New to this board...

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
New to this board...
7
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 4:07pm
Hello,

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in March. I've been on a very low dose of Synthroid since then.

Prior to my diagnosis, I had noticed in the last couple of years that my hair was becoming thinner. (I have somewhat thin hair normally, and it was getting worse.) I initially went to see the Dr. because my heart was racing for a few days, and I was concerned. He immediately ran blood tests to check my Thyroid levels, among other things. Everything checked out fine, except the thyroid.

I've noticed since taking Synthroid my hair is actually getting even THINNER! I have done some research and read about a natural alternative to Synthroid called "Amour."

Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of this medication?

Has anyone else noticed hair loss while on Synthroid?

I am so happy to have found this board! Thank you for your time!

~Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 6:00pm
Hi Karen and welcome - Armour is a natural dessicated thyroid medication made from pig's thyroid. It contains both T4 and T3 hormones. Synthroid contains only T4. A side effect of too much synthroid is thinning hair but then again, a symptom of hypo is thinning hair!! So, it may be that you aren't getting enough medication. Have you had a recent blood test to see what your tsh levels are? That will give you a good idea of whether or not you're getting enough medication. Some people do well on Armour thyroid, others do not. It would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about it. Some are reluctant to prescribe it, thinking that it is not as consistent pill for pill as synthroid or levoxyl but I don't think that's the case. It's worth talking to your doctor about and also, check on that tsh level. Cathy :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2004
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 7:28pm
Don't forget tho- a side effect of synthroid is hair loss...something *I* found out from my pharmacist when I was complaining about hair loss!!!!

I plan to change my medicine on Wednesday- at my Endo appt. I am sooooo ready! Don't know what kind, but it will be a combo drug.

Sherry

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 8:22pm
Hi Cathy,

Thanks for your reply!

My TSH was 6.3 (in Feb.), 4.3 (in May), and has remained within normal range since. In fact, the initial prescribed dose of Synthroid (.025mg daily - that's 25mcg, yes?) given to me by my Dr. has not needed to be altered, as of yet.

I have read tons of information on Hypothyroidism, Synthroid, Armour, etc. in the last few months! You know your stuff! I have read everything you mentioned!

I was hoping someone on here has taken Armour, or new more about it. (ie - risks, side effects, etc.)

I do plan on speaking to my Dr. about Armour, and my hair.

I have been in to see my Dr. for bloodwork four or five times since February. I read a few posts mentioning insurance, or lack thereof...I also, am uninsured. (Boy, those lab fees are KILLER!)

I also began using a hair product when I noticed the thinning...before my diagnosis. I was seeing positive results, until recently. So, I tentatively attributed the increasing hair loss to the Synthroid.

Thank you, again for your reply!

~Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 8:29pm
Hello Sherry,

Thank you for your input! (I welcome all the advice/info I can get!)

Would the Armour fall into the category of "combo drug"?

Are there synthetic combo drugs?

Thank you!

~Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 10:29pm
Hi Karen - I've read somewhere that Rogaine is the only product that really works but I don't know about it myself. If you've had good results with Nioxin, then that's the one to stick with. Two supplements to take for thinning hair include GLA (evening primrose oil), 1000 milligrams, twice a day and Lysine, 500 milligrams. These will at least stop the thinning but it may take some time. And hair loss is a side effect of Synthroid but more often than not, a person is undermedicated when taking synthroid or most thyroid medications.

A normal tsh level - for a person on the street with no thyroid condition - is between 1.0 and 2.0. So if your doctor is keeping you above that range, you still aren't within the normal range. Most keep their patients under the normal "lab" range which can go as high as 5.5!! New lab ranges have been lowered to 3.02 but even still, it's above what a truly normal person would be. It's my own opinion that that is the reason why it's so difficult for many of us to feel healthy - whether it's fatigue, hair loss, aches and pains or in our struggles with weight loss. If you're not in that 1.0 to 2.0 range, you really have no idea what normal is!! I've struggled with this for years and have finally found a doctor who understands and is willing to give me the right amount of medication to bring me into that range. Being overmedicated is not the answer but being undermedicated leaves us open to all kinds of health risks. Your doctor sounds like he may be a good one so it's worth talking about all this with him. And At 25 mcg, I would bet that your hair loss isn't due to the medication but to the hypo condition. Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 07-27-2004 - 8:00am
Hi Cathy!

Thank you so much for your information! With all that I've read, not once did the normal levels you mentioned appear! I am not surprised, however.

I would love to find a homeopathic Dr. who specializes in Thyroid disease. I wonder if anyone on this board is lucky enough to have such a Dr.?

My doctor is a D.O. (Doctor of osteopathy.) So, I believe, I am halfway there! : )

You are right...he is a good Dr. I was one of those people who NEVER went to the Dr.! (Due to the fact that I am uninsured, and the fear of going.) But he has made me feel comfortable, and I even look forward to going!

So, the normal levels are 1.0-2.0? That is interesting, and good to know! I will bring it up with him the next time I go!

The thing I wonder about is this: since I started the medication, my levels HAVE gone down...as I stated in my last post...so, I just assumed the increased hair loss may be caused by the medication. However, I have also read that hair loss can increase before it gets better...so, maybe I was in the early stages of this when I was diagnosed, and my hair had not yet started to REALLY come out!

Boy, this board sure is wonderful! Very informative, AND friendly! Thank you so much for your replies/advice! : )

~Karen

P.S. One of my clients is a hairdresser...this is what she said about Rogaine , 'if you ever stop using the product, you lose all you have gained, and them some!' My hair loss is really not very significant...but it drives me crazy, and I thought I should do something about it before it gets worse!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Tue, 07-27-2004 - 10:24am
Well, I don't think it will get any worse now that you're on medication. If anything, it should get better. Especially if you talk to your doctor about getting down into the normal range. (If it makes you feel any better, mine finally stopped coming out!)And I didn't know that about Rogaine. That's kind of frightening.

It seems that many people who have a good doctor go to an osteopath. Why is that? I think if you found a homeopathic doctor who specializes in thyroid disease, that would be perfect because they would take everything into consideration, not just what's happening with your thyroid. I had to go through 3 doctors in almost 3 years to find one that was any good. So sometimes, you just have to keep searching. But if your doctor is willing to listen to you and consider what you've found in the way of treatment, then he's a keeper for sure. The next best thing is finding a doctor who actually knows more than you do!! LOL! Cathy :)