HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

premature grey.. possible side effect of medications?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/9/2014 9:48 AM (GMT 0)
This might be an odd question, I'm 25 and going grey. Not just a few strands but all throughout my hair there is grey.. it seems my hair is growing back sort of a salt and pepper color. I've been on remicade for 1 year, delzicol and Topamax for migraines. Anyone else experience any wierd hair stuff with the medications listed? No one in my family got greys this early, it could be just me but i figured I'd throw it out there and ask.
Posted 12/9/2014 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have gray hair, but then again I am almost 45 :) But I have noticed that my hair changed texture when I started on Remicade.
Posted 12/9/2014 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on Delzicol and 51 and hardly any gray hair. I think early gray may be a nutritional deficiency of some kind. Copper rings a bell but not sure.
Posted 12/9/2014 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
I've heard B12 deficiency causes premature greying?
Posted 12/9/2014 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I would say it's nutrition / lifestyle thing, though certain medications (like cipro and other antibiotics) cause oxidative stress on the body that lead to premature aging. I say this because this is how I grew strands of gray hair (and because I see the same pattern in others). How are your stress levels? I see you are getting migranes - when did that start and how?

And low b12 and methylation issues can cause it for sure. Pathogenkiller (now AnswersYouSeek) knows better, so I would suggest you use the search feature for some of her entries.
Posted 12/9/2014 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
I've had them since I was young. My parents had them young too. I assumed in my case it's genetic :(
Posted 12/9/2014 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
I have not experienced grey hair...but weirdly my hair looks very different, its gone SUPER curly, I now have ringlets, and its long, right down my back..I feel like Rapunzel ha ha!

I'm taking Pentasa and was going to ask anyone if they had experienced something similar...

Are you going to colour your hair or leave it be?
Posted 12/9/2014 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
After my first big flare, I noticed that my hair had thinned out considerably and had a lot more gray. Not sure if it was due to medications or the stress on my body- if your body can't support a major system like digestion, it's not going to make good hair a priority! The good news is that my hair got a lot better over time - I still have some gray, but not nearly as much. My hair also started growing back - you know how pregnant women get that "halo" of baby hair all around their hairline? That's what I have...hahaha. smilewinkgrin
Posted 12/9/2014 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
Grey hair is something you can deal with, you'll get accustomed to colouring it over time. Not quite sure if it's the colitis causing it, the medications, or the inevitable increase in stress levels that comes along with this bundle of joy, but I suspect it's all three factors working in unison to season your hair. I hope the grey doesn't spread too quickly and you learn to manage it with time.
Posted 12/9/2014 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
Serious or long-term illness almost always results in changes in the hair, it seems. Thinning and fragility are common, but some people's hair gets thicker or completely changes character. Mine was always straight and fine and it still is. I've been coloring the gray since I was in a major auto accident when I was 28.
Posted 12/10/2014 6:11 AM (GMT 0)
I was dignosed with uc a year and a half ago and symptomatic of and on for almost 2 years. My stress levels have definitely been high over this year so it could be contributing though I've never had it react to stress that way in the past. I guess its most likely a combination of it all.. the illness, stress, vitamin deficiency, maybe medications. I figured I'd check though, see if anyone else was turning silver fox after taking those meds lol

Poppie i haven't really decided yet, I'll probably just leave it as its not really bothering me right now. The past couple of years i haven't done a lot with my hair, but who knows i might change my mind eventually.
Posted 12/10/2014 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
I thought of same thing too, but I really don't care of the hair color. My top started getting grey pretty much after UC diagnosis. Initially, the top and now the beard. As long as it is not an indication of anything, I am not worried really.

The texture of the hair has changed SIGNIFICANTLY. I assume, that is the prednisone at work. The beard especially is VERY rough, which is clearly visible by how long it lasts for a razor. The electric one, HQ8 heads from Norelco would last me a year without any issues, now I have to change it every 4 to 5 months (but I stretch it to 6 months and it starts cutting me, then I change it.)
Posted 12/10/2014 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I was told that if you are younger than 30 and you have gray showing through, you should get checked for deficiencies like B12.

I have found about 4 strands, which always show up if my B12 is low.
Posted 12/10/2014 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, went grey, too. And changed texture.
Hope it doesn't unravel.

I colored Amelia Pond red. (Or rather I paid a professional to.)
Posted 12/11/2014 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Although I never checked my B12 (that I remember), since the day of diagnosis, I have been taking 1000mcg of B12 daily so I think, I am getting enough of it, except the flare days.

Honestly, as long as it is not an indication for something that is on the horizon, I am not worried.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply