Welcome To The Looking For Advice Forum (my story)

[Women's Hair Loss Project]

Hi Everyone - If you are new here, this is a great forum to introduce yourself and ask any questions you might have.

[Denise B.]

I am new to the site but have found some absolutely wonderful information. I started loosing my hair in my mid 30's. Thought it was b/c I had stopped the pill. It was minor shedding because I've always shed ALOT! Fast foward to 2-3 yrs ago and it has become alot more noticeble especially around my temples and front hairline. It had got so bad that I have let my relaxer grow out and now wear a short afro.

My PCP, Dermatologist, GYN,and Endocrinologist have really not been a whole lot of help. My Derm, hairdresser and GYN said its just heredity. But I keep telling them that No women in my family have had this problem. And we all live a LONG LIFE, most everyone <80yrs old on both sides. So I have had lots of living examples to know its not true.

It took <6mths to even see the Endo that I have know been seeing for about a yr. I always knew something was amiss because I have had facial hair since I was in my late teens. It has gotten worse now. I have to cut them with scissors because if I pluck them I will get ingrown hairs. My derm recommended electrolysis but I had tried it in the past and it burned my skin. It's very discouraging to see the hair on your face growing and the hair on your head falling out!!!!!!

I have so many thoughts and emotions that I forgot to say that I have PCOS. I have the Mirena IUD. I also have dermatitis.
A Pulmonologist gave me and the staff at work and inservice about 3yrs ago concerning Pulmonary Medicine and their use of the Dieticians and proper nutrition for ventilated pts. He discussed other disease processes and he gave the symptoms for PCOS and I knew it was me and it finally had a name.Needless to say I put off asking my PCP til a year later. I always got him to check my my thyroid because thyroid disease runs in my family. But my level always came back normal.

I am now taking sprilactone 25mg, 200mg metformin, BP meds, and I take a multvitamin, 5g biotin, and fishoil.

Since reading this site I have just today asked my Endo for and increased spiron dose. I also think I may consult with Dr. you all speak highly of. The bad thing about our hair loss is that it is so different and not just one thing works for all. The doctors also don't take us very seriously either. I see I am going to have to ROAR like a LION the get the attention and treatment that I and all of us deserve.

[feelingwiggy]

Go for it ! The squeaky wheel gets the grease... omg- I sound like my mother... Judy

[Denise B.]

:)Thanks for your reply. I think I started my post wrong. I wanted to start a thread. Anyway, I have sooo many questions. Like...the best vitamins, supplements, should I take out my IUD and go on the back on the pill. I was close to wearing a wig, but along with all my other symptoms, I can't stand how hot they are. I know if I cant get this condition to slow down and under some control, I end up looking like a bald man with a beard. Just like my boy friend. LOL! The facial hair REALLY bothers me I must say.
Ladies I do so value your advice and opinions for we are in this struggle together.

[kellyjean]

I think we all need to roar like a lion. I've definately stepped up my 'aggressiveness' in my search for the root of my situation. Haha, I'm sure my pcp is sick of seeing me in his office.

:D

[Denise B.]

Hi Kellyjean,
Thanks for your reply. It just gets tiresome. Doctors should know we are not coming to them just because. I sometimes think I should not be vain, Afterall I am blessed I can walk, talk and for the most part have all my scences,LOL, but I don't want do hair more facial hair than a man. Especially when there is treatment for it. I also want to keep my hair!!

[linz14]

hello folks,

Just joined the site last night and have already got so many tips and advice from everyones posts. I never realised so many people were in the same boat as me! :rolleyes:

I started losing my hair when i was 15- i am now 26! It first started at the front of my scalp and then it looked like my hair parting was very wide with alot of scalp showing, now its quite excessive hair loss on the top, front and side of my head, but i still have a good vol of healthy hair at the back. After years of worrying and crying, i came across TOPPIK and it changed my life for a few years, but it was a bit messy- especially if you stayed over and you would wake up with the pillow covered in the morning of the fibres! I then discovered a company in Glasgow who made and fitted hairpeices- which i think are what most people would call a topper?

Had my peice fitted in April 09 and i honestly felt like i had my life back! People began to pay me loads of compliments and my confidence began to grow. However in the past few months i have started to expeirence some problems. The unit was bonded on with glues around the side and taped at the front, but after about four months my scalp became EXTREMELY ITCHY at glue points and i ended up with a scalp infection! My head was stinging sooo much, it was red, weeping and flaky- horrible. Got antibiotics and anti-fungal shampoos and creams, which helped but it has never gone away. So after a few months of hell, my company has put clips onto the peice, but im still very itchy are sore, feels like loads of wee needles all over my head! Another factor is that i was 7 months pregnant when the itching started and very hot during the summer... so i dont know if that changed things. .................. SO LADIES IM WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS HAD THESE PROBLEMS AND IF ANYONE HAS FOUND ANYTHING THAT HELPS AS MY DOC DOESNT SEEM TO BE HELPING MUCH- GETTING A BIT DOWN NOW!

PS. I have never had a confirmed diagnosis of my hairloss type- although all blood tests have been negative.

Look forward to hearing from you

x:):):)

[lisamarie001]

Please consider you may have a thyroid issue. Sometimes the tests DO come back "normal" but you could still be hypothyroid. www.stopthethyroidmadness.com (http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com) is a great place to get information. I am hypo and the advice there is VERY helpful! Good luck.

[linz14]

:confused:lisa marie- how can the thyroid tests be wrong? I looked at your list and there are certainly loads of sypmtoms that apply to me!

[lisamarie001]

Hi,

Well, its not so much the tests are wrong but that doctors are ignoring the symptoms of low thyroid based on a test they learned in school was a correct range. Doctors will hear your symptoms, look at the test and say you are normal so the symptoms must be caused by something else then they try to gove you an anti depressant and send you on your way. The TSH test came along in the 1970's and doctors were treating hypothyroid more than 30 years before that with natural armour thyroid and dosing by symptoms NOT lab tests. If you have a lot of the hypo symptoms you may still be hypothyroid. I have been happily on armour for over a year and I would say all of my symptoms have gone or diminished greatly. I can't get my mom to try the armour and she is still having severe hypo symptoms on synthetic levox!! Before they diagnosed her they told her she was ok despite all her symptoms and didn't look twice until she gained a huge amount of weight after menopause and her cholesterol shot up. I believe she had symptoms for years that were ignored. There is a natural thyroid hormone group on Yahoo Groups who could look at your labs, tell you what labs to have done and can help you navigate. You wouldn't believe how many people, mostly women, are going through it.

Let me know if I can be more helpful!!

[sumi1234]

Please help! I have always had pretty thick hair up until about a year ago. I am 21 and have been a little overweight for most of my life. I have had irregular periods most of my life too, but no facial hair growth or acne or hair loss. I decided to go into the doctor because I was worried about having irregular periods and I was diagnosed with PCOS. At the time I showed no symptoms except the irregular periods. No insulin resistance, facial hair, hair loss, acne, etc. My doctor prescribed me bcps and I started taking them. I took Desogen for about 3 months, but experienced stomach aches so I switched to Loestrin1/20. Quickly after starting the loestrin I started to notice my hair was becoming less dense and I was breaking out. After 3 months I decided to quit taking it. After I stopped I began experiencing horrific acne, which I had never experienced, and my hair loss increased dramatically. Along with the hair loss I have constant tingling, stinging, and itching on my scalp which is so unbearable and a constant reminder of the hair loss. I decided to go see a dermatologist and she put me on 100 mg spironolactone each day which has completely cleared up my face. No breakouts ever, but the hair loss continues along with the itchy, burning, stinging scalp. She also put me on Yasmin. The women in my family have no history of hair loss or acne but have had menstruation problems too. The men in my family, excluding one of my grandfathers, also had full heads of hair well into old age, so it can't be hereditary! My biggest concern right now is the itching, burning, and stinging scalp. I can't stand it anymore and after experiencing if for a year I need help! PLEASE...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?

[Robynkay35]

I am 39 years old and had a mid body lift in october. I didn't really need it and I was 140 before the surgery and now I'm 140. I just have a very flat stomach. I never heard there would be any hair loss or I might have thought different. In the middle of november I came down with a infection and pneumonia. I ended up in the hosptial for 14 days and intensive care and was so sick I almost didn't make it. I should be happy for this and I am, but in January I started loosing my hair. I think I lost at least 60 percent. the doctor says it's TE and he's 99.9 percent sure my hair will come back in 6 months. I didn't waste anytime, I am on rogaine 5 percent, boltin and tons of vitiams. It's march and my shedding has STOPPED, well not as much. My hair is very thin and when I sit in front of the vanity the tears start to roll. I see some new growth on my forhead and my daughter and boy friend insist they see some on the top. I dont' know if they are telling me the truth cuz this is all I talk about. They are really sick of me I think. So anyways, I think we are in the same boat. I don't know what eles to say to anyone on here other then I can't believe how painful this is. Since then I have seen women every where with thining hair, kind of like when your pregnant and all the sudden that's all you see is pregnant women. I use to have shoulder lenght hair and I cut it because I thought my hair had just died and if I cut it, it would get better and I would get rid of all the dead ends. BIG MISTAKE!!! Oh I use the hair max too, not sure what product is helping or is it time? Who knows and I dont' really care. I just want and need results.....

[Robynkay35]

and I should say I went from 140 pounds to 118 in three weeks in november. I did have fun eating my way back but that's a huge amount to loose that fast.

[iamnotmyhair]

I guess it's time to start doing something about my hairloss. I noticed that I started loosing my hair about six years ago. It all started when I was getting divorce plus around the same time I lost my mother to suicide. I thought that the stress of it all was causing my hairloss. I went to the general practicioner and they run tests to check my thyrod and they told me that everything was normal. So my next step was to go on denial which worked beautifully until I ran into a mirror :( awww :'( I did a little research but it is so discouraging to find that most google links were to sell out questionable products. I tried to go to an endochrinologist but like in some of the informational posts here say they are not very understanding or supportive. I don't know what is wrong with me, my self diagnose was that there is some kind of hormonal imbalance, I have problems with fybroids and lack of energy and some memory and lack of concentration problems, but have not been diagnosed. Anyway it is getting bad so I decided to start getting more active. I will try to go see a doctor which scares me because I don't know who to begin but I will do it.
I also found some pills that I ordered today and had good reviews in Amazon.
We'll see.
Happy to be here with people who can understand this life struggle

[ana chory]

i have androgenic alopecia and im thinking about the shmuel gonen treatment can anyone tell me if working or not