Graves' Disease Support Group

You might be on too high of a dose for your body's needs and are hypo on this dose. Sometimes when the FT3 is low you get hair fallout. Either that or your iron could be low. (ferritin). If you post your labs we would be able to tell if you're too hypo.

OK. My labs (as of 10/15/09)
FT4 1.35 (.89-1.76)
FT3 293 (230-420)
TSH 0.04 (0.35-5.50)
TSI 170 (less than or equal to 125)
Vitamin D 25

Thanks!

Sorry, I can't remember - did you just get out of being hyPO?

Sometimes, there can be a "delay" with symptom "response".

Brans brings up other points that definitely have merit.

Your FT4 is in a good place (maybe still not high enough for you, though) and your FT3 is definitely on the low side.

Unfortunately, we often have to "wait out" symptoms...that's why we preach maintaining mid-range FT4, at least.

Your Free T3 may be too low for you.

Hair loss from 'wrong' thyroid levels can take three to six months. Also look and see about possible vitamins/minerals deficiencies such as: Copper, Zinc, Iron, B-12, Vitamin A, etc. I had many of these tests to see where I was high and low in,

{{{hugs}}} :-)

thanks, I asked endo to check copper and zinc. She said she didn't know anything about copper, but would check zinc. She said it was normal. My blood work has jumped around abit. Not the thyroid levels, but other things such as vit.d, lipids, etc. I'm thinking I will call and ask for more bloodwork on 11/16 when I have other appts in town.(she is 1.5 hours away). She had me wait 8 wks and I don't know that I'm comfortable with that. Eight wks will be 12/11.

Be sure to get copies of your deficiencies. Just because it's in the normal ranges doesn't mean it may be normal for you.

Just like with my Free Ts levels of where I feel my best at, that I know also for the vitamins/minerals deficiencies.

{{{hugs}}} :-)

You should be on vitamin D for sure,25 is low, mine is double that and I take 1400 a day now, my doc said i could do 2000 in the winter months.Your labs are in range but could be low for you. As Mm said check the iron, copper, zinc and b-12, also any other level that has to do with hairgrowth. Sometimes like CD said there is a delayed reaction and it's usually what happened 3 months ago, if you were more hypo then you could have hairloss now. How old are you?

Forgot to ask - are you taking beta-blockers? If yes and you're not having significant heart rate issues, you might want to consider weaning off.

Beta-blockers lower FT3 levels.

8 wks. is way too long to wait for labs once you get to a dose such as yours.....4-6wks max is the general rule of thumb.

Also, having "off" thyroid levels can throw off other levels. When I went really hyPO last year, I had a first-ever increase in my glucose and cholesterol.

Think about it, your body was used to working at a certain "pace" before you got Graves'. When you were first hyperthyroid, everything was moving too fast (my glucose and cholesterol dropped lower than ever).

When you become hyPO, everything slows down..

That's why, once we get in-range, we need to try to find our own "best place"....for most peeps, that's mid-range FT4, at least.

So happy for you that you are able to work through this puzzle...things will start to fall into place once you maintain stable thyroid hormone levels and you are definitely on the right track.

Hope you're patting yourself on the back!

Thanks, guys Brans, I am now 55. I am not on beta blockers-I was having no hyper symptoms. Three months ago would have been when my levels took a dive. Here is my labs:
May 22, 2009
TSH 0.04
FT4 2.83 (.89-1.76)
FT3 637 (230-420)
TSI 160 (

I give up-this thing keeps cutting my posts off!!anyway..I'm wonder if folic acid would help. They gave it to me when I was taking methotrexate for RA in 2004. I had hair loss then, too. My rheumatologist said it was because I had lost my hair due to chemo in 2002.

Now to finish my sentence:
may 22 posted
July 19
FT4 2.22 (.89-1.76)
FT3 522 (230-420)
TSH 0.04
TSI 160
ALK phos 202 (25-115)

Sept 4
FT4 1.34 (.89-1.76)
FT3 313 (230-420)
TSH 0.04
TSI 170
alk phos 286

Oct 15
FT4 1.35 (.89-1.76)
FT3 293 (230-420)
TSH 0.04
TSI 170
alk phos 288

Hope this works this time!