Aa
What's wrong with me?
I started taking synthroid ten years ago. At the time, I had BEAUTIFUL long hair. (As a matter of fact,I was voted "best hair" in high school, asked to be a "hair model" for a tv commercial, was asked for my hair for a wig so I did and cut two "pigtails" each one enough for a wig, hairdressers would tell me they'd never seen so much hair, everyone told me how lucky I was, people stopped me to ask what i used on my hair, etc., etc., ) I never thought a thing of my hair, never did anything but wash it daily. It was gorgeous. After tfe birth of my first child, I was severly depressed and my Dr. tested me for thyroid problems. He said I had a goiter. He put me on synthroid and THAT'S when my hair started changing texture and falling out.
I have seen SEVENTEEN doctors, from dermotologists to endos, and every one of them days "it's not the synthroid" and "your levels are normal".
My hair is now brittle, dull, and I have(I cry about this regularly) probably lost almost all my hair.
My once beautiful, shiny, long hair that would curl and stay curled is now dull, short (barely grows at all) lifeless, brittle and falls out so much I have to plunge my shower and sink regularly.
Also, my fingernails have developed ridges in the last few years that also curl down on my index and next finger. But it's "not the Synthroid". RIGHT. WHATS WRONG WITH ME??????
I have seen SEVENTEEN doctors, from dermotologists to endos, and every one of them days "it's not the synthroid" and "your levels are normal".
My hair is now brittle, dull, and I have(I cry about this regularly) probably lost almost all my hair.
My once beautiful, shiny, long hair that would curl and stay curled is now dull, short (barely grows at all) lifeless, brittle and falls out so much I have to plunge my shower and sink regularly.
Also, my fingernails have developed ridges in the last few years that also curl down on my index and next finger. But it's "not the Synthroid". RIGHT. WHATS WRONG WITH ME??????
Please post the reference ranges for those. Ranges are lab specific and have to come from your own lab report.
OK, just got my labs back.
TSH 1.97
T4, Free 1.1
T3, Free 3.4
T3, Reverse 23
TSH 1.97
T4, Free 1.1
T3, Free 3.4
T3, Reverse 23
We often hear doctors say that labs are ":within normal limits". Often, that's not good enough to relieve hypo symptoms. Ranges are very flawed for a number of reasons, and many find that FT4 has to be around midrange and FT3 upper half to upper third of range before all symptoms go away Hair loss is often one of the last to go away because your body thinks that your brain and heart are more important (and they are) and takes care of its vital systems first.
Do you have other hypo symptoms? What meds are you currently taking? Do you know if you have Hashi's?
Adding T3 to your meds or switching to Armour might very well cure your problem, but we can't be more specific without actually looking at your labs.
She might be right about your hair, but I doubt it...I've never heard of anyone who really got their meds adjusted right FOR THEM (not just in range) whose hair didn't grow back.
Post your labs, and we can make more concrete suggestions.
Do you have other hypo symptoms? What meds are you currently taking? Do you know if you have Hashi's?
Adding T3 to your meds or switching to Armour might very well cure your problem, but we can't be more specific without actually looking at your labs.
She might be right about your hair, but I doubt it...I've never heard of anyone who really got their meds adjusted right FOR THEM (not just in range) whose hair didn't grow back.
Post your labs, and we can make more concrete suggestions.
All teh doctors I saw told me I didn't need my meds adjusted because I was within normal range.
I also told all those doctors that my scalp itches and burns slightly, and the back of my neck and my back feels hot and itches when my hair touches it. My ears sometimes feel sunburned. There is no discoloration on my skin, but I can feel it. They told me I am imagining it.
I have changed shampoos, never dye my hair anymore, don't blow dry, curl or otherwise do anything to my hair that I don't have to...like brush it once a day.
I also told all those doctors that my scalp itches and burns slightly, and the back of my neck and my back feels hot and itches when my hair touches it. My ears sometimes feel sunburned. There is no discoloration on my skin, but I can feel it. They told me I am imagining it.
I have changed shampoos, never dye my hair anymore, don't blow dry, curl or otherwise do anything to my hair that I don't have to...like brush it once a day.
My current doctor gave me a TSH, T3 and T4. Also, reverse T3. She says they are all "within normal range". I am now 53. I started taking this when I was 43. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE OLD DOCTORS told me it's just "hormonal" changes. "As we age..." one of them told me.
They told me "it's genetic." Baloney. I don't believe it. My mother had a beautiful head of hair the day she died from Pancreatic Cancer! My grandfathers, father, brother, grandmothers, etc., all had a full head of hair when they died. (Brother still living...with a full head of hair. My OLD HAIR!!! Now he gives me grief by telling me he'll give me a transplant as he has enough to spare. Yes, That makes me cry.)
It's NOT hormones. I had those checked, too.
I had a potassium test. I've had adrenal gland testing, etc., etc., etc. They thought I was crazy.
This new one believes me. (Mostly because you can see my scalp clearly through my hair now. And I because brought my old hair modeling pictures.)She says that I should switch to Armour, and Cytomel, but that my hair may never grow back. This is the most depressing thing of all. I am seeing her tomorrow.
They told me "it's genetic." Baloney. I don't believe it. My mother had a beautiful head of hair the day she died from Pancreatic Cancer! My grandfathers, father, brother, grandmothers, etc., all had a full head of hair when they died. (Brother still living...with a full head of hair. My OLD HAIR!!! Now he gives me grief by telling me he'll give me a transplant as he has enough to spare. Yes, That makes me cry.)
It's NOT hormones. I had those checked, too.
I had a potassium test. I've had adrenal gland testing, etc., etc., etc. They thought I was crazy.
This new one believes me. (Mostly because you can see my scalp clearly through my hair now. And I because brought my old hair modeling pictures.)She says that I should switch to Armour, and Cytomel, but that my hair may never grow back. This is the most depressing thing of all. I am seeing her tomorrow.
Yes, I have seen fifteen endos, and two dermos. Every single on of them tell me it's not the Synthroid. I was switched to levoxyl, then levothyroxine,, then back to synthroid. NOTHING helps.
For the first five years, doctors would look at me and tell me my hair looks great. So, I started carrying the advertisement picture of me when I saw a Doctor. One even said, "Is this photo shopped?" NO!! I burst into tears. He didn't believe me. I didn't go back.
No one will help. They all say my levels are "within the normal range".(I have my levels checked every time I go to a new doctor, or my old "current" endo, whichever comes first -- which is about about every year it seems). No one helps.
I started taking this stupid drug because I was depress, constantly tired, had "brain fog", and gained weight AFTER delivery. But now I am ALWAYS depressed because of my hair.
I never wash it anymore. It's so brittle I NEVER blow it dry. I try not to comb it, and I try not to look in mirrors anymore. It's too depressing.
I get sucker punched in the proverbial gut about my hair every day. Here's an example: I ran into an old classmate of mine at a fourth of July parade, and she blurted out "OMYGOD!!! what happened to your HAIR?? Do you have CANCER??" Then she began to apologize, but she just kept making it worse by saying stuff like, "I mean, sorry for my reaction, but you had the most beautiful hair I've eve seen. I've told my hairdresser about your hair. I can't wait to tell her THIS!!" Yes, I cried. It's depressing.
What happens if I stop taking it? REALLY? I'll get depressed? SO WHAT!
For the first five years, doctors would look at me and tell me my hair looks great. So, I started carrying the advertisement picture of me when I saw a Doctor. One even said, "Is this photo shopped?" NO!! I burst into tears. He didn't believe me. I didn't go back.
No one will help. They all say my levels are "within the normal range".(I have my levels checked every time I go to a new doctor, or my old "current" endo, whichever comes first -- which is about about every year it seems). No one helps.
I started taking this stupid drug because I was depress, constantly tired, had "brain fog", and gained weight AFTER delivery. But now I am ALWAYS depressed because of my hair.
I never wash it anymore. It's so brittle I NEVER blow it dry. I try not to comb it, and I try not to look in mirrors anymore. It's too depressing.
I get sucker punched in the proverbial gut about my hair every day. Here's an example: I ran into an old classmate of mine at a fourth of July parade, and she blurted out "OMYGOD!!! what happened to your HAIR?? Do you have CANCER??" Then she began to apologize, but she just kept making it worse by saying stuff like, "I mean, sorry for my reaction, but you had the most beautiful hair I've eve seen. I've told my hairdresser about your hair. I can't wait to tell her THIS!!" Yes, I cried. It's depressing.
What happens if I stop taking it? REALLY? I'll get depressed? SO WHAT!
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