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Balsalazide and Hair Loss

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/7/2013 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm 49 and my mother's father died bald. Still, even my hair cut person noticed that it seems like I'm losing my hair too fast.

Anyone else have issues with hair loss on balsalazide (Colazal)?

I'm definitely going to taper down and eliminate it from my protocol, given the other things I am doing that seem to be working.

Eph
Posted 10/7/2013 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
BTW, I'm not using the Canasa anymore.
Signature updated.
Posted 10/7/2013 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
I lost clumps of hair while on Asacol and Lialda but now, on Balsalazide, I am no longer loosing hair. Unfortunately, there is only minor hair regrowth despite using anything and everything to help hair regrow.
Posted 10/7/2013 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
@Eph, I have lost much especially in the temple area. I was on Balsalazide and now on Mesalamine. Both have the hair loss as the side effect.

You need to evaluate what you want - flare control or beauty. :)

BTW you mentioned that some other thing seem to be working? What is the alternative you are taking?
Posted 10/7/2013 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going to try to taper the balsalazide and see if my alternative regimen will keep me in remission:

- VSL#3
- Curcumin
- Butylate
- LDN

May add CCherbal.

Am hoping to get some beauty back. Or, at least not be thinking about shaving it all off everyday! LOL
Posted 10/7/2013 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
I've taken Balsalazide for years and no hair loss. I'm female and the males in my family have the "bald" gene. I took Asacol for years with no hair loss either (but do have hearing loss that may come from that , not sure).

Good luck trying to decrease Balsal.
If your UC symptoms act up when you decrease that try adding these vitamins which not only have been beneficial to my gut but my hair has been growing faster than my past 50 years:
methylcobalamin (a potent form of B12) 1 mg
5-mtfh 1 mg.
Posted 10/7/2013 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
I saw some heavy hair loss when I was so sick from Prednisone four years ago. After tapering from the Pred, the hair loss slowed considerably in spite of a near maximum dose of balsalazide.

I remember asking my PCP if my hair would come back, she just smiled!
Posted 10/7/2013 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
I was on Asacol for 10 years and had horrible hair loss after being on it a long time.  I switched to Colazal and it seemed to stop. But it never grew back in fully and has been thin ever since.  It does still fall out now and then if I have alot of stress or am sick.  It also is falling out now while I am tapering Prednisone, I think that is more hormonal-based hairloss.  It's the thinnest its ever been right now, but I do see alot of little hairs growing in all over my head (although those fall out too).

I know it is a long term side effect of any mesalamine-based medicine.  I think most medicine we take can cause hair loss - I know that any of the medicines that lower your immune system response can cause hair loss too. 

I've tried alot of things to slow it down or get it to grow back:

- Biotin

- Iron (when I was low)

- Protein shakes

- Folic Acid

- Nioxin shampoo

- DHEA

- My scalp gets very red so my dermatologist prescribed Ketocanazole shampoo and a steroid-based liquid I put on my scalp everyday. I've been doing that for 10 years I think.

- I just started using this Laser Comb thing as my dermatologist prescribed it/recommended it. It has helped to calm down all the redness in my scalp. Not sure if it is helping with hair growth yet or not.

 

Posted 10/7/2013 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Eph, bald is beautiful...and sexy. *kiss*

My hair thinned out tremendously on Asacol  then on Asacol AD, but that's just the way it is. At least I'm not running to the bathroom 30x a day. I can always buy a wig or weaves, but bald men are the bomb! yeah

Post Edited (Stoolie) : 10/7/2013 3:11:09 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/7/2013 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Arent we a lovely bunch? Lol
Posted 10/7/2013 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
HAir loss unfortunately comes with this NASTY illness :-(

I have had at least half volume of my hair lost from thinning due to my meds. I keep my hair really short now because it just looks terrible when i try to grow it.

NOt sure on that med but i do no its a no win sitch as the nil nutrients we UC sufferers lack leads us to hair loss / thinning also.
Posted 10/8/2013 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone caused my hair loss over the past year
I now wear a wig!. But hey it's grey and looks like my own hair.
At my age I can deal with it .you younger ones I feel for. turn turn
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