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Does UC cause hair loss even without drugs?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/22/2010 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Newly DX'd with UC via Colonoscopy while in the hospital a couple of months ago.  I have not taken any drugs yet but I have experienced areas of dry scalp with little scabby sore that don't bleed.

Also have bumpy rough skin on my legs and torso.

Anyone else got this and what causes it?

Posted 1/22/2010 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
   I am not sure but I am very interested if this is possible. I was on Rowasa and I noticed I had less hair. I was in between doctors since my insurance was changing so I just quit to see what my new doctor would say. He is not convinced it was the rowasa but perhaps the inflammation changing metabolism.
Posted 1/22/2010 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
When I had a BAD flare I was losing hair like crazy (wasn't on any meds).
Posted 1/22/2010 4:05 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting.. so maybe I suffered with urgency for nothingsad  I blamed it on the Rowasa and figured the new hair growing in was me going off the drug. Perhaps the new hair growing in was the inflamation going down.
Posted 1/22/2010 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
I am a man who has had thin hair all my life.  I'm 45 and I stll have most of my hair. 

I do believe I have lost some hair since the onset of UC earlier this year.  This disease SUCKS!

At age 40 I was a happy, healty, nice-looking man....  at age 50 I'll be a bald headed basket case who crap's his pants all the time.

Life's great aint it? 

Posted 1/22/2010 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
I had noticeable hair loss last summer when I was in remission and not taking any meds regularly. I started taking Bcomplex supplement and it seems to help. I'm losing what I would consider the normal amount in the shower. I'm not sure if it was UC, stress, or vitamin deficiency.
Posted 1/22/2010 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
I had increasing hair loss for several years prior to getting UC (no family history of hair loss - my brothers have more hair than I do) & had tried several different remedies with limited success. about 3 months after starting to take azathioprine, I had noticable hair growth - lots of fresh new hair sproating! I wouldn't say that the growth is luxuriant, but at least it's not so easy to see my scalp!
Posted 1/22/2010 7:04 AM (GMT 0)
Any chronic illness can cause hair loss, particularly if it interferes with the body getting proper nutrition.
Posted 1/22/2010 7:25 AM (GMT 0)
I have noticed more hairloss as I get older (I'm sure that's natural though and at least I'm still getting tons of new growth---not going bald by any means---) and I've never really been on oral RX for IBD since I'm either allergic or non-responsive but of course with having a disease like IBD which affects our digestive system being able to absorb nutrients and such efficiently, I'm sure that having an IBD alone (RX or not) will have an impact on our hair, even our nails and skin (all in all my hair, nails and skin are very healthy but that's more to do with the diet altering I've done).

:)
Posted 1/23/2010 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
My intense hari loss has ended since being off Rowasa. Ihave a ton of hair so no one noticed but me but I would have handfulls each shower. Now I I have just a few hairs each shower. I have all this baby hair growing in right now. I am pregant which stops hari loss but this started a couple of weeks before I was pregnat.

I was concerned that imuran would cause some hair loss but not a problem at this point.
Posted 1/23/2010 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Did your doctor give you medication in hospital, or prescribe something that you're not taking? Skin problems can be extra-systemic manifestation of UC. Since you also mention urgency issues, it sounds like you need medication. Some of the UC meds do increase hair loss; however, uncontrolled UC can weaken the body in other more crucial ways so it makes sense to treat the UC appropriately. I understand why you fear hair loss, but in reality, men can get along in society better than women with that cosmetic problem. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/24/2010 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
My son always had a thick head of hair. When he was very ill with his UC prior to having his total colectomy his hair became VERY thin. His GI attributed to poor nutrition. 18 months after his surgery and his hair is once again thick.
Posted 1/24/2010 5:38 AM (GMT 0)
J's mom hit the nail on the head-it is most likely poor nutrition causing the hair loss.

Though your scalp issues sound kinda like what happens to me if I scratch at my scalp too much (I get itchy flakey scalp, dandruff and stuff).
Posted 1/24/2010 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
Anemia can also cause hairloss. You should get your blood checked.
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