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Posted 3/30/2009 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone here experienced any changes in their hair after a flare or after different medications?

I was diagnosed with fibro in August of last year, married in September and got really sick in October. I became gluten free in November of last year. All of this "trauma" has made my hair so fine and thin. And now, it is breaking at around 2-4 inches from the scalp. I only take one medicine (trazodone at night) but am on the Depo shot for female issues discovered last february.

I was just wondering what you did if you had issues. Because I am feeling SO MUCH better now, I am toying with the idea of going SUPER SHORT and starting over. I told my mom the other day that it sort of feels like how a cancer patient might feel because it is just not the hair i remember and it doesnt really look good to me. And some more background, i don't wear make-up on a daily (or even weekly) basis so my hair has always been my "thing."

Just checking to see if anyone else has been here and what they did to get past it.

Thanks.

Posted 3/30/2009 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
I've never had my hair break off like that.  This could, I think, be caused by medication, though.  I remember when I was on several meds for Crohn's disease that my hair was falling out in fistfuls!  I would stand in the shower and shampoo my hair and my hands were covered with hair that fell out...like a handful!  Once I got off the meds and my body went back to "normal" I stopped losing hair.

 

Sherrine

Posted 3/30/2009 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Are you sure that the 2-4 inch hairs are break-offs and not new growth?  Over the past 5 years I have had a condition called "Telogen Effluvium" three separate times, where many more of your hairs go into resting stage, and you lose what seems like handfuls all over a short period of time (causing thinning).  You then get lots of little short hairs growing back in. 

 

My episodes of TE have been caused by anemia, having surgery, and stopping a hormonal medication (which I'm dealing with right now and experiencing LOTS of thinning).  TE can be caused by many different things; you can google it and find lots of info. about it.

 

TE usually starts about 3-4 months after the precipitatng factor (surgery, illness, stress, deficiency, medication, etc.).  Once your body recovers or the cause is dealt with (like stopping a medication), your hair usually grows back to normal.

 

I'm not sure if TE causes hair breakage, but some of the things you've experienced over the past few months makes me wonder if you too are dealing with TE. 

 

I would probably mention it to my doctor because simple deficiencies (like my anemia) can easily be corrected.

 

Good luck!!

 

Hugs - Austen

 

Posted 3/30/2009 7:26 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you both for your reply!!

Austen-I will definitely look into this. I just read that most often the anti-depressants can cause this, as well as the trauma. Thanks for sharing!

Aimee

Posted 3/30/2009 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Acscr

Do you color or perm your hair???  If so it could be damage from that.

Austen has a good point with the TE so you might want to check that out on google.

Meds can play a role in hair loss and you've changed your diet... so there are a few contributing factors.  Hormones also need to be figured in and vitiman difficenties can really mess with your hair.

I used to be a hairdresser and I've seen people's hair change for lots of different reasons.  In my professional opinion you should cut it and if you're using any chemicals on it, stop doing that.  Give it a break (no pun intended) for a while.

My hair falls out a lot.  I don't know what causes it.. but there are times when I feel like I shedding for the up coming season, what ever it may be.  So now I'm keeping it a bit shorter and at least I'm not picking long hairs off of everything all the time.

Sorry you're going through this, I know how scary it can be.. I wish I had an answer, but it really could be so many different things.

Take care,

 

Posted 3/30/2009 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
I went through a time period when my hair was falling out alot and it was due to the physical stress of having several surgeries in a short amount of time. I sure didn't like that much. After checking my thyroid,which was OK, my PCP suggested taking pre-natal vitamins especially for the folic acid to get me over it. It did help and I even started taking it before my last surgery so it didn't fall out at all. I did ask a dermatologist about it also. He suggested a vit supplement called Appearex (which is a high dose of biotin) and Rogaine. That helped too but was more money than the pre-natal vits. My PCP did say it isn't a good idea to stay on those for an extended amount of time. Maybe just plain old folic acid supplement might do the trick? Good luck. Lisa
Posted 3/31/2009 11:01 AM (GMT 0)
I have noticed that my hair was one of the first things to tell me something was wrong and changing. I also don't wear much makeup, and am really (secretly) vain about my hair; if my hair isn't hot then I'm not hot! I don't color it or process it at all. It's normally really smooth, glossy, and thick. Shortly after my symptoms started coming together as a collective, I noticed a definite change in texture of the hair. It changed from shiny to coarse and drier. During this severe-cold winter it was all flyaway even with deep conditioner.
Posted 3/31/2009 1:54 PM (GMT 0)

Hi acscr-

I could have written your post. My hair did that also. I got fibro last winter at this time and a few months afterwards I noticed my hair was breaking off and I was losing it. Especially on the crown. Mine is growing back in now- Thank god, and not as noticable. I think mine was the trauma, I was so sick.

GamJill

Posted 3/31/2009 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
My hair has gotten very thin and fine in the past few years. I know our hair gets thinner as we get older. Stress can cause hair loss and having fibro sure causes stress on our bodies. Our bodies concentrate vitamins on the vital organs so if they are taking all that we have to give the hair and nails get left out. I've not tried pre-natal vitamins but that is a good idea. Grey hair also has a different texture and for those like me that haven't seen their natural color since high school it could be the grey.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

 

 

Posted 3/31/2009 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
I lost tons of hair when I was on Wellbutrin. I mean fistfulls constantly. I allready had thin hair so I was not happy. I cut it short 8 years ago and I am just now growing it back. Also depo can cause hair loss. Try going to webmd.com and look up what meds you take and the side effects.
Posted 4/1/2009 6:10 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I got some very helpful information, and if nothing else, confirmation that I am not alone. I am going to talk to my dr.s about some things, but I think I am going to take the plunge and cut my hair in about 3-4 weeks. I found a really cute cut and the hubby "approved" so I think we are going for it!

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