Thyroid med causing oily hair and skin?

[trc1962]

So after 2 years of being told I was subclinical and didn't need treatment my TSH became higher than 10 and my doctor decided it was time for medication. He gave me a low dose (30 mg) of armour thyroid. The first couple of days I took it I felt better, my hair was more normal and my skin was less dry - such a relief. However, I have taken it for about 8 days and each day my hair and face has grown oilier. I unfortunately have super sensitive skin and I flush and the oil makes my scalp and forehead hurt very bad. I wash my hair daily - always have. I also have low cortisol and low testosterone, but it is thought that will even out in time (I have been on prednisone for awhile). I wonder if anyone on this board has dealt with the oiliness and if I should try a different drug. Thanks, hoping to get rid of the oil.

[trc1962]

I would add that I have lost weight for the past 2 months, not gained as I keep hearing about hypothyroid and I am not sensitive to cold, but heat and I sweat badly - I attribute this to prednisone (3 mg) though. I have an appointment with an endo in Seattle in 10 days, I live in Spokane and we are 6-8 months for appointment with endo as there is a shortage of them.

[irish]

I am of the opinion that it is not your thyroid med but the kick the thyroid med has given the endocrine system. You have been hypothyroid for so long that one would wonder if with your abnormal hormonal blood work is the cause. Typically testosterone is the culprit in the oily skin and acne issues. Dermatologist could help with your skin while waiting to have endo appt. Good luck. Irish

[trc1962]

Thanks for your thoughts Irish and you well could be right about the hormones and being low in thyroid for a long time. I am going to continue the present thyroid med as it has really slowed the shedding down and quite quickly. The average person could do fine just having a bit of oiliness but I must be the most sensitive woman on the planet hormonally and skin wise too. They are trying to get me in to the endo soon as school starts in less than 2 weeks and hopefully things will get ironed out. I had super low testosterone levels a couple of weeks ago but maybe the thyroid med upped that? Still just so sleepy and tired in the morning even after 9 hours of sleep, but the low cortisol could be to blame for that I guess. As the day goes on, I feel less sleepy - they thyroid med could be helping with that. Happy weekend to all.

[jazzlover]

For me, it's way better than having dry flaky skin.

I use Nature Throid and have no issues with oiliness. You are right that many people gain weight on hypo meds .. that would be because they are SYNTHETIC meds and don't work as well as the dessicated thyroid meds.

[trc1962]

Jazzlover I am wondering how the nature thyroid differs from the armour thyroid? Are they both made of pig thyroid? I am thrilled about my skin being better, but my hair looks like an oil slick and the oil causes irritation on my scalp, ears, forehead, face and chest. I don't have the irritation when the oil is normal. Hoping everyone is having a good Sunday.

[irish]

Selsun shampoo is what the doctors ordered for the oily scalp and resultant seborreic dermatitis that comes with it. It takes time for this shampoo to clean up the scalp, but it does work. Good luck. Irish

[trc1962]

I do include selsun in my rotation although I also use nizoral and t-sal at times as well. Today my face is just plain sore as is my forehead and scalp. I usually swim so much in the Summer but this Summer when I went in June the chlorine caused such a bad reaction on my face and scalp I didn't go back (fresh water was fine though). I hiked with the dog a lot and did it when it wasn't hot. I have just become so sensitive to chemicals, smells and foods high in histamine (it is not fun). Hoping for relief when my hormones are balanced.

[irish]

It will be interesting to see what the diagnosis is. It may not even be endocrine. I wonder if there is an autoimmune skin disease that has these symptoms.

I suffered from a round circular rash on my upper arm on both arms for about 6 years and it came only once a year or so. Treated with antibiotic and steroid cream and it went away. That was until 2002 when  I got it and it spread over my entire right upper arm. It got more swollen and red and developed a huge blister that was 13 cm. I didn't know I had the blister cause it was on the back of my upper arm.

The swelling got worse and worse and the pain was terrible. I went to several doctors and no one knew what it was or how how to treat it. Finally got to a dermatopathologist who did a biopsy. He treated me with steroids and antibiotics. When I went back in a few days he told me I had a bacterial infection, fungal infection plus an autoimmune disease called Bullous Pemphigoid. I was floored as the dermatologist that treated me for those first years never seemed concerned.

I tell you this just to let you know that skin issues can be very hard to diagnose and some docs don't recognize trouble when they see it. Good luck. Irish

[jazzlover]

Jazzlover I am wondering how the nature thyroid differs from the armour thyroid? Are they both made of pig thyroid? I am thrilled about my skin being better, but my hair looks like an oil slick and the oil causes irritation on my scalp, ears, forehead, face and chest. I don't have the irritation when the oil is normal. Hoping everyone is having a good Sunday.

--

From the FB page I am on .. Armour contains more additives than the Nature Throid.

[trc1962]

With my mast cell involvement I don't do well with some  additives so just wondering. I had this same burning itch in 2006 when this all started an endo put me on spironolactone and a BCP and it helped but it certainly didn't go away. I got my labs with the hormonal tests and this is how they came out:     Cortisol  3     (7-23 range)
                                                  t3 free 2.6    (2.0-4.4)
                                                  t4 free  0.83  (0.93-1.70)
                                                  progesterone 0.66  no range
                                                  tsh   11.41   (0.270-4.20)
                                                  estrogen  315  no range
                                                  dhea 15  (22-166)
                                                  testosterone 3  (9-55)

So low cortisol, t4, dhea and testosterone, normal t3, high tsh and unsure of estrogen and progesterone. I guess if your cortisol is off it can effect all the other hormones. In desperation I took half my thyroid med dose today and initially my skin felt better, but now it is itching and crawling. I have been told I am sensitive to testosterone, but I don't have any under arm hair and only shave my legs a couple of times a Summer (which I am not complaining about!), but I don't have much testosterone in my system at all. I (and everyone on this forum) just want to feel better and that is why we do research and ask questions here.

[jazzlover]

I have MCAS also .. so fewer additives is important to me. Check with your pharmacist on the fillers.

[gurs]

Sounds like the dose might be a bit high to start with? Maybe you can cut the tab in half for 2 weeks and see if this helps. You can always gradually increase your dose.

[trc1962]

I am on 30 mg armour but did cut it in half to 15 and I am still oily but less skin pain. I have heard you have to take care of your adrenals and then address your thyroid? Hopefully we can get this figured out. Last spring my pcp thought I might have a pituitary adenoma but my prolactin wasn't super high. I was flushing and itching and had terrific pain and hotness on my head. Crazy stuff.

[trc1962]

I have adjusted to 15 mg of armour with just a little oiliness and itching. I doubt that is enough to bring up my levels though. The rheumy I saw at V Mason got me an appointment with and endo in their group who dose a lot of thyroid stuff and deals deeply in transgender health and sh thought he might be very good at looking at the hormonal picture. I also hope so. I can say my hair and skin have felt a difference...I think I was low for a few years, which is sad. Hoping everyone is enjoying the weekend!