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Does Lialda Make hair fall out

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/1/2014 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
I have been recently diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis on May 13th of this year. My doctor put me on Lialda and I've noticed my hair has been falling out. I have thick hair to begin with, but this is like nothing I've ever experienced before. If I brush my hair literally and I mean literally a handful of hair will fall out. Is this a normal side effect? I'm also on a lot of medication to control my epilepsy. Keppra 1750 Lamictal 350.
Posted 6/1/2014 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
There have been quite a few people who reported losing hair as a result of taking a mesalamine (Lialda is a mesalamine). I noticed my hair falling out during the brief period of time I was taking Asacol, but I am not 100% sure it was due to the Asacol or a result of the bad flare itself.

There is some debate over whether this is a real side effect. I am not sure, myself.
Posted 6/1/2014 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
Are you on prednisone at all? If so I would blame that. If you aren't this can be a side effect from the Lialda but most people don't get this. It's kind of rare.
Posted 6/1/2014 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
Wait... Why would it be a debate?

There's something about the mechanism of 5asas that cause hair loss in individuals. Clearly, there isn't enough research on the topic, but it is worth looking into.

It happened to me, and many other individuals on this forum... and no one making it up. I can assure you it is very real.
Posted 6/1/2014 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I have been on two Lialda daily for the past three years, until my recent flare. Never had any side effects. Now I'm taking four a day, and just finished a month of nightly Canasa. And my hair has been coming out like crazy for the past couple of weeks. Here's how I know for a fact it's the mesalamine... I'm pregnant! Your hair isn't supposed to fall out during pregnancy.
Posted 6/1/2014 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on asacol and notice hair loss. Seems to be slowing down now.
Posted 6/1/2014 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
@garylouisville I'm am not on Prednisone. I was on it when my symptoms first occured (but I wasn't yet diagnosed with UC) Prednisone made me break out with a rash all over my chest and arms. So I only took it two days. My doctor and I believe I had an allergic reaction. All this is so new to me. Actually I haven't even had my follow up visit yet. I had my colonoscopy on May 13 so I follow up with my doctor on June 6. I'm still trying to figure out what causes any flares. Does anyone have any suggestion what I should avoid?
Posted 6/1/2014 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
Read, read, read. everyone is different. Sometimes you never figure out what causes flares because sometimes it is just the disease and nothing in particular actually causes flares. In fact, most people that figure out some problem foods and other things, realize that even when avoiding these things you still have the disease, just to a lesser extent. It would be oh so easy if you could just figure out what your problem foods are, eliminate them, and then you would be "cured". The disease usually doesn't work that way. The disease wasn't caused by foods and it is not going to be cured by avoiding them either. But, you can make your disease much better by figuring out what does bother you. Dairy is the best place to start but it doesn't bother me at all.
Posted 6/1/2014 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Lialda for 5 years and I haven't had an increase in hair loss. I did have terrible hair loss after I came off pred.
Posted 6/5/2014 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
I have been noticing an increase in hair loss myself. I am on asacol. (It's not working very well for me)

However I feel that the hair loss is not due to the asacol because I am also not eating a lot of vegetables and fruits. In fact I feel like i am under nourished in many areas.

I know hair loss can be caused by many things, like genetics (my dad started losing his hair when he turned 20, and I'm 23) and stress (the psychological *****ng problems caused by colitis) and again malnutrition.

therefore I do not blame asacol first. I've been told very little of the mesamaline gets into the bloodstream as well
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