Thyroid? Started medication and I'm losing my hair

[KatyMac]

Is it normal

GP has agreed to trialing 25 levothyroxine for 3 months and I'm about 10 days in and my hair is falling out in handfuls

Can I stop it?

No you can’t but report it to your GP. 25 mg is a low dose I felt better in days on thyroxine. Literally about 48 hours.

A quick google for you rather than loads of comments
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/levothyroxine-hair-loss-3562479/

Oh great, thanks

GP said incouldnt have thyroid problems as my hair was so good 🙄

Unless you are over 60 or have a heart problem, 25mcgs is half the standard starter dose. Also it does not top up your natural thyroid function, it takes over, so you may well have less thyroid hormone circulating now than you have for some time, with consequent symptoms.

I started on 25 and it turned me into a zombie. Started again some time later on 75mcg and was fine.

Be scrupulous about getting retested every 6-8 weeks and pushing for an increase until you reach the right dose for you and well being is achieved. Most people settle somewhere between 100 and 200 mcgs.

Lots of info and support on the Thyroid UK forum on www[dot]healthunlocked[dot]com

Good luck!

I'm 55 and my heart is perfect (it's been checked as I'm having palpitations since covid)

They arent checking again until Feb- 12 weeks

Do I need to argue about that?

I was hoping for a miracle I guess

I do have some energy I suppose, but my hair!!

The heart palpitations are linked to thyroid too in my case.

Thanks - I reckon the whole problem started with covid

Test for hashimotos which is an autoimmune hypothyroidism often happens after a virus.

My hair has always been (unmanageably) thick, currently on 100 levo and not seeing any difference. Might it be something else op? Menopause?

No i lost a load when I had my ovaries out in 2018, but I've been on hrt since and it's been overly abundant- unruly and badly behaved in excess!

This is the only new thing

Oh joy, another autoimmune!! I wonder if private testing is the way to go

Get your ferritin levels checked. Even if your ferritin is within range but at the low end, you may have a deficiency. The only reason your bloods will show as normal is the your body is taking the ferritin from your hair follicles. I have hashimotos and the cause of hair loss with hashimotos is more commonly low ferritin than anything else.

www.philipkingsley.co.uk/clinics/from-the-clinic/ferritin-and-hair-health

I supplement with iron and methyl folate so it should be OK but I guess I can up my dose

Unlikely to be able to get it checked til February

Im getting my hair cut too - it wont be so obvious in a bob