Hair Loss is Causing My Depression
I had beautiful hair my entire life. I received compliments weekly on it; it was that nice. I took SYNTHROID for 6 months when my thyroid problem was only borderline and I should NOT have taken it. 99.9% of the subsequent doctors said I should not have taken it. My hair changed completely. I took the drug MAY 05 through NOV 05. It changed the texture, the thickness, I now have a see-through head of hair (especilally on top) and I am depressed. I saw 35 doctors, 2 trichologists and 1 supposed “expert” who said I was in the shedding phase and it would stop. After 16 months, he said it was “long” but would go back to normal. Not true. Has not happened. My life is not the same and I quit my job over this. I haven’t worked since. I have been taking sulfur and fish oil gels every day – the hair was holding steady but still bad until OCT 2006 when things hit the fan and the top got super thin and fallout was twice as bad. I am scared I will be bald and never have a life again. I feel like a monster. My marriage isn’t too great either due to my unceasing depression. I need to be in a study group or with a group of scientists who study hair. I cannot go on. Please…help. Thank you.
Synthroid could be a cause of hair loss. If it was the only cause of hair loss in your case, it should have been reversed with stopping the medication by now. Since you stopped taking it more than a year ago and did not grow your hair back, you must have some other factors involved and thus need a thorough evaluation.
It is proven that hair loss can increase the level of anxiety and cause depression in several studies that have performed in Europe (see PubMed – Psychological aspects of hair disease). The only thing I can recommend is a medical evaluation to have a proper diagnosis. You need to get started on appropriate treatment with a hair specialist. Diagnosis of hair loss is not always simple and it takes a great deal of patience on your part to work through diagnosis and the slowness of treating the problem. You must have a good doctor to do this with. Good luck.
SYNTHROID AND HAIR LOSS: I am writing this because I too have experienced hair change and loss since the use of Synthroid. Unfortunately, I was misdiagnosed and given Synthroid which as a result, only created problems and hair loss. I know what the women describing the loss/texture change are going through. I know what has been done, I deal with it too. I deal with the breakage and cannot walk outside without my hair, freying, flying away, and looking as if I am walking around with a ninety year old’s head of hair! I too have experienced the deppression from this experience but I have found that I can hide the obvious damage by using a straightening iron on my hair. I never had to before but, my once thick, long hair of silk now lays flat only with a straightening iron. It will not further damage your hair if you use a good conditioner. I do know that Synthroid damaged hair becomes thinner and thus, straightening it will make it look even thinner but, it will make it lay flat. You could then curl it as well with a curling iron. Yes, alot of maintenence to “hide” the damage. My previous thick head of hair is now completely changed and thin. I took the drug SIX years ago…for two weeks! I am trying to accept the change….I have not yet found acceptance so I know how all of you feel. If it is as bad as some of you describe and you cannot live a normal life, have you thought about wearing a wig? Trust me, I know that is not a first choice but, it would allow you to look as though you have more hair. I constantly express my concerns to my husband….and he said, I’ll buy you hair…nice gesture but I was 20 when I went on the drug…I don’t want fake hair. And so, I spend more time and money “hiding” the damage that should never have happened as I was misdiagnosed by some doctor simply inconsideratly prescribing random drugs and making supposed “diagnoses” to a girl who was only 20…and now has to deal with the change for the rest of her life. It sucks. I hope you all can find happiness and acceptance…I am trying to. I will write again if my hair suddenly changes back to the way it was….prior to the use of that drug. Wish you all well.