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Hair loss and no thyroid function

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sambaines16
sambaines16

Hi guys looking for some advice..

I have graves disease, and in April I took radioactive iodine to stop my thyroid working. Before this I was taking carbimazole. It has now stopped and the last few weeks I've been taking 100mg daily of levothyroxine.. However the last 2 weeks I feel like my hair has been falling out and thinning alot.. its not coming out in clumbs more it's coming out in strands when I was my hair or brush it etc to the point of about 30 strands a time! Anyone any ideas why? Or how to help? Someone recommended using plantur 39 shampoo etc as its caffeine based but I'm seriously freaking out 🙈 x

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • debra15034
    debra15034 sambaines16

    Posted

    I too lost a lot of my hair at first but it will come back but it takes a good while, so my doctor said. 
  • PRthyroid
    PRthyroid sambaines16

    Posted

    It seems very common when people first start taking any type of Levothyroixine, it will cause your hair to fall out and thin out. I myself had Hyperthyorid and had to have radioactive Iodine treatment, and am currently experenicing hair loss. My hair is very thin at the roots, especially around the hair line edges (which makes me very self conscious.) Also it dries out very quickly. Makes me feel like I'm balding or something.  

    I read several places it should come back after a few weeks/months once your body settles down again/have normal levels again.

    Also I've also read if you have very low iron and such, it can also cause your hair to thin out as well. I would make sure all your mineral panel is check out by your doctor if they haven't already. My doctors did not check my blood work, and in within a few weeks/months of becoming hypothyroid from the Iodine treatment, I had very very low vitamin D and iron.

  • shellyC19
    shellyC19 sambaines16

    Posted

    Hello Sambaines:

    I am an RN-Nurse and I live in the USA.  Sorry to hear about the Graves Disease.

    Before I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease, a form of hypothyroidism.  I had hair fall out and thin in places like my eyebrows.  After being diagnosed back in 1987, and taking the replacement hormone everyday, it slowly stopped and most of the hair on my head grew back.  Eyebrows did not really grow back as much. 

    Hoiw is your Thyroid level?  Levo can take 6 -8 weeks to build a level and it may be longer for you, as your thyroid was destroyed.  It is slow.

    It can take a while for the hair to come back maybe 6 months or longer.  Keep your scalp healthy by giving it moisture.  We tend to get dry scalp and dry skin in Hypothyroidism.  Scalp massage may help.  Eat good foods and make sure you take a multi-vitamin as we need our minerals to be good.  It helps the replacement meds for the thyroid work better.  Some medicated shampoo's for people who have dry skin or dandruff can be helpful also as they provide moisture more.

    I never used any shampoo with caffeine in it.  Maybe others have on here.

    Let us know how you do.  Be well.  Shelly

    • sambaines16
      sambaines16 shellyC19

      Posted

      Hi Shelley thanks for the advice. I'm due bloods again this week but a few weeks ago the 100mg was enough to give my thyroid suppliment a normal function I don't know my exact levels I know my thyroid has effective burned out thanks the the radioactive iodine though. I read the carbimazole can cause hair loss but it's not like patches I'm losing its just lots of strands from all over more so when I wash or brush my hair. I think a multivitamin is a great idea so going to give it a try just incase I'm lacking in something and someone also told me to use caffeine based shampoos

      Many thanks

      Sam x

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