Levothyroxine

[Kim&Chris]

Recently diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, and my doc put me on this drug.

Within a few days, I noticed I was losing my hair. I have thin, fine hair to begin with, so this has me very worried. I called my doctor and he said that it will stop after a while.

A while??? At this rate, I'll have bald spots by mid-May.

Have any of you taken this medication? Did it make you lose your hair? How long before you noticed that the hair loss slowed...or stopped?

I went to Target and got some prenatal vitamins, along with some biotin. Hopefully it will help.

 

[sonnyjane]

I currently take it but after having my thyroid removed completely due to cancer. It was the removal that caused my hair loss, I haven't had issue with loss since on the meds and it's been about 3 years now. It takes a LONG time time to find the right dose. For the first two years I was getting tested every 6-8 weeks while they made adjustments. I've been on my current dose for about 6 months but I actually just made an appointment because I want them to make sure my levels are ok due to how I've been feeling lately.

How underactive is your thyroid? It's possible that's the reason for the hair loss and not the medicine. And remember, it's normal to lose about 100 hairs a day!

 

[Kim&Chris]

Eek, 100 hairs? I'm in trouble then!

I've only been on this for three weeks. When he originally put me on this med, he said my thyroid level was slightly low. Maybe he has me on too high a dosage. I have another appointment in about two weeks, so perhaps he will adjust the levels.

 

[JaneBanks]

Try Nioxin hair care system. I was losing my hair due to PCOS but Nioxin has definitely helped with the amount of hair I was losing.

 

[sonnyjane]

Eek, 100 hairs? I'm in trouble then!

I've only been on this for three weeks. When he originally put me on this med, he said my thyroid level was slightly low. Maybe he has me on too high a dosage. I have another appointment in about two weeks, so perhaps he will adjust the levels.

I meant it's normal to lose 100 hairs a day when you're perfectly healthy. Good luck. I'm not quite thrilled with my doctor when it comes to my dosage but I really like her for everything else. She errs on the side of caution and keeps me on the lowest dose that keeps me "normal" because being on too high a dose can lead to bad side effects, but I've gained about 15 pounds which is a bit depressing.

 

[Minnesota!]

I have very thick hair to begin with, but yes, my hair has definitely changed since I started taking this. Falling out, AND it has become coarse and after being stick straight for the first 35 years of my life, I have waves...and some actual curl. So weird!

 

[Meriweather]

I've taken it for years and my hair is about the same as it has been.....at least since I've been older.

 

[mommasita]

UGh, I am on Synthroid, and have/had the same thing.. I had the thickest hair.. I have underactive and Hashimoto's.

It was suggest to try Biotin, the vitamin, and I have noticed a significant improvement... It isn't as thick as it once was, but it is starting to come back..

 

[gwynne]

Hair loss has often been one of my symptoms that shows up when I am having thyroid symptoms. I go in, get my blood tested, and usually they up my thyroid meds. Since you've just started, see how you're doing in about 6 weeks. Hopefully in the coming weeks you will be feeling better, and your hair will be better, too.

 

[Kim&Chris]

UGh, I am on Synthroid, and have/had the same thing.. I had the thickest hair.. I have underactive and Hashimoto's.

It was suggest to try Biotin, the vitamin, and I have noticed a significant improvement... It isn't as thick as it once once, but it is starting to come back..

That's good news! Hope you see more improvements as time goes on. Keeping my fingers crossed that the biotin will help me as well!

 

[mommasita]

That's good news! Hope you see more improvements as time goes on. Keeping my fingers crossed that the biotin will help me as well!

Thank you, same to you!

 

[Nancyg56]

My husband just had 1/2 of his thyroid removed and this week was prescribed this drug. I did nto realize he may lose hair, so this is good info if he sees more falling out and gets nervous. Thanks for posting!

 

[Christine]

I've been on the brand name of this drug since 1994. I've never had any hair loss at all (and I would notice as I have very fine hair). Many people taking supplemental thyroid hormone do notice hair loss. This is not due to the drug itself but rather due to hormone flucuations caused by your thyroid hormones being affected by the meds. So, if you had low thyroid levels (which definitely causes hair loss), suddenly adding thyroid hormone sort of "shocks" your body and your hair seems to be the first place to freak out. Alternatively, if you are hyperthyroid and your reduce your hormones, you can get hair loss. It's mainly due to the changes your body is going through.

Levothyroxine is a not a true drug like an antibiotic or a diabetes medication or anything like that. It's a synthetic hormone (T4) and is something your body already uses (much like estrogen in oral contraceptives).

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Hair loss has often been one of my symptoms that shows up when I am having thyroid symptoms. I go in, get my blood tested, and usually they up my thyroid meds. Since you've just started, see how you're doing in about 6 weeks. Hopefully in the coming weeks you will be feeling better, and your hair will be better, too.

This this this! Losing hair is a symptom of underactive thyroid, not a reaction to the medication. I've been taking it for 15 years and have all my hair!

 

[WDWBarb]

This this this! Losing hair is a symptom of underactive thyroid, not a reaction to the medication. I've been taking it for 15 years and have all my hair!

I was going to say this. My DD has Hasimotos and she stopped losing her hair a few months after starting the meds. It was coming out like crazy until she finally got a diagnosis.

On the biotin, a GP had suggested my DD take it for hair growth and when she finally saw an endo and he saw what she was on, he told her to stop taking it immediately because it can affect thyroid test results. But it did work a bit, before she stopped taking it.

 

[mommasita]

I was going to say this. My DD has Hasimotos and she stopped losing her hair a few months after starting the meds. It was coming out like crazy until she finally got a diagnosis.

On the biotin, a GP had suggested my DD take it for hair growth and when she finally saw an endo and he saw what she was on, he told her to stop taking it immediately because it can affect thyroid test results. But it did work a bit, before she stopped taking it.

Wow, first I heard of that.. I will ask, thanks I would not want to give wrong advice.

 

[LJSquishy]

I was on it for a while but switched to Nature-Throid since I didn't want to be on Synthroid long-term. I have Hashimoto's but have never had hair loss so I can't help with that.