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As many of you already know from reading my story, I am currently taking the medication synthroid for low thyroid. Recently I’ve been seriously looking towards that as being the cause of my excessive hair loss, and what seems like an endless hair shedding that has been going on for years non stop. Let me first clarify that I know for a fact that isn’t what initially started my hair loss. What started my hair loss was from stopping high androgen index birth control pills, however, I think that synthroid may be exacerbating the situation.
When I first started losing my hair approximately 8 years ago I would notice that my hair shredding would sort of go in cycles, there would be 4 months of a crazy shed and the next 4 months it would seem to slow down tremendously. That break in shedding would would allow for some hair to grow back. But, as of the last couple years I’ve been shedding non stop with a recent tremendous increase this year. My thyroid medication dose has been raised this year and last year as well. I don’t know if that is just a coincidence or it that level is too much for my hair.
I came stumbled across a website today where people were sharing their experiences with hair loss and Synthroid. The stories were very mixed, similar to what you will find in any forum, which is precisely what my gripe was yesterday when I was talking about my issue with hair loss forums. But, I still find myself scanning various internet sites in hopes to find something… anything that may help me. I do think that certainly enough people complain that they believe it is the cause of their hair loss, that I should start looking into another medication to treat my hypothyroidism.
It is always scary switching any medication when you are suffering with hair loss, at least it is for me. I want to try and find a local thyroid doctor who believes in treating his/her patients with a natural thyroid.
Technorati Tags: birth control pills, hair loss, hair shedding, hypothyroidism, synthroid
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Mona 09.14.07 at 8:30 am
I am wondering the same thing about Synthroid. I thought it was suppose to help but I think it is making my hair loss worse. Does anyone know anything about the natural synthroid Armour? How do you find a doctor who prescribes it?
Beth 09.20.07 at 10:53 pm
Go to http://www.armourthyroid.com and click on “find a doctor near you” and you can search for docs in your area. I plan on looking into this debate a bit more myself.
admin 09.21.07 at 6:55 am
Hi Beth, welcome to the site, thanks for the link! I’m going to check it out and try and find a doctor who treats thyroid with armour. I’ll keep everyone posted on how that goes.
Harriet 01.08.08 at 2:15 pm
I had radio active Iodine Jan.06 for over active Thyroid and nodules. Then I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.I had chemo and Radiation so my hair fell out,but it never came back right.I had sooo much hair before and now it is so thin and baby like that I cannot go without a wig.I take synthroid now and I am wondering if that could be the problem. I am looking for a new Endo. doctor who will work with me on this I saw a top notch dermatoligist who just advise Rogaine Foam .Any info would be appreciated.
Susannah 09.07.09 at 12:21 pm
Wow. Wow. Wow. And I thought I wasn’t taking enough synthroid. I actually always thought my 100mg dose was too much (mg I think?). My hair loss pattern is the same as yours… thanks for the insight!!!!
Amanda 09.26.09 at 8:29 am
OMGosh….I have been losing handfuls of hair for over a year now. It started around the time I switched from Levoxyl to Synthroid. I have been very suspicious, and recently switched back to levoxyl…although the shedding hasn’t stopped. I’m wondering if the Synthroid triggered it. Now I’m almost convinced. I cry everyday in the shower as I watch tons of hair flow down the drain. My endo dr says its normal hair shedding. ITS NOT. I’ve lost over 60 percent of my hair. I’m definitely following up with another dr. Thanks for the insight and info….
Amanda
melanie 01.09.10 at 1:50 am
i feel the need to share my story as much as possible in hopes of saving someone alot of stress. ive been battling low thyroid, weight gain and hair loss for 7 years now. long story short ive switched from high doses, to low doses, to synthroid, to armour, to levoxyl…. on and on it goes. today i am at my highest weight ever, but guess what? my hair is about 75% gone and that stresses me out alot more than my weight. according to my doc, my thyroid levels are good but i have less hair than ever now.
so, here is my theory: the cause of my ongoing extreme shedding is constant fluctuations in hormone changes due to changing my meds constantly. i dont think my levels have ever had the oppurtunity to level out long enough to see a difference. i think now that any time i make a change in my meds i will give it atleast 9 months before i say yay or nay. i know that when you are losing your hair it seems logical to changfe things to fix it, wich is what im famous for. but maybe that is the worse thing you can do? my ultimate goal is to be able to hop all of these message boards and share a success story but in the meantime, i hope my theory is helpful? we will see…
Anji B. 01.12.10 at 4:51 pm
I am on my own journey to stop the thyroid madness….And I feel I have found a way to FINALLY feel like a human being again!
I was initially put on Levoxyl and my hypothyroidism symptoms grew worse. I suffered from extreme hair loss, fatigue, body aches, depression and brain fog. Then I learned about Armour and found a doctor who was very knowledgeable about thyroid problems in general.
He prescribed me Armour and my hair grew back and I felt wonderful for a month - Then all the symptoms came back - except for the hair loss. I started researching - thinking it was all in my head - and discovered that Armour had changed its fillers without letting their consumers know. As a result, all of my hypo symptoms returned - with a vengeance! My doctor - as disgusted as me - put me on a compounded drug with Levoxyl and Cytomel.
I still felt terrible - worse really. An all of the new hair that ha grown back has fallen out again.
So, I started researching natural treatments and discovered that I could buy the very same ingredient that made me feel so good when I was on Armour’s original medication - dessicated pork thyroid. I bought a bottle of Raw Adrenal and Raw Thyroid. (You can buy these products online) I also learne that Kelp, Bladderwrack, Selenium and B12 play a very important role in assisting the production of the thyroid.
It has been four days and I have been on my feet all day - doing things that I have not done one in months. I am thinking more clearly and the fatigue is fading more and more by the day.
Therefore, I absolutely REFUSE to take Levoxyl, Synthroid or any of their generics EVER again. I personally feel that nature is a safer, more efficient route than a chemically engineered hormone.
Feeling BETTER and loving it!