Eczema.

[BuckyBlush55]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with an underactive Thyroid in April 2020. I am currently on 75 mcg of Levothyroxine. In the last couple of months, I have started to devolope patches of eczema. The GP has prescribed me with some steroid cream and I also use Hydromol emollient.

However, neither of these products seem to be helping and I have today noticed a couple of new areas of eczema appearing.

Is there a link between an under active thyroid and eczema do we think?

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice as to how I can start to treat it effectively?

Thank you.

(

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

Your thyroid may not be adequately treated

75mcg is a very low dose of levothyroxine unless you’re extremely petite

Do you have any recent thyroid and vitamin results

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

 

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested 

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once 

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 

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 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...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

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...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

or alternatively both Medichecks and BH offer that you can pay extra for private blood draw at local to you clinic

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Is your rash actually hives?

healthmatch.io/hashimotos-d....

Or psoriasis

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

Dry skin also extremely common hypothyroid symptom if not adequately treated

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Under replacement is my first thought but also have you tried eliminating anything from your diet?

Do you know if you had positive thyroid antibodies? Many with autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's benefit from a gluten free diet. A smaller percentage of those also need to remove dairy from their diet to feel well. These are intolerances and will not show up on any blood test. It’s worth trialling a strictly gluten free diet to see if it helps symptoms.

Dairy is commonly linked with eczema/skin rashes.

[Ellie-Louise]

B12 cream is amazing, I discovered it by researching eczema years ago. I use it on my own eczema the moment I feel it coming back and it stops it in it’s tracks.

I know what you mean about what the doctor gives you, I was given exactly the same items 16 years ago when mine started. Neither worked as you say.