Hair Loss - A Distressing Symptom of an Underactive Thyroid - Help for Hair Loss & Hypothyroidism
       By: Malarkey Fraser
Posted: 2007-11-25 06:30:37
I'm not going to beat about the bush - I know you've come to this article becuase you're suffering hair loss due to an underactive thyroid gland.You're not alone. A huge number of people suffer from HYPOTHYROIDISM, mostly women, & one of the hugely distressing symptoms of thyroid disease is hair loss. My hair bizarrely didn't start to fall out until after I started treatment for hypothyroidism, maybe about 3-4 months in, then it started coming out in huge handfuls. I was convinced that my scalp was shining through like an old lady & that everyone could see how bald I'd become! Fortunately I have curly hair so was able to fluff it all up a bit which helped disguise the thinning.But there was many a morning when I was oh-so-carefully combing it through that I'd just sit on the floor covered in handfuls of hair crying. I couldn't imagine that I would ever have nice hair again.I went back to my doctor to see what he could do - he wasn't terribly helpful it has to be said & told me that I'd reacted to having hypothyroidism like I'd been told I had cancer! He just didn't understand what it was like to have what was probably my best feature ruined!So I had to do a bit of research myself, bought a few books on thyroid disease, surfed a few sites for info on Hashimotos & hypothyroidism. the main thing I learnt is that hair loss should clear up in about 6 months....but if it doesn't - Here's the interesting hypothyroidism tips for all of you suffering hair loss - if you're on a synthetic thyroid hormone like Synthroid (or any of the generic levothyroxine tabs for that matter) if you look up the data card (easy to find online usually if you look up the drug company website) for the drug one of the little known side effects is hair loss!Go see your doctor. Change your drug! Loads of them won't even be aware of this side effect - take the info with you as proof. Doctors hate internet self-diagnosers as we wield power but even they won't be able to ignore the drug company information!Also, & this is important, make sure you're not undertreated for your thryoid - demand a blood test. Hypothyroidism is a difficult disease. TSH levels can fluctuate & hair loss is a symptom of the disease itself, make sure you're properly treated & that your TSH is low, & I don't just mean "within the range" that your doc prescribes, make sure it's on the low end of the hypothyroidism scale.Some people swear by having a combination of T3 & T4 drugs. My doctor prescribed a small dose of T4 hormone & I believe this worked for me, but it doesn't for everyone. Again. it won't be generally prescribed routinely, you have to ask for it!You can also consider other alternative hypothyroidism options like evening primrose oil - I take it for the dreaded PMS anyway! Lots of people have reported very positive hair results from taking it.Finally you could consider hair loss drugs - the 2 most popular are Propecia & Regaine - Propecia is a tablet (I used to be a drug rep for Merck who originally sold this drug for something else entirely, it was only when they noticed the hair growth as a side effect that they invested in developing it as a hair loss drug!) & Regaine is a lotion applied to the scalp. With both as soon as you stop taking/applying the drug the hair you regain is lost.Remember, that lots of other people, not just me & you, are going through this & you will come out the other end. I'm not going to lie & say I have a thick bouncy head of hair like the girls in the TV ads, it's thinner than it was before the hypthyroidism, but it's not raggedy rats tails anymore & looks pretty good most of the time! People compliment me on my hair these days.Good Luck & check out my blog is you're interested in more information on hypothyroidism. I'd love to hear from you.Read more about my experience with HypothyroidismTHYROID DISEASE BY Malarkey fraser
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