Re: Hair Loss. Did you know...

[Craniac3]

that Pepcid, Zantac, and Tagamet all list HAIR LOSS as a primary side effect? Here I was blaming the Synthroid and hypo/hashi's, and it was the dang GERD and Pepcid!!!

So the question remains, do I want to be comfortable and bald, or have hair and be miserable? ARgh....

[Craniac3]

Well, here's the thing. My labs are all perfect (and yes, I am aware of the .3-3 range. TSH is 1). And they have been for the past 6+ months. My GERD is caused by a hiatal hernia and who knows what else which will be determined once I have an endoscopy. Tried the apple cidar vinegar, and it made it worse. Have also tried digestive enzymes, DCL and triphalga.

I was not on extreme amounts of Pepsid, just one a day, taken before bed. I take my Synthroid first thing in the morning. My hair loss is directly correlated to the time frame (twice) that I was taking Pepsid. It actually stopped completely during the time I was NOT taking Pepsid.

I don't doubt that the GERD is exacerbated by the hypothyroidism, but like Graves Lady says, other things can be wrong. One can't always blame the thyroid. And perhaps because I am hypo, the hair loss side effect of Pepsid was exaggerated. But it is definitely listed as a side effect, number 4 on the list if I'm not mistaken. They are usually listed in order of frequency of occurrence.

So maybe it's just me and my weird body, but it was definitely the catalyst. Now I'm on Nexium and Gaviscon until my endoscopy, so hopefully I will see a slow down in loss.

Wish me luck!

[stella5349]

If you are taking an extreme amount of these antacids and it must be extreme then you could be having a minimal side effect of the antacids.

Continue blaming your thyroid disease and get your levels checked. Did you know taking antacids will deminish the Synthroid meds you are on? Which means if you are popping antiacids with your thyroid meds that could be canceling out the T4 conversion to T3 which alternately will elavate your TSH. Simply put- you will be Hypo.

Also - if you are suffereing acid relux and indegestion that IS a major symptom of HYPO thyroid. get that HYPO under control and you may not need the antacids - I am proof of this. and it costs me alot of money to find that out!

Then maybe your hair may stop falling out. It's the hypo and mixing your antiacids. See your doctor and if the need for antacids is great take them AT LEAST four to six hours apart from your synthroid.  

It's all balance. and it will take a long time to get there.. When your TSH keeps moving around the board and doesn't become stable it is like starting over every day.  Try some natural products to cut acid. This sound gross - but a glup of vinager )apple cider) will do the trick too. Your PH is too acid that is why ingestion is building from a slow metoblism/ from HYPO thyroid. It will cost you $5.oo to buy PH strips and test your PH. It's easy and if you are suffering - mostly likely you PH is out of whack too.