I take meds for my thyroid, but I'm beginning to wonder if I need to have them check me again.
Lately,I notice more hair in my brush. My skin is so itchy and dry that I'm getting little scabs on my eyelids and I seem more moodier than usual.
But then I have to wonder if it's something with our well water too. We've lived here for 5 years now and we have a well. When we first moved here, the water was so bad we had to have a filtration system put in. It still didn't get rid of the rust so we had to start using 12% bleach in our water. I don't drink it at all..it's icky.
So we've had the bleach all along, but for some reason my skin is just driving me batty. I was scratching so much I got welts. I tried using hydrocortisone on it and it helped for a bit, now I'm trying extra lotion all over. It's just acting up around my face, neck and chest area and also on my arms on the inside of my elbows. Not at all on my stomach, legs or anywhere else.
I was just wondering if any one else experienced this with their thyroid, or if it could be the bleach in the water.
I have the same problem! It's awefull. I can't use soap or it gets worse. I use prescription cortizone creams and Zinc cream helps a little, I've also heard using shampoo with zink as a body wash might help but I haven't tied it yet. I do think it is at least partly from the thyriod problems.
Skin problems were a major sign that I had thyroid problems. I've had to have two adjustments of my meds since being diagnosed hypothyroid, and both times my skin told me that my levels were off before the blood tests told my doctor that my levels were off.
For me, I get dry skin on my face that does not respond to moisterizer. Around the sides of my nose on across the area under my eyes (think if you were going to put a long biore strip on your nose. That's the area I'm talking about) the skin is dry and flaky. It gets red and feels "thick", if that makes sense. The biggest clue, though, is that it doesn't go away no matter how much water I drink, moisterizer I use, or hydocortizone creams I try.
If you are on meds, I assume your doctor has you doing blood tests. If your next test isn't anytime in the near future, I'd give your doc a call and request that your levels get tested.
If this turns out to be something other than your thyroid meds needed to be adjusted, you'll want to talk to your doctor anyway. It could be the water, it could be an allergic reaction, or it could be a number of other things.
I hope you get to the bottom of this soon... feel better.
Mine does the same thing... exactly the way myrtle described it.
I am currently on .175 mcg of Synthroid which has me stablized. But I'm also using MetroGel for my face. You can only get it with a prescription & it has worked wonders on the redness and the itchy dryness. Your doctor can prescribe it -- I didn't have to go to a dermatologist, is what I'm trying to say. Also, my estrogen levels were elevated which was causing redness and itching as well. Have you had your levels checked? I'm currently using Progesterone for that as well.
Last edited by kyfriedchick1; 11-26-2007 at 09:52 PM.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I think it's my meds needing adjustments.
Infertile, I know exactly what you mean about skin feeling thick. That's how mine was before I got on meds, and my scalp would get these icky white cakes on it. Miserable...who would of thought the thyroid would do all that?
Thanks again
Debbie
One of the things about thyroid medications is that once you start having to use them, they will probably have to be increased with time. The thyroid gets lazy, I guess because it doesn't have to work as hard, or just a progression of the illness. I've got a patchy spot on my eyelid right now that is telling me that I need to go get it checked again, but I'm kind of laid up right now.
I take thyroid meds as well. i knew there was something wrong whe I was falling asleep all the time. It was horrible and the snoring good grief!! My hair falls out as well but it always has since I was a kid. I don't notice my skin itching as much but now that I have thought about it I bet I itch up a storm today..lol I have had my meds increased once since I started 2 years ago. Dr says if I lose weight might help..LOL guess loosing weight is the key for all my illnesses.
I would call the Dr and have you blood tested again..might need an adjustment.
I have a lot of dry skin on my face hands and calves. When I put mosturizer on it it burns sometimes...
I take .75mcg of synthroid. I feel tired all the time and my hair falls out alot however I am told my labs are normal at a TSH of 2.6
I went to the doctor yesterday and had some blood work done and then I go see the doc on the 10th so hopefully that's all that's wrong and they will readjust my meds.
Thanks to all who answered!
Many doctors don't know that the standards for thyroid tests have changed. It's used to be a normal range was 0.5 to 5.0. In the last 2 years, it was changed to 0.3 to 3.0. Jas, you might want to go to another doctor to have your thyroxine meds changed/reevaluated. My doc told me that less than 0.3 leads to osteoporosis and my target is about 1.0ish. I'm on 125 mcg currently.
Deb, best of luck to you and your results!! I must say that my doc is really good about getting results back to me as soon as they get them in the door.
Ratkitten is right. I work for a laboratory and they did change the guidelines and most Dr's dont know. Even though I am sure the results state that on the paper..lol anyhow just let him know they have changed just in case. And good luck!
I have been dealing with hypothyroidism since I was 21, so I fully understand the itchy/dry skin thing. Blah! I also have problems with my hair coming out as well as heart palpitations, intolerance to heat and cold, fatigue (though this one could also be anemia at the moment) and a variety of other things that go on from time to time.
As a side note... Catherine, I had to have my meds change maybe once or twice in 10 years until May of 2006. Now I have had to have mine changed every 6-8 weeks. My doc says that they are getting closer to where my hormone level should be, so that is good news. Also, depending on how the hormone fluctuates, doctors (this is what was relayed to me by mine, yours may be different) only increase meds a little at a time, so, in general if one was taking like 25mcg, most wouldn't increase it to like 150mcg in one shot, it would go gradually as to not cause other issues with your bod.
I hope everything goes well for ya, Debbie. I just had to have my meds increased from 150mcg to 175mcg this month and the middle of next month, I will be going and having my levels tested yet again. *sighs*
For those of you who have dry skin that doesn't respond to moisturizer (I too get that burning sensation when I put on just about any product)-- I actually put baby oil on my face and it works incredibly well!
I generally apply it just to my cheeks (it causes a breakout if I hit my apparently more oily? chin) at bedtime and first thing in the morning after a shower and it works like a charm.
YMMV, but I finally have decent looking skin again!
For those of you with thyroid problems...help
