I am hypo. TSH 0.05 now and FT3 in the top 1/3 of range. The hairs on my legs and armpits have started to grow only very very slowly. I know if I go to the GP about this he will basically laugh in my face. This is one symptom that has recently occurred that was normal. I had all the other usual symptoms but seem to be on top of most of them now but am worried that this could be a sign that I'm on the slide down hill again. I'd like to catch in in the bud if that is the case but with no other symptoms back again (apart from the very dry skin mentioned in another question) but know that the GP will not think this is a problem and certainly not do anything or take me seriously. He probably thinks I'm a hypercondriac already! Does anyone else have this lack of hair growth symptom?
Hair on legs not growing any more - is this a c... - Thyroid UK
Hair on legs not growing any more - is this a common feature of hypo?
Have you ever looked into adrenal issues, which can go hand and hand with thyroid illness. Have a look at this website, if you scroll down to the symptoms is clearly states that hair loss from legs is a sign of adrenal insufficiency.
Hope this helps
Moggie x
Sorry forgot the link - its my first day back at work today and my brain is scrambled.
mcvitamins.com/adrenal-exha...
Moggie x
Well that's brilliant Moggie, thank you. I actually got a book about Adrenals and it looks like I may have moderate to severe adrenal fatigue, but I've not got to the bit about what I can do yet, but so interesting that they are your first thought. I shall have a look at the website. Many thanks. x
Hair not growing under the arms is more likely to be due to low tostesterone (did i spell that right? Looks weird...) Do you sweat under the arms much? Thing is, if one hormone is low, and has been for some time, the others are likely to be perturbed too.
Grey
Hi, No I don't sweat very much at all. The hair does grow but very very slowly and that is different from how I was until recently. The lack of sweating has always been a problem with not having the ability to cool down in very hot weather and leads to fainting! Much better now I'm on levo (2 years) but I still don't sweat much - even at the gym, although I did when I initially started on levo this has stopped again.
Well, I'm not a specialist, but this does sound like low testosterone to me. (Hey! got it right that time! lol) Maybe the level will come up as your thyroid levels come up, that could happen, or maybe you should have your adrenals tested. Any chance your doctor would know anything about adrenals/testosterone/DHEA and other sex hormones?
Dr do anything except prescribe anti depressants for all my symptoms?? Unfortunately I don't think so. Shame though! Last time I went back with all the usual hypo symptoms creeping back that's what he did - prescribe anti-d's. I think I'll try the adrenal DIY mend. They are linked to sex hormones so I might see an improvement. I don't think he'll prescribe more levo when I have a TSH of 0.05 - I feel very lucky that he didn't try to lower my dose. Thanks for your advice greygoose. x
Well, the adrenals make the sex hormones. What is the DIY adrenal mend? Whatever you do, don't try and stimulate the adrenals. Feed them with vit C and fat and salt, but no liquorice or other stimulating herbs.
No chance of changing this doc? He sounds a dead loss! Any chance of going private?
No No, I won't take any herbs! I was going to try and get some more rest, try to destress every day. I don't sleep well at all, so going to try and get that sorted too - Dr just gave me sleeping tabs. It doesn't help long term, just masks the problem. I will work on it myself with sleep aids like breathing etc. I was going to take an adrenal support but not sure about the extra fat bit as although I'm really slim, my cholesterol is creeping up as it seems to with quite a lot of hypo people. I've been investigating testosterone and it certainly sounds like it could be a big factor. The last time it was tested in May 2012 testosterone level was 1.9 (range 0.5-2.6). This is all new to me. I'm still trying to get my head around the thyroid issues, but I guess its all connected. Thanks so much for your advice. What is the salt for and how much? x
Alit, I didn't mean extra fat, just don't cut fat out of your diet. But even so, the majority of cholesterol comes from our livers rather than our diets. And high cholesterol is a hypo symptom and should come down when you are properly medicated. If yours is creeping up, it really doesn't look like you are properly medicated.
But cutting down on fat intake isn't going to help that. Salt, well, it's just that so many people avoid salt these days, thinking that's 'healthy' but it isn't. Our bodies need salt. Dr Lowe says somewhere - can't find where at the moment - that our adrenals need salt. I know there are people here that take a teaspoon of salt in water or something for their adrenals but I don't know how much it helps. Perhaps one will jump in here and tell us.
As for taking adrenal 'support', it depends what you take. The problem is that very often when it says 'support' on the bottle, it really means 'stimulant'. Read the ingredients very carefully. Don't be fooled by the word 'adaptogen', because adaptogens work by stimulating the gland if it isn't producing enough hormone.
Yes, it is complicated when you're just starting out. and it doesn't help to be bombarded with information. Just remember that no-one minds you asking questions. You can ask as many as you like!
Lots of luck, Grey x
Hi Grey - I totally agree with you regarding if the cholesterol creeping up prob means that my hypo isn't properly medicated but with TSH of 0.05 and FT3 of 5.8 (3.5 - 6.5) I don't know what else I can do. There is no way the GP will put my levo up.
Where do I go from here. I don't know what to do.
What can you do... Well, change doctors, go private, or try to educate your doctor. I believe TUK has pamphlets they can email you, you can print out and take to your doctor explaining that the TSH is not the way to measure thyroid hormones. If, for instance, you asked another question, such as: How can I educate my doctor, I'm sure you would get all the info you need on that.
But if you try to educate him and get nowhere, then the only solution is a change of doctor, I'm afraid. You can't just allow yourself to get sicker and sicker.
But someone else will tell you about the pamphlets (if that's the right word) because I don't know anything about them.
Hugs, Grey
Aww Grey,
I have to ask how come you don't think Adoptogens are any good?
I take Rhodiola to help my low noon cortisol, and Ashwaghanda for my night time high..I have to say I don't notice any difference, but then I'm taking so much stuff these days I'm beginning to wonder what does what anymore!
I have to say, Dannia, that I have never tried them myself because of all I have read about them - and, I didn't say they weren't any good! I'm sure they are good for some people, but not for everybody. And not for those with adrenal fatigue because they stimulate the gland, and stimulating a sick gland is not a good idea.
Rhodiola and ashwaghanda are adrenal stimulators.
Look at it this way: a donkey is dragging a heavy cart up a hill. He is ill and he is old. He gets slower and slower... The farmer takes a whip to him and, shocked, the donkey manages to go a bit faster. The farmer, thinking ah, this is the solution, hits him again. The donkey picks up speed again. But ask yourself, how long can this go on? How long before the sick old donkey drops down dead?
Now replace your adrenals for the donkey, rhodiola et al for the whip, and you for the farmer... You see what I mean?
If your adrenals are sick and tired, what they need is a rest - just like the donkey, and just like any human being - you, me, everyone. And adrenals are amazing, because, if you let them rest for a while, take the pressure off them, they are capable of recovering and working properly again. We don't want to kill them off before they have a chance to recover, do we?
So that is my take on adaptogens and any other gland stimulant. And I haven't tried - and don't intend to try them - because I don't want to flog my adrenals to death...
Have a nice day, Grey
Thank you for taking the time and the analogy, hmm I do see your point.
I'm all for taking less supplements and as I said I don't really feel any different on them anyway.
I'll give 'them' a rest and see if I miss them.
Thanks again.
p.s. living in Bulgaria, I see plenty of those poor donkeys! Not a good sight 
i think it is a symptom, i have it too, but as i up my armour dose it is going away - or coming back, which ever way you look at it!!! the out sides edges of my eyebrows have come back slightly too. 
perhaps dyslexia is a hypo symptom??
Oh, ritz, I do so believe that dyslexia is a hypo symptom! I realise that you probably weren't being serious, but I don't see why it shouldn't be, all tied up with brain-fog etc. I told a neurologist once that I was dyslexic, and she said, rather haughtily, that's because you were badly taught at school! Well, that dismissal didn't impress me. If the brain is deprived of vital hormones, anything can happen. I'm not as bad as I used to be, so it's possible that thryoid hormone replacement has helped. Now, if I could just remember what I was talking about...
that sounds like an excellent theory and i shall adopt it immediately!
i was told to shut up at school because i was too stupid to learn to spell!
you are correct though, i do notice on bad days that my spelling gets much worse
Thats fantastic ritz - I'm pleased for you. And eyebrows growing back too - I'd like that. I asked GP about Armour but he said he'd never heard of it! Does Armour have all the thyroid hormones in i.e. T4, T3, T2 and T1? I feel we need the others that we don't get with levo. Please can you tell me how you get Armour? x
Bathing my mother recently, she is over 90 years old and has never had any thyroid problems, I noticed she was hairless. I am in my late 60's and have noticed that the hair on my legs and under my arms grow very slowly. I also think it is lack of testosterone.
Paulann, it usually is just that and with it goes a loss of zest and energy and Libido! Men can get Testosterone replacement quite easily if the blood tests show low. They also produce less and less as they get older (the male menopause). Women however, who need Testosterone as well...yes they do...especially as they get older when it naturally declines, can go jump in the lake in this country if they need replacement, in other words it is another easily recognized and reversible hormone replacement that makes you feel a whole lot better and stronger but you can't have it....!!!! Well, it's possible but very difficult. They had a woman suffering from this on that Embarrassing Bodies/Illnesses programme and the difference in her when put on the replacement was absolutely amazing to see. I contacted the programme but they would not answer my emails asking where this lady got it from, what Endocrinologist etc, they just would not answer my querie. The replacement patches are called Intrinsa but are only available if you have had a very early menopause in your twenties due to hysterectomy or cancer. Weird isn't it, if you need it, you need it, twenties or fifties or in this womans case 65!!! I am so angry. Something else to pay privately for!
I have found it somewhere on line (America) and will be buying some soon (women only need a little). One of the symptoms is hair not growing wherever it is on your body, moustache, armpits, legs, (also gets really thin in the nether regions) as much as it used to be when you were young and as regards myself I was a much more have a go type of person, bubbly and energetic and I sort of know that it is a mixture of the Hypothyroid and a lack of Testosterone. That's now next on the GP blood test list. I bet he askes me why I want that done because it's only men who need their Testosterone levels testing! If he doesn't then I know he's clued up.
Ha - yes, Phoebs, it's on my list for BT next time too. My GP did test it once but there was no range put on the result for some reason so I don't know if it's low, high or normal. So annoying that all these deficiencies cause another. I want to nip it in the bud before it causes something else to give out. Thanks for your interesting reply. x
Glad to be of assistance. We all need all the info we can get at the moment!
Yes I was gonna ask if being hypothyroid stops hair growth because I don't get hair under armpits and legs anymore. Haven't had to shave for quite awhile. Having trouble with my doctor referring me to a thyroid specialist and not just go by one blood test, especially when I have many symptoms that would be those of nodules.
My oldest daughter just got told that she has them and shes got to go back to see whats next. I havr three daughters. All over 21. The two oldest and myself have hypothyroidism. I am trying to see about finding my own specialist and making an appointment. But he or shr would have to accept Medical.
yes...I noticed my hair on legs & underarms stoppex growing. about a year ago. but dont know why..also eyebrows are shorter than before...havent seen a dr tho
HEEEELP !!!! I have gone from having the most thick , wiry pubic hair known to man, to having thin 'barely there ' coverage in my lady regions ! I used to moan about how difficult it was to get rid of it , now I miss it !!! My leg hair stopped growing AGES AGO . My underarm hair , quite diminished too. I shaved so often , that only a recent experiment showed me that all of my body hair is reduced to nearly nothing. My head hair was beautiful and started to thin in late 2012. Over the past four years it has gotten thinner and thinner ... Starting at the back and working its way over to the front ... Not falling out so much ....just growing thinner hairs. I was always told it's not AGA ... It's low ferritin . My ferritin was low for years . So this past few months ... I get right near to my ferritin level target which is 90 .... And I then get thyroid nodules and a sore neck. They went away if their own accord , but with them came a hail of symptoms . Rapid rapid hairline loss ALL AROUND MY HEAD , plus more thinning all over , rough skin on face , rubbery skin on arms and legs, pins and needles , heavy periods . No doctor ( and I pleaded with SEVEN of them in different NHS services) would listen when I asked if the nodules were indicative of a thyroid issue . No no no . They all said. It has now come to my attention ( via a superb private endo ) that nodules flaring up and going away like mine did are indicative of thyroiditis . Perhaps kicking off months before the nodules swelled up. This, I believe can be self correcting but I'm currently undergoing thyroid antibody tests , and other hormones .,.to see if there's still a problem . My hair is vanishing by the week .... But also I'm fuming that so many doctors ignored me !! Just because the hallowed TSH was okay . If I need treatment , it should have started three months ago when I raised concern. I'm also told I have high cortisol and maybe adrenal fatigue ... How can I fix these issues when I'm so so so stressed and heartbroken ?!
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