Does it ever end??

[lil_lady]

Here is my story. I am 26 years young. The past five years have been excruciating, emotionally, physically, mentally, everything. Five years ago, my hair tech found a bald spot which turned out to be alopecia areata. Since, the hair has grown back but I have been shedding profusely. My hair is thinning on the sides and crown. Doctors say my tests are all normal. Ever since, I've grown to be unbelievably insecure and depressed and it has definitely affected my relationship with my partner and my social life. Everyone thinks im a terrible friend for missing birthdays, baby showers, you name it. What am suppose to say, sorry im balding I can't make it? I've lost all my friends now. I've tried to share my problems but nothing helpful in return. I feel like the only person who is trying to be supportive is my partner. But arguments have become much much more frequent with my partner, sometimes everyday all day and carried on for weeks. The stress is unbearable. So much so that it has put a wedge in our relationship that seems to get bigger and bigger. Its now highly visibly, and I hide from going out since EVERYONE HAS A FREAKEN CAMERA AND POSTING IT ON SOCIAL NETWORKS. I am at my lowest. Do things ever look up? I am beginning to change my lifestyle taking supplements, eating healthy and such. Now on multivitamins, evening primrose oil, zinc, iron, etc. I can only hope things do get better, will they? How do I begin to cope? I am so sad.

[ForeverBlue]

Hello,

I wish i could tell you that it gets better, but it definitely hasn't happened that way for me. Your story sounds exactly like mine. Since my hair started to fall out about 2 1/2 years ago, i have lost every friend i had, and it broke up my marriage. I have no family, but if i did, i know none of them would be around anymore either. I haven't left my house, or spoke to anybody in 6 months. I'm totally alone now. I have severe depression because of my hair loss, and have been suicidal many times in the last 2 years. I ended up in the hospital 3 times because of it. Not one person has shown me any compassion for what i'm going through, instead they all got mad at me, and stopped talking to me. I will NEVER understand that. Nobody thinks that going bald is a big deal ( that's because it's not happening to them ). I have also become very bitter towards people because of the way i've been treated. The funny thing is that before my hair loss, i would run myself down just trying to do everything i could for everybody else. Big mistake on my part. I know that most people recover from these feelings, but i never will. It has destroyed my life, and everything in it. Maybe you should try to talk somebody, so you won't end up losing your marriage, like i did. I can't believe my marriage ended because of hair loss ( how ridiculous is that ). Don't let that happen to you. I wish i could tell you how to cope, but since i can't do it, i have no advice for that. Just know that you're not alone. Hope you feel better soon. Take care <<<Hug>>>

[Robynkay35]

I understand and I'm really sad too. I think mine is getting better and I keep telling myself at least it's TE or I hope it is. I so understand, it hurts and I'm depressed too. I even bought wigs and have a boyfriend that gets so upset when I have it on, he says it looks better without.

[Warrior23]

So here it goes....I have been losing my hair for about 2 yrs now. I had a very bad case of alopecia areata. I had bald spots everywhere on my head from the size of a dime to a half dollar coin. It was so awful and to make it worse...I am Native American and in our culture (specifically in my tribe), women are seen as more beautiful or feminine if they have long, thick hair. I used to have that type of hair down past my hips for at least 30 years. I am now 36 years old and my hair is to the middle of my back and very thin....and thinning everyday. I went to at least 3 dermatologists and my primary care doctor and they tested me for everything; from thyroid problems, iron deficiency, diabetes, and anything else they could think of. A couple of them, including my PCP (and he knows my health very well) concluded that it was stress that was causing my hair loss and the bald patches to develop everywhere on my head. I did have alot in my life going on about 1 1/2 ago, but I didn't think it was any worse than all the other stresses or problems that I have undergone in my life so far. I don't know if I should even write this in, because not alot of people may not quite understand this, but I was taken to the medicine man as well, because of our ways/beliefs and I was basically told that I was the only person that knew exactly what was wrong with me and what to do about it; that if I told my story to someone that would understand and not judge me that I would be relieved of this stress and pain. After ALOT of tears falling and thinking about my life, I decided to actually go and hang out with my best friend. She is a listener and I love her for that, because she listened to me and did not judge me or try to slap me down and say it was nothing and that I should get over it like a few of my family members did. Then I went and talked with one of my cousins, who is also very understanding and caring and he let me cry for an entire night and told me he was here for me no matter what I'd go through. I felt relieved because I had two people in my life that actually didn't laugh at me and gave me hope. I also decided to change my way of living. But first of all, I am a very active, single mom....although I don't always eat as healthy as I should. I am a runner, I play alot of soccer and other sports, but I do have belly fat that I think that I will never be rid of. So, since I was already active, I thought that I needed to change my eating habits. I started eating a little more fruit and taking alot of different vitamins like fish oil, MSM, biotin, calcium with Vitamin D and a few others that I had never taken before. Then I also started working less days because I was working 7-8 days a week (overtime). As a single mother, it helps me out alot to have overtime money for my son. So, I cut it down to a regular 40 hr. work week. I also had two cortisone shots in my head, specifically in the areas where my bald patches were huge to help in growing my hair back. I haven't even discussed REALLY the main reasons....besides too much work and not enough rest, why I was losing my hair. But, since the start of my hair loss, about two months ago, the bald patches on my head started filling in. NEW HAIR!!!! I was soooo thrilled. Even though a few spots are still struggling to have long hair...I was grateful that they weren't bald anymore. My worst spot has about 3 inches of hair right now (growing longer hopefully). I am still losing hair everyday......but not as much as I used to. I read that was normal...to lose about 50-100 strands of hair a day. I have also switched to using sulfate free shampoos. I know this reply/comment was way toooo long, but I wanted to get as much of my story in as possible to show that I have gone through and am going through the same struggle as you. Hopefully, maybe a change in your life and some understanding and caring people might help you in overcoming this obstacle. And like you...I am still fighting. My prayers are with all of you!

[Evee]

Hmm Cortisone shots? Would you mind telling me how those work and what they are? I had a friend who went through the same thing you did, with the patches of hair missing since she has alopecia too. She said she got shots directly in her head but I didn't know what kind.

Also, some hopeful information for you! She got all that done in 2007/2008 and hasn't needed to go back for the shots! And she now has beautiful hair :)

[A J P]

Forever Blue You just told my story.