Aa
Hair Loss Caused By Synthroid
Hi everyone.
Prior to the story before, I always had tons and tons of thick, healthy hair with NO hair loss.
In October 2009, I began having prolonged, non-stop menstruation and severe pelvic pain. Numerous tests later, docs had no idea what was wrong with me.
In January of 2010, my GP put me birth control pills for 3 months, but it didn't help me at all. In fact, it caused heavy hair loss which stopped when I stopped taking the pill, and also made my moods unstable (I'm usually calm/laid back otherwise).
After a month of no meds, in April of 2010 she put me on .25 levothyroxine as she thought I may be hypothyroid, because I was sluggish, depressed, and gaining weight (and still continued menstrual bleeding non-stop). . My TSH levels prior to any meds was 3.68.
A month later (May 2010), since my menstrual cycle was still abnormal, and my TSH had only come down to 2.99, my GP decided to increase my dosage to .50. At this point, my energy level was up, but so was my anxiety, and I was constantly flushed in the face and overheated/sweating all the time. But she said my body would adjust.
By the 3rd month on levothyroxine (June 2010) 3, my GP deided to increase my dosage to .75 to bring my TSH fown to the 1's. However, my menstrual cycles were still wacky. She also switched me to Synthroid.
Within 2 weeks, my hair began falling out in CLUMPS. I was clogging the shower drain 2-3 times per shower, and hair was literally falling off my head as I walked around. My head was raining hair. I freaked out, went to see her and he admitted I had already list a lot of hair. She said thyroid meds increase metabolism so maybe that's why I had hair loss, but to "stick it out" and my body would adjust.
Within 3 months, I had and continued to lose SO much hair, I was crying and hysterical every time I showered. I saw her again, and she said it was up to me to stay on the neds or not. They weren't helping my menstruation anyway, and I was sweating and losing hair. My TSH was at 1.04.
I weaned myself off the Synthroid by October 2010. I was no longer on ANY meds.
Fast forward to today, March 31, 2012...1.5 years post Ynthrod, and I still continue to lose hair daily. It has never stopped since back when I had no air loss but was put on thyroid meds.
I have seen many specialists, all at a loss as to what is going on.
I have regularly had my TSH (and occassionally my T3/T4 checked and all came back normal (TSH fluctuating between 2-3.5, depending on the time of nonth or day). I've been tested for autoimmune disorders and all came back negative.
But my hair has never stopped falling out since tht awful day I took thyroid meds. I have even lost nearly all the hair on my arms and half my legs. My bathroom floor is constantly covered with hair, and I barely have to shave my legs. What hair does grow back is fine and sparse. I now have very thin hair and I have to use Toppik yo cover the very sparse parts.
Three weeks ago, I went to yet another specialist and he ran a bunch of tests (my last thyroid tests were only a month before). His reults were vastly different than all the other times, and here are the results (and the lab ranges):
TSH - 5.93 (0.4-4.5 mIU/L)
TSH with Hama - 6.17 (no range given)
T4, Free - 1.0 (0.8-1.8 ng/dL)
T3, Free - 3.0 (2.3-4.2 pg/mL)
T3, Reverse - 30 (11-32 ng/dL)
Thyroglobulin Antibodies - <20 ( Follicular: > or = 2.7 ng/mL; Luteal: 3.0-31.4 pg/mL)
Testosterone, Free - 1.7 (0.2-5.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone, Bioavailable - 3.7 (0.5-8.5 ng/dL)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin - 36 (17-124 nmol/L)
FSH - 4.0 mIU/mL (Follicular: 2.5-10.2; Mid-cycle Peak 3.1-17.7; Luteal: 1.5-9.1)
LH - 6.1 mIU/mL (Follicular: 1.9-12.5; Mid-cycle Peak 8.7-76.3; Luteal: 16.9)
Iron, Total - 54 (40-175 mcg/dL)
Iron Binding Capacity - 404 (250-450 mcg/dL)
Ferritin - 26 (10-154 ng/mL)
Transferrin - 250 (188-341 mg/dL)
DHEA Sulfate - 127 (40-325 mcg/dL)
Cortisol, 8 a.m. - 22.1 (4.0-22.0)
Magnesium - 5.8 (4.0-6.4 mg/dL)
Parathyroid Hormone, Intact - 50 (10-65 pg/mL)
As you see, the testing was extensive (and pergormed a week pre-menstrual cycle). But based on the TSH and the Free T3/T4 levels, he said he would diagnose me with Hashimoto's, even though (he said) my DHEA Sulfate is low for my age (mid-30s), so I may also have some Adrenal Fatigue.
I was shocked that he sees Hasimoto's in this, and wants me to take Adrenal Supplements (herbal), DHEA supplements (herbal), and eventually, Armour thyroid.
I told him I'll think about it, but wanted serious input from those who understand the levels I posted above. Why hadn't my hair loss stopped? And are my labs pointing to thyroid disease/imbalance/Hashimoto's or not?
P.S. my menstrual cycle is still somewhat wacky, and turns out I had ovarian adhesions that a laparosvopy surgery discoered and forrected.
Please share your thoughts and expertise...I really am confused as to what is happening to my body! I just want my normal hair back!
Prior to the story before, I always had tons and tons of thick, healthy hair with NO hair loss.
In October 2009, I began having prolonged, non-stop menstruation and severe pelvic pain. Numerous tests later, docs had no idea what was wrong with me.
In January of 2010, my GP put me birth control pills for 3 months, but it didn't help me at all. In fact, it caused heavy hair loss which stopped when I stopped taking the pill, and also made my moods unstable (I'm usually calm/laid back otherwise).
After a month of no meds, in April of 2010 she put me on .25 levothyroxine as she thought I may be hypothyroid, because I was sluggish, depressed, and gaining weight (and still continued menstrual bleeding non-stop). . My TSH levels prior to any meds was 3.68.
A month later (May 2010), since my menstrual cycle was still abnormal, and my TSH had only come down to 2.99, my GP decided to increase my dosage to .50. At this point, my energy level was up, but so was my anxiety, and I was constantly flushed in the face and overheated/sweating all the time. But she said my body would adjust.
By the 3rd month on levothyroxine (June 2010) 3, my GP deided to increase my dosage to .75 to bring my TSH fown to the 1's. However, my menstrual cycles were still wacky. She also switched me to Synthroid.
Within 2 weeks, my hair began falling out in CLUMPS. I was clogging the shower drain 2-3 times per shower, and hair was literally falling off my head as I walked around. My head was raining hair. I freaked out, went to see her and he admitted I had already list a lot of hair. She said thyroid meds increase metabolism so maybe that's why I had hair loss, but to "stick it out" and my body would adjust.
Within 3 months, I had and continued to lose SO much hair, I was crying and hysterical every time I showered. I saw her again, and she said it was up to me to stay on the neds or not. They weren't helping my menstruation anyway, and I was sweating and losing hair. My TSH was at 1.04.
I weaned myself off the Synthroid by October 2010. I was no longer on ANY meds.
Fast forward to today, March 31, 2012...1.5 years post Ynthrod, and I still continue to lose hair daily. It has never stopped since back when I had no air loss but was put on thyroid meds.
I have seen many specialists, all at a loss as to what is going on.
I have regularly had my TSH (and occassionally my T3/T4 checked and all came back normal (TSH fluctuating between 2-3.5, depending on the time of nonth or day). I've been tested for autoimmune disorders and all came back negative.
But my hair has never stopped falling out since tht awful day I took thyroid meds. I have even lost nearly all the hair on my arms and half my legs. My bathroom floor is constantly covered with hair, and I barely have to shave my legs. What hair does grow back is fine and sparse. I now have very thin hair and I have to use Toppik yo cover the very sparse parts.
Three weeks ago, I went to yet another specialist and he ran a bunch of tests (my last thyroid tests were only a month before). His reults were vastly different than all the other times, and here are the results (and the lab ranges):
TSH - 5.93 (0.4-4.5 mIU/L)
TSH with Hama - 6.17 (no range given)
T4, Free - 1.0 (0.8-1.8 ng/dL)
T3, Free - 3.0 (2.3-4.2 pg/mL)
T3, Reverse - 30 (11-32 ng/dL)
Thyroglobulin Antibodies - <20 ( Follicular: > or = 2.7 ng/mL; Luteal: 3.0-31.4 pg/mL)
Testosterone, Free - 1.7 (0.2-5.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone, Bioavailable - 3.7 (0.5-8.5 ng/dL)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin - 36 (17-124 nmol/L)
FSH - 4.0 mIU/mL (Follicular: 2.5-10.2; Mid-cycle Peak 3.1-17.7; Luteal: 1.5-9.1)
LH - 6.1 mIU/mL (Follicular: 1.9-12.5; Mid-cycle Peak 8.7-76.3; Luteal: 16.9)
Iron, Total - 54 (40-175 mcg/dL)
Iron Binding Capacity - 404 (250-450 mcg/dL)
Ferritin - 26 (10-154 ng/mL)
Transferrin - 250 (188-341 mg/dL)
DHEA Sulfate - 127 (40-325 mcg/dL)
Cortisol, 8 a.m. - 22.1 (4.0-22.0)
Magnesium - 5.8 (4.0-6.4 mg/dL)
Parathyroid Hormone, Intact - 50 (10-65 pg/mL)
As you see, the testing was extensive (and pergormed a week pre-menstrual cycle). But based on the TSH and the Free T3/T4 levels, he said he would diagnose me with Hashimoto's, even though (he said) my DHEA Sulfate is low for my age (mid-30s), so I may also have some Adrenal Fatigue.
I was shocked that he sees Hasimoto's in this, and wants me to take Adrenal Supplements (herbal), DHEA supplements (herbal), and eventually, Armour thyroid.
I told him I'll think about it, but wanted serious input from those who understand the levels I posted above. Why hadn't my hair loss stopped? And are my labs pointing to thyroid disease/imbalance/Hashimoto's or not?
P.S. my menstrual cycle is still somewhat wacky, and turns out I had ovarian adhesions that a laparosvopy surgery discoered and forrected.
Please share your thoughts and expertise...I really am confused as to what is happening to my body! I just want my normal hair back!
My hair loss started when I was switched a few years ago from the generic to Synthroid. It has been several years now.. and I cannot tolerate any thyroid meds. They all cause problems with my heart (Synthroid as well.. but I can be on a small dose of it... .31 daily.. I cut pills.. any higher I can't breath and the chest pains and anxiety start.. as well as other symptoms)... I cn tell you there was a period of time I went off of the Sythroid... after months when I was switched to it and I couldnt' take the heart symptoms any longer. At this time my hair stopped falling out.
I have tried going back to the generic but now it causes extreme joint pain after a few weeks and it was intolerable.. and every time I try a new med and go back to the synthroid I feel like someone is sitting on my chest.
3.5 years later.. my hair is so thin and I have hardly any left. It is getting to the point that I may eventually and soon need a wig. The doctors don't realize that yes!! the synthroid causes hair loss!!
After trying tyrosint for one week my hair was falling out onto my arms.. and it was such an awful feeling. I went back to the synthroid, but this time can't adjust back to it.
Please know that low Bs.. Iron and other vitamins or minerals can cause hair loss..
I've been to so many doctors over the last few years and I am broke. 7 Endos Mds Dos Natriopathic, Hormone specialist.. at $300 a visit. Biochemists.. ugh... Its ashame when we can't find a paid doctor to help us... and end up on forums like this where the community is more knowledgable than the doctors themselves.
Anyway... I am scared to go back on theTironsint ... because after one week it also caused stomach isshes a bit.. and my fear is.. if I stick it out and it ends up not working I won't be able to adjust to the Synthroid again... this last time has been so difficult... I am a single working mom 49, of a nine year old... and no... these symptoms are not a result of pre menopause... My cycle is regular still... thank God!! I don't need anything else to deal with yet!!
My dermatologist stinks and I can't afford a better one. She didn't even look at my scalp... like the derm I had a few years ago did (when she told me I wasn't growing any new hair..)... she basically told me she felt stress was causing my hair loss... and let me tell you... I have been mostly stressed over losing my hair... but I have dealt with way more stress over the years... it only started with the Synthroid.
I have tried going back to the generic but now it causes extreme joint pain after a few weeks and it was intolerable.. and every time I try a new med and go back to the synthroid I feel like someone is sitting on my chest.
3.5 years later.. my hair is so thin and I have hardly any left. It is getting to the point that I may eventually and soon need a wig. The doctors don't realize that yes!! the synthroid causes hair loss!!
After trying tyrosint for one week my hair was falling out onto my arms.. and it was such an awful feeling. I went back to the synthroid, but this time can't adjust back to it.
Please know that low Bs.. Iron and other vitamins or minerals can cause hair loss..
I've been to so many doctors over the last few years and I am broke. 7 Endos Mds Dos Natriopathic, Hormone specialist.. at $300 a visit. Biochemists.. ugh... Its ashame when we can't find a paid doctor to help us... and end up on forums like this where the community is more knowledgable than the doctors themselves.
Anyway... I am scared to go back on theTironsint ... because after one week it also caused stomach isshes a bit.. and my fear is.. if I stick it out and it ends up not working I won't be able to adjust to the Synthroid again... this last time has been so difficult... I am a single working mom 49, of a nine year old... and no... these symptoms are not a result of pre menopause... My cycle is regular still... thank God!! I don't need anything else to deal with yet!!
My dermatologist stinks and I can't afford a better one. She didn't even look at my scalp... like the derm I had a few years ago did (when she told me I wasn't growing any new hair..)... she basically told me she felt stress was causing my hair loss... and let me tell you... I have been mostly stressed over losing my hair... but I have dealt with way more stress over the years... it only started with the Synthroid.
Wow. Your story sounds just like mine! I haven't found all the answers yet but here are some that have worked for me. 20 years into this hormone issue and I'm still working with doctors to get it regulated.
Ask your doctor about putting you on a time released T-3 capsule (I have to take 150 mcg which is an extremely high dose. Most people take only 10 mcg.) Typically in the fall, I have to take the dose up 12.5 mcg and decrease it in the spring. Doctor has no explanation for it and blood tests confirm the need for this change 2x a year.
If you take T4 again, take it as a separate medication from the T3. I find taking them separately works better for me. You may find the same.
I lost clumps of hair, too. You are probably protein and vitamin D deficient along with mild adrenal dysfunction. I suspect you're losing your hair because of this. If you can tolerate it, take 100 grams of whey protein per day. There are really good tasting whey shakes these days.
I've been on DHEA supplements but they're pretty wicked for women. (Too much testosterone and you'll get acne like you've never had before!) Take 7-Keto DHEA but it needs to be taken with a small amount of hydrocortisone in order to work effectively. I take 2.5 to 5 mg daily, depending on how stressed I am or if I'm sick. And regardless of the Dr. Oz hype about 7-Keto causing weight loss, not going to happen. If you are a blood type O, go on a gluten free diet. Gluten negatively impacts thyroid function. Also stay away from cruciferous vegetables. I love cauliflower and was eating it 2 times a week and couldn't understand why the morning after, I could hardly wake up; same with cabbage. They are now off limits like wheat products.
Take LOTS of balanced vitamin Bs. Good source is Metagenics: Cortico 5 and 6. Metagenics also has a thyroid supplement called Thyrosol that will boost your T3. I know this for a fact because I took 1 cap a day while on my thyroid hormone and my hair started falling out! I was getting too much T3 hormone. I stopped the supplement and my hair stopped falling out.
Hormone imbalances suck. It's worse than diabetes in my opinion. It's very difficult to get diagnosed and then treated with the correct combinations of hormones. Until that happens, forget weight loss no matter how good your diet is or how much you exercise. Good luck.
P.S. Do not even think about doing the HCG diet if you're concerned about weight gain. It is often touted to be the diet to end all diets! It created more havoc with my hormones than I bargained for! I did this diet under a doctor's supervision and had hormone imbalances so severe, all my energy was going just to keep my heart beating. I was literally one foot in the grave. My doctor put me on a "no exercise" regiment for 9 months to allow my body to heal from the stress. Walking wasn't allowed; only some stretching. If you have even minor hormone imbalances, it really could kill you. I caution everyone with health issues to find other avenues of weight loss.
Ask your doctor about putting you on a time released T-3 capsule (I have to take 150 mcg which is an extremely high dose. Most people take only 10 mcg.) Typically in the fall, I have to take the dose up 12.5 mcg and decrease it in the spring. Doctor has no explanation for it and blood tests confirm the need for this change 2x a year.
If you take T4 again, take it as a separate medication from the T3. I find taking them separately works better for me. You may find the same.
I lost clumps of hair, too. You are probably protein and vitamin D deficient along with mild adrenal dysfunction. I suspect you're losing your hair because of this. If you can tolerate it, take 100 grams of whey protein per day. There are really good tasting whey shakes these days.
I've been on DHEA supplements but they're pretty wicked for women. (Too much testosterone and you'll get acne like you've never had before!) Take 7-Keto DHEA but it needs to be taken with a small amount of hydrocortisone in order to work effectively. I take 2.5 to 5 mg daily, depending on how stressed I am or if I'm sick. And regardless of the Dr. Oz hype about 7-Keto causing weight loss, not going to happen. If you are a blood type O, go on a gluten free diet. Gluten negatively impacts thyroid function. Also stay away from cruciferous vegetables. I love cauliflower and was eating it 2 times a week and couldn't understand why the morning after, I could hardly wake up; same with cabbage. They are now off limits like wheat products.
Take LOTS of balanced vitamin Bs. Good source is Metagenics: Cortico 5 and 6. Metagenics also has a thyroid supplement called Thyrosol that will boost your T3. I know this for a fact because I took 1 cap a day while on my thyroid hormone and my hair started falling out! I was getting too much T3 hormone. I stopped the supplement and my hair stopped falling out.
Hormone imbalances suck. It's worse than diabetes in my opinion. It's very difficult to get diagnosed and then treated with the correct combinations of hormones. Until that happens, forget weight loss no matter how good your diet is or how much you exercise. Good luck.
P.S. Do not even think about doing the HCG diet if you're concerned about weight gain. It is often touted to be the diet to end all diets! It created more havoc with my hormones than I bargained for! I did this diet under a doctor's supervision and had hormone imbalances so severe, all my energy was going just to keep my heart beating. I was literally one foot in the grave. My doctor put me on a "no exercise" regiment for 9 months to allow my body to heal from the stress. Walking wasn't allowed; only some stretching. If you have even minor hormone imbalances, it really could kill you. I caution everyone with health issues to find other avenues of weight loss.
Just because your thyroid hormone levels are in the so-called "normal" range does not mean that is adequate for you. The levels are far too broad. Please post your thyroid test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report so that members can assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.
Also, have you been tested for the possibility of low iron? Those tests would be ferritin, and a full iron test panel. If you wonder why I ask about this, have a look at this link.
http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-living/low--iron-hair-loss.aspx
Also, have you been tested for the possibility of low iron? Those tests would be ferritin, and a full iron test panel. If you wonder why I ask about this, have a look at this link.
http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-living/low--iron-hair-loss.aspx
I too have had the same bad luck with synthroid, I was diagnosed as hypo 4 years ago and have taken armour,levothyroxine and synthriod. I have seen 4 different doctors who gave me 4 different doses of meds and a hasimotos diagnosis also. Finally I went to an endo. He gave me an extremely high dose of synthroid and I had taken it for only one month because I could not stand the hair loss and nightmares. I had stopped taking it in august of 2010 it is now july 2012 and my hair is still falling out like crazy after taking the meds for only one month.Thankfully the nighmares have lessened. Prior to this I had thick hair that NEVER fell out. Recently I saw a new doctor for some more tests and I am not hypo thyroid nor do I have any thyroid related issues. I wish I had never taken any thyroid meds. I have way less hair and I sweat a lot now... Thanks doc.
I have tried every remedy to stop the loss coconut oil, dandruff shampoo, tea tree oil, 5mg of biotin ( I have had some luck with this, but it makes body hair grow over night) sulfate free shampoo you name it. Ive even seen a dermatologist they can find nothing wrong with my scalp.
I have tried every remedy to stop the loss coconut oil, dandruff shampoo, tea tree oil, 5mg of biotin ( I have had some luck with this, but it makes body hair grow over night) sulfate free shampoo you name it. Ive even seen a dermatologist they can find nothing wrong with my scalp.
1 Comments
have you checked for estrogen dominance which causes hair loss and sweating
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hairloss/a/hairloss.htm I also have always had long thick hair. 3 years ago my hair was coming out by brushfulls - in the shower - all the time. My hair is still very long - down to my butt, but so much thinner. I don't know if it will ever come back to the way it was, but some days it's hardly any hair loss at all and other days it's a lot. I am devastated....
I hate to disagree with Mary, but I do.
As redheadaussie points out, hair loss is reactive and the shed can be removed from the "trauma" by quite some time. Combine that with the fact that Synthroid takes time to build in the blood and the initial dose is seldom optimal, and it begins to look like the drug caused the problem when it might have happened anyway.
Doctors who practice reference range endocrinology tend to adjust their patients into the lower end of the free ranges and then tell them the rest of their symptoms are not thyroid related. The result is that they are still hypo...just SLIGHTLY hypo if they're lucky. The body tends to take care of its most essential systems (heart, brain, etc.) first. Hair is not essential to life. So, hair loss can be one of the last symptoms to go away.
I'm sure some people do have an allergic reaction to Synthroid that can cause hair loss in some, but, by and large, hair loss is a sign that you are still hypo.
As redheadaussie points out, hair loss is reactive and the shed can be removed from the "trauma" by quite some time. Combine that with the fact that Synthroid takes time to build in the blood and the initial dose is seldom optimal, and it begins to look like the drug caused the problem when it might have happened anyway.
Doctors who practice reference range endocrinology tend to adjust their patients into the lower end of the free ranges and then tell them the rest of their symptoms are not thyroid related. The result is that they are still hypo...just SLIGHTLY hypo if they're lucky. The body tends to take care of its most essential systems (heart, brain, etc.) first. Hair is not essential to life. So, hair loss can be one of the last symptoms to go away.
I'm sure some people do have an allergic reaction to Synthroid that can cause hair loss in some, but, by and large, hair loss is a sign that you are still hypo.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
