Over medicated & extra body hair. Is there a link?

[Sunna7]

I was over medicated on Armour Thyroid for about 2-3 years. TSH was 0.1 when I finally demanded blood work and not go off of applied kinesiology.  (I was seeing a quack)  Anyway, can this cause extra hair growth on the body?  I'm a women and all other hormones checked out fine. During that time the fine hair on my face got pretty long and the hair on my legs got darker and longer, almost manly. Pubic hair extended to the thighs. The hair on my head did fall out and the hair on my arms and face would come out easily, but grow back.  Again, is the extra body related to being over medicated?

[Sunna7]

Thanks!  I enjoyed the chat and info.

[magpieannie]

Sorry! I don't know of a link and have never heard of a connection betwen the two. I really don't think excess hair growth is related to hypo or hyper-thyroidism or thyroid hormone replacement. Let us know what the endo. says. Good luck and God Bless!

[Sunna7]

Yes, he checked the free t4 and t3. He also checked DHEA, Vit D, calcium, testosterone, free testosterone, prolactin, all female hormones, and a few others that I can't recall at this time. Prolactin came back a little high, but he is not concerned because it was a 5 days before my period. Like I said, the nurse said no red flags outside of the TSH and prolactin. He will discuss things with me during my appt next week.  So I'm just wondering about all this hair from hell. lol the hair on my face is white, but long and started (looking back) not too long after the quack increased my dose without doing proper blood work. He increased the dose again about 1 year after that without doing blood work.  

Also, do you know if there is there any link between hypo and extra body hair? I've gone from one extreme to the other in one year and I am just wondering.  

I am just now educating myself on this thyroid stuff.  I placed my health in the hands of a quack and didn't think twice about it. A lesson learned.  Listen to your body and stay informed.

[magpieannie]

Sounds like you have a good endo. Will he be open to tracking your freet3 and freet4 as well as the TSH? Atleast he believes in keeping the TSH low in the range, so that's good!

[Sunna7]

Yes, I have those records.  My Endo did a blood test for cortisol. Yes, the TSH is high and the Endo wants to get me between a 1-2 level.  I am now on synthroid, but just started.  I have the typical hypo symptoms, depression, painful periods with large clots, hives, very dry skin, hair falling and am lethargic. I've been off meds since the summer, but couldn't proceed with blood work until recently due to lack of health insurance.  

[magpieannie]

That TSH is elivated some (should be under 3.0) 6.36 is even too high going by the outdated lab. ranges that most endo.s still use. Do you have any records on the actual thyroid hormones (Free t3 and Freet4) when you were on Armour. Did the doctor do a saliva cortisol test or blood?

[Sunna7]

Thanks.  I will ask the Endo next week.  We will be discussing my blood test results at that time, but the nurse called and said that there are no red flags except for TSH being 6.36 after being weaned from thyroid meds to see where I really stand. He did a full hormone workup including cortisol.  While I was over medicated I gained 30 lbs. Now I am back to my ideal weight give or take 5 to 10 lbs.  Lifestyle did not change, the only thing that changed was meds.

[magpieannie]

Since you had a cyst in the past that went away- you could still have the "actual" disease, just no cyst at the present time. Do you have weight gain in the middle (apple shaped, irregular periods, over weight, mail patterened facial hair growth and diamond shaped hair growth pattern on the chest between the breast? Check it out online @ pcossupport.org. I don't think it's related to your thyroid medication. (what about a possible tumor on the adrenial glands? - forgot what it is called, but it can cause excessive hair growth too as it can increase the level of testosterone in the body. Woman can get this! Google it too! I think it might be called called Addison's Disease or cushings syndrome- at anyrate, it's probably autoimmune related!

[Sunna7]

no cysts. Went for an exam and have had an ultrasound in the past because I had one big cyst that went away on its own

[magpieannie]

You could have PCOS- Google it?