Excessive hair loss from Snthyroid medication on a 15 year old

[julz2174]

I am a 15 year old girl that is losing hair from this medication, Synthroid. I had hair loss before, but once I started this medication it got much worse. Being 15 my hair is extremely important to me and I cant take losing too much more hair. Today is my eighth day on the medication and my dosage was just cut in half from 100 MCG today due to excessive hair loss and my doctors recommendation. I know it takes about 6 weeks for my body to regulate better but I don't think I can handle another 5 weeks of this. By then I'll have no hair.  
this is my first time being on any medication for my thyroid. i was just diagnosed with a thyroid condition.  Is there any way that I can slow down the hair loss any more? Should i try a different medication? I am begging you to please help me with this. I'm afraid of what the out come of this medication will be. I don't know what else to do. I am in desperate need of help. For now I'll just keep praying.

[goolarra]

Hi Julz -

Understand that I am not a doctor, but a fellow thyroid patient.  You said that your hair was falling out before you started Synthroid.  It was doing that because you are hypothyroid.  Eight days on meds is not enough time for the Synthroid to have any effect on your hypo (you said you understood that).  My opinion is that the hair loss continues to be caused by being hypo, not the Synthroid.  Often our symptoms keep getting worse for a while after starting meds until the meds stabilize in our systems and we reach a therapeutic dose.  Thyroid conditions demand a LOT of patience.    

Do you have the results of your free T3, free T4 (and their normal ranges) and TSH from before you started on Synthroid?  That would help us to understand how hypo you have been.

I don't know of anything else you can do about the hair loss at the moment, but just trust that it's going to be temporary, and the best thing you can do to fight it is get on a therapeutic dose of meds and normalize your thyroid hormones.

Hope this helps some.

[Super_sally888]

HI,

usually hair loss comes from being hypo not the treatment for it.  Hair actually takes a long time too grow.  So very very unlikley that 8 days of meds is making a difference - probably you are still seeing the effect of the hypo.

Be patient.  Please post your test results so we have some idea of that...

I agree that the hair loss will likely be temporary.  best wishes.

[Liz94]

I'm gonna throw in my two cents here because I've been through this too.  And I can tell you, it does stop. It'll just take some time and you will not go bald, I promise.  Your hair will stop falling out when your thyroid levels are at the right place.  It might take a few months.  And everytime you have a dosage change, your hair will start falling out again until it gets regulated. But it WILL stop.  After I had my thyroid removed and started on the synthroid my hair fell out for 14 months. I'm talking tons everytime I washed my hair. My doc recommended taking Primrose oil. What you have to realize is that your hair might be coming out but new hair is growing too. You will get to a point where you will start to see little 2 or 3 inch hairs all over your head and you'll realize that what's falling out is being replaced and it will help you calm down some. Doesn't make for good hair days for a bit with little sprouts coming in but just relax.  I lost hair for over a year and now at 17 months post op I still have a head full.  And I've also got tons of sprouts coming in everywhere from the hair that fell out.  Just be calm, take a hair vitamin so that the new hair is healthy, and treat your hair very gently.  It's gonna be okay. I promise. And I can assure you that even though you are 15 and I'm 42 I probably freaked out more than you!  My hair is the only thing I'm vain about.

[tigerlily131]

I;ve suffered very bad hair loss since my dose was upped in January and it does sometimes feel like the end of the world.

I'm currently taking evening primrose oil which helps prevent hair loss.

I'm also talking to my doctor about taking a different natural medicine which might help - I'm also a little dubious about whether the Levyothyroxine has helped and not hindered my recovery.

I'm pretty sure the hair loss is caused by the medicine, not my thyroid. When I was on 50mcgs I had no issues, now that I'm on 100mcgs my hair is very thin.

It's best to sit it out for a few months to make sure it's the thyroid and not your medication. Very very few people go bald from thyroid problems, your hair will just thin slightly.

It can feel like the end of the earth and i have shed many, many tears in moments of panic (I'm 23).

Just stay calm and give it 4-5 months to see how it helps.

Please know you're not alone and that if hypothyroid caused people to go completely bald there would be a lot more bald women walking around!

x

[TSH425]

Some of the hair loss is due to new hair starting to grow and pushing the non-growing hair out of the follicle.

Why I got on medication Synthroid  I notice that my hair after a couple months turned much darker and thicker.  My leg hair started to grow back as well. I'm a guy so this doesn't gross me out so much but I was amazed by all these tiny very fine hairs growing. It scares me to think how sick my body was that it could grow those hairs.

Good luck, stay on the Synthroid, it will benefit you in the end. Don't be scared it's your natural hormone that they are replacing and there should be little to no negative side effects. You need to let your body adjust.

[Angela63]

I apologize, but I do not agree with almost everyone above.  I have been experiencing this problem for two years now.  I have gone off my meds, tried natural (I can not tolerate most thyroid meds... synthroid I can tolerate it, but the more I raise it the more debilitated I get)  Anyway... my hair started falling out when I was switched to Synthroid two years ago.. When I stopped it because of other issues, chest pains, palpitations, etc.. I was put on a minimal .12 amount (because of a bad head injury) but duruing that time I had awful hypo symptoms.... but I lost 15 pounds and my hair became full and healthy again.

You have to understand that your hair takes time before you see effects... 2 to three months... But if it is caused by the possible side effect of the synthroid, then if you stop the drug the hair loss stops.  Hypothyroidism causes your hair to thin badly.  I have that too because I am undermedicated.  

No, you will not go bald, but you can get severely thinning hair.  Most people that have this problem do better on a T3 T4 thyroid med.  Also, make sure your iron levels are good.  I take Evening Primrose Oil, which does not stop hair loss but nourishes the hair and helps soften it.... as hypothyroidism causes your hair to become dry brittle and break.  I also take 5,000 of biotin each day.  I was taking the capsules and there was no improvement after 6 months.  My dermatologist told me to take Matrix 5,000 from Amazon.  She said that the tablets are better absorbed by most people, so I am trying that now.  My hairline has receded also and I now break out or get these little bumps at my hairline.  

I can tell you from lowering and raising my meds (trying to get them up because I am hypersensitive) I have seen my hair improve and get worse.... it is at its worse now.  But what you see now, is a result of your course 1 to 3 months prior... My MD explained the 3 month shedding facts to me and that the synthroid was actually working and new hair was coming in... by the excellent Dermatologist I have been seeing said that everyone is different.  I have NO new hair on my head.. and synthroid causes some people to continuously loose hair...

I laughed when I read one of the responses here... at 46, yes I am vain about my hair!!! I plea... if I am going to be sick and feel so sick all the time... can't I do it with all my beautiful hair??? LOL

I find I have less hair loss using the hair product (WEN) its not harsh and helps with the brittleness and keeps your hair real soft.  I also put a shower filter in my shower (we have municipal water) to remove the chlorine.  I do not blow dry (haven't for 2 years now... I'd be bald if I did!)  I tried the Nioxin shampoos 2X as everyone swears by them, but even the set for processed hair leaves my hair so dry.  And it does not help... Nothing will truly help but getting your levels good, including ferritin... and choosing a thyroid med that does not cause hair loss for you.  Armour and Nature throid work for most... unfortunately I can't take either of them :(

Best of Luck!!

[barbaramroberts]

Hi there.....I also was having severe hair loss....have Hashimoto's and taking Synthroid alternating 75mg/88mg.  For the past 4 months the TSH levels have been good....(now around1.00)  feeling great and hair loss has stopped or at least to a normal amount of shedding...I have been taking Evening Primrose for 5 months....I take 2 every day.  1300 mg each with 117mg of GLA in each capsule....I have now ordered an EP that has higher GLA which is the important ingredient I am told....so it is working for me....in the beginning I was taking 3 capsules but then I was having a little stomach upset,  not even sure this was the cause but cut back to 2.....so far so good.....hope this helps.

[ashmi4]

Hi,
My lab results shows High TSH, Free T3 & Free T4 as normal.  I had been on 50mcg of Levothyroxine. Question is if Levothyroxine is artificial T4, why to take levothyroxine if my T4 levels are normal, and what is checking TSH in 6 weeks going to show, how does Levothyroxine effect the TSH?  Also if T3 & T4 levels are normal why do I have Hypothyroid symptoms??I could see more hair loss after taking this synthroid medicine.. :( but my physician suggested me to continue with this medicine for 6 weeks .
Shall I consult a Dermatologist ???
Please help me out..I am undergoing depression because of this hair loss :( :(:(

[Ladyrumrunner]

The hair loss WILL stop. I had the same issue, but after finally getting closer to a Normal thyroid test my hair is thick, shiny and actually a little curly. I've always ave ad extremely straight hair. They say that it was probably because of the RAI (radiation) because of my hyperthyroidism and or the steroid therapy I just completed.

Please stick with the synthroid treatment. Your hair falling out is telling you that you need this medicine, if you stop it you will fill worse and lose more hair. It is hard to comprehend right now because of your hormone changes. However life does get better, it takes the Dr time to get the med dose just right..

Hang in there kiddo you will not go bald. Being hypo also causes us to fixate on issues and blow them up in our minds to really big issues when in reality it is not as bad as we preceive. Yes it looks like A LOT OF HAIR, but it really is not as much as we think it is. Remember before you became hypo you lst about 80 hairs a week right now you are losing that normal amount and then a few more each day that you notice in the sink, comb, brush, counter. It really is not as much hair are you think it is when you look at how much hair that is on your head.

As soon as you start feeling better you will notice that you hair issues and concerns were not as big of an issue as you once thought it was. Remember to pamper your self right now. Your body and mind need you to focus on getting better. You air issue will follow suit.

[ashmi4]

I could see more and more hair loss day by day even after one month use of Levothyroxine .(Synthroid)
I am very much worried  and undergoing a lot of depression because of this.:( :(
How much time does  Levothyroxine take to show its action ...

[goolarra]

I'll try to answer all your questions.

Please post your actual FT3 and FT4 results along with reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own lab report.  How long have you been on levo, and are these results from before starting meds, or are they current?  Just being "in range" is very frequently not sufficient to relieve symptoms.  Many of us find that FT4 has to be close to midrange and FT3 upper half to third of range before we feel well.  

Here's the way the cycle works:  Your pituitary puts out TSH to stimulate your thyroid to produce more T4 (and a little T3).  If it's working properly, your thyroid produces the FT4 and FT3.  Your pituitary senses the higher FT4 and FT3 levels and stops putting out TSH until your FT3 and FT4 levels fall again.  There is no way to DIRECTLY change TSH...the only way to change it is indirectly by manipulating T4 and T3.

It takes time, as Ladyrumrunner says, to get to an optimal dose of meds.  Until you get to that dose, your hair will probably continue to fall out, then it will stop.  It tales 4-5 weeks for your dose to reach its full potential in your blood.  So, there is no way to hurry the process without risking going hypER from too much meds...that's a rollercoaster you don't want to get on.  You just have to wait 4-5 weeks, retest and reevaluate symptoms and make adjustments from there.

If your thyroid hormones are not properly balanced, a dermatologist is probably not going to be able to do a lot for you.  Hang in there, get your meds adjusted, and your hair will stop falling out and what you lost will grow back.  Patience...  

[kow93]

I'm 19 years old and was diagnosed with hypothroidism and hoshimotos when I was 13. I was put on a small dose of synthroid and the problem was quickly corrected. In the past year, I wasn't too good about taking my medication, but two months ago, when I had to have my Thyroid levels checked before I headed off to college, my TSH level came back at 7.57, which is extremely high. I was immediately put on 125 mcg per day and 4 days later I noticed that in clumps my hair was falling out. Within a week, I had lost half my hair.

It is now two months later and I am almost completely bald as a freshman female in college. It is painful to look in the mirror. I go through a bottle of Toppik hair powder every two days just to cover up my bald patches. I used to have long, THICK, curly hair and since it started falling out, I had to cut it to my shoulders.

I've tried everything: Primose Oil, steroid injection shots in my head, I've gotten a scalp biopsy, and I wake up at 6:30 every morning just to take my medication. (you are supposed to take it an hour before you eat) My life is miserable. I can't go out, everyone notices my hair loss, and I can only wash my hair once a week when my roommate is not around. I have a wig sitting in my closet but I just can't bring myself to wear it.

I honestly can no idea what to do, all my TSH, T3, T4, iron, and DHEA levels are completely normal now and have been for about 6 weeks. Hopefully I start seeing some hair growth soon.

If you have had any improvement or if anyone has any tips at all, PLEASE let me know. I am desperate.

[goolarra]

Welcome to the forum.  Julz hasn't posted in several years.

Do you have recent FREE T3, FREE T4 and TSH results?  If so, please post them with reference ranges (ranges vary lab to lab, so you have to post them with results.  "normal" isn't necessarily normal.  We often find that our FT3 and FT4 levels have to be quite high in the ranges before we feel well.

Do you have any other hypo symptoms?

Hair loss and regrowth is reactive.  So, what you are seeing now may reflect your thyroid status several months ago much more than it reflects your current state.  Hair loss can be one of the most stubborn symptoms since the body tends to take care of its vital systems first (brain, heart, etc.).

What was your dose prior to your labs and starting 125 mcg?

[kow93]

My TSH level right now is 1.5 which I'm told is normal. They found that the 125 mcg dosage was too high so after a week of being on that, I was switch to half of a 125 mcg pill (62.5 mcg) which is what I was SUPPOSED to be taking for the past year or so, but I didn't always keep up with it, especially in the last 8 or so months.

I used to have extreme fatigue and rapid weight gain, but those haven't been as prominent lately.

I wasn't told my T3 or T4 results, only that they were "normal."

[goolarra]

You should make sure your doctor orders FREE T3 and FREE T4 every time he orders TSH.  Many of us find that, once on meds. TSH becomes an unreliable indicator.  Get in the habit of getting your resilts and reference ranges and keep your own history.  If you write down your dose and symptoms just prior to the labs on the lab report, you will be gaining some valuable information.  

Your doctor is adjusting your meds pretty wildly.  He went from 62.5 (did he know you hadn't been consistent?) to 125.  I'm sure you can do the math.  Changes should be kept in the 12.5-25 mcg range with retesting and re-evaluation of symptoms in 4-6 weeks to see if a further change is in order.  How did they find the 125 mcg dose was too high?  Were you having hypER symptoms?

If I were you, I'd call my doctors office and ask for the actual results of your T3 and T4 tests.  Were they done at the same time as the TSH of 1.5?  How long had you been back on 62.5 at that time?  Be sure to get reference ranges and ask if they were FREE T3 (FT3) and FREE T4 (FT4) or total T3 and total T4.  The FREE tests are much more useful.  As I said above, just being in reference range often doesn't relieve our symptoms.  Many find that FT4 has to be about midrange and FT3 upper half to third of range before symptoms are relieved.

If you get those and want to post them, we can help you learn how to interpret them.  Depending on FT3 and FT4 results, you might be best waiting and seeing if your hair starts to regrow, or it might be obvious that your FT3 and FT4 levels are still lacking and you need a more moderate increase.  

[bobbiegale52]

I was diagnosed w/ hypothyroidism. Never noticed any hair loss till I was put on Synthroid. I lost half my hair in about a month. I immediately got off the meds. I am going to a clinic that  recognizes and treats causes for hypothyroidism and not just symptoms. I have had only one visit thus far but feel very encouraged. I have also put my self on a gluten free diet and dairy free diet.  I have started a exercise program. I have been taking evening primrose oil for under a month now. You are suppose to see results after eight weeks. I also take a hair vitamin with Biotin. I also changed to an all natural shampoo and conditioner. I am still having hair loss . But I am willing to give these options a try instead of going to doctors who really could care less about my hair loss  and  do not seem interested in my case. After my lab results I had to go on the patient portal to get my diagnosis. The doctor's staff called me and told me he called me in a prescription.  The doctor never discussed my labs with me. I have been off the meds since Christmas 2014. It will take time to see how I am faring on my journey free of meds.

[gimel]

If you were started on Synthroid I have to assume that you were hypothyroid and needed the medication.  One of the side effects that is supposedly related to Synthroid is hair loss, but I believe that it can be due to the initial effect of thyroid med when the dose is only a starter dose and it is not increased after a short interval.  So in many of those cases cases the levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones may not increase, or may even go down sightly, due to the effect of the Synthroid on TSH, and the secondary effect on production of natural thyroid hormone.  

Hair loss can be due to a number of issues, but two of the most frequent are hypothyroidism and low ferritin (iron).  The things you are doing may be beneficial, but if you have either of those two conditions, it is unlikely that the hair loss will be stopped completely.  Depending on the cause for hypothyroidism,  there may be no effective method for treatment, in which case, thyroid hormone replacement is required to provide adequate levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4.  

If you will please post your thyroid related test results from before and after you started on the meds, along with reference ranges shown on the lab report, we can help assess your status.  Also, if tested for Vitamin D and ferritin, please post those as well.  

[jacrjacr]

can you tell me if you are having any luck. I have been on synthroid for over a year and continuously have hair loss getting worse.....yet my iron and b vitamins and all other things are in normal range and dht tested negative as well therefore I think it is the synthroid .Some people I have heard going to functional drs will get the cow natural thyroid pills and just wondering if you have found a answer.....I didn't do well on nature throid so my dr put me on synthroid but she gave me way too much nature throid and didntknow the signs...so I have little trust in drs with thyroid at this point after several drs have been only moderately informed  how to treat .

[gimel]

More than likely it is not the Synthroid, but your levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, or low ferritin.  Please post your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also, please post your ferritin level.

[jacrjacr]

tsh is 1.48 ) .45-4.5
ft4 1.48 (.82-1.77)
ft3 2.7 ( 2.-4.4)

my estradiol is low
my ferritin 66 (15-150)
b12 716 ( 211-946)
vit d 69
dhea low 36.3 ( 41.2-243)

[gimel]

The thing I see in those tests that likely relate to hair loss is the Free T3 that is too low in the range.  Because of the erroneous assumptions used in establishing the ranges for Free T4 and Free T3, relief from hypo symptoms frequently requires Free T3 to be in the upper third of its range, or as necessary to relieve hypo symptoms.  I think you need to get your doctor to add some T3 to your meds and gradually raise it as necessary to relieve symptoms.