Thinning hair

faithgirl · 08-15-2008, 10:32 PM

When hair is thinning due to thyroid conditions, will it grow back once the thyroid condition is corrected? I have very thin hair, that does not respond to the large doses of biotin recommended elsewhere on these boards. I haven't had any testing yet, but I strongly suspect thyroid issues are to blame and of course I hope that once my thyroid is corrected that the hair will grown back in. Has anyone experienced regrowth?

nonstickpam107 · 08-16-2008, 05:25 AM

Usually if your hair is thinning due to low thyroid levels (both T4 and T3), getting treatment of replacement hormone (both T4 and T3) usually helps to grow the hair back.

Pam

Buffy45 · 08-17-2008, 09:12 PM

Mine grew back once thyroid levels were better.

faithgirl · 08-18-2008, 09:17 PM

Thank you so much! I have had thin hair for so long and as I was thinking back, it all started when I had my first major weight gain and major depression and I am wondering if they are connected to a possible thyroid problem. I go to the doc next Monday and will ask him to test me.

nonstickpam107 · 08-19-2008, 07:30 AM

My hair grew back also///but it took way more than just synthetic T4 ($inthroid, levothyroxine)...I also had to take T3. But the thyroid Rx. I'm on is Armour (has T1, T2, T4, and T3 plus calcitonin).

Pam

faithgirl · 08-19-2008, 07:52 PM

So if he wants to put me on something, I should ask for armour? Are there different types or just the one?

RavenG · 08-20-2008, 04:21 AM

My hair is growing back as well...but....I started taking Biotin (5000 mcg) about 6 months before switching to Armour. Now that I'm doing both my hair is getting thicker, shinier and looks very healthy. I'd definitely ask for Armour.....as Pam says (at least I think it was Pam!)....they will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!

nonstickpam107 · 08-20-2008, 06:16 AM

Yeah, I did say that (grin).

If the doc doesn't DO Armour much, you may run into problems. Armour is natural, and you need to read up on all of this, start researching. Here's the Armour website:

ArmourThyroid

Here's a good website for info about T3: (although I don't agree with being quite as aggressive in treatment as the author, it's still a great site!):

Stop The Thyroid Madness Index Page

It's a start.

Pam

faithgirl · 08-20-2008, 07:09 PM

But why wouldn't doctor's want to presrcibe a more natural drug? Maybe that's a silly question? Is it expensive?

jenna... · 08-20-2008, 07:33 PM

10 months after getting on T3 after years of just T4 my hair is thicker and my nails (which were thin-thin-thin) and nice and strong.

I am on levothyroxine 75mg and T3 100mg

faithgirl · 08-20-2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenna...

10 months after getting on T3 after years of just T4 my hair is thicker and my nails (which were thin-thin-thin) and nice and strong.

I am on levothyroxine 75mg and T3 100mg

Is the levothyroxine 'natural', or not? I suppose as long as I got both T3 and T4 it would be okay?

I looked at the websites Pam posted. On the second one I looked at the list of symptoms and I was really surprised by some of them. I think I can say that I have at least 2/3 of those symptoms.

jenna... · 08-20-2008, 10:06 PM

It's a synthetic T4 and T3. My doctor at (Holtorf Medical Group, Inc - Torrance, CA) Hormone Doctor - Hormone and Longevity Medical Center I couldn't be more pleased with. I went through 3 Doctors before I found this clinic.

The above site has a lot of data on it as well.

nonstickpam107 · 08-21-2008, 11:30 AM

100mg. of T3 would send me to the grave, lol. But some can tolerate it.

An answer to your question, faithfulgirl...doctors don't want to RX natural because the Pharm companies can't get a patent on it and charge like all get out. That's the first reason.

I talk to people in their 80's and low 90's and they have this to say (a huge majority of them):

"When I was very young, I became hypothyroid and back THEN the ONLY thing they had to keep us from dying was dessicated pig thyroid from the Armour Meat Packing Company. So, the doctor would get brown 'lumps' and then use a mortar and pestle to powder it and then form a 'pill'. There were no labs back then so if we got a little 'hyper' and fast talking, crying over spilled milk and the like, you would cut back a little, and if your skin was still dry, you were constipated, depressed, and no libido, they would add a little on". Most folks then were on about 2.5 to 3 grains now in measurement (that's about 125mcg. T4 and 27mg. of T3, which is almost identical to what the normal human thyroid makes in any given day).

Anyway, the good ol' doc's drug rep came in one day and said 'We've got something made in a laboratory, and we're all gonna profit from it and it's more 'shelf stabile' and everything!!!..it's T4, yeah..that's the hormone the thyroid makes when it can'.

The people go one to say they never again felt quite as 'alive and normal and plenty of energy, good sense of humor and all' after beginning that synthetic hormone.

"Well, pretty soon, here comes another fella who makes up a new lab test, called TSH (first tested on only healthy NON hypothyroid folks) and now they went by that, and no matter how badly we felt, they wouldn't 'budge'."

Some folks can't take Armour, they're allergic to it...but very few.

I know I feel very well on Armour, but if the doc doesn't go by symptoms, and goes by TSH, you'll never feel well, cuz Armour has a propensity to dump the TSH in the toilet (under range even) and docs call that 'hyper'...it's NOT hyper, hyper is actually symptoms, not a test range of the pituitary. So, if your doc goes by just TSH, or TSH and just T4, I can't tell you how much more 'human' you can feel with natural thyroid OR T3 added to T4, but the Free T4 and Free T3 are the labs that the doc should use.

Pam

faithgirl · 08-21-2008, 06:39 PM

Thanks Pam, I think that pretty well explains it. Is the armour expensive?

nonstickpam107 · 08-21-2008, 08:30 PM

No, Armour is less expensive than a 'combo' of synthetic T4 plus T3. My Armour costs less than my prescription copay (which is ten dollars) per month.

Pam

faithgirl · 08-21-2008, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

No, Armour is less expensive than a 'combo' of synthetic T4 plus T3. My Armour costs less than my prescription copay (which is ten dollars) per month.

Pam

Wow! That's great to hear. Thanks for all your help Pam. And thanks to everyone else for their experiences, too.

wendysmiling · 08-28-2008, 08:50 PM

Mine hair only grew back minimally with Armour thyroid. I needed estradial and then it started coming back in. It's still thin on top. I don't think it will ever be a full head of hair again. I was doing a comb-over at 37 years old. I wish you the best.

Antigone · 10-11-2008, 06:39 AM

I notice a lot of hair falling...what do I do with this? My hair is so thin now.

Antigone · 10-11-2008, 06:52 AM

I notice a lot of hair falling...what do I do with this? My hair is so thin now.

08-15-2008, 10:32 PM	#1
faithgirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ca Posts: 2,987 Gallery: faithgirl WOE: dunno	Thinning hair When hair is thinning due to thyroid conditions, will it grow back once the thyroid condition is corrected? I have very thin hair, that does not respond to the large doses of biotin recommended elsewhere on these boards. I haven't had any testing yet, but I strongly suspect thyroid issues are to blame and of course I hope that once my thyroid is corrected that the hair will grown back in. Has anyone experienced regrowth?

08-20-2008, 07:09 PM	#9
faithgirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ca Posts: 2,987 Gallery: faithgirl WOE: dunno	But why wouldn't doctor's want to presrcibe a more natural drug? Maybe that's a silly question? Is it expensive? Last edited by faithgirl : 08-20-2008 at 07:18 PM.

08-21-2008, 11:30 AM	#13
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 12,306 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: 230/116/120 (BF<26%) WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	100mg. of T3 would send me to the grave, lol. But some can tolerate it. An answer to your question, faithfulgirl...doctors don't want to RX natural because the Pharm companies can't get a patent on it and charge like all get out. That's the first reason. I talk to people in their 80's and low 90's and they have this to say (a huge majority of them): "When I was very young, I became hypothyroid and back THEN the ONLY thing they had to keep us from dying was dessicated pig thyroid from the Armour Meat Packing Company. So, the doctor would get brown 'lumps' and then use a mortar and pestle to powder it and then form a 'pill'. There were no labs back then so if we got a little 'hyper' and fast talking, crying over spilled milk and the like, you would cut back a little, and if your skin was still dry, you were constipated, depressed, and no libido, they would add a little on". Most folks then were on about 2.5 to 3 grains now in measurement (that's about 125mcg. T4 and 27mg. of T3, which is almost identical to what the normal human thyroid makes in any given day). Anyway, the good ol' doc's drug rep came in one day and said 'We've got something made in a laboratory, and we're all gonna profit from it and it's more 'shelf stabile' and everything!!!..it's T4, yeah..that's the hormone the thyroid makes when it can'. The people go one to say they never again felt quite as 'alive and normal and plenty of energy, good sense of humor and all' after beginning that synthetic hormone. "Well, pretty soon, here comes another fella who makes up a new lab test, called TSH (first tested on only healthy NON hypothyroid folks) and now they went by that, and no matter how badly we felt, they wouldn't 'budge'." Some folks can't take Armour, they're allergic to it...but very few. I know I feel very well on Armour, but if the doc doesn't go by symptoms, and goes by TSH, you'll never feel well, cuz Armour has a propensity to dump the TSH in the toilet (under range even) and docs call that 'hyper'...it's NOT hyper, hyper is actually symptoms, not a test range of the pituitary. So, if your doc goes by just TSH, or TSH and just T4, I can't tell you how much more 'human' you can feel with natural thyroid OR T3 added to T4, but the Free T4 and Free T3 are the labs that the doc should use. Pam __________________ So many fireworks. So little time. "The thyroid is nothing to mess with" ... Sunset

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-16-2008, 05:25 AM	#2
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 12,306 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: 230/116/120 (BF<26%) WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	Usually if your hair is thinning due to low thyroid levels (both T4 and T3), getting treatment of replacement hormone (both T4 and T3) usually helps to grow the hair back. Pam

08-17-2008, 09:12 PM	#3
Buffy45 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lewisville, TX USA Posts: 3,534 Gallery: Buffy45 Stats: Type 2 Diabetic as of 6/1/08 WOE: LC Start Date: Restart 6/1/08	Mine grew back once thyroid levels were better.

08-18-2008, 09:17 PM	#4
faithgirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ca Posts: 2,987 Gallery: faithgirl WOE: dunno	Thank you so much! I have had thin hair for so long and as I was thinking back, it all started when I had my first major weight gain and major depression and I am wondering if they are connected to a possible thyroid problem. I go to the doc next Monday and will ask him to test me.

08-19-2008, 07:30 AM	#5
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 12,306 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: 230/116/120 (BF<26%) WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	My hair grew back also///but it took way more than just synthetic T4 ($inthroid, levothyroxine)...I also had to take T3. But the thyroid Rx. I'm on is Armour (has T1, T2, T4, and T3 plus calcitonin). Pam

08-19-2008, 07:52 PM	#6
faithgirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ca Posts: 2,987 Gallery: faithgirl WOE: dunno	So if he wants to put me on something, I should ask for armour? Are there different types or just the one?

08-20-2008, 04:21 AM	#7
RavenG Senior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fayetteville, PA Posts: 150 Gallery: RavenG Stats: 298/174.5/160 WOE: Atkins Start Date: June 2006	My hair is growing back as well...but....I started taking Biotin (5000 mcg) about 6 months before switching to Armour. Now that I'm doing both my hair is getting thicker, shinier and looks very healthy. I'd definitely ask for Armour.....as Pam says (at least I think it was Pam!)....they will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!

08-20-2008, 06:16 AM	#8
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 12,306 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: 230/116/120 (BF<26%) WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	Yeah, I did say that (grin). If the doc doesn't DO Armour much, you may run into problems. Armour is natural, and you need to read up on all of this, start researching. Here's the Armour website: ArmourThyroid Here's a good website for info about T3: (although I don't agree with being quite as aggressive in treatment as the author, it's still a great site!): Stop The Thyroid Madness Index Page It's a start. Pam

08-20-2008, 07:33 PM	#10
jenna... Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sunny SoCal Posts: 988 Gallery: jenna... Stats: 248/227.5/148 - 5'7.5" & 52yrs WOE: LowCal - LowCarb Start Date: A New Start 01/01/2009	10 months after getting on T3 after years of just T4 my hair is thicker and my nails (which were thin-thin-thin) and nice and strong. I am on levothyroxine 75mg and T3 100mg

08-20-2008, 10:06 PM	#12
jenna... Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sunny SoCal Posts: 988 Gallery: jenna... Stats: 248/227.5/148 - 5'7.5" & 52yrs WOE: LowCal - LowCarb Start Date: A New Start 01/01/2009	It's a synthetic T4 and T3. My doctor at (Holtorf Medical Group, Inc - Torrance, CA) Hormone Doctor - Hormone and Longevity Medical Center I couldn't be more pleased with. I went through 3 Doctors before I found this clinic. The above site has a lot of data on it as well.

08-21-2008, 06:39 PM	#14
faithgirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ca Posts: 2,987 Gallery: faithgirl WOE: dunno	Thanks Pam, I think that pretty well explains it. Is the armour expensive?

08-21-2008, 08:30 PM	#15
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 12,306 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: 230/116/120 (BF<26%) WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	No, Armour is less expensive than a 'combo' of synthetic T4 plus T3. My Armour costs less than my prescription copay (which is ten dollars) per month. Pam

08-28-2008, 08:50 PM	#17
wendysmiling MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 2,504 Gallery: wendysmiling Stats: Lost 112, working on 57 lb re-gain. WOE: Plant Based Whole Foods	Mine hair only grew back minimally with Armour thyroid. I needed estradial and then it started coming back in. It's still thin on top. I don't think it will ever be a full head of hair again. I was doing a comb-over at 37 years old. I wish you the best.

10-11-2008, 06:39 AM	#18
Antigone Guest Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 2,114 Gallery: Antigone	I notice a lot of hair falling...what do I do with this? My hair is so thin now.

10-11-2008, 06:52 AM	#19
Antigone Guest Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 2,114 Gallery: Antigone	I notice a lot of hair falling...what do I do with this? My hair is so thin now.