Why do I have excess falling hair???

[al1003]

Please advice immediately before i get bald.
I don't want to get bald, i am only 52 years old.
I was hyperthroid before, and I have a wonderful thick hair.
I have radioactive iodine last Jan and another in September.
They checked my blood test results, and I am hypothyroid.last October
and they I have it checked las 12/04, and my tsh is normal, my doctor said.
the result was 1.909 and normal was .49 to 4.64.
But as of this time, I have excessive falling hair.
Please help!!!!! i don't want to get bald

[hope4thegoodstuff]

I had a total thyroidectomy in Mar...I didn't start losing hair until a couple of weeks after beginning my synthetic thyroid meds.  It says right in the paperwork that it can cause hairloss for several weeks.  With me, and I have fine thin hair, it started falling out less after my med levels got into the range that my endo was happy with...and at this point, I have yet to find a dr in 3 different towns of Iowa that tests the free T3, so I hope you have better luck with that.  It was within a month of getting my bloodwork into a good range that I noticed I wasn't pulling a lot of hair out of the bath.

[Minicooper723]

I'm on 100mcg of synthroid due to a total thyroidectomy in August of 09 and my hair is getting so thin one of my sons told me I needed a wig.  I'm still extremely hypo and see the endo again Jan 19.  Best of luck!

[gimel]

It is far more likely that you are losing hair because of still being hypo.  Trying to regulate meds by TSH level is just wrong.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by many variables.  It is inadequate as a diagnostic, by which to determine dosage.  At best it is only an indicator, to be considered along with more important indicators, which include symptoms as well as the levels of the actual, biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and free T4.  FT3 is the most important because it is four times as active as FT4, and FT3 also correlates best with hypo symptoms.

In my opinion, the very best way to treat a thyroid patient is to test and adjust FT3 and FT4 levels with whatever thyroid med is required to alleviate symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Treatment should be all about relief of symptoms.  Frequently we hear from Forum members that this requires that FT3 is adjusted into the upper part of its reference range, and that FT4 is adjusted to at least the midpoint of its range.

So, my suggestion is that you should get the doctor to test your FT3 and FT4 levels and if they are found to be in the low end of their ranges, then increase medication as required to alleviate symptoms, without regard for TSH.  When on medication it is very normal for TSH to be suppressed to the low end of its range or below.  This should not be a concern.  It does not mean you would be hyper.  You become hyper only if the FT3 and FT4 levels get to be too high and you develop hyper symptoms.

[al1003]

Here is the latest thyroid test done,

3rd Generation TSH was 1.909 last 12/04
and my doctor said it was normal, but I still have excessive falling hair, but my
nails are okay!!! I think my nails became thicker.

Please I don't want to get bald!!!!
I am taking levothyroxine sodium for 100 mg. a day?
Is this medicine making me bald???

[gimel]

Were there any other thyroid tests done?  If so, please post the actual results and reference ranges so that members can provide the best response.