[JaneG]

#1058852

Has anyone else experienced hair loss? I’m 4 mo post RAI and 2 months into thyroid replacement. I was taking L-thyroxine and changed to synthriod as I was losing hair. It is 3 wks and I am still losing a lot of hair. The endo is not too concerned (it’s not her hair!). I’m 51 so am also experiencing estrogen flucuations (lucky me). Just curious as to other’s experiences. Many thanks.

[jansm]

#1170403

I experienced major hair loss during the initial onset of symptoms. Instead of RAI, my thyroid was removed surgically. I especially experienced loss of hair at that time. It took 5-6 months, as well as I remember, before it seemed to stabilize. Last year, I began to notice more loss during showering and shampooing. My lab results indicated a need for increased synthroid dosage. That seemed to alleviate the hair loss. I believe the cycle for hair to shed is actually longer than we realize. I would only be worried if your physician is, or your levels are questionable. If lab results and dosages are OK, it seems your hair loss will probably begin decreasing soon. It took awhile, but my hair seemed to bounce back and my stylist always comments on how thick it is.

[SallyB62]

#1170404

I experienced a lot of hair loss, too. At almost 1 year post thyroidectomy, I do not notice as much scalp through my hairline. My part is not as wide.

[Ski]

#1170405

Hair loss is less a function of how sick we are than proof that our thyroid hormone levels are still moving. The body interprets an imbalance or unusual fluctuation of thyroid hormone levels as an emergency, and as a result it removes support from the “non-essential” functions in the body, like growing hair and fingernails. This applies even when levels are moving from an imbalance into a correct balance — it’s just the movement of levels that triggers the reaction, because humans “in the wild” wouldn’t typically be experiencing thyroid hormone shifts in that manner, so protective mechanisms are triggered in order to keep us healthy while this unusual phenomenon is occurring.

As your levels stabilize within the normal range, the hair loss typically slows and ultimately goes back to our “usual” level of hair loss (very little), but remember that every time we change our replacement hormone dose, it may trigger a short period of some amount of hair loss more than usual. Usually it is not ever as extreme as it may have been while levels were radically out of the norm, and resolves once levels stabilize for a while.

If you are early in the process of figuring out a normal thyroid hormone replacement dose, you may want to do yourself a psychological favor and just get a nice, short haircut that doesn’t require too much “messing with it,” so you can minimize the hair loss overall by minimizing the stress on it, but also to minimize the appearance of hair “all over the place” when it may be shedding more than usual. You can grow it back when you’ve reached stability, that’s the good thing about hair.

[catherine]

#1170406

Hi Jane
Yup, like the others who have replied I’ve experienced it too…and still am. I’m currently on block and replace treatment. My hair loss was an original symptom which calmed down dramatically for a few weeks into treatment before returning to a lesser extent. As per Ski’s explanation mine now seems to fluctuate with changes of meds manly, though I can also experience what seem like unexplained sheddings!!
My hair is still very long but approaching almost half thickness I would say. I no longer have bald patches, only general thinning. Off for the chop very soon me thinks…only reason for not having done so already is my dislike of going to the hairdressers!
My endo’s not concerned by it either and told me it will continue to shed until most of the growth that occurred whilst thyrotoxic is gone. She said now that I’m euthyroid new growth will be good and it’ll thicken up gradually and new growth will be healthy again.
Tiz a bit freaky when washing I have to admit, ending up with handfuls of hair!!! Looks worse of course as it is so long.
Chin up, we become accustomed and it does get better.
xx

[catherine]

#1170407

Typo – mainly NOT manly!! Durrr!

[RebeccaJT]

#1170408

Just to chime in that low iron (ferritin) levels are also a cause of hair loss and I have chronic low iron and will be on life long iron support. Low iron goes hand in hand with thyroid issues, particularly as a lot of us seem to have issues absorbing all the nutrients we need from food. It might be worth asking your doctor to do a ferritin test.

Rebecca

[andrewkim]

#1170409

jansm wrote:

I experienced major hair loss during the initial onset of symptoms. Instead of RAI, my thyroid was removed surgically. I especially experienced loss of hair at that time. It took 5-6 months, as well as I remember, before it seemed to stabilize. Last year, I began to notice more loss during showering and shampooing. My lab results indicated a need for increased synthroid dosage. That seemed to alleviate the hair loss. I believe the cycle for hair to shed is actually longer than we realize. I would only be worried if your physician is, or your levels are questionable. If lab results and dosages are OK, it seems your hair loss will probably begin decreasing soon. It took awhile, but my hair seemed to bounce back and my stylist always comments on how thick it is.

There are treatments available to have this ailment manageable. A particular most popular and also successful medicine is Levothyroxine (Synthroid), it maintains your hormone levels stable. But in addition there are circumstances your hormones also go haywire throughout therapy, because of a few other factors, and that may also lead to a further round of hair loss. But hair fall is also a unwanted effect of Synthroid for many people after utilizing it for a long time.

The things they say hair fall continue to carries on even if your thyroid levels seem to be held within normal, then it may be time for you to check out some other reasons of occurence. Your dermatologist or a hair expert will help you out on this by means of comprehensive assessment.

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