Please help me I'm so desperate :(

Hi Jean thankyou for replying it's so hard not to worry and be depressed as I'm losing so much hair. It's devastating. What makes you think it is a thyroid disorder as my doctor thinks the results are normal.. I have read other forums where they say some doctors just don't know enough about it. I have other symptoms such as raynauds where my fingers tips go numb! My hair is falling out and if I perhaps have a few days drinking alcohol on the trot my face will be very puffy! I used to take water retention tablets. If my doctor won't help me who will? X

Dear Abby

Please do not despair. There are other doctors who DO know about the thyroid. Are you in the UK?

Have you got or can you get copies of your blood results?

With respect drinking alcohol is not a great idea for anyone.You can PM me if you wish.

Jean.

Hi Barbara

Tsh - 1.75 reference 0.27- 4.2

Free thyroxine t4 13.3 reference 12- 22 ( does this seen low?)

Free t3 4.3 reference 3.1- 6.8 ( again is this low)

My ferritin is 47 ive been taking iron but my hairloss has doubled!!!

Please help

Thyroid hormone levels can fluctuate. Hence need to have regular testin done.

 

Thanks Jean - do you thnk my results are cause to concern and I would benefit from taking a natural dedicated thyroid? To increase t4 and t3?

Abby

I think that you need to correlate your thyroid hormone levels with the medication you were taking at the time.

Jean

Hi Jean I havnt been taking any medication this is my first round of blood tests for my thyroid.

An endocrinologist told me that ferritin needs to be at least 70 for one's body to be able to process thyroxine properly. I've since read it needs to be 90.

I believe anaemia can cause hair loss and given your low Ferritin level that might be worth investigating.

As you TSH is towards the lower end of its range, your pituitary gland (which produces TSH) thinks your body doesn't need more thyroxine and your free T4 and T3 results are within range and bear this out, although as you say, both T4 and T3 results are towards the lower end of the range. At these levels I would not have expected you to be experiencing severe hair loss. Are you missing the outer section of your eyebrows? (It is another symptom of hypothyroidism). Apart from hair loss do you have any other symptoms?

Barbara

In the US I understand that the values for the ferratin level are much higher.

As are the Vit D levels.

I will try to get confirmation of the above.

A low ferratin can cause nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy f untreated so obviously it is of paramount importance to get the condition treated asap.

 

Hi Barbara,

My tsh has fluctuated from 2.4 / 2.1/1.1/now 1.75.

I have been on iron supplements for 7 weeks and my hairloss has doubled! so im scared to carry on taking them.

I have other symptoms such as raynauds - numb finger tips, i put o weight very easily, and i get a very puffy face say for example i have been drinking on a friday and sat night. Also my head is very itchy.

I have had a scalp biopsy which shows no sign of androgenic.

I have read that TSH can be within normal range - but T4 being low can cause problems?

I have been on iron for 7 weeks ans my hair loss has doubled so i am so terrified to carry on!

Need to notify your dr. Jeanx

Hi Abby,

You're obviously getting very distressed over this,so my earlier pm wouldn't have helped.Apologies.

First of all,how old are you? Do you have any other really noticeable symptoms? Is your skin a problem anywhere else on your body,or only on your scalp? Do you have spots on your scalp? What is your heat/ cold tolerance like?Do you sweat a lot,either during the day or at night? Do you have stretch marks on your tummy? How much do you need the loo?

Don't panic because I'm asking these things.I'm just trying to get a full picture. Gill

Thanks Gill - I am 26 my skin is fine I do get the odd spot but not many. I have an itchy scalp with my hair loss. My temp varies I feel the cold when it is cold and I have raynauds where my finger tips go numb. I don't really sweat abnormally no. But I try and do a lot of exercise.

I need a wee alot! And go to the toilet quite a bit. I have had a scalp biopsy which shows my hair is growing at the normal rate but it's getting thinner by the day and falling out around me. I started take high doses of inositol 2 and a half months ago and now onto 7 weeks of ferritin. My hairloss has doubled. It's very distressing!!

What about stretch marks on your tummy?

No stretch marks on my tummy

Ok,I'd really advise you to write down everything you feel is wrong.Give your list to your doctor,so that they can see the full picture.Photos of yourself before all of this would also be handy.

The reason I asked those specific questions is that excessive sweating,hair loss,stretch marks ,overheating can be attributed to a pituitary gland problem,which I have had.I had Cushing's disease,with very noticeable symptoms of the ones I mentioned.You don't seem to have those.

I did exactly as I've suggested you do,with a list,photo etc. Hopefully your doctor will do a load of blood tests.You do need to see your doctor,as we can't diagnose this on here.

Hope you're tested soon,to ease your mind.All the best,Gill.

Gill

I agree. I have just sent a PM advising Gill to go back to her dr and enquire about Adrenal stress and also pituitary glnd screening.

I strongly advise others to in the same situation to do the same because we cannot diagnose. Just thought that I would add my coments.

Taking supplements is all right provided ones medical practitioner(s) are made aware of the fact.

 

Abby

I would encourage you to see your dr. You need to be assessed by a healthcare professional.

You say you take high doses of a supplement.

Does your dr know/

Jean

My doctor doesn't know how to help. Hairloss is very hard to diagnose apparently! I'm

Going to stop inositol just in case. I think I am just doomed and subject to depression forever

Abby

Stop being so defeatist. You need to see another dr. Ask for a gynaecology referral. Are you in the UK?

I originally started with a gyne and they did scans on my ovaries which look fine. My dheas is slightly elevated but this can be a sign of alot of exercise which I do. Also my scalp

Biospy have shown no signs of androgenic so it doesn't look like high amdrogens. In going to a naturpath next week perhaps I need to do my thyroid anti bodies. I just think my t4 is on my Low side. But maybe that's nothing to do with it. It's hard not being defeatist now I dont know where else to turn

You say that you have taken a high dose of a supplement. I think that you taken 10 times the recommended dose from what you have said.

I strongly advise that you tell your dr about this.

I note that you have not yet had your thyroid antibodies tested or any antibody testing. This may reveal something. Cortisol levels can vary throughout the day.

I assume that you have been checked for diabetes.

What about Sjogrens sydrome?

Don't give up.

Take care.

Jean

 

Abby

How tall are you? What is your weight?

Are you under or overweight?  Need to be careful with the supplement you take as it can cause diarrhoea especially at the very high dose you take. Does your dr know of this supplement in relation to the verynhigh dose you are tking? Diarrhoea can weaken you and obviously essential nutrients are lost during the elimination from the bowel. The nutrients are not being absorbed putting you at a risk of an electrolyte inbalance. Anorexia is a serious condition if that is what you have. As another member has stated we do not diagnose.We will support you though.

please see your dr.

Hope that helps. Jean.

Abby,I completely agree with Jean.You need to see a doctor,possibly a different one,taking your list of symptoms,photo,and a list of supplements /medications you are already taking.You say you're doing a lot of exercise.Are you taking any steroids?

I do work out about 4 times a week I don't over do it and no I don't take any steroids I am very healthy otherwise! Very careful

About my nutrients. Recently I have had diarrhea perhaps its the inositol. Admittedly that's so silly of me. It's been 3 months since I started and just about the time a telogen effluvium happens again.

I am 5"7 and 10 stone and very healthy. I have been having diarreah lately especially when I wake up. You are right I have been over doing the supplements. I've been thinking it was my iron but perhaps it's the inositol. Ibe been taking for nearly 3 months and imguess that's about the time a telogen rffluvium Happens. I'm

Just unsure as to carry on with the iron even though my ferritin is 47

 a telogen effluvium happens again.

Sorry Abby what does the above mean?

Please check with your dr about the iron, the supplements and the diarrhoea. Have you been tested for coeliac disease or any food intoerancea . Gluten perhaps, wheat, yeast, soy, cows milk ec, etc. Plls see your dr.

perhaps your jon is stressful?

Jean

Sorry Abby should read of course..

Perhaps your job is stressful. Jean .

It means a rapid period of hair loss. My doctor isn't particulary helpful at the moment. I feel my naturpath is more so. Thankyou so much for all of your kind words and help you are the first people to acknowledgee so far. I will keep

You updated on my journey. My job is new and my hair has been falling for two years so I can't put it down to that x

Abby

Have you been exposed to any chemicals in your past or present working environments ?

Iron can cause diarrhoea. Vit B co can upset the bowel causing bowel disease. At some point you need to see your dr, thw sooner the better. Sorry to keep stressing that point and I know iit is not what you want to hear BUT only the dr can arrange appropriate tests.

Diarrhoea reduces the ability of the bowel to absorb vital nutrients, without which your body may suffer hgenerally.

Iron is not to be messed around with!

 

My doctor prescribed me the iron and the dose. It's just the inositol I took without him saying. I saw him yesterday he just said carry on with the iron then hushed me out! No

Chemicals no ::

HE Hushed you out..

What do you mean. Please write everything down in bullet form, leave a space then when you see the dr giv him a copy. On your copy wirite down his or her comments.

It is important that you tell your dr about the extra Vit B8 aka Inostitol.

Supplements are not to be messed around with neither are OTC or prescriibd drugs. Have ou taken any antibiotics at all?

Have you heard about antibioic toxicity and/or the dangers of fluroquinolones?

Are you eating the right foodstugffs?

Have you got IBS?

I would advise a food intolerance test.This should be easy to arrange in London.Shop around for prices and also check out the qualifications and experience of the people advertising the same.

Jean.

Gill I do not know why it is being moderated. I did not write anything nasty etc or anything that contains a link.

Kind regards

Jean

I don't think I have ibs. I have been taking inositol for 3 months but my hair loss has just sped up, would it take this longs? Also I have read that b6 is important for the conversion of t4 to t3 could large doses of b8 have depleted them further and caused more damage??

 I  do not know the answer to that questionAbby, sorry.

Please ask your dr.

I just know that pruging oneself is very dangerous.That is one of the main reasons why I keep on and n to see your doctor.

Your iron levels need checking anyway whilst taking prescribed iron.

Why are you anaemic?

Others on this Forum may know.

Sorry.

Jean.

 

I will stop inositol. I don't think ferritin 47 is anemic? Doctor wants me to get to 75 as this is optimum for hair growth. Thankyou I will make sure I'm

Not so silly. My heads all over the place

Abby

You are not silly.

If you were you would not be writing to this Forum.

Now then. I would advise stopping Inostil and the prescribed iron

for now. Stopping these until say  Monday when you can see your dr is not going to harm you. You could ring the OUT OF HOURS OR 111 for advice. ASK 111 to let you speak to a NURSE or doctor.

This is in relation to the diarrhoea.

Jean

Abby,you are not silly,but you are very stressed. Please see your doctor.

Abby, regarding anemia, don't wait for blood tests to come through, pull down your lower eyelid and observe it's colour in the mirror. If it is white or very pale pink then yes you are anemic. If you are anemic then your ferritin will be low because it needs that source material, iron, to be formed. And if your ferritin is low........., you will have problems.

I will stop

The inositol but what happens if I stol

The iron and my iron levels drop again? Should I stop

The iron for a week or maybe try a lower dose?

Abby, jean, I've had a ferritin level of 35 (range 5-250) and not had nerve damage so, depending on the range for your results Abby, I wouldn't worry unduly about it. As your GP says 75 is the level to be aiming at. Your thyroid results are in range. All of them. the blood tests that Iinducated I wasn't converting T4 to T3 properly xx

I don't understand? What was it on your blood indicated to were not converting properly? My ferritin it 47 but I feel my hair loss has got worse since being on iron supplements.. But I have been on inositol aswrll so I'm

Confused as to whether its inostil or iron causing more hairloss. I know my thyroid is in range but they are at the lower level and I've heard lower levels can cause problems. Could this be the case? What further testing so I need that may be causing hair loss? Should I rule out thyroid with a t4 at 13 lower end of the scale? My tsh fluctuates from 2.4 down to 1.1 is this not pituatory?

The blood tests that indicated I wasn't converting T4 to T3 were: TSH and T4 both in range. T3 less than the bottom of the range. As you can see this isn't the same as for you. I do think the first thing to do is to get your ferritin level up. This might help your body absorb the thyroid hormones that are available. Ideas to help you to tolerate the iron tablets you are taking...take the iron tablet with food and a glass of orange juice (vitamin C helps your body absorb iron) and avoid milk products within 4 hours.

Speak to your GP as there are different iron tablets s/he can prescribe and you may be able to better tolerate some of the others.

Thankyou I will do that. I'm putting together a list of blood tests needed so will get that sorted asap. I appreciate all of your help

Hi lah its pink its not white or anything. So maybe a ferritin of 47 is normal. I jut heard you need more for hair but I'm not sure high doses are agreeing with me. I may switch to floradix which is the liquid one with b vitamins

Don't worry Abby. The idea is to see your dr. Then you will have a better idea of what is going on.Yje only sure way to check for anaemia is to do a blood test.

Please do not take anything unless you check it is safe to do so with your doctor.

The system sent that message before it was ready - please read the next one and it will make more sense!

As to is it inostil or iron causing the hairloss - it could be neither! It could just be a co-incidence. There is a saying with regard to things like this: 'correspondance does not mean causality', which means, 'just because something happens at the same time doesn't mean it is caused by it'.  Hence the reason I am asking you to get other vitamins and minerals checked.  There is something called iron deficiency anaemia, which could be the cause of your hair loss as you have a low ferritin level and is why you have been prescribed iron tablets.

Barbara

I agree with you. Abby has disclosed the fact that she is taking way above the recommmended dose of Inostil, I am of the opinion that that is the problem.

I think Abby is on the right track when she says she think she will stop both. This can do no harm until she seeks medical advice. There is no reason why living in London she cannot get immediate advice.

Abb really does need to seek urgent medical advice.