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Alternatives to Synthroid
I am a 39 year-old female and was diagnosed with hashimoto's 1 year ago. Am currently taking 0.15mg of Synthroid and my hair is falling out. Is there any other drug (not made from a pig) that is comparable and will keep my hair? Thank you!
Every patient will react differently to each medication. Your doctor should know about other available medications, so you should discuss it with your doctor.
That being said, hair loss is a classic sign of hypothyroidism. Even though you are being treated, it is highly possible that you do not have your thyroid under control yet. In other words, the hair loss is probably not from the drug - it is far more likely that you are losing your hair because you are not taking a high enough dose or because your thyroid disease has progressed beyond a previous dose.
While your TSH may technically be "in range," the healthy range for a treated patient, according to the ATA, is between .5 and 2.0. However, that is a huge range. Many people find that they feel horrible at 2.0, but just bringing their TSH up to 1.0 gets rid of their hypothyroid symptoms. Remember, tests are a very valuable component of treatment, but must be taken in the context of the larger picture - which includes symptoms that still linger despite being treated, indicating that a patient is still hypothyroid. According to the ATA, a successfully treated patient should have no lingering symptoms.
There is absolutely no evidence that keeping patients at a lower end of the range is good for them. There are significant cardiac risks for both mildly hypo and mildly hyper-thyroid patients. Patients should be treated at a dose high enough that their hypothyroid symptoms disappear, although not high enough to cause hyperthyroid symptoms to appear. Free T3 and Free T4 tests will help determine a good target as TSH is only one marker of thyroid performance. The big picture should always be examined with every patient.
Finally, it is important to note that while Armour - made from pig's thyroid - has a bad rap, much of that reputation can be directly attributed to marketing by competitors. Armour has been in use for about 100 years. Many patients who do not respond to T4-only medications find relief when they begin taking Armour. The medication contains T 1, 2, 3, 4, and calcitonin, all of which are produced by a healthy thyroid. It is not true that Armour is difficult to regulate or dirty. In fact, Armour batches have been recalled less frequently than their synthetic counterparts.
This is not to say Armour is any better or worse; it is simply important to remember that different patients respond to different medications, and T4-only medications don't work for everyone. It should also be noted that the estrogen women often take during menopause is derived from horse urine.
That being said, hair loss is a classic sign of hypothyroidism. Even though you are being treated, it is highly possible that you do not have your thyroid under control yet. In other words, the hair loss is probably not from the drug - it is far more likely that you are losing your hair because you are not taking a high enough dose or because your thyroid disease has progressed beyond a previous dose.
While your TSH may technically be "in range," the healthy range for a treated patient, according to the ATA, is between .5 and 2.0. However, that is a huge range. Many people find that they feel horrible at 2.0, but just bringing their TSH up to 1.0 gets rid of their hypothyroid symptoms. Remember, tests are a very valuable component of treatment, but must be taken in the context of the larger picture - which includes symptoms that still linger despite being treated, indicating that a patient is still hypothyroid. According to the ATA, a successfully treated patient should have no lingering symptoms.
There is absolutely no evidence that keeping patients at a lower end of the range is good for them. There are significant cardiac risks for both mildly hypo and mildly hyper-thyroid patients. Patients should be treated at a dose high enough that their hypothyroid symptoms disappear, although not high enough to cause hyperthyroid symptoms to appear. Free T3 and Free T4 tests will help determine a good target as TSH is only one marker of thyroid performance. The big picture should always be examined with every patient.
Finally, it is important to note that while Armour - made from pig's thyroid - has a bad rap, much of that reputation can be directly attributed to marketing by competitors. Armour has been in use for about 100 years. Many patients who do not respond to T4-only medications find relief when they begin taking Armour. The medication contains T 1, 2, 3, 4, and calcitonin, all of which are produced by a healthy thyroid. It is not true that Armour is difficult to regulate or dirty. In fact, Armour batches have been recalled less frequently than their synthetic counterparts.
This is not to say Armour is any better or worse; it is simply important to remember that different patients respond to different medications, and T4-only medications don't work for everyone. It should also be noted that the estrogen women often take during menopause is derived from horse urine.
You are absolutely correct! Armour was all we had for over 100 years and very few people had any difficulty with it. Grains is the old fashioned way of measurement. Armour comes in millograms these days, just like other meds. I tried everything I could to adjust to Levothyroxine, and synthroid while my body continued to get hammered with more and more symptoms. I was sick and miserable. Every doc I talked with said the same thing about my meds. "Give it time, your body will adjust". Nonsense! I could have gotten a camel throught he eye of a needle easier than adjust to synthroid. The day I started on Armour, I had 10 minutes of feeling a little odd ( shakey, eye changes) and then it was as if I never had a thyroid problem. The nightmare, I had been living,ended.
It did not take weeks to adjust to my new dose. It took days! The first change I noticed was, how normal I felt. After two weeks, my dry skin started to look beautifully clear and well hydrated. My acne disappeared, I had no hair thinning,(eyebrows) no weight flucutations, no sleeping problems, and no more acid reflux etc. My B/P is now 112/62 instead of 188/115.
Before I switched medications, I read about Armour and it did not matter to me that it was pig thyroid. What mattered was, I was feeling horrible and needed a medication that would make me feel better. Since half of America eats pork chops, beef, chicken, and takes HRT and various herbal remedies, its hard to believe that someone would refuse Armour because it comes from a pig. After reading these boards, it appears that many people can not tolerate Levothyroxine or synthroid. If this drug is the key to healing from thyroid issues, than why do so many people have trouble adjusting to it? I can't help but believe that todays medical community is not into cures. They are into making money and keeping patients. If you get better, you don't need monthly appointments.
It did not take weeks to adjust to my new dose. It took days! The first change I noticed was, how normal I felt. After two weeks, my dry skin started to look beautifully clear and well hydrated. My acne disappeared, I had no hair thinning,(eyebrows) no weight flucutations, no sleeping problems, and no more acid reflux etc. My B/P is now 112/62 instead of 188/115.
Before I switched medications, I read about Armour and it did not matter to me that it was pig thyroid. What mattered was, I was feeling horrible and needed a medication that would make me feel better. Since half of America eats pork chops, beef, chicken, and takes HRT and various herbal remedies, its hard to believe that someone would refuse Armour because it comes from a pig. After reading these boards, it appears that many people can not tolerate Levothyroxine or synthroid. If this drug is the key to healing from thyroid issues, than why do so many people have trouble adjusting to it? I can't help but believe that todays medical community is not into cures. They are into making money and keeping patients. If you get better, you don't need monthly appointments.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hair loss is most commonly due to stress -- if the thyroid levels are normal there is not likely much more to do in this case ---- with the exception of a trial of adding some cytomel to the T4.
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