?

What are your most recent blood test results?

Are your vitamins optimal?

[sunlx]

gosh, thank you so much for replying. I started on 50 but then when levels went hyper and am now on 25 which is low but effective, felt so much better but I have lost half my hair which has devastated me. blood test shows low iron but that is all. I wish I had never taken it but this time last year was so tired couldn't function.

[Regenallotment in reply to sunlx]

25 is a starter dose, my GP would have been happy to keep me on that and see me in 12 months. Thank goodness for this forum, I’d be stuck on the sofa and out of a job if it wasn’t for the advice here. What are your latest blood test results? Have you sent off your own? Highly recommend as you may find your levels show undermedication. Early dose increases need to be super slowly introduced. I felt worse on 50 than 25, 75 was an improvement, 100 slight, 125 only on week 3 but seems good so far. My hair all grew back, was super itchy for a couple of weeks and then I realised I had all this fluff 🤣. Thought I had nits 🤣 Get bloods tested if you can (Monitor my health Medichecks, thriva) get TSH, T4 and T3 and Vit B12 Vit D folate and ferritin post the results with the hair question and await analysis 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How old are you approx

Are you in the U.K.

Which brand of levothyroxine is 25mcg

Which brand of levothyroxine are 50mcg tablets

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose or brand change in levothyroxine

Are you taking levothyroxine on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Either waking, or at bedtime?

Day before test last dose levothyroxine should be 24 hours before test

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

 

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies 

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis. 

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis 

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65 

monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism 

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

[Litatamon]

Hair loss is listed right in the pamphlet for levothyroxine (Synthroid for me). They do list that it is temporary. It did not matter the level for me or my lab results, including good ones. From 112 mcg to 225 mcg & everything in between - tons of hair loss happened for me regardless of dose or labs.

It all slowed down to near a stop when I started NDT. And that is NDT with not great labs at that.

Everyone is different. It could be your low iron - just sharing how it affected me.

[W051101]

Good morning 🌞I think levothyroxine does cause hair loss. I started levothyroxine in 2017 . And I have alot of problems with my hair. I never had any problems before taking levothyroxine.

Thanks

[Maggie0652]

I always thought it was just the low (or high) thyroid hormones that caused hair loss, but after reading this article, I found out that the levothyroxine can contribute to it.

restartmed.com/levothyroxin...

It does give some possible solutions.

[sunlx]

thank you all so much. I feel as if I will never be the same again. will do the more detailed testing as suggested.....

[shaws Administrator]

I have lost all my hair and have been diagnosed with Alopecia Areata (I now have several autoimmune conditions).

Initially it did begin to regrow only to drop out again but it no longer does, so have bought a wig.

I doubt many women would like to be bald but at least I'm content not to have a more serious illness.

[TheFriendlyZombie]

Hello there,

- Yes levothyroxine can cause hairloss. You should read this, which covers this topic.

restartmed.com/levothyroxin...

My own experience:

I'm experiencing hair loss myself, and have done so for two years. I'm not sure if its hypothyroidism itself or the medication that causes it. Been on Eltroxine (T4/levo) for a year, and because I didn't feel any difference at all, I got switched to Tirosint (T4/levo), and have now been on that for a year too. I still got all symptoms, worst is being fatigue. I'm wondering if T3 medication would help me, but my doctors laugh a little when I bring that up.

But I have decided to attempt to work on myself. Whatever I can save of myself, SHOULD be saved. My hair is one of the things that I care - or at least used to care for.

So due to failed thyroid treatment, I am now using Minoxidil (Rogaine) to combat the hair loss, that also should provide me with extra growth. I am also using a shampoo with caffeine that is made for hair loss. But the Minoxidil (Rogaine) should be the shining star here, when it comes to hair regrowth. Originally meant for balding men / androgenic alopecia, but should work for everyone - young guys can even grow beards with it.

I went this route out of frustration. My doctor were cool about it. My plan is to use Minoxidil, untill the underlying thyroid-cause has been found and corrected. But once you stop the minoxidil treatment, the new grown hairs will eventually fall out again (maybe after a month), so it is a life long commitment.

But remember the thick soft hair, you once enjoyed to style? Now you are even afraid of touching it.

Therefor, I intend to use it until we have figured my thyroid condition properly out.

If this is a path you wanna go, given you've been under treatment for a long time, without promising results, then you could bring this up with your doctor for his opinion. This is just my way of dealing with it.

Hope you get better soon.

[Pandora70]

So hard for you and it seems to be a bit of a balancing act. I seem to be in a cycle of moulting after a month or so of each increased dose of Levo. When blood tests were every 3 months it would improve for the third month as if I had got used to the new level. But since I have been moved to 8 weekly tests in the interests of speeding up progress, I don’t get that respite. But because I am beginning to feel better at last, I am hoping that once the dose stabilises that my hair loss may too. I am currently on 125mcg having started on 50 11 months ago. Difficult to compare I know but just to give you an idea. Hope you can find a balance.

[Carole-J]

I have had quite a lot of hair loss over the years. My hair was not growing so the hair loss was very obvious. I am on vitamin D from my GP and a blood test showed that I needed Folic Acid as my levels were too low. What a big improvement when I started taking the Folic Acid my hair started to grow and thicken up plus my nails got stronger and grew as wellHope this can help you to go forward with your treatment.

[sunlx]

Thank you so much, will be following all suggestions.....and really hoping it will grow.

[Buzcat]

My hair and my daughters hair fell out after being changed from mercury pharma to Teva new formulation.

[shaws Administrator]

I take 20 mcgT3 (liothyronine) daily and lost my hair some weeks ago.

I have also lost my hair in the past and it took some time to regrow. I took levothyroxine previously.

[sunlx]

I'm so sorry, what a horrible endurance. sending support through the ether.

[brockenbury]

I lose hair if my iron is low. I am often anemic. My doctor suggests I keep my ferritin around 100. Nothing is more devastating than seeing hair the size of a mouse in the shower drain.

[sunlx]

yes, I have started taking iron supplements, hope they help. thank you

[Karen_lee]

I had lots of hair loss when I first had trouble with my thyroid, but now they have my levels right my hair has never been thicker and I am on Levothyroxine.

[sweepandollie]

I lost a lot of hair and also my eyebrows.

[shaws Administrator]

It could be another autoimmune disease, If we have one autoimmune disease we can develop others.