Hello! New to the fourm

I'm new to the forums. I figured I'd make an account here so I can get the answers I'm looking for about Crohn's Disease, instead of running in to dead ends all day using search engines! And, of course, to connect with others who have a lot in common :)

My name is Alex, and I'm 20 years old! I'm a nice guy from Michigan :D

Well, I guess I'll start with my first question and a little about myself!

I have this major problem at the moment, and it's driving me nuts! Hair loss!

I've been losing it all over, and it's growing back ever so thin and slowly.

I started experiencing Crohn's symptoms Mid-2007 at age 18, and went on for about 6 months without visiting the doctor. The symptoms became worse and worse, with extreme weight loss, fatigue, extreme pain, and all of the other nasty things associated with undiagnosed Crohn's Disease. In January 2008, I finally decided to visit a gastrointerologist. I was diagnosed with Crohn's 2 days later after a colonoscopy and endoscopy. After being diagnosed, I finally felt optimism, for myself and my future. I began a regiment of 60MG a day Prednisone, and 2400MG a day Asacol. I kept taking both medications for about 10 months, tapering down about 5MG every few weeks of Prednisone, and keeping my Asacol intake the same.

I did experience the weight gain, joint pain, headaches, moonface, etc. associated with Prednisone. But I felt great! After 10 months, I decided to stop taking both medications completely. By now, it was November 2008. I started to get back in shape, take care of myself a little better, and I've had no problems since. Well, no stomach pain, at least.

After stopping the meds, I began to lose my hair. Not very quickly, at first, but it was still falling out. I started eating healty, and exercising a lot. I lost all of the water weight within 8 months, and I was very happy about that, but my hair wouldn't stop falling out! The end of the Summer of 2009, I had lost a lot of my hair line, which was very discouraging. By now, I had been off of both medications for about 8 months. I was extremely happy to have no symptoms of Crohn's, and to hear that it was currently in remission. My hair loss isn't natural, at least, I don't think it is. My family has no history of MPB, and my siblings and family members my age have beautiful hair! I'm the only one losing it.

Starting in December of 2009, one year after the medications, I started to look at what I was eating and how I was treating my body. I treat my body very well, and I eat a healthy diet. The hair, it just won't stop falling out and shedding, and the cold weather doesn't help. Dry scalp =/

I've tried hair oil treatments, water washing, all sorts of stuff, but none of it seems to make a difference. It's slowly falling out, more and more each day. It grows back, but very slowly and thin. A lot of the time, the thin hair will fall out (about 1/4 of an inch) and grow back over a month, and repeat. I'm beginning to lose hope for my hair. So, it's been about a year and two months since I took Prednisone or Asacol.

I'm beginning to form a conclusion as to why I'm losing my hair, and this is what I think.

The Prednisone and/or Asacol was helping my body absorb the proper nutrients required for healthy hair growth. Now that I'm off of my medication, my body isn't absorbing the proper nutrients, and my hair is being effected. I'm just unsure why it's still falling out, more than a year after I stopped taking the meds. Is there something I'm missing? Maybe I should keep taking the Asacol?

Another theory is that the Prednisone is still lurking about, in my system, causing weird side-effects. I doubt this, but it's still a theory.

I've read a lot of hopeful stories about people growing back their beautiful, thick hair. I want mine back, and I know it will grow back because it keeps growing back and falling out again on the front part of my scalp. The back and sides are unaffected.

I don't know what else to put! I've basically explained my entire problem, and my Crohn's experience above. I'm not sure if it's the Crohn's that's causing all of my problems! I definitely think that's what it is.

Thanks for listening, and I greatly appreciate your input!
Alex

First off with Crohns Disease itself you will have hairloss just because of all the vitamins and minerals we loose. But....I agree you need to get back onto at least the Asacol. Broomhilda is right, that the med is what will keep your remission going. I am currently in remission and take only Asacol as my maintainence med. I once thought I didn't need to take meds anymore either, did enjoy a long remission, but because I did not take my maintainence med I was having microscopic level damage being done and I didn't even know it was occuring until I completely obstructed and had to have emergency surgery. Very traumatic event for me, one I would like you to avoid. You can also add in some additional Folic Acid and if you can tolerate it some Biotin too. That will help to slow the hairloss.

Welcome to Healingwell, and we look forward to hearing more from you.

Hugs
Gail*Nanners*

Thank you very much for the advice and kind welcomes! I'm glad to be here, and glad to meet you all!

Have a good day :)

If you suspect Crohn's is still active, you can have a blood test done and check for CRP and ESR (ESR is also known as "sed rate'). If either or both of these are high, then it would indicate ongoing inflammation. ANd of course the need for medication. Even if both are not high, there could be inflammation...the only way to know, for sure, would be a colonoscopy.

You can your levels of key vitamins and minerals checked via a blood test. Many Crohn's patients are deficient in B12, vitamin D, iron, and zinc.

Also, you could be low in folic acid, which would cause hair loss...you can try taking 400-800 mcg folate daily and see whether it helps.