Help with Hypothyroidism/ Hairloss

[Yasoda]

Hello - I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and been on 75mcg  Levothyroxine for 10 years. Did not feel better and had all classic symptoms - tired/sluggish/ weight gain/ vertigo/constipation. Started losing hair after taking Levo. Experience severe hair loss. Saw a new Dr and he switched me to Armour Thyroid. After a month I am on 90 mcg of Armour.
My Free T4 is 1.3 (0.8 - 1.8)
Free T3 is 4.2 ( 1.8 - 4.2)
My blood test showed the presence of Thyroid Peroxidase AB -  65.1 (0.0 -35.0)

Do I have Hashimoto's disease? If so is my Armour Thyroid too high? I used to get episodes of sweating and increased heartbeats. My  Monocyte count is low 4.6.(4.69 - 12.66)
My symptoms are a little better with Armour than Levo. But my hair loss is still very bad.  
How long does it take for hair loss to stop with Armour? My Ferritin level is 48 (5  - 148).
Thanks for your response.

[Yasoda]

Yes - I have a blood test done when I was taking 60 mg of Armour which was done on 01/05. I would get the results Monday or  Tuesday and would post it.
I would be getting blood test done by middle of Feb - by then I would be on 90mg of Armour for a month. And also on Vitamin D, B12 and Ferritin supplements.

Thanks again for your great support and I am sorry I messed up the results.

Yasoda

[gimel]

It is not possible to make a recommendation at this time without current tests, representative of taking the 90 mg of Armour Thyroid.  Can you get re-tested for Free T3, Free T4, Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin?  

[Yasoda]

Hi - I just realized I have given some very wrong  information here.
My blood work results which I referred to above are, when I was taking Levo 75 mcg and NOT 90 mcg Armour. Sorry about the confusion....just that there were multiple blood tests and I am so tired and depressed with all this.

So to summarize my blood results on 75 mcg of Levo, on 12/18

Free T4 is 1.3 (0.8 - 1.8)
Free T3 is 4.2 ( 1.8 - 4.2)
Thyroid Peroxidase AB -  65.1 (0.0 -35.0)
Vitamin B12 - 349 ( 193 - 982)
Vitamin D - 41.9 ( 30 - 100)
Ferritin level is 48 (5  - 148).

After this I was on started on  30 mcg Armour (felt terrible) - Dr increased to 60 in two weeks and now I am on 90 mcg daily. I split it into two doses.

I started taking Iron Bisglycinate 25mg daily, B12 and D supplements.
I also take an OTC Thyroid supplement called Thyroscin from Thorne.
My Dr also asked me to take Selenium which I did.

I am a vegeterian - used to take sea food before and stopped it about 17 years. Had thyroid issues for 10-12 years now.

I still have bad hair loss, And I am tired. However  after I am on 90mcg of Armour I was able to stop taking laxatives to go daily. I am still not quite OK,,, My eyes keep twitching - had it even before I started Armour,


Sorry I gave confusing information. But am I over stimulating my Thyroid with 90 mcg of Armour? My FT3 was on the upper range when I started Armor.

I do not have my blood results after I started Armor.

Thanks a lot for your responses. Much appreciated.
You are a life saver.

Yasoda

[Yasoda]

Thanks a lot for your response.

Yasoda

[gimel]

Your B12 needs to be in the upper end of the range for best effect.  Your Vitamin D is a bit lower than recommended, which is 55-60.  It's good that you have already started supplementing with iron.  

Yes, Hasi's can sometimes cause swings from hypo to hyper and back.  Can't be sure your sweating and palpitation issues were from being hyper.  Those can also be caused when hypo.  The fact that it has improved since starting on Armour may indicate that you were hypo all the time.  

Hashi's itself does not cause vertigo.  Vertigo can also be a symptom of being hypothyroid.  Also, raising your Armour to get your Free T3 high enough will relieve symptoms, which include hair loss, as you can see in this link that shows 26 of the most typical symptoms of hypothyroidism.

http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html  

[Yasoda]

Thanks so much for your responses. I was feeling so low when I stumbled upon this website. And you are being so supportive. Thank you!

Vitamin B12 - 349 ( 193 - 982)
Vitamin D - 41.9 ( 30 - 100)

I have started taking Iron Bisglycinate 25mg daily.

If I may ask - I understand Hashimoto's causes one to fluctuate between Hypo and Hyper. I used to have a lot sweating and palpitation for years now. Will Armour aggravate the Hyper thyroidism part?  Though I have noticed that these have come down a bit  since I started Armour. I have been on Armour for a month now.

Can Hashimoto's disease cause vertigo? I have a lot of vertigo. Since I started Armour I feel my head is clearer. I have checked my inner ear and also brain scans. They are both normal.

Sometimes I wonder whether Armour may aggravate the Hyperthyroidism  part and again cause hair loss.

Thanks,
Yasoda

[gimel]

I suspected that you had taken your med before the blood draw, causing your Free T3 to be artificially high.  In the future I suggest that you delay the med until afterward.  

From your TPO ab test along with symptoms, it is clear that Hashi's is the cause for your being hypothyroid.  With Hashi's, the autoimmune system erroneously determines the thyroid gland is foreign to the body and produces antibodies to attack and eventually destroy the gland.  As this progresses, the output of natural thyroid hormone gradually diminishes and has to be replaced by thyroid med.  At present your Free T4 is adequate, but you don't know your representative Free T3 levels.  

Since you still have hypo symptoms, it would be a good idea to go back and get tested for both Free T3 and Free T4 again, using as an excuse for returning so soon, that you are still having hypo symptoms and you need an increase in your med, and you need to be re-tested to see the effect of the last med change.  A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief has to be all important, not just test results.  I am optimistic about your doctor at this point because he prescribed Armour.  That is a good sign.

Now you just have to encourage him to continue to gradually increase your Armour dosage as necessary to relieve symptoms, including the hair loss you are worried about.  Be patient though since symptoms tend to lag behind changes in serum thyroid levels.  Also,  your need to supplement with iron to raise your ferritin to about 60 minimum.  You did not list Vitamin D and B12, but you need to get those tested as well.  

[Yasoda]

Thank you for your quick response.

I do split my Armour dosage ( I read it online )

I was on Armour the day blood was drawn.

Yasoda

[gimel]

Before answering your questions I have a few.

Did your doctor tell you to split your 90 mg dose of Armour Thyroid into half, for morning and early afternoon doses?  If not, be aware that is a good way to even out the effect over the whole day.  Also, did you take your Armour dosage before the blood draw for tests?  If so, that can cause a false high test result.  Since T3 goes into effect so quickly, it is best to delay morning dose until after the blood draw.