Loosing eyebrows - what is this!?!?!

[ingeb]

I started to lose my eyebrows in a diffuse type of loss (from the nose and out) a few years ago, but it was not noticeable to others. They gradually get thinner over month/ years, especially the right one. One year ago the loss was to such an extent it was noticeable and I had to start using make up to cover up.

Since I got pregnant in january this year the loss started to increase in tempo - my right brow is almost gone by now (half way due to conceiving), 60% of the hair in the brows are gone. I also just recently saw a little "gap" in my eyelashes too. I have no hair loss on the head.

Checked thyroid + all other possible diseases that affects hair growth - etc and its all good. My B12 was low, but they started to give me B12-injections a month ago, lets see if this changes anything. Also I have pregnancy related diabetes.

My doctors cant find anything else wrong with me, several dermatologists ment this is NOT Alopecia because the hairless is diffuse (not "patches" or "spots" and have been gradually .going over years). I wonder of it still can be Alopecia? Or is this Cronic Telogen Effluvium?

Can it be due to stress (high adrenaline/ cortisol levels) over many years? I have been really stressed over many years and I have a lot of heartbeat / panic disorder like symptoms (I recon my adrenaline/ cortisol levels have been very high throughout many years).

I still haven't got any answers on what this is from doctors and Im looking for the trigger.

Have anyone experienced something similar? What can this be? And have anyone experienced regrowth of eyebrows after they were almost gone/ gone?

[TheLightSeeker]

You need to test your cortisol levels.
As a reference checkout the Biohealth Labs (US) website and search for
the Functional Adrenal Stress Profile (Cortisol x 4, 2 averaged DHEA-S)
If indeed your cortisol levels are low (I'm afraid many years of high cortisol due to stress cannot be sustained indefinitely and eventually your cortisol production starts to drop), you will also have secondary hypothyroidism, despite normal thyroid tests.
You need to also test Reverse T3 (RT3), which is converted directly from T4, as way of reducing thyroid function (lowering FT3) for adrenal recovery.
  FT3/RT3 ratio is probably the most reliable marker for low cellular thyroid function.  Healthy ratios should be 20 or higher.

You also need to ensure you have enough zinc, copper, magnesium (tissue levels) iron, selenium, vitamin D,as they all have to do with thyroid function
and hair growth.
Your B12, should ideally be in Methylocobalamin form, which does not need
further conversion and is the only form used by the nervous system as well.
Have your Methyfolate levels checked also (MMA test for Methylcobalamin and Methylfolate is needed), since they're both necessary for hair growth,
as well.
Finally, I think you need to address your high stress. Therapy, meditation,
exercise, neurotransmitters, sleep improvement, minimizing/eliminating triggers, whatever it takes!

Best wishes,
Niko  

[ingeb]

Thank you for replying so throughoutly to my post. Because of your reply I´ve checked my cortisol/ adrenalin levels (morning + evening tests) + DHEA this week. I also got my reverse-T3 + hypophyse hormones checked. I will have my results on this within a couple of weeks from today.

I and also checked the type they use for my B12 injections and it was not in Methylocobalamin form (as you suggested). I will ask them to change to that type when its time for my next injection (in July).

I have been trying to manage my stress over years through therapy of different forms, reading, sleep etc. Stress management helps a lot, but I have never suceeded to get my stress level down to what I recon as "normal"/ how it used to be many years ago. Its like I´m more vulereable to any stress factors than I used to be, so even small stressors can get me out of balance and even on good days I have fast pulse/ panic/ heartbeat. Its like I never fully relax. I think my body have automated high stress reactions so that heartbeat etc. gets trigged much faster than normal by the smallest trigger. I will say my body is almost cronically in fight/ flight mode.

A couple of follow up questions:
1. When I get my test results. If (as I suspect) my cortisol/ adrenaline levels have been extremely high through many yeyars and still are. Is it something I can do about that (exept the therapy/ stress management I already do)? Is there some medicine or similar that can balance this out/ normalise it a bit? What type?

2. If the same issue (cortilsol levels) have led to secondary hypothyroidism, and my tests show that. What can be done with that? Medicine? In case what type etc.

Thanks again for great help, I really appreaciate it.

Best,
Inge

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi Inge.
You ability to control stress, has become, an issue which cannot be managed without some hormonal intervention, to my opinion.
Your adrenals are the true Master in this situation and while everything you do, everything I suggested ,  help a lot, in order to achieve a breakthrough, your approach has to be enhanced with glandulars, bioidentical hormones, herbals etc and under the care of a holistic endocrinologist  or functional medicine doctor, experienced in
this field.
Now when it comes to low adrenal function and secondary hypothyroidism, it is extremely
vital to treat the adrenals primarily (as I mentioned above)) and only take the minimum possible dose of Cytomel (only T3) and Natural Desiccated Thyroid (T1, T2, T3 & T4 ) for the low thyroid function.
But first things first.
Wait for your results and message me or post them here.
Meanwhile, I suggest you look into magnesium chloride.  
magnesium is an antidote to stress, the most powerful relaxation mineral
and the one with the most health benefits!
Orally you can use -what I believe is the best form of magnesium- magnesium
chloride hexahydrate 25gr/L
solution with water.
Dose is 125 ml every 6-8 hours
sipped very slowly.
Do not let possible initial laxative effects deter you, as they are temporary effects.
Also transdermal magnesium oil treatments every other day will be a great adjunct.
magnesium oil= 1/2 magnesium chloride flakes +
1/2 water.
Once dissolved , use a spray bottle and spray on your body,
excluding sensitive areas,
leave on for 20' and then shower.
It will help in more ways than you can imagine, but give it a few weeks, before you really experience results.
Best wishes,
Niko

[ingeb]

Hi Niko,
Thanks for your reply.

I got my results this week.

My FT3 was 4.7 pmol/L (Picomol per lire, European standard)
My reverse T3 was 0.41 nmol/L (nanomol pr. litre), should be the same as 410 pmol/L after my measurements, but as you can see they have to be converted to the same unit before counting, not sure I did this right.
If I count this I get that my FT3/ reverse T3 ratio is 11,4
Is this right counted?
Is this good or bad?
What can I do with this if this is not good? (what medicine?)


My cortisol levels were high in the serum tests, but they said it was high due to my pregnancy (estrogen make CBG rise, which again rise the total concentration of kortisol, my doctors said). My doctors meant this was normal in pregnancy and that the levels will sink after pregnancy is over - they will test them again then.

They also tested my cortisol levels over 24 hours in urin.
The result was 226 nmol/L (nano mol per. litre) and the reference frame was 45-272. I dont know if my number here is high or low, but at least it is in the upper range of the normal range. Is this good/ bad?

They also tested cortisol in spit, morning and evening. The result was:
8 in the morning: 14 nmol/L (normal/ reference area was set to <21,6.)
This should be within normal????

22 in the evening the cortisol in spit was:
<3.0 nmol/L (and the reference area/ normal range was set to <6 or 50% of the morning value).
This one seems normal too? Since this one is half of the morning value?

DHEA results was:
S-DHEA-Sulfat: 2.1 µmol/l (Reference frame: 1,7 -15,0 µmol/l)
S-DHEA: 5.3 (reference frame for women in fertil age: 5.3 5,3 - 31,7 nmol/l)
One of them is ON the lowest reference value (5.3)

Any comments to all this?

Thanks so much for all your helpful advice, I hope to hear back from you.


Best regards,
Inge

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi Inge.
Your calculation is correct.
  Using the ratio, and for healthy amounts of RT3, the ratio result should be 20 or higher!
Your reverse T3 is far to high, rendering more (than normal) of your free T3 unavailable to your cells.
Underlying causes could be deficiencies, inflammation, chronic stress/adrenal issues etc.
Your cortisol levels should be monitored for a while to establish a pattern-I prefer the saliva testing- and the morning levels ideally should be somewhat closer to the higher end of the normal range, with day time and evening gradually dropping from that level,ending  with night values 1/5- 1/10 of the morning (4 x testing).
It is possible your up to recent high levels are not sustainable any more, so they might be now gradually declining.
I was not 100% clear on the cortisol results you posted-I think the first
numbers are for a different unit of measurement and the 22 is actually
2.2    IDK
Also these results should be used only in relation to other factors.
The S-DHEA at the lowest normal range is of concern. The test should be repeated in a few weeks and if the levels stay low or decline you may want to discuss with your Dr. the option of getting a biodentical  DHEA cream (vaginal application) and tapering up from the minimum dose,
according to symptoms and subsequent test results.
For the low ft3/rt3 ratio, I would ask for the smallest starting dose of cytromel or other brand which is only T3, as a trial. Avoid anything that contains T4, as ALL rt3 comes from T4 conversion.
Best wishes,
Niko

[ingeb]

Hi Niko,
Thanks again!

I´ll ask my doctor about the very low DHEA. Is this something that can be caused by my pregnancy now? (7 months, 2 months due).

Is it so that if my T3 goes up - my reverse T3 goes down? Does that mean that my t3/ reverse T3 ratio will increase if I boost my FT3 as you suggest?

What is a cortisol salvia test?
Is that cortisol in blood?
I tested morning+ evening in blood,
over 24 hours in urin, and morning and evening in spit. Is one of those salvia? The laboratorium I went to is the biggest hormone lab in Norway, my doctor had asked for all cortisol tests they had.

What do you mean with "It is possible your up to recent high levels are not sustainable any more"?
This is the first time I tested cortisol levels in my life, so I have no earlier reference numbers on that (I dont know if they have been higher before). To me it seems like they are in the upper range of the reference scale, but the reference scale is the "normal" (as far as I have understood)?
What is a too high cortisol level in the units you use? I can use a unit converter to check mine to that (there are many converters online).

Is there something that can be done to reduce cortisol leves medically (other than stress management, meditation etc.)? I mean if stress/ cortisol is the trigger for all this imbalance that is the trigger that has to be removed. If that one trigger is removed, everything else will stabilize I guess?

Thanks again - again!
Super help. I really appreciate it.

Best,
Inge.

[ingeb]

Ps I just fund out that the salivary test you requested is what I referred to as "spit test". That means that I already took that one and that my results was:
8 AM in the morning: 14 nmol/L (normal/ reference area was set to <21,6.)
This should be within normal????
22 PM in the evening the result was:
<3.0 nmol/L (and the reference area was set to <6 or 50% of the morning value).

Is this low or high? I have no idea. I thought the reference area was the "normal", like if it was within the reference area it is good "enough" - but that is maybe not how it works?

Here is a unit converter (there are others online if this is not the right one) so that you can watch the result in your countrys unit:
http://www.menshormonalhealth.com/hormone-unit-conversion-calculator.html

[ingeb]

Better unit converter here:
http://www.endmemo.com/medical/unitconvert/Cortisol.php

I dont know if I get the right result, but after my calculation my morning saliva test result is
0.51 micrograms per dL (µg/dL). And my evening result 0.11 µg/dL

[ingeb]

(se my 4 messages in a row here at the last)

[ingeb]

Hi Niko! Saw you replied to my response to another repliant - did you see my 4 last posts/ answer to your post/ questions to your post in this thread? Best Ingeborg (its the 4 posts over this one - several questions).

[ingeb]

Thanks again for your long and good answer.

I will ask my doctor about DHCA supplements when I see him nest time in early August.

I have (surprisigly…) some more questions I hope you can help with:

1.
Since last time I wrote I’ve checked if I can get my B12 injections in Methylcobalamin form (as you suggested) here in Norway. It’s possible, but on special subscriptions ordered from abroad only (which means this will cost me around four times the price as the usual cyanocobalamin (as they normally subscribe her). They also could get some Methyl B12 pills 5000 mg of the American brand “Jarrow” (pills, not injections). These were cheaper. Are the Methylcobalamin pills as good as the Methylcobalamin injections or should I pay the extra price to get the expensive injections?

2.
I’ve been looking for the T3 supplement you suggested here in Norway: Cytromel. This brand/ brand name is not available here, but we have one which is the synthetic form of T3 where the active substance is Liotyroninnatrium. Is this the same thing as Cytromel? I think it is, just wanted to dobbeltcheck with you.

3.
I’ve heard that free T4 usually sink during pregnancy. And I’ve never taken a free T4 test while not being pregnant. So maybe I should wait until after birth and then test free T4 again to check levels in “normal” hormon balance before I start T3 medication? What do you think?

4.
I’ve taken all adrenal + saliva tests available in my country. In Norway it’s not so many private clinics as in the US since everybody in the country are covered on a state heath insurance/ the state pays for free health care for every citizen of the country. The cortisol tests available in Norway are there for 3 types: Cortisol in blood tests (morning and evening test), 24 hour monitoring of cortisol and adrenalin levels through 24 hour urine-samples + saliva testing (morning and evening tests). So far I’ve taken the 24 urine monitoring (results in upper range of the reference range) and the saliva tests with these results: 8 AM in the morning: 14 nmol/L (normal/ reference area was set to <21,6.) 22 PM in the evening the result was:
<3.0 nmol/L (and the reference area was set to <6 or 50% of the morning value). Are these numbers high?  They are within the reference area so I’m not able to understand if these are normal (my doctor say they are, since he did not react on the values.  What should a normal saliva morning and evening value be for a woman on my age (woman 39 years old)?

5.
You said low adrenal function left untreated can lead to adrenal failure that cannot be cured. I found this VERY scary. How do I know that I don’t already have developed adrenal failure/ adrenal insufficiency?

I hope you can help.

The very best from Norway,
Inge

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi Inge.
I suggest you get the tablet (pill) B12 methylocobalamin jarrett brand and take it under the tongue (sublingual).
As far as DHEA supplementation,
make 100% certain you do only
biodentical DHEA cream, applied
on your vaginal membranes for best absorption.
Your doctor must  monitor your levels
very closely.
DHEA is in direct competition with Cortisol and should your Cortisol levels be in a downward direction, your DHEA levels could be gradually increasing.
If your doctor is not good with hormonal issues, please ask for a referral.
This should not be taken lightly!
-- The T3( Liotyroninnatrium, if it is ONLY T3) in my opinion should be
taken now in the minimum starting
dose, as low thyroid function may affect not just you but also your unborn baby, in ways that cannot be tested.
-- If you had adrenal failure, trust me you would know!
It is possible you might be at stage 1
or stage 2 adrenal fatigue.
I can send you an adrenal assessment/questionnaire, if you are interested.
Best wishes,
Niko

[Scorpio1978]

Have them check your thyroid that will cause you to loss your eyebrows and hair on your head. I have thyroid diese and it's horrible,my eyebrows at the ends are very thin due to my thyroid, so emarrasing and not much can be done but take the meds and take vitamins. I was diagnosed after my sec child,what I was told pregnancy can cause your thyroid to go bad. Anyway just a suggestion might want to have them check it out.

[ingeb]

As you can see from earlier posts I have already checked my thyroid levels + my hair loss is not typical "thyroid" like yours, but I loose my brows in a diffuse manner from the opposite direction (from the nose and out. My brows are still full on the sides - opposite of yours). Been to several dermatologists too, they all say this manner of eyebrow loss is not the "thyroid type" - none of them has seen this diffuse eyebrow loss before (combined with no hairloss on the head)

[TheLightSeeker]

Well, Ingeb, endocrinology is a complicated field, as you can see.
Reverse T3 is produced from T4,
so to simplify the process, I suggest
the avoidance of Thyroxine which is
T4 and try the min. starting dose of
T3 (cytomel or equivalent).
Your FT3/RT3 is very low, regardless
of the "atypical" thyroid-related eyebrow loss.
Since, we cannot confirm nor rule out
the connection to low thyroid function, as the exact mechanism of this is not understood, I suggest you
still treat the thyroid as I explained before.
My position on cortisol levels, is that
that saliva 4 tests morning  (6 - 8 AM), noon  (12 - 1 PM), afternoon  (4 - 5 PM) and night  (10 PM - 12 AM) are needed and should be repeated within a few weeks to check for an increasing or decreasing pattern.
In conjunction with saliva DHEA tests as indicated in the Functional Adrenal Stress Profile which I mentioned before, will help determine a better way to approach
these hormonal imbalances.

I respectfully disagree with your doctor about  the low DHEA  levels
due to your pregnancy.
Your DHEA levels should be much higher, not lower!
During pregnancy, DHEA-S and its 16-hydroxylated metabolites are secreted by the fetal adrenal gland in LARGE quantities. They serve as precursors for placental production of the dominant pregnancy estrogen, estriol according to Mayo medical labs
BH #205 – Adrenal Stress Profile plus V is another test, that I suggest you look into (from BiohealthLabs).
If you can find a Lab in your country or close to your country, which offers similar testing (Salivary testing to measure active free fractions of hormones).

My own personal observation, which may play a role here is that when
pregnenolone- the mother of all the
steroidal hormones-, is diverted to produce cortisol, used in response to stress, may cause the onset of depletion of other hormones and in your case affecting DHEA levels.
I mentioned earlier that after prolonged elevated cortisol, production of cortisol cannot be sustained indefinitely.
Our response to stress, was originally during fight or flight situations, so our mechanisms were never designed to deal effectively with chronic stress.
Chronically elevated stress may
lead to low adrenal function and if left untreated, it may result in adrenal failure, which unfortunately cannot be cured.
Please note that conventional medicine does not consider low adrenal function as a medical issue, until it progresses to adrenal failure,called adrenal insufficiency.
A lot of information to shift through!
Try not to get too caught up with the
technical details at the expense of some of the fundamentals!
Best wishes.
Niko