Need advice on thinning hair-Graves disease and Hashimotos

[ladyceleste]

Hey everyone, I haven't been on this forum for quite some time, but I really need some advice and I don't know what to do. I no longer have my lovely long hair. I had a sweet little baby 6 years ago, had some thinning then, pretty normal from what I have read, but my thinning never really stopped. I was quite ill after having him too, and struggled on and off since he was born with various health issues, but doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me.

Fast forward to this summer, I was in the hospital with a rapid heart rate and palpitations. Again, no diagnosis, they told me it was stress, gave me beta blockers, sent me home. Then a cardiologist thought to test my thyroid. Bingo- I was hyperthyroid, and then I was diagnosed with Graves Disease and Hashimotos. Well my hair loss started back up big time during all this, and hasn't stopped. I don't have any bald spots, but I can see a lot of scalp and if I pull my hair back it looks thin. I was trying to grow my hair back out, and it is about bra strap length, but it looks stringy and limp, due to the thinness I think.

My last bloodwork showed I was not hyperthyroid anymore. I have more blood work next week. I may be hypo. Not sure. Hoping if I can get my numbers under control, not only will I feel better (I do already feel better thankfully, just not normal yet) but the thinning will stop.

So, the thinning is hormonal, I know I can't stop it with any kind of product. But what can I do about it? Any good undoes? Should I just get it cut and start over again when my health has leveled out? I added long layers, but it didn't help much. Will short and layered be better for this kind of problem, or should I push through? I just want it to look better, but I don't know how to get there. Thanks for listening and thanks for any advice. I'm totally lost and I am so happy to be feeling better so I really can't complain, I'd prefer to be healthy and bald than have a full head of hair and feel horrible lol. But anyway, if I can get it looking better, I'd like to.

[embee]

Graves disease here. Many years of it. Currently hypo after radioactive iodine.

I didn't cut, no point in it. I could have short thin or longer thin hair. With thin hair I could do some updo styles much sooner than with thick hair. After things settled down my hair did become a bit thicker. And now I can sit on the ends. :D

Thyroid issues are a rollercoaster ride. I have new prescriptions as of this month, new strengths of my meds. Whee.

[Brattina88]

Hi :)

I am by no means an expert but I wanted to share my opinion/experience. I, too, have been diagnosed with hashimotos. I don't have graves, but I have a friend who does.

As for thyroid problems and the symptoms of hair loss (and other things) Unfortunately it's a numbers game and persistence on your part with the doctors. Do you know your levels? What meds are you taking? The original doctor who diagnosed me with hypothyroidism got my levels "normal" within 3mos but I still wasn't feeling well and still had symptoms. I decided to do some research and go to a specialist. Turns out there's a big difference between "normal range" and optimal levels. And also, I'm a person - not a lab number so I had to find a doctor who agreed with me on that one! I've had to adjust my meds several times but I improved a lot once I got off of Levo/ synthroid ... some people just do not do well with the synthetic stuff. Some of my symptoms that worsened were actually medication side effects. Oh the joys :p lol

A support group that helped me a lot (both educationally and emotionally) is here https://m.facebook.com/groups/7462864207?ref=bookmarks if you're on FB. ;) I hope that link works.

Anyways (((((((hugs))))))) you're not alone. Hope that helps a tad :)

[ladyceleste]

Graves disease here. Many years of it. Currently hypo after radioactive iodine.

I didn't cut, no point in it. I could have short thin or longer thin hair. With thin hair I could do some updo styles much sooner than with thick hair. After things settled down my hair did become a bit thicker. And now I can sit on the ends. :D

Thyroid issues are a rollercoaster ride. I have new prescriptions as of this month, new strengths of my meds. Whee.

Thank you for your reply, it certainly is a roller coaster. I have been swinging a little and I get my blood work done tomorrow. I'm really curious to see my numbers. Good to know that you were still able to grow your hair so long. I need to experiment more with updos and see what I can do with it. That might be the way to go. I'll have to go look at pinterest and see what I can find :)

Oh and I love your cat in your picture!

[ladyceleste]

Hi :)

I am by no means an expert but I wanted to share my opinion/experience. I, too, have been diagnosed with hashimotos. I don't have graves, but I have a friend who does.

As for thyroid problems and the symptoms of hair loss (and other things) Unfortunately it's a numbers game and persistence on your part with the doctors. Do you know your levels? What meds are you taking? The original doctor who diagnosed me with hypothyroidism got my levels "normal" within 3mos but I still wasn't feeling well and still had symptoms. I decided to do some research and go to a specialist. Turns out there's a big difference between "normal range" and optimal levels. And also, I'm a person - not a lab number so I had to find a doctor who agreed with me on that one! I've had to adjust my meds several times but I improved a lot once I got off of Levo/ synthroid ... some people just do not do well with the synthetic stuff. Some of my symptoms that worsened were actually medication side effects. Oh the joys :p lol

A support group that helped me a lot (both educationally and emotionally) is here https://m.facebook.com/groups/7462864207?ref=bookmarks if you're on FB. ;) I hope that link works.

Anyways (((((((hugs))))))) you're not alone. Hope that helps a tad :)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I don't know my numbers. I get my blood work tomorrow. It has been swinging. I was very hyper in June/July when they first discovered what was wrong, then I was taking Methimazole and ended up going too low, they lowered the dose, but my numbers were staying low, so they cut me off of that, so I'm just waiting to see at this point. My doctor said at some point the Graves will burn out my thyroid or the Hashis will kill it, and I honestly think this has been going on for years undiagnosed so I'm wondering if I'm close to that point now.

Good to know the difference between normal and optimal. I hadn't heard that. It makes sense though, everyone is a little different so their has to be some variation within normal. I'm glad you found that point, I need to talk to my doctor once we see what my thyroid is doing to I can try to get there too.

Thanks for pointing me to the Facebook group. I will check it out! It certainly helps being able to talk to others going through this.

[embee]

I hope your doctor will pay attention to what is normal vs. what is normal *for you*.... in other words, what is optimal *for you*. I got very tired of blood work. :)

[ladyceleste]

I hope your doctor will pay attention to what is normal vs. what is normal *for you*.... in other words, what is optimal *for you*. I got very tired of blood work. :)

Thank you, I meet with him next week, so I hope it goes good! And I agree with the blood work. It gets old pretty fast.

[Silverbrumby]

Thyroid disease here as well. You are doing the right things and depending on your hair you might cut or keep it long. See my picture, that's with bsl hair that starts to thin around shoulders and is see through at bsl. I can make big buns and wear nice sticks even with this hair. My hair is mostly genetics and age now, my Thyroid is under control and optimal for me.

Think of this as a challenge to find what looks good and makes you feel good until it grows back. With your hair genes and having been long I'm pretty confident you'll do well.

Btw, have iron checked, vit D and take a good multi if you're not already.

I used biotin, vit D and anti dandruff shampoo plus dermal stamping and I have regrowth that it satisfying. Went from 2.75 ponytail to just over three inches. It took six months min to begin to sense I had made good changes.