Thyroid and hair problems

[PollyMay]

About 2 years ago, I noticed that my thin, fine, straight hair had lots of short hairs that looked broken all the way from the root to tip (mainly on the top layer.  It has also become much drier).  I mentioned this to the doctor who did a thyroid test and said my results were 3.65 and didn't warrant any treatment.  In addition to this I also have lichen sclerosus which is an autoimmune condition, suffer with outrageously bad chilblains and have put on a few pounds in weight.  I am chronically tired but not sure if this is simply due to not going to bed early enough!  The most frustrating thing is my hair which is becoming unsightly.  I have had 2 further thyroid tests in the past 18 months, both showing 3.65 or thereabouts.  

My question is this - is it possible that 3.65 is too high a level for ME, regardless of what medical guidelines say and has anyone else had this problem with their hair?  I have searched in vain on the internet to find some guidance but most articles seem to related to specific hair loss rather than this strange condition I have.  The hairs are not broken - they just seem like millions and millions of shorter hairs and this is definitely not the way my hair was over 2 years ago.  General opinions on this would be so welcome and I thank you in advance for any ideas.

[des900]

Check your serum ferritin levels also do the TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood tests.

[Barb135]

Do you know what thyroid test they did?  Was it TSH?  

[PollyMay]

Sorry, I don't.  I was just told the 3.65 figure

[Barb135]

Most likely, it's TSH and yes, it can be too high for you.  You should go back and ask them to Free T4 and Free T3, as those are the actual thyroid hormones.  TSH is a pituitary hormone and should not be used alone to confirm or rule out a thyroid condition.

You should also ask to have thyroid antibodies done to determine if you have Hashimoto's.  Hashimoto's is an autoimmune thyroid condition, in which antibodies mistake the thyroid for a foreign substance. Since you already have one autoimmune condition, the likelihood of getting another is greater.

It's not unusual for symptoms to appear long before labs go out of range, if one has Hashimoto's.  The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TbAb).  You need them both, since some of us have one or the other and some have both.

Hair loss, fatigue and weight gain are classic symptoms of hypothyroidism, which is the result of Hashimoto's.  Other symptoms can include constipation, body aches/pains, swelling/edema of the hands/feet/face, puffiness of the face, especially round the eyes, plus many more.

If your doctor refuses to order the suggested tests, you should find one that will.