As many of you already know, 7 yrs ago at the onset of menopause, I also started experiencing massive hair loss. To date, I have lost over 50% of my hair.
Test for thyroid, iron, etc. always turned out normal, although I believed it must be my thyroid because I am always cold and lost the outer part of my eyebrows (symptom of thryoid) Dr's today rely too much on those blood tests numbers and need to treat the symptoms!
Anywho. . . my new blood work shows low ferritin of only 26, and my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is 4.31 which abnormal and just borderline above the normal range.
NOW WHAT? The endricronlogist said, they're very borderline, not to worry, as all my hair was falling out on her desk!
Of course I don't want to start any thyroid meds (too dangerous) and want to treat this the A'damo way. So I need your help here. Anyone here with thyroid problems, and suggestions?
I'm eating eating right for my blood type, etc. but hair is just falling out in droves.
REALLY NEED YOUR HELP AND INPUT! Before my scalp looks like those smiley faces!!!
Rose, taking a thyroid supplement from the health food store won't hurt you and it just may help. You can take kelp, use iodine topically, get L-Tyrosine, or even get a glandular supplement. I used to use the glandular supplement and it helped a lot. During this last pregnancy I mentioned to my midwife that I was losing hair (you're supposed to keep it all during pregnancy) and she said I needed to take my thyroid supplement again. I was able to discontinue it for the first time when I started the BTD. It's enough for me (except during pregnancy, evidently). There are also homeopathic remedies you can take.
I don't know that Dr. D would recommend glandular-based anything for an A. They're usually bovine or sheep. But they have helped me when I needed it.
Somebody (probably omnicient, omipresent Lola) will be along with more suggestions.
ISTJ, BTD since 5/05. Battling chronic Lyme disease since ~1985.
"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial..." I Corinthians 6:12
So sorry you are still having hair loss. Have you considered alopecia areata? ..."hair loss of unknown cause, characterized by round patches of complete baldness"?
I'm guessing you are just "thinning", not to the point of bald spots?
just a thought....
"Don't ever become a pessimist... a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events." Robert A. Heinlein
Ask your endcrinologist for Armour and ask to take it for 3 months. Let her know you will check in 1 x per month for temperature testing, pulse rate etc. You can also chart it yourself for your doctor. My doctor asked me to chart myself to see if there was any improvement.
This is how my doctor allowed me to go on Thyroid supplementation even though my blood testing showed nothing, but my body showed every sign of not having enough thyroid.
You can also take iodine + tyrosine = thyroid hormone. This didn't work for me. I still take tyrosine and it helps with my energy levels.
I take 1000 mg every morning before 7. When I was really bad I used to take it 2-3 times per day, 1000 mg, early morning around 6, mid morning around 11 and early afternoon around 2. Do not take it any later than 2 or it might interfere with sleep. Do not take if you get headaches from it and do not take if you have high blood pressure (not usual for low thyroid).
Rose, here's something else to check on. In 2006 I had lost about 30% of my hair and naturally high-tailed it to my osteopath to have my thyroid levels checked. I had been on 175 mcg so we tried lowering it to 150mcg and the hair loss stopped. Think that solved the problem? Nopers. In 2007 it happened again. This time I ended up losing 85% of my hair!! My osteo referred me to a dermatologist. Turns out I have recurring Alopecia Areata, which is also thought to be auto-immune. I ended up having cortisone shots in my scalp and was prescribed cyclsporine to turn off the immune system response. It took 6 months but my hair is finally back. Scary thing is, he can't tell me if this took care of it or if it'll return. Every time I see a couple of hairs on my bathroom counter, I start to panic. Wiki has some good information on it. Not saying this is the problem or trying to be an alarmist, just wanted to give you a heads-up. Best of luck to you. I know first hand that that much hair loss is devastating!!
Dear Rose, Please follow Jeanb's example. I cannot see that it will cost you a thing!!!! Sometimes you have to take the lead with these doctors. They rely too much on tests. You don't have to be brutal with the "experts', just firm.
''Just follow the book, don't look for magic fixes to get you off the hook. Do the work.'' Dr.D.'98 DNA mt/Haplo H; Y-chrom/J2(M172);ISTJ The harder you are on yourself, the easier life will be on you!
Anywho. . . my new blood work shows low ferritin of only 26, and my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is 4.31 which abnormal and just borderline above the normal range.
NOW WHAT? The endricronlogist said, they're very borderline, not to worry, as all my hair was falling out on her desk! Rose
Perhaps a second opinion is warranted. Some studies show a ferritin around 90 (depending on lab ranges which differ) is needed for hair growth.....
My blood tests only show T3 Uptake as being low. But I had an indocrinologist tell me those "low" levels were actually normal in somebody my age and he wouldn't give me any suggestions. He said thyroid wasn't my trouble. Now I realize it was more adrenals than thyroid, although I do feel better when I take a thyroid supplement.
ISTJ, BTD since 5/05. Battling chronic Lyme disease since ~1985.
"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial..." I Corinthians 6:12
Rose, I tried to send you a message but got some kind of weird error. Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant usually prescribed for some organ transplant recipients. My immune system was attacking my hair follicles and plugging them with white blood cells, and as a result my hair couldn't re-grow. The cyclosporine shut off the attack so my body could clear away the white blood cells. It's pretty heavy-duty stuff and came with some nasty side-effects, at least for me. I'm hoping ER4YT will prevent this from ever happening again.
Rose, Lots of good advice above. I just want to say that 4.31 is high for tsh....so the thyroid is part of your problem. Iron is also important. Someone else said the adrenals are usually involved in this case also. It's all connected, and you are on the right path. I take 88mcg of synthroid a day. I also lose hair, not as much, but I lose it. I just started taking dessicated liver for iron and b12, and it feels good. You are definitely should look into whether tyrosine is ok for A's, and kelp. Maybe "Deflect" for type A would be helpful.....I am excited that you are finally on to what is happening! I just looked at type A supplements at the store above. It looks like polyvite A and polyflora and deflect might all be quite helpful, but especially the polyvite.
Mom of 5, mostly 0's, DH & 1 son are B's, everyone else are O's, NJ transplant to SF Bay Area, CA ; ISFJ Explorer
"Do not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things. Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds; do not overload them." Anatole France
"Healthy people have the least overt symptoms from eating avoid foods." Dr. D'Adamo
as I understand it, some hair loss is normal, but 50% surely is not, as you certainly know. I would def look for a dr that listens to what I'm telling them about my symptoms, versus one who only looks at blood work. especially when your hair is falling all over their desk and they're ignoring you.
Rose, according to your test results it does look as though you have two major problem areas: low iron and low thyroid. If you address these two areas I should think you will begin to feel better in three months' time. You might have to push to be referred to an endocrinologist if you aren't getting satisfaction from your doctor.
To HampshireGirl: Believe it or not, the Doctor's who told me 4.31 TSH is very borderline abnormal and 26 Ferritin was an endricronogist and my family doctor. What a bunch of idiots!! And last week my gynocologist said the same thing. I just wanted to scream! HELLO, I'M LOSING TONS OF HAIR!!!
I just don't know where else to turn. I really wish I had the money to hop on a plane see Dr. Dr. Yesterday, someone asked me what I would do if I won the lottery, and I said, (I kid you not) I don't want to win the lottery, I just want to see Dr. D'Adamo!!! That's better than winning a lottery. What could be more priceless than one's own health!
Tonight I shall pray again that someone can help me.
Everyone here is so fabulous! {{{Hugs}}} to all. After losing my mother several years ago, and now my sister who was only in her 40's, I need much support.
God Bless
Rose PS. Especially, as a single, divorced lady. Let's be honest, what guy wants to date a balding woman!
This is one of the most interesting websites I've seen in a long while. Many years ago, my ferritin levels were 12...and I was past menopause....My all over body aches and borderline thyroid values clearly show me now that I had an iron issue that all doctors missed completely. They all missed the borderline thyroid and I heard what Rose heard even though I didn't have profound hair loss. My hair did get very thin, though.
It makes me wonder how a type A is supposed to raise their ferritin levels naturally??
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything.....they know how to make the best of everything!"
Chloe, that is a good question. I guess we could look at the type food lists and see what items help with iron. I also always think about gluten sensitivity if it sounds like one is not absorbing minerals or some vitamins.....lots more surfing around to do. But yes, stop the thyroid madness was a site I learned of after I had RAI for a nodule, before I knew about the btd......
Mom of 5, mostly 0's, DH & 1 son are B's, everyone else are O's, NJ transplant to SF Bay Area, CA ; ISFJ Explorer
I have used Floradix in the past, herbal liquid, and I bought the yeast/gluten free version. I think it also has some b12, which also helps.....check out that link. It could be that addressing iron first will help the thyroid. Polyvite is on that list and it has a good amount of iodine too.
Mom of 5, mostly 0's, DH & 1 son are B's, everyone else are O's, NJ transplant to SF Bay Area, CA ; ISFJ Explorer
Chloe, that is a good question. I guess we could look at the type food lists and see what items help with iron. I also always think about gluten sensitivity if it sounds like one is not absorbing minerals or some vitamins.....lots more surfing around to do. But yes, stop the thyroid madness was a site I learned of after I had RAI for a nodule, before I knew about the btd......
As a type O, you can at least eat meat. I'm gluten intolerant and allergic to eggs. My protein sources are fish, soy, and some yogurt and whey protein. I remember being severely anemic as a child. The interesting thing about iron is that high amounts can feed tumors. Given that cancer is the weak link of type A...perhaps the downside of low iron (which might help protect us indirectly from feeding tumors) leaves us with the predisposition to have low thyroid. It appears to be a catch 22. And I still wonder if soy is a smart food for anyone with borderline thyroid. I try not to eat anything but cultured soy, but still, everything I've read says it's not a good food for a low thyroid.
Greens like kale and spinach are supposed to be good to raise iron levels, but ferritin is iron storage. Raising that directly is something I know nothing about.
It appears that gluten intolerance is one of the causes of low ferritin....Maybe this is where Rose's problems stem from....Go gluten free and perhaps ferritin levels will slowly rise again naturally. I've been gluten free for 19 months.
And look what I just found....soybean extract to raise iron...
OK for tonight I want to add that secretor status is a biggie here. If Rose is a nonnie, she could possibly be an explorer, they have issues with iron. Also, dandelion is another good herb/veggie that might be helpful here....best wishes for more hair!
Mom of 5, mostly 0's, DH & 1 son are B's, everyone else are O's, NJ transplant to SF Bay Area, CA ; ISFJ Explorer
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