Definite hair loss improvement: So about 4 months... - Thyroid UK

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Definite hair loss improvement

Jump1 profile image
30 Replies

So about 4 months or over since I had the meds increased to 75 by GP. The masses of hair loss I was experiencing for about 3 or 4 months has definitely slowed down. Hair isn't a tangled mess like it has been.

But as per the usual with this I'm not seeing the regrowth for what has shed.

I'm loosing about over 100 hairs a wash for past few months I could be loosing 500 or ,600 a loss.

The strands are all so fine.

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Jump1 profile image
Jump1
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30 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Jump1

Is your ferritin level at least 70, apparently that is the level needed for regrowth .

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toSeasideSusie

Not tested in a while but it has to be at least 70 likely more as take iron tablets.

Sweeneythyca profile image
Sweeneythyca in reply toJump1

I've been on iron tablets for 2.5years and still can't get ferritin up to 70.... highest it's ever been is 56 which had me celebrating lol.

Judithdalston profile image
Judithdalston in reply toSweeneythyca

I like you was stuck in 40s/50s range and on iron, ferrous fumarate, tablets for years with no improvement whether I took high, low or alternating day doses, but having two slices of black pudding 2-3 times a week shifted it to 77 after about 3 months. I can’t stand liver!

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toSweeneythyca

Oh mine definitely increases with the iron tablets. Before thyroid was identified as the problem my ferritin I think was 16 I've been on iron since then it definitely has increased with supplementation and above 70

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

thyroid levels should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change

You may be ready for next increase by now

Have you had thyroid and vitamins retested since increasing to 75mcg

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toSlowDragon

Yes, he said to continue with the dosage at 75. Don't think they intend to test again until 12 months. I am having to test myself. Hopefully next pay day.

But the massive loss that I was experiencing is gone again. Hair alot and I mean alot less tangly. But no growth coming back at the rate it was being lost.

Which I don't understand. I believe now the thyroid changes the thickness of the strands. I don't know if that will ever improve now it's been that long worsening the thyroid. But the hairs when they shed shed at a shocking rate. The growth isn't coming back the same way it's loosing.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toJump1

Don't think they intend to test again until 12 months

If GP increased the dose levothyroxine they MUST retest the levels again after 2 months

Contact GP surgery and book an early morning test

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toSlowDragon

They did test it again. Sorry wasn't clear above. He said to continue on the 75 dose tested tsh and ft4 I meant they don't I don't think, intend to test again now for a year

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator in reply toJump1

what were the actual results of your latest thyroid blood tests?

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toBuddy195

Tsh 0.62 ft4 15.5

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator in reply toBuddy195

please provide ranges (in brackets after results) as laboratories vary.

As Slow Dragon has suggested, I would look to get a complete picture of your thyroid health by getting FT3 levels checked.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toJump1

so what were results

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toSlowDragon

Tsh 0.62 ft4 15.5

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toJump1

No range on Ft4

Assuming range 12-22

Free T4 (fT4) 15.5 pmol/L (12 - 22) 

only 35.0% through range

Obviously just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

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/

When were vitamin levels last tested

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

(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies) 

monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...

humanbean profile image
humanbean

You might find these links of interest in connection with hair loss.

discover.hubpages.com/healt...

hairscientists.org/hair-and...

donovanmedical.com/hair-blo...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

CaroMarylion profile image
CaroMarylion

Assume your ferritin is above 100? And vit d level is optimal too?

CaroMarylion profile image
CaroMarylion in reply toCaroMarylion

FYI also, you will find a lot of invaluable info on iron AND MORE in the guides on this page (every women should read!) facebook.com/groups/theiron... and I highly recommend this one also facebook.com/groups/4374059... to ensure your d is optimal and is being taken with necessary co-factors.

- Ferritin & iron panel (125 for 6 months)

- Active B12 (needs to be over 175), serum B12 needs to be over 600, but can be falsely elevated for several reason, hence why Active B12 is a better marker than serum

- Folate (usually needs to be higher at least around 20-50)

- Vit D (optimal is argued to be 80-100ng/ml or 200-250nmol/L)

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toCaroMarylion

I inject b12 and take high strength folate. Before Dr acknowledged my thyroid I was left with the vitamins and spend years fixing these and medicating them as I could purchase the stuff myself

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toCaroMarylion

Yip they are bound to be optimal. I take the better you spray of vitamin d along with k and mag. Discovered on my journey through this that d was low and have been supplementing with spray since

CaroMarylion profile image
CaroMarylion

Sounds like you know what you are doing with regards to supplementation...still recommend the links I mention to cross check as I learnt so much. I don't have too much knowledge on thyroid meds as don't currently take any as my Dr won't acknowledge my Hashimoto's as my TSH is within acceptable range! I am working on my D and iron first now to see if this solves my Hashimoto's and if not I shall be pushing for thyroid meds, hard to know what came first...the deficiencies or the thyroid out of whack! Other thoughts are gut microbiome analysis tests? h-pylori? thyroid med change or adjustment in amount? mold test? Hope you can find the root cause of your hair loss, I know how it feels!

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toCaroMarylion

Lol I had hpylori at the very start. Again I self diagnosed and tested and got that had pain in side Dr wasn't interested. That's all resolved.

U sound like me. Dr wasnt interested. I was in range they wudnt give me meds. They waited for it to get worse while my symptoms and the depression the hair loss causes got worse. They should have supplemented me 5 6 years ago my quality of life I can only imagine mood wise and how I feel in myself and my hair would have been better.

I reckon the only thing going to help you is the thyroid medication. Same as me. The only symptom I'm concerned with is the hairloss. Though with thyroid medication alot of tiher symptoms I didnt even realise I had improved. No amount of fixing my vitamins fixed or improved any of them

CaroMarylion profile image
CaroMarylion in reply toJump1

Yes Drs are useless, with a ferritin of 17 too my Dr was not interested as his recommeded range is 15-100. He only thought I might be depressed or over-thinking things and reading too much stuff! I worry about taking thyroid meds too re hair loss and other side effects!! Ironic eh and the ingredients in them seem worrying, I think one actually has gluten in it and I am GF because of my IBS and Hashimoto's I would love to try Armour or NP thyroid is it but I am in UK so that's hopeless too. I did the h-pylori test and it came back negative. Would love to do a gut one but finances don't allow currently.

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toCaroMarylion

I don't think I've had any side affects from taking the thyroid medication haven't noticed anything. Yes I asked about armour the other day. Seems so that UK health care is against it completely.

I gave up talking to the Dr about my hair they didn't care. Once they thought they couldn't spot the reason for it.

I don't know if I'm hoping for a miracle that's never going to happen.

Dottie19 profile image
Dottie19

even though we all want to lose weight it is necessary to eat healthy .

For hair loss this includes avocado, steak , fish , b vitamins especially b12 . Etc Avoid stress and check hormones .

I tried juicing to lose weight and it made me severely weak and hair loss !

Kevin Murphy ( pink bottle ) shampoo and conditioner is very good but pricey. 🌸

anniec11 profile image
anniec11

Hi, I have the same problem with hair loss. Quite dreadful. Gp not interested..'Nothing you can do'!.. end of. Only tests TSH and FT4. Again... end of. Very frustrating and depressing.

Am about to get a test done again(medichecks) and am pretty dure I will need to increase my levo again

.. GP's reduced it to much. May I ask which Brand of levo you take?

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toanniec11

It is extremely depressing. When the say thyroid issues cause depression. For me it's not the thyroid it's the symptom it caused the hair loss that has caused a depression and sadness.

I've pretty much been on mercury pharma this past 6 months or so. I have had Teva and I know people don't react well to it. But I haven't noticed anything. What level of levo are you on?

Have your hair strands become ultra fine? Mine used to be the individual strands as thick as a horse hair. Also has the rest of your body hair reacted the same way. Slowed down become really fine and shedding easily.

anniec11 profile image
anniec11

Hi, I am on 100 levo at the moment, but would really like to go back up to 125. Several GPs insisted I change down to a lower level because it would be better for my heart at my age! I am not aware if any hear issues. I am and have been on Accord fir some time.The hair loss us really quite distressing this has been going on for over a year and is not improving. Quite the opposite. It is getting thinner and finer and and has no body left in it at all. If I lie on it it just does frizzy and it's scary to comb it to lie down in case even more comes out.

I accept that it can be due to stress... but then again... the coincidence of reducing the levo and losing hair us odd. I list a lot if my eye brows many moons ago before my Hypothyroidism was detected about 40 years ago.

I am about to order anither blood test kit and will ask this godsend of a group for their views and go from there. Such a dreadful shame we gave to fight our way through this without medical help.

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply toanniec11

Yeah I feel your pain. I've had a number of years of the type of loss you are referring to. It's definitely not stress related. It's been going on to long for me for it to be stress related.

anniec11 profile image
anniec11 in reply toJump1

I agree, it certainly isn't anything like Alopecia, or similar. It's zlmost as if it isn't getting nourishment and is losing it's 'life'.

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