eyelash loss

[Roma2975]

Is eyelash loss a side effect of levothyroxine? If so is it due to over or under medication?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

your post 3 months ago

had rai in October.

TSH 0.01(0.35-5)

Ft4 17(9-21)

B12 272(200-883)

Serum folate 3.6(2.1-20)

Ferritin 36(15-200)

Vit d 56nmol/l

B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D all too low

What vitamin supplements have you been taking since

Obviously you need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together

Suggest you include retesting vitamin levels to see if had improvement

Important to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine

Test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before testc

[Roma2975 in reply to SlowDragon]

tested tsh t4 in May and all perfect in their words. Wont retest my vitamins till

Next year as done in March this year. I’m on iron and it’s helping my energy levels.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

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

patients-association.org.uk...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality some GP surgeries still 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.

[Roma2975 in reply to SlowDragon]

I do have access to my results and got printed copies . The issue is they won’t retest till next year vitamins. Not due to see ocologist till

November as they are happy with my readings.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

So what are your most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 results

Always test early morning, around 9am, only water between waking and test, last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

You will see on here thousands of U.K. thyroid patients forced to test privately to make progress

Test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 6-8 weeks after any dose or brand change in levothyroxine

Test vitamin levels at least annually…..more frequently if low and working on improving

Low vitamin levels suggests your dose levothyroxine is inadequate or poor conversion

Improving low vitamin levels can help improve conversion rates

examples of private test results

Medichecks

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Blue Horizon

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Monitor My Health

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

Are you now taking vitamin D and how much per day

Low vitamin D

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing 

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7. 

One spray = 1000iu

Suggest you start on 2000iu daily and retest in 2-4 months

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease 

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease 

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium 

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[Roma2975 in reply to SlowDragon]

they said it’s fine at 56

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

If you read links I gave you even NHS believes vitamin D should be at least over 75-80nmol

But most ICB areas won’t prescribe vitamin D unless under 50nmol

Down to individuals to self supplement

U.K. Government recommends everyone supplement vitamin D at least daily from October to April

gov.uk/government/publicati...

Thyroid patients frequently need to supplement continuously, usually at higher dose than typical

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

B12 272(200-883)

Serum folate 3.6(2.1-20)

Optimal B12 over 500

Folate at top of range

So clearly you levels much too low

You will see many, many thyroid patients need to supplement vitamin B complex daily

Initially you will need separate B12 first

Low B12 symptoms 

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

methyl-life.com/blogs/defic...

With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement and a week later add a separate vitamin B Complex 

Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week 

B12 drops 

natureprovides.com/products...

Or

B12 sublingual lozenges 

uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) 

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid 

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) 

Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay 

Other options 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12

Post discussing how biotin can affect test results 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Roma2975 in reply to SlowDragon]

thank you. I spoke to the gp again recently about B12 and claims it’s within range, even though oncologist said it’s on the low side .

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Roma2975]

NHS only obligated to test and treat vitamin deficiencies

Down to us to self supplement to maintain OPTIMAL levels

[Anthea55]

Eyelash loss is one of the many symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). This link takes you to the Thyroid UK website and the page for symptoms of hypothyroidism.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

So I suggest that it's not due to the levo, but may improve with a higher dose.

[JAmanda]

yes! Mine grew back fantastic but not the eye brows.

[Roma2975 in reply to JAmanda]

did they adjust your meds for this to happen?

[JAmanda]

oh I really worked at it (with an nhs Endo) and I kept testing myself privately then increasing the dose THEN telling the Endo. He was a really good guy luckily. He gave me lio too. I had lost all the hair on my arms and legs too but that came back. As is iften said on here getting your vitamins up is really important too. I tend to get low in folate so have to supplement.

[Bearo in reply to JAmanda]

I have no hair at all on my arms and legs. Googled it but nothing really came up. Presumed it’s a post menopause thing as I’m 69. Perhaps no old ladies have hair on arms and legs!

What causes it?

[JAmanda in reply to Bearo]

it’s come back for me - now taking hrt and Levo and lio.

[JAmanda]

loss of my eyelashes was really the key symptom before I was diagnosed. A friend gave me some fancy eyelash curlers for Xmas but when I tried to use them I realised there was just nothing to curl. I would say they came back ok fairly quickly after getting meds (but I rapidly went up from 25 to 125). Now 5 years on I noticed they are really better than ever

[Roma2975]

I’m still under the oncologist as I had thyroid cancer.

[Blobby1234]

Mine fell out before I was diagnosed. They've never grown back. I'm self-medicating on 100mcg level atm - doc dropped dose to 75 because TSH was suppressed 🙄 - but still have virtually no body hair.