Angela - I am not sure where the disagreement is. I think most people as I believe - an off balance is present - the only thing is other things can also be associated with this problem. I commented in length on the other post on antibodies and hair loss. Here is the link.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/thyroperoxidase-antibody--hair-loss/show/648402
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 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!!
Nanc
I feel it doesn't matter what thyroid med you are taking - IF you are not functioning correctly with your thyroid and the meds are not stabiliZing, that can go hand in hand with hair loss.
Many find that their thyroid medication and function is not the sole cause of their hair loss. Most of the time, a testosterone imbalance ro vitamin deficiency is doing that to a patient.
I also been suffering hair loss from synthroid. I have been taking it over 1 year & still seem to be experiencing it. We moved from New Jersey to a colder dryer climate in the midwest & it seems worse. Is Armour a better medication to take to stop this hair loss...thank you
Nancy
2 weeks after I started taking synthroid I found a bald spot. Over a year later after countless painful needles in my head you can see my scalp all over the top of my head. I too have anxiety when I have to wash my hair, it comes out in clumps like hair extensions. It is all over my house! My thyroid got regulated & the hair loss has still got worse.I was taking 137mcg. 6 weeks ago I just stopped taking it because the hair loss was so bad. I switched endos & tomorrow I start armour, I hope it helps, I understand your pain. Some people say it is the disease not the meds, but if that is true why did my hair loss keep getting worse? A little less hair found in the shower after being off synthroid.
It takes about 3 months on Synthroid for the hair loss to stop. Trust me on this.....mine finally just quit falling out and I was for sure I was gonna go bald. Also, take Evening Primrose oil and a hair vitamin. It WILL stop falling out, you just have to give the medicine time. And you won't go bald. I lost a ton of hair for 3 straight months and I still have quite a head full.
You might want to try a Hair, Skin and Nail, vitamin combo. I purchase mine at wal-mart and it stopped my hair loss. Mine was not from synthroid, though. It was from another medicine.
But its worth a try.
Synthroid is a synthetic med.
Armour is a natural thyroid replacement