Help! I'm losing a lot of hair

[minnie-zb]

OK, this started last summer and sometimes it gets better, but then it goes back to being really bad.

I'm losing a lot of hair. To the point where I think I could be bald by the end of 2013 if something doesn't give.

I am going to make an appointment to go see the doc, but any thoughts on what could be going on?

I have Hashimotos and do take thyroid meds. Otherwise I'm pretty healthy or at least I think I am.....

We received a Miele vacuum cleaner for Xmas as a gift. I vacuumed our bedroom on Saturday using the new vac and I had to cut my hair off the beater bar it had picked up so much of my hair which had fallen out. That is horrible to write.

[wendibird22]

Hashis is correlated with celiac and non celiac gluten intolerance. I shed quite a bit of hair before going GF. In addition to checking your thyroid levels I'd request a full celiac panel (not just the antibody test but the full panel as you can be neg to one test and pos to others). I'd also do a basic metabolic profile, chem 7, and CBC with differentiation. Some people can test negative to celiac but be anemic and deficient in nutrients from NCGI.

Good luck. I hope you get to the bottom of it.

[Jenny_A]

I've had an issue with hair loss recently. I'm pretty sure mine was due to stress and possibly some sort of fungus on my scalp (sorry, tmi). My scalp was very red and itched a lot. Hand fulls of hair would come out when I showered.

Per my doctor and stylist's advice, I did the following...

- take a good multi-vitamin
- take Biotin (this really helped my hair to start growing back fast)
- I started using Invanti Aveda products. They help with thinning hair. They are very pricey, but they made a huge difference for me. I *love* the scalp treatment ($65). I've been through 2 bottles of that and now I'm trying to wean myself off because it's so expensive. I was desperate!
- I started using an apple cider vinegar rinse in the shower and can tell a difference in my scalp from that. The redness is completely gone and it no longer itches.

My doctor did tell me that once you find the source of your problem, it can take 6 months to a year before the hair stops falling out so much. New hair should start growing in faster, so you'll see improvement there, but you may still experience quite a bit of fall out.

Post what you find out and what works for you. It was hard to find answers when I was looking. Hope that helps.

[pharmjenn]

Interesting question and great replies. I assume your thyroid levels are stable and normalized?
I started thyroid treatment this summer based on symptoms despite most all my labs being normal. My hair loss and weight gain stopped immediately. I saw an endo last month and he told me he would never have started me on treatment despite all my symptoms. My repeat levels were still normal, and I feel so much better, but my hair has started falling out again, getting handfuls in the shower and lots on my clothing. Because of what the endo said, I am hesitant to schedule another appt with him about this.

I had some tests for celiac done in 2011 secondary to chronic heartburn and they were negative. Will need to check them to see what they did, as I think it was just antibodies.
Maybe I should try some biotin also?

[minnie-zb]

Thanks everyone. Helpful information.

As far as my thyroid being stable, I'm assuming it isn't which is hopefully my problem. I'm planning on calling to make an appointment today.

I have been tested for Celiac's, Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the past. So far they have been negative, but it has been a couple of years since I was tested for any of them and even longer since I was tested for Celiac's.

I currently take Vitamins D and C, Magnesium, a Super B-Complex, Omegas and Magnesium. The Super B-Complex only has 10% Biotin, so I'm going to investigate taking more.

I'll let you know what I find out!

[cckwmh]

If you are getting labs drawn, specifically ask for a ferritin level and iron saturation. low normal tests can cause telogen effluvium.

[wendibird22]

For celiac testing you'd want: total serum IgA (a deficiency in IgA can render the other tests false negative), EMA, tTg, and DGP (this is a newer test and isn't well known by many docs yet). You must be on a gluten-rich diet for testing to be accurate.

[karstmama]

another possibility - mama had a lot of hair come out about 9 months after general anesthesia, and the doc said that's not uncommon. so did you have surgery a year or so ago? she used rogaine to get over the regrowth hump & is back to normal hair.

[Aishe]

another possibility - mama had a lot of hair come out about 9 months after general anesthesia, and the doc said that's not uncommon. so did you have surgery a year or so ago? she used rogaine to get over the regrowth hump & is back to normal hair.

:yeahthat: I've also had it happen several months after periods of extreme stress as well. It's always grown back on its own for me.

[minnie-zb]

I met with the doctor today. She felt pretty strongly that my hair loss is probably tied to my Hashimoto's. She suspects it might be my meds (I'm currently on a generic) and that my meds might need to be tweaked. She looked at my old records from my previous doctor and could see where my thyroid results have been trending upwards.

We ended up doing extensive bloodwork and we will go from there.

I have not had any surgery, but that is interesting to know. I didn't know that is a potential side effect.