My hair was always very thin, even as a child. My mother had thin hair but not as bad as mine. However, when I quit the HRT, my hair got even thinner. About four years ago, I started taking thyroid medicine, even though my thyroid tests do not show a need. Nevertheless, I had many symptoms, including being constantly exhausted, so that I wanted to go to bed at 6:00 pm, my job just about killed me because I was tired when I woke up, I was always cold (my temperature is still subnormal) and so on. My gynecologist put me on Armour Thyroid and it was like a miracle happened. I felt so much better. However, it was hard to figure the dosage. Last year I was on 125 mg and the tests showed that my TSH was at .01, which my gynecologist said was too low, so we went to 90 mg. I feel fine on that, but I haven’t had the tests yet this year to see if I need to go lower.
In the meantime, my hair loss is becoming embarrassing. I can hardly fix it so I can go out without feeling humiliated. The loss is all over the head but particularly on the top and left side. You can see my scalp and bald patches up there and there is not enough hair to cover it. the sides and back are not nearly so bad and I can wear it up and it looks fairly think that way but most days I have to wear hats. I’m so distressed by this that I’m willing to do almost anything to fix this problem.
I know the obvious thing to say would be that I’m taking too much thyroid and that may be true, but I don’t believe it is the reason (or the whole reason anyway) why the hair is getting worse. This is because the hair loss was pretty bad when I started the thyroid medicine. In fact, I was hoping that maybe it would make it better. But it certainly has not done that, although it changed my life for the better in terms of how I feel.
I have been researching online for a long time trying to figure out what to do. I am thinking I need to go back on HRT, but at what levels (?), since the estrogen levels needed to regrow hair maybe too dangerous for me at my age. I also think Propecia would be good. I note that you prescribe Spironolactone a lot, but I am post-menopausal and it seems to me that Propecia appears to have fewer side effects for women. I’m not sure of this, though.
I’d like to be able to talk to my gynecologist about this and possibly getting back on HRT and taking Propecia simultaneously (5 mgs/day?). But I want to know if taking these together is advisable. Are there other tests she should have me take –that you would recommend?
I would come to NY to see you, but I”m leaving for Germany in a few weeks for four months. I’m so stressed out about my hair that I’m considering wearing a wig while I’m there. If I could be treating my hair problem at the same time, it would make me feel so much better.

If you could help me, I would truly be thankful.