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Avatar universal

HELP my hair is falling out!

I was taking 88 mcg of levothyroxine and test results showed I needed an increase. I asked to be switched to Armour and was prescribed 60 mg of Armour.  This raised my T3 but lowered my T4 and my TSH went up also.  My hair has started falling out as a result.  My Dr. increased to 90 mg of Armour but after 2 weeks my hair is still falling out. What should I do?
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Avatar universal
On 88 mcg of levothyroxine my T4 was 1.13, T3 .79, TSH 7.82 (Sept. 9)
On 60 mg of Armour my T4 is .79, T3 1.12, TSH 8.86 (Nov. 30)
I've now been on 90 mg of Armour for two weeks.
Other symptoms are cold all the time & tired, mild depression and very emotional, the last two months my periods have been irregular 5-6 weeks in-between (I've always been very regular).
Another thing to note is that the first 4 weeks of Armour I was misdosed and was only taking 15 mg of Armour, at this point I got a rash all over my stomach, this is now cleared up (I assume it was eczema). But my hair loss did not start until after I had started the 60 mg of Armour.
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Avatar universal
I expect so.  It does take a while for some symptoms to appear.

Regarding hair loss, I'd say when you get your Free T4 to at least the middle of its range, and your Free T3 into the upper part of its range, as needed to relieve hypo symptoms.  Along with that you need to get your Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin optimized, and then allow some time for your body to heal and feel well again.  At some point along the way you will notice reduced hair loss and eventually regrowth.  It is no more predictable than that.  
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Avatar universal
Do you think the hair loss is from the time period that I was on the 15 mg? Does it take a while for symptoms to appear?  Any thoughts on when I might begin to see improvement?
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Avatar universal
You were under dosed on the 88 mcg of T4, as shown in your Free T4 and Total T3 (I assume) results.  Then you were switched to Armour at a ridiculous dose of 15 mg.  That probably caused more symptoms.  Then when that was changed to 60 mg of Armour, that was still equivalently less than the 88 mcg of T4.  Using the correct conversion factor, 88 mcg of T4 would be more like 1.35 grains of Armour, or 81 mg.  So your increase to 90 mg is only a slight increase from where you were with the 88 mcg of T4, which was too low.  So expect to need further increases.  

Other things to consider:  hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for Viatmin D, B12 and ferritin.  Low levels can cause symptoms.  Low D or low ferritin can adversely affect metabolism of thyroid hormone.  D should be about 55-60, B12 in the upper end of its range, and ferritin about 70 minimum.  Low ferritin can also cause hair loss.  
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Avatar universal
Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  What symptoms do you have besides hair loss?
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the encouragement! It has been falling out for a total of about 6 weeks, I wasn't sure how long after the med change I would notice a difference??
One more question. I am scheduled to have my hair colored in a few days and I'm very hesitant because I don't want to make it worse.  Do you have any thoughts on hair color?
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Avatar universal
I'm sure others will have input but for what it is worth, I lost hair at an alarming rate for a year (undiagnosed hypo). After a brutal amount of lost hair I am still far from bald and people that don't know me can't tell at all.
2 weeks isn't long, your hair loss should slow then start regrowing but hair resting phases are delayed so give it some time. My new hair is about 1.5 inches long now and seems to coincide with when my hormone levels were reaching a healthy range. I started NDT 6 months ago and  2 months at a close to normal hormone range. You are already under treatment so I'm sure you will progress much faster than me.

Good luck I feel for you! Kel

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