Common questions about levothyroxine

Will it make me lose weight?

Weight gain is one of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland. As a result, once you begin taking levothyroxine, you may lose weight as your hormones rebalance. Loss of weight can also indicate that your levothyroxine dose is too high. Once your thyroid hormone levels have returned to normal, you will have the same tendency to gain or lose weight as people who do not have thyroid problems.

Will I lose my hair?
Levothyroxine therapy does not cause hair loss; rather, an underactive thyroid does.

Due to the lengthy natural growth cycle of hair, thyroid disease-related hair loss may not become apparent for several months after the onset of the condition. If levothyroxine therapy has already begun, hair loss may appear to be brought on by the medication rather than the underlying condition.

Levothyroxine therapy usually results in hair growth, though it may take several months.