# Levothyroxine and hair loss?



## mom2boys (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi. I'm new here. 
I was diagnosed with hypo a few years ago. Dr. just called after my yearly physical and said my thyroid was low and put me on meds. Armour Thyroid. I didn't have any issues, actually did feel more energetic in the beginning. Then the pharmacy told me my 60 mg was discontinued and I'd need a new script to take 2 30 mg tablets... OK I was annoyed but got a new script. It made the price DOUBLE. The med was already more expensive then most of our prescriptions we had gotten. So at my last physical I asked if there was a cheaper thyroid med I could take. He prescribed Levothyroxine .05 mg. Yes, it's much cheaper! That was last summer. I'm noticing and have been for awhile that my hair is shedding tons more and I'm fatigued all the time.

I'm going to call and get my thyoid checked again. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Angie


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

mom2boys said:


> Hi. I'm new here.
> I was diagnosed with hypo a few years ago. Dr. just called after my yearly physical and said my thyroid was low and put me on meds. Armour Thyroid. I didn't have any issues, actually did feel more energetic in the beginning. Then the pharmacy told me my 60 mg was discontinued and I'd need a new script to take 2 30 mg tablets... OK I was annoyed but got a new script. It made the price DOUBLE. The med was already more expensive then most of our prescriptions we had gotten. So at my last physical I asked if there was a cheaper thyroid med I could take. He prescribed Levothyroxine .05 mg. Yes, it's much cheaper! That was last summer. I'm noticing and have been for awhile that my hair is shedding tons more and I'm fatigued all the time.
> 
> I'm going to call and get my thyoid checked again. Any thoughts?
> ...


Hi there Angie and welcome. Yes, definitely have thoughts. Your Armour contained T4 and T3. Your Levothyroxine is T4 only. Apparently you need the T3.

I have been on Armour for years and thriving. Like you, I cannot get my Armour (Forest Pharmaceuticals) nor can I get West Throid or Nature Throid (RLC Labs.) All three are natural dessicated porcine thyroid.

Tomorrow I see my doctor and hoping she will put me on Cytomel which is a synthetic T3. Not sure how well I will do as synthetics and I don't do well together but I have to try.

Hopefully Armour will be up and running soon. Meanwhile, we have to wing it. Talk to your doc about a "tiny" bit of Cytomel; no more that 5 mcgs. to start. (Note mcg. not mg.)

Here is info for you.......

{If you would like to speak to a healthcare professional about the Armour Thyroid product, please call the Forest Medical Information and Communication at 1-800-678-1605, ext. 66297.}

Info on Cytomel...........

You have to go to King Pharmaceuticals home page and scroll down to Cytomel PDF...... http://www.kingpharm.com/Products/Alphabetic_Listing_of_Pharmaceutical_Products.cfm

Now..................there is a source in Canada called ERFA. I would use this as a last resort if I have to but I do have reservations and would much prefer to keep things on the home base if possible. They do state that it is dessicated porcine thyroid. But, I hear chatter that it is not consistant. Plus I worry about whether it is 100% porcine or is there bovine added. Mad cow disease is a concern.
Here is their Home Page....... http://thyroid.erfa.net/

Hope the above helps.

Anyway..........this is no doubt why you are exhibiting the symptoms you describe. It would be good to get a Free T3 for Free T3 is your active hormone available for cellular uptake. It should be mid-range or higher to feel best; or at least that is true for most of us.

Since you are going to get labs. Please get TSH, FREE T4 and FREE T3 (not T3 and T4.)

The other consideration and this will be evident if you get the FT4 and FT3 is that you simply might be on too low of a dose of Levothyroxine. You may be converting T4 to T3 and you may not. The Free labs will tell the true story.


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## mom2boys (Jan 11, 2010)

Thank you SO MUCH!! For your response...
I'm going in this morning and you gave me lots to ask 
Thank you again
Angie


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

mom2boys said:


> Thank you SO MUCH!! For your response...
> I'm going in this morning and you gave me lots to ask
> Thank you again
> Angie


Please let me know how you fare. I do hope your doc is thinking outside the box on your behalf.

I start my Cytomel on Sunday. My doc is great and she is really upset about the Armour. The first time in 12 years that I have seen visible upsettedness on her face. All her patients, myself included have been thriving on Armour.


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## mom2boys (Jan 11, 2010)

Levels were fine. (((sigh))) I asked about TSH, FREE T4 and FREE T3. He said he always checks those.
I can get Armour through my mail order prescription plan. I'm going to switch back. Hopefully the meds are the problem and not something else going on with me. Levels are fine but I feel llike crap and am shedding hair like crazy.
He told me to take Biotin for the hair so I've done that. Hopefully being back on Armour will help.
I also have an anxiety disorder so being tired and feeling something is wrong triggers my panic also.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

mom2boys said:


> Levels were fine. (((sigh))) I asked about TSH, FREE T4 and FREE T3. He said he always checks those.
> I can get Armour through my mail order prescription plan. I'm going to switch back. Hopefully the meds are the problem and not something else going on with me. Levels are fine but I feel llike crap and am shedding hair like crazy.
> He told me to take Biotin for the hair so I've done that. Hopefully being back on Armour will help.
> I also have an anxiety disorder so being tired and feeling something is wrong triggers my panic also.


Can you get a copy of your labs and ranges? I sure would like to have a look. Fine does not cut it w/ me because you are not fine. This is the problem. They may be fine for him but he is not the one w/ the thyroid problem. Those are only "suggested" ranges based on cohorts of a small group of the population.

I would also like to see for a fact that he ran the Frees. That was just too easy if you ask me which you did not. I am cognizant of that but I smell a rat!


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## mom2boys (Jan 11, 2010)

Thanks for the help. I go back in March since I'll be starting Armour again...and for the anxiety issues. For now on I'll request a copy of all my results. He has been my Dr. since I was little. I do thjink he always has my best interest in mind. My Mom also goes to him, same as my Grandma who both have had thyroid issues. When my Moms was too low last time he changed her dosage. He listened to my concerns each time about the meds and changed them. Hence why I am going back on Armour. Levothyroxine actually lists hairl oss as a side effect so it very well could be the meds causing it.
But I will definitely ask for my results. He is uusally telling me numbers over the phone. I never remember or write them down. I will get the results so I can look into it more.
Thanks again.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

mom2boys said:


> Thanks for the help. I go back in March since I'll be starting Armour again...and for the anxiety issues. For now on I'll request a copy of all my results. He has been my Dr. since I was little. I do thjink he always has my best interest in mind. My Mom also goes to him, same as my Grandma who both have had thyroid issues. When my Moms was too low last time he changed her dosage. He listened to my concerns each time about the meds and changed them. Hence why I am going back on Armour. Levothyroxine actually lists hairl oss as a side effect so it very well could be the meds causing it.
> But I will definitely ask for my results. He is uusally telling me numbers over the phone. I never remember or write them down. I will get the results so I can look into it more.
> Thanks again.


Hope you can find Armour. I just had to start on Cytomel as there is no Armour out there to be had. Let us know and I do hope you feel better.

And yes, it could be the Levoxyl or it could be low ferritin or both.


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## Nosbunny (Jan 21, 2010)

I too am dealing with the lack of armour or coresponding natural therapies. on the synthetics i had severe hair loss as well, i called one company today naturthroids (rlc) number, they said they had already exhausted there emergency supply and are trying there best but to expect 1-3 more months before any is out there .Ive been on armour for 3 years now, and have noticed i did alot better on it than sythetics, but when i was temporarily switched to westroid when armour ran out, i actually did 2x better.Idont know what we are all supposed to do without our medicine. synthetics are not an option for me


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Nosbunny said:


> I too am dealing with the lack of armour or coresponding natural therapies. on the synthetics i had severe hair loss as well, i called one company today naturthroids (rlc) number, they said they had already exhausted there emergency supply and are trying there best but to expect 1-3 more months before any is out there .Ive been on armour for 3 years now, and have noticed i did alot better on it than sythetics, but when i was temporarily switched to westroid when armour ran out, i actually did 2x better.Idont know what we are all supposed to do without our medicine. synthetics are not an option for me


Welcome to the board. Yes; there is no dessicated porcine thyroid from a trusted source out there.

I am on my 5th. day of Cytomel w/ one 2 grain tablet of Armour. ( I got lucky and stockpiled some. I usually take 3 3/4 grains per day.) and I am doing well so far. Sunday, I will take 5 mcgs. of Cytomel for 3 weeks, get labs and take it from there. I have enough Armour for 3 months. After that, if there is none available (or RLC West Throid/Nature Throid), I will have to recon.

Would rather keep things on the home base and not order out of Canada.

Talk to your doc about a tiny bit of Cytomel w/ your T4. All the info you need is in this thread re previous postings.


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## aldredheron (Feb 13, 2010)

Levothyroxine side effects
Stop using levothyroxine and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

*

headache;
*

sleep problems (insomnia);
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nervous or irritable feeling;
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fever, hot flashes, sweating;
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changes in your menstrual periods;
*

appetite changes, weight changes;

Less serious side effects may include mild hair loss


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