Hairloss from Synthroid

[dirtdiva13]

I was diagnosed with Hypothroidism approx. 4 yrs. ago. I have been taking Synthroid ever since. My concern is that I am loosing my hair, slowly but surely.I have probably lost more then half of my hair. I never had any hairloss until I started this medication. I have read that this is normal, but how do I stop it?

I have asked my doctor about this, he says it is normal for hair to thin out a little as I get older, gave the speech about how much hair someone looses in a day. I am  29 yrs old and loosing half my hair is not normal, this I know. I looked on the Synthoid website it does say hairloss is a side affect. I told my doctor that, he does not believe me.

Please help....

[goolarra]

I really don't know a lot about the other hormones.

My thought was that your getting on Synthroid and losing hair was coincidental to becoming more hypo for some reason...continuing decline of thyroid function, the switch from previous meds to Synthroid, your doctor letting your FT3 and FT4 levels "wander" a bit (or a bit too much).  My personal opinion (not a doctor, etc.) is that hairloss is NOT a side effect to TRH, but a failure of doctors to adjust meds until all symptoms have been relieved and then keep tose levels in pretty tight control.  As I said, we can live without hair (of course, life might not be worth living)...it's our most expendable body part.  So, I think it's logical that it's the last symptom to go and the first to return.  

[dirtdiva13]

The ND put me on FT3s and my other doctor increased my Synthroid was also increased to 75 from 50.

It does get confusing because if i listed other results, you would see my Testosterone is low 15 (range 16-55)
Estradidol 0.5 (range 0.5 -2.2
Ratio: Pg/E2 26 (range 100-500 when E2 1.3 - 3.3 pg/ml)
And my noon cortisol was 4.9 (range 1.2 - 3.0)

I do understand that loosing my hair could be a symtom of Hypo but I just find it strange that I never lost any hair until i started taking the Synthroid. Iam not sure I want to live if i loose all my hair.  :(

[goolarra]

Your latest results show an FT3 somewhat low.  Also, currently accepted range for TSH is 0.3-3.0, so you are above range on that.  The addition of some T3 meds looks like the right thing to do.

Just a word on hairloss...Having had dogs all my life, I know that when your dog is sick, the first thing to go and the last thing to come back is the coat.  It makes sense...all your other more vital systems are going to get first dibs at thyroid hormones if there's a short supply.  You can live without hair, but if your heart or brain isn't functioning properly...  If hairloss is your only remaining symptom, it could indicate that a VERY small increase in meds is in order or perhaps the addition of T3 if FT3 is low.  This makes a lot more sense to me than swallowing the line that hairloss in a 29-year-old is "normal" due to "aging".  At twice your age, I should be bald as a billiard ball!  

[thelma201]

Hairloss is a symptom of both hypothyroid and a side effect of TRH...the side effect hairloss should slow down as your body adjusts to the increased levels. i've been on increasing dosages for 3 years. my initial hairloss was due to being hypo, then more hairloss with each dosage increase.....my levels have not been at a good place since my dx of hashi's..the hairloss will slow down some, but i have had pretty much constant shedding from both hypo and THR..Seems to me though, that if you're feeling well with good lvl's the hairloss should stop...sorry this isn't much help. i know major stress can be a factor...29 is really too young to be losing hair. that dr. is way off on that one!!

[dirtdiva13]

Yes apparently hairloss is a side effect of Hypothyroidism, but I never lost any hair for about a year (a noticable amount) after I started taking Synthroid. I saw an endo a few years ago now, she said made a comment that I never should have been put on any medication in the first place. She took me off all meds for 3 months, but when I got tested again, my levels were all out of range..worse then when I was "diagnosed". So she put me back on.. Never saw her again, she just said to keep going to my GP for routine testing.

most recent lab results:
Oct.28 2009
TSH - 4.13 (range  0.20 - 4.00)
FT3 - 4.4 (range 3.5 - 6.5)
FT4 - 15.5 (range 9/0 - 23.0)

I had my FT3 And FT4 tested in Aug but I cannot find the result but one of the was low ( i think the T3 cause my ND put me on T3....i will try to find it. but it went back up for Oct. tests, but my TSH is out of range now

Back in July
TSH - 2.20

April
TSH - 1.52

My TSH was 3.02 when I was first diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and my FT4 and FT3 were not tested until 2007 when I saw the Endo..

I am also on Aldactone the Endo recommended that I should be taken off, since the dose I was on was to low to do anything for PCOS. Apparently I had that too. But my new Naturopath doc doesn't think i ever had PCOS,

[goolarra]

You might ask him for your FT3 and FT4 and reference ranges if you call him.  It is really tough to rock the boat once things are "almost" 100%.  If you are converting well (often we see doctors not even testing FT3 and "assuming" conversion is fine), then you shouldn't have to add T3 meds.  But I'd like to see actual numbers before commenting further.

[Liz94]

I don't know my FT3 or FT4 numbers, all I know is that my TSH is very low, something around .9.  I feel great though, I mean, I have no issues other than the hair loss. Muscle wise I feel well, I sleep great, I'm not consitpated, I'm not tired, I feel very healthy.  And at my last blood check he said all my numbers were great.  I'm scared to start tweaking meds again or adding anything to the mix because it took me so long to get to this point of wellness.  I may call my endo tomorrow though and ask about something I read regarding T3.  Some article I saw said that adding just a small dose of T3 medication to the T4 can stop the hair loss. But, too much can make it worse. I'd like to know his opinion on that. I've never taken any T3 as he said I'm converting well on my own. Hmmmm.....

[goolarra]

Hair loss is a symptom of hypothyroidism.  Many doctors feel that the minute their patients' labs are "in range" (anywhere in the range), their work is done, and they don't further increase meds even though all hypo symptoms have not been relieved.  Many of us are not comfortable until our FT3 and FT4 are in the middle to upper part of the ranges.  Losing your hair at 29 is not in any way "normal".  Since doctors don't listen a lot to symptoms, their patients are left hypo, even though their bloodwork is in range.

If you'd like, both of you can post your FT3, FT4 (and their reference ranges) and TSH, and members can comment on whether it seems you might benefit from a slight meds increase.

[Liz94]

I feel your pain. I suffered with hypothyroidism for 14 years and took Levoxyl with no issues whatsoever.  Then 2 years ago I had a thyroidectomy due to cancer and was put on Synthroid and my hair has been falling out ever since.  I've cried to my doctor about it and he gives me the same thing yours did....it's "normal" to lose hair everyday as you age, the hair follicle has a cycle and blah blah blah.  He recommended Evening Primrose Oil at one point and then last time he recommended a "good hair vitamin."  The thing is, none of it stops the hair loss.  I actually noticed awhile back that my hair did stop falling out completely and I was thrilled. I mean, when I realized that I wasn't pulling thousands of hairs out all day long I actually got down on my knees and thanked God. But then, a few weeks later it started again.  Then I started taking B vitamins along with 1200 mg of calcium everyday and it tapered off again.  Now?  It's coming out again.  My question to you is, are you noticing new growth all over your head?  My hairdresser assures me that while my hair is falling out I DO have new growth in the form of 2 to 3 inch hairs popping out all over my head.  That gives me hope that I won't go bald. I just thank God that I started with more hair than an average person.  I continue to take B vitamins, hair vitamins, and tons of calcium in the hopes that someday I will have a beautiful head of hair again.  But, it's my opinion that it IS the Synthroid.  It has to be. There's too many of us going through this for it not to be.  I'd like to switch back to Levoxyl and see what happens but at this point I finally feel well again and I'm scared to mess with it!