[prknight]

#1018837

I am so frustrated right now. I’ve had GD since June. I chose to take methimazole. My FT4 when first diagnosed was 2.19 and TSh 0.01. My endo has had to adjust my dosage from 30mg. (Ft4 went to .74)to 15mg. (Ft4 went down to .68)to 5mg. (Ft4 went up to 1.00)and currently taking (for 6 weeks) 10 mg. (Ft4 is at 1.14) and my TSH has moved for the first time to 0.11. My liver enzymes are back to normal! I am feeling much better! At the beginning I experienced a great deal of hair loss (no baldness) and then it stopped when taking 5 mg. I have been on 10 mg. for the past six weeks and the past two weeks I have noticed the hair loss again! I don’t know if it is the medicine or my numbers changing. I am doing so well on the med., I don’t want to stop taking it! I can’t afford to lose anymore hair! Have you ever experienced this? Someone recommended the shampoo "Nioxin". I bought the shampoo, but I’m afraid to use it after researching it on the internet. Should I have done RAI? Hard decision!

[Bobbi]

#1067403

Hair loss can occur for a variety of reasons while we are fluctuating between different levels of thyroid hormone. It can seem like a lot of hair is falling out. But unless you have some other autoimmune problem that causes hair loss, you will not go bald.

The hair receives nutrients from the body LAST. It is considered "extra" not "essential". So it is one of the first things to show ill health, and one of the last things to recover. The best thing to do during this time is to take very good care of your hair. Your don’t need to buy expensive hair treatments or shampoos — just gentle ones. You don’t want to "tease" or "back comb" hair during this time. I had been getting perms up until the time I got Graves, and my hairdresser told me to stop with that. So I did. Harsh chemicals at this point in time could damage your hair even more.

[Julie3588]

#1067404

I received RAI in June. I am on synthroid right now, trying to find my right dose, and have just recently noticed A LOT of hair loss. I don’t have bald patches or anything but if I brush my hair, locks of it come out. My hair has definitely gotten thinner, luckily I had thick hair to begin with, but this is scaring me a bit ” title=”Sad” /> I talked to my endo and he said it wasn’t the synthroid, just that I may experience "abundant hair turnover" for awhile. I’ve read that it can happen from levels changing but I have never experienced hair loss like this before (and I have been in and out of remission for a couple of years now). I worry that it won’t grow back. Does anyone know how much hair loss is normal? I literally feel like this is the last straw in my patience for this disease.

[Bobbi]

#1067405

I know it’s scarey when the hair falls out in tresses, rather than in single hairs. I had it happen to me, too. I have collies, and there were times when I was losing hair like they do. It occurred for me when I was going through major fluctuations in thyroid hormone, particularly when I went from hyper to hypo. At the time, other, more experienced Graves’ patients, told me that it wasn’t going to make me bald, etc. etc. And they were correct. Unless someone has an autoimmune that causes baldness — in addition to the Graves — the hair loss stops, and the hair returns. Just take especially good care of your hair while you are recovering from the hyperthyroidism. Don’t back comb it; don’t use harsh chemicals on it. It IS fragile for a while. But it regains its health a bit after we have regained ours.

[hyperm]

#1067406

Me too! Its horrible isn’t it? When I was hyper after the TS my hair was coming in lumps – almost like a babies of head of hair! Then it settled down and my hair (I had thick curly hair) started to come in and in good condition. Then I had the op and went very hypo with a TSH now of 32. My hair is falling out rapidly again. SO much so that when I wash it the plug clogs up and then when I brush it after washing (gently I hasten to add) there is a large ball coming off the brush after I clean it ” title=”Sad” /> I find it very distressing.

My colleague said today that she noticed my hair was no longer curly – I said its completely flat and lifeless.

Lets hope it all settles down for us all soon xxx

[Julie3588]

#1067407

The brush story sounds familiar. I have thick curly hair too and I almost want to just stop brushing it, lol. I feel like I’m going to clog up the vacuum cleaner if I try and clean my bedroom carpet. Glad to know I’m not the only one going crazy over this. I was convinced the hair loss was all in my head (pardon the pun) before I read on here about others having similar problems.

[joelle]

#1067408

I have been battling my way out of hypo h%&ll for 16 yrs. The hair loss comes and goes throughout the year but I have never come close to being bald. I have very thick hair so at first I wasn’t too upset til my hairdrsser noticed. I have found omega-3 fatty acids and bee pollen seems to help. Has anyone had a problem with hair dye not working? It seems all of a sudden my hair dye won’t "take".

[hyperm]

#1067409

Jollie, Thats very reassuring to hear as I washed my hair this morning and thought this has been going on for nearly a year with a short spell of reprieve of 3 months perhaps.

Do you take the omeaga 3 fatty oils rather than use a solution in your hair made out of them?
xxx

[joelle]

#1067410

Hyperm,
I take omega- 3 supplements as well as eating salmon and walnuts. The bee pollen supplement seems to help my hair and skin.

[StacyQ]

#1067411

Ughhhh…i’m experiencing the same thing with my hair! Clumps and clumps of hair come out of my head! And luckily i have thick, curly hair cause i’d have bald spots on my head. I’m on Synthroid .125 but was just reduced to .112 because of hyper symptoms that came back and blood work was off. Today was my first day on the new dosage…hope to start to feel better again and hope to be able to save most of my hair!

Have a great day all!

~Stacy

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