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View Full Version : Euthyroid Autoimmune Hair Loss- any sage advice?



Cyetra
May 3rd, 2013, 05:49 AM
BEHOLD! An epic tale!

Skip to the end if you get a case of TL;DR, lol.

But advice appreciated.

The [longish] sob story:
I have Hashimotos autoimmune thyroid disease. What I do not have, is a medical community in my country that give a darn, as 'inconveniently', my thyroid decided to be so 'inexcusable' [sensing my sarcasm yet?] as to not have given up totally. My TSH is in their woe-fully outdated 'range' [2.7, if it means anything to some of you] so...no further support or treatment. Please go away, and come back when its worse.

Regarding this, that is the end of the story for the moment. We've no useable state health care out here, I'm poor and I've tried all the endo's who are going to be accessible to me. Its not like some wonder solution is being made inaccessible by funds either- SA's protocol on thyroid issues in general is woeful [hence using the old range!] and it would be synthoid or nothing. Which isn't really going to help me much as it is, so its no real loss.

On the positive side, I've been dealing with a good holistic GP who's enabled some damage control. Even is I could get an Rx for anything, dessicated thyroid isn't available here, but we are giving an OTC called Thyroid Cytotrophin a whirl. IN THEORY, it may contain no T4 to be sold OTC, but may contain traces of other hormones in the family. It may also be so much snake oil, who knows, but its accesible and worth a whirl so we're trying it. Plus the selinium, ashwaghanda and other support products that help with the immune vs thyroid aspects. Gluten hasn't gone totally, because that's impossible at the mo, but is drastically reduced. Some of it may help :) Its too soon to tell really- say 1 month?

Oh, I have adrenal issues too. Even the docs have decided. But they won't give me steriods [thankfully, actually] either. Just FWIW.

The problem:

My butt-length hair is shedding everywhere, and way more then usual. Others insist it still looks ok, who'd notice... answer is me. I can barely come away without long strands hanging. None of it is breakage [yay!], they are all hairs with roots. But *I* can feel and see that my hair is drastically thinner then it used to be and its scaring me. Oddly, its probably not over the mythic 120 hairs a day...but I have NEVER lost this much. It *seems* to have been fast, and I'd like to say this month/6 weeks for the accelerated shed, but I wasn't really paying attention, might have been for longer.

I've always hated scraggy ends on long hair and hello! it looks like I'm now getting it. I feel awful about it, which I doubt helps. I've always been proud of having really well cared for long hair, and it just feels like another thing being taken away [cue dramatic sob]. My ends [say, lower 5-6"] are dreadfully thin in combarison to the old days.

It isn't helped by the fact we are going INTO winter here... I'm Southern hemisphere... and that means autumnal shed has to be playing a part too. I'm not sure which is actually the worse culprit at the mo.

FWIW, my scalp is feeling a touch sensitive too.

More about my hair [cos I'm being a drama queen]:

I'm lucky that my hair is in excellent health [*toots own horn*]. But honestly, it is. My splits are a little worse then they used to be, but otherwise its just fine, shiny and healthy. I wash once a week with a mild organic shampoo/conditioner, don't use heat, keep it up a lot and comb with a wide toothed comb gently oiling when ness. Nothing damaging- and as I say, none of the shed hairs are breaks! It works. Up untill now, its paid dividends.

I don't take a host of hair specific vitamins- I rattle already- but I take a GOOD multi and 1mg biotin daily, plus silica 3x week and I'm on an iron tab a the mo. I did start some Evening Primrose Oil for the hair, but its been 4mo and I see no difference, so I think I am gonna scrap that one.

I don't eat red meat, barely eat poultry, scoff fish like its going out of season and adore the common salad.

The point [aka, the TL;DR paragraph]:

I'm not sure there is much more I can do about it...I'm already nondestructive with my hair... but I am really depressed about it and wanted a good whine. I'd also like any viable tips or help or suggestions anyone can offer further to stop is falling? Logic knows it won't all come out- but frankly, its bad enough and my paranoia likes to feel like it would.

Also... when in the autumn-winter cycle does the annual shed stop? Any ideas?