Seeking advice

[Caryn]

I've been losing my already thin hair now for just little over a year since I lost my job. I am still unemployed, seeking desperately to find work but to no avail as of yet.
Being I lost my job, I have "very little" income from unemployment insurance and no health insurance coverage.
My hair sheds excessively, all oever my head whenever I wash it or get it wet and it's getting worse. I can see my scalp from every angle and I truly believe this is affecting my ability to even get a job.

I feel incredibly hopeless to find a doctor that can help me being I can't afford even an office visit. How can I go about getting help or am I just doomed?
I see most of you here have had to go to "many" doctors and I can't even afford one doctor. I'm terrified and hopelessly depressed.
What can I do if anything??? Does anyone know???

Thank you,
Caryn

[Caryn]

I guess I am doomed.
I suppose all of you have insurance and can get help for yourselves and probably don't know how to respond to my desperate plea for some kind of help and support in this.

I've made an appt. for a dermatologist in my area that helps people with hair loss issues but I can't get in until the very end of August and the price just for a consultation is over $150.00 alone and they were the cheapest! How...being unemployed I'll be able to come up with it, I don't know.

I also called my local "County" hospital that helps low-income people like me but I was literally on hold for 1 1/2 hours and never got through to a live person.

I'm giving up on calling again until tomorrow morning.

I feel so hopeless and depressed. I'm terribly afraid to take a shower or wash my hair because every time, it just falls out before I even touch it!
:(:(:(

Caryn

[kawawa]

I don't know where you live, but I think you should make looking for a job your full time job until you find one. Then you will have insurance and income. A year is a really long time to be unemployed and must be very difficult to deal with.

Even working at the mall full time will allow you some benefits. A consultation is nothing without follow up and docs don't work for free.

Good Luck in your continued search, don't be too picky and jump into whatever is available.

Hit the ground and don't rely on the internet for job searches, it is the easy way out.

Review your resume and make sure it is perfect and the dates jive. Fill out applications everywhere!

Sending Good Luck your way for job hunting and the rest will follow.

I guess I am doomed.
I suppose all of you have insurance and can get help for yourselves and probably don't know how to respond to my desperate plea for some kind of help and support in this.

I've made an appt. for a dermatologist in my area that helps people with hair loss issues but I can't get in until the very end of August and the price just for a consultation is over $150.00 alone and they were the cheapest! How...being unemployed I'll be able to come up with it, I don't know.

I also called my local "County" hospital that helps low-income people like me but I was literally on hold for 1 1/2 hours and never got through to a live person.

I'm giving up on calling again until tomorrow morning.

I feel so hopeless and depressed. I'm terribly afraid to take a shower or wash my hair because every time, it just falls out before I even touch it!
:(:(:(

Caryn

[Caryn]

I HAVE searched for employment and made it my full-time job every single day. My resume is impeccable. I get interviews but no job yet. I live in Los Angeles where the unemployment rate exceeds 10% and when you're competing with HUNDREDS for on open position, well, that's where my problem lies. The employment development Dept. can't even help.

As it is, I belong to 20 different employment agencies that aren't able to get enough jobs to help their clients. I have 15 years of Administrative experience in the construction field and have been forced by neccessity to get back into school at the age of 40, just to help me get my foot in the door somewhere.

I pound the pavement as well as the internet CONSTANTLY. Every week, I probably send out 20-30 cover letters and resumes per week and still no luck so waiting for me is not an option at all. I simply cannot wait until I get a job to get help! I have some money and some savings but that's about it.
I do appreciate your advice and I agree with it whole-heartedly but it could be another year before I find work at the rate I'm going.
I guess there really isn't help for me.
:(


I don't know where you live, but I think you should make looking for a job your full time job until you find one. Then you will have insurance and income. A year is a really long time to be unemployed and must be very difficult to deal with.

Even working at the mall full time will allow you some benefits. A consultation is nothing without follow up and docs don't work for free.

Good Luck in your continued search, don't be too picky and jump into whatever is available.

Hit the ground and don't rely on the internet for job searches, it is the easy way out.

Review your resume and make sure it is perfect and the dates jive. Fill out applications everywhere!

Sending Good Luck your way for job hunting and the rest will follow.

[Angela]

I guess I am doomed.
I suppose all of you have insurance and can get help for yourselves and probably don't know how to respond to my desperate plea for some kind of help and support in this.

I've made an appt. for a dermatologist in my area that helps people with hair loss issues but I can't get in until the very end of August and the price just for a consultation is over $150.00 alone and they were the cheapest! How...being unemployed I'll be able to come up with it, I don't know.

I also called my local "County" hospital that helps low-income people like me but I was literally on hold for 1 1/2 hours and never got through to a live person.

I'm giving up on calling again until tomorrow morning.

I feel so hopeless and depressed. I'm terribly afraid to take a shower or wash my hair because every time, it just falls out before I even touch it!
:(:(:(

Caryn

Hi Hon,
I hear you. I haven't been online for a while today (preoccupied with a grand child)...anyway, since you are unemployed is there any way to apply for medicaid and financial assistance? It's tough all over concerning the prospect of finding a job, and finding a doctor is sometimes even worse! Looking for a job is definitely a full time job. My husband has been unemployed from the beginning of May till now, and the only prospect he has wouldn't start for another 7 months. We've applied for everything we can get right now (medicaid, financial aid, rental assistance). I have no insurance either and I have one tooth that completely broke and two more where the crowns have come off and I've had to reseal them myself.
You are doing all you can do at this point. I know that for myself, I couldn't stand looking at the scalp showing through. Its a horrible feeling. While you are waiting to see a doctor, how are you planning on making things a little better for yourself with regards to your hair? Have you thought about a nice headwrap? They can be very inexpensive and much more stylish than a bandana or baseball cap. You can get a yard of material at the store which you can get for $3.00 or less made of a material you really like and poof, you have something very nice to go out in.

Do you have anyone in your family or life that can be supportive during this time?

[kawawa]

I helped my daughter get a job after college. She decided to live in another city, so my contacts here could not help her. It took her almost 6 months to find a job. She was not having any luck so after three months of searching on her own I acted as her searcher and she did the footwork. I looked on the Chamber of Commerce website and the Economic Development Corportations websites and then wrote down all of the company names. Once I had the names we began looking at the websites for those companies. This method opened up doors that we never would have seen.

She also drove around the city and got names off of buildings and then we would search those company for employment opportunities. I was able to send her resume to actual HR people. She needed help so I did what I could to help her and as a team it worked out.

In the end she got 10 interviews!!!!!! and three job offers using this method. She never got one interview from Monster like companies and she only got one really bad sales interview from employment agencies.
Her job is a very good job, but she still only makes about $35,000 a year, but it is a first job and she has excellent benefits and great vacation and there is room for advancement.

You sound like a very good catch to me, keep trying and think out side the box. BEST of Luck!!!!

[Caryn]

I live with my boyfriend who has been very supportive through all of this. He's the only reason I still have a roof over my head. He's sympathetic to my hair problem but at the same time, he's sick of hearing about it and sick of seeing me cry over it too.

My mother...who is my only real family still alive, lives in Charlotte, NC and we are worlds apart although we talk on the phone all the time, she is not sympathetic, understanding or supportive of my hair loss problem. She just thinks I'm being dramatic and doesn't believe it's even happening no-matter what I tell her. It has gotten to the point where she has asked me to stop talking about it to her. That hurts!

Being I don't have any dependents, no children, I don't qualify for medi-cal in my area but...I am part of a low-income plan with this L.A. county hospital in my area and it's affiliated health clinics but getting through is very, very difficult. They are just so bombarded with calls from people like me who can't afford health care, given the sad state of the economy and a lot of clinics have been forced into closure due to budget cuts.
I was on hold yesterday for over 1 1/2 hours and still, I couldn't get through to a live person. I'm going to try again today and stick with it longer. I'll keep you all posted on what happens with that!

Our "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger, tells us here in California that our state is flat broke, in debt, and he's cut ALL social services for the poor. Even mothers with small children below the povery level are getting IOU's instead of welfare and food stamps. It's literally pushing the poor into the street here and it doesn't look as though it's going to get better anytime soon. This doesn't look good for me either. I'm not making excuses as I'm not going to give up, I just can't, I'm just stating the facts that it's very, very difficult here to get any kind of help.

Through the County health program I'm in, I do see a therapist for my depression. My appt's were once per week and due to budget cuts, I now can only see her once per month. I've talked to her in debth about my hair loss problem as well as it's part of my depression and one of the main reasons now that I continue to see her and even she has run out of resources to help guide me in the right direction. Last time I saw her she gave me a list of county doctors with phone #'s to call for help. There must have been 20 on that list that I called and every number has been disconnected!

Since I've been out of work so long and scared my long absence from any recent work experience is hindering me, and feeling like this is literally killing me on interviews because I'm always asked by my interviewer: "What have you been doing all this time with your life, being unemployed"?, I decided to go back to night school to brush up on my skills...a refresher if you will. I just started going last night. My boyfriend is paying for this...BLESS HIM!!!
At least now I have an answer for that annoying question...I'm going to school! :)
They have job placement programs at the school too and I am sooooo there!!!!!

Although it's really great advice to get some sort of head wrap, I'm afraid that just doesn't suit me very well. I have a skinny head (lol) and I'd feel even funnier with a wrap on my head!

Right now...I'm trying just to muster up the courage to get into the shower and get my head wet. I have such baby-fine hair (What's left of it) and if I don't wash it everyday, I feel gross.

Yesterday was such a bad day. I took a shower and washed my hair before school being so careful not to snag it or comb it wet and yet I barely touched my head and handfull of hair just shed all over the place and it was everywhere...on the shower wall, falling down my back, and stuck to the soap!

Sorry for such a long-winded response! I'm now going to try to get through to these county doctors, even if I'm on hold all damn day and just pray to god I get through this time!

Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooo much for your caring response, it means so much more than you could ever know!

Caryn






Hi Hon,
I hear you. I haven't been online for a while today (preoccupied with a grand child)...anyway, since you are unemployed is there any way to apply for medicaid and financial assistance? It's tough all over concerning the prospect of finding a job, and finding a doctor is sometimes even worse! Looking for a job is definitely a full time job. My husband has been unemployed from the beginning of May till now, and the only prospect he has wouldn't start for another 7 months. We've applied for everything we can get right now (medicaid, financial aid, rental assistance). I have no insurance either and I have one tooth that completely broke and two more where the crowns have come off and I've had to reseal them myself.
You are doing all you can do at this point. I know that for myself, I couldn't stand looking at the scalp showing through. Its a horrible feeling. While you are waiting to see a doctor, how are you planning on making things a little better for yourself with regards to your hair? Have you thought about a nice headwrap? They can be very inexpensive and much more stylish than a bandana or baseball cap. You can get a yard of material at the store which you can get for $3.00 or less made of a material you really like and poof, you have something very nice to go out in.

Do you have anyone in your family or life that can be supportive during this time?

[Caryn]

You sound like a very nice lady and a great mom too!
Funny you should mention your daughter writing down names of companies on buildings and then researching employment opportunities with them. I'm doing the same, literally everywhere I go, I take a pen and paper with me incase I see something that looks like a good lead.

As far as thinking outside the box...well sheesh! I've had some crazy ideas of sending certain companies that I know are hiring, my resume a long with a shoe...to get my foot in the door, LOL!
"Whatever" gets their attention, right??

Thank you, thank you , thank you for your well wishes!

I helped my daughter get a job after college. She decided to live in another city, so my contacts here could not help her. It took her almost 6 months to find a job. She was not having any luck so after three months of searching on her own I acted as her searcher and she did the footwork. I looked on the Chamber of Commerce website and the Economic Development Corportations websites and then wrote down all of the company names. Once I had the names we began looking at the websites for those companies. This method opened up doors that we never would have seen.

She also drove around the city and got names off of buildings and then we would search those company for employment opportunities. I was able to send her resume to actual HR people. She needed help so I did what I could to help her and as a team it worked out.

In the end she got 10 interviews!!!!!! and three job offers using this method. She never got one interview from Monster like companies and she only got one really bad sales interview from employment agencies.
Her job is a very good job, but she still only makes about $35,000 a year, but it is a first job and she has excellent benefits and great vacation and there is room for advancement.

You sound like a very good catch to me, keep trying and think out side the box. BEST of Luck!!!!

[Angela]

I live with my boyfriend who has been very supportive through all of this. He's the only reason I still have a roof over my head. He's sympathetic to my hair problem but at the same time, he's sick of hearing about it and sick of seeing me cry over it too.

My mother...who is my only real family still alive, lives in Charlotte, NC and we are worlds apart although we talk on the phone all the time, she is not sympathetic, understanding or supportive of my hair loss problem. She just thinks I'm being dramatic and doesn't believe it's even happening no-matter what I tell her. It has gotten to the point where she has asked me to stop talking about it to her. That hurts!

Being I don't have any dependents, no children, I don't qualify for medi-cal in my area but...I am part of a low-income plan with this L.A. county hospital in my area and it's affiliated health clinics but getting through is very, very difficult. They are just so bombarded with calls from people like me who can't afford health care, given the sad state of the economy and a lot of clinics have been forced into closure due to budget cuts.
I was on hold yesterday for over 1 1/2 hours and still, I couldn't get through to a live person. I'm going to try again today and stick with it longer. I'll keep you all posted on what happens with that!

Our "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger, tells us here in California that our state is flat broke, in debt, and he's cut ALL social services for the poor. Even mothers with small children below the povery level are getting IOU's instead of welfare and food stamps. It's literally pushing the poor into the street here and it doesn't look as though it's going to get better anytime soon. This doesn't look good for me either. I'm not making excuses as I'm not going to give up, I just can't, I'm just stating the facts that it's very, very difficult here to get any kind of help.

Through the County health program I'm in, I do see a therapist for my depression. My appt's were once per week and due to budget cuts, I now can only see her once per month. I've talked to her in debth about my hair loss problem as well as it's part of my depression and one of the main reasons now that I continue to see her and even she has run out of resources to help guide me in the right direction. Last time I saw her she gave me a list of county doctors with phone #'s to call for help. There must have been 20 on that list that I called and every number has been disconnected!

Since I've been out of work so long and scared my long absence from any recent work experience is hindering me, and feeling like this is literally killing me on interviews because I'm always asked by my interviewer: "What have you been doing all this time with your life, being unemployed"?, I decided to go back to night school to brush up on my skills...a refresher if you will. I just started going last night. My boyfriend is paying for this...BLESS HIM!!!
At least now I have an answer for that annoying question...I'm going to school! :)
They have job placement programs at the school too and I am sooooo there!!!!!

Although it's really great advice to get some sort of head wrap, I'm afraid that just doesn't suit me very well. I have a skinny head (lol) and I'd feel even funnier with a wrap on my head!

Right now...I'm trying just to muster up the courage to get into the shower and get my head wet. I have such baby-fine hair (What's left of it) and if I don't wash it everyday, I feel gross.

Yesterday was such a bad day. I took a shower and washed my hair before school being so careful not to snag it or comb it wet and yet I barely touched my head and handfull of hair just shed all over the place and it was everywhere...on the shower wall, falling down my back, and stuck to the soap!

Sorry for such a long-winded response! I'm now going to try to get through to these county doctors, even if I'm on hold all damn day and just pray to god I get through this time!

Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooo much for your caring response, it means so much more than you could ever know!

Caryn

You're welcome hon, just know that we are all here for you. There are ways to make a headwrap look fuller. Bandana's tend to look flat on the head, but here is a video from Mary on how to do a turkish headwrap:
IT1Go89Hhj8

[Caryn]

I finally got through to a live person at the clinic for low-income people like me but they told me I could not make an appt. without a referral.
Instead, I have to go to the walk-in clinic. I've done this before in the past and I literally waited 22 hours to see a doctor.
Unbelievable to most of you I'm sure, but trust me when I say, it IS that bad and I'm not exaggerating!

They told me that because of budget cuts, the wait might be even worse this time around. I'm not looking forward to this and am afraid after all the waiting, my hair loss problem will just be dismissed. I have to try though.
Being I have no job, no insurance, this is my only hope for help!

I have school tonight so I can't go today. I'm instead going to race home after school, wake up at the butt-crack of dawn and head out to the clinic first thing.

Thank you all for being there for me. Please send me some much needed good vibes tomorrow and that I will be helped. It would mean the world to me!

Hugs,
Caryn

[Angela]

You are in my thoughts hon! I hope everything goes smoothly and you get exactly what you need. :>

[Women's Hair Loss Project]

Dear Caryn,

I'm glad you where able to get an appointment at the clinic. While you are waiting it would be a good idea to write down all your questions so you can make sure to get the most out of your appointment. I would definitely insist on having bloodwork done and make sure you get a copy of the results in case you need to take it to a different doctor for further analysis at a later time. Below is a a post that was made by a doctor in the network:
----------
Hi All!

Someone asked me to post a list of the hair tests I recommend. Here's what I usually start with;

T3, T4, TSH (for thyroid)
Ferritin (for anemia)
DHEA (hormones)
Total testosterone (PCOS, hormones)
CBC (multiple reasons)
ESR (autoimmune diseases)

And I also check to see if the person has had recent high fever, stress, low protein diet (i.e. vegetarian), menopause, birth, medication changes, surgery...

Actually the list is longer than that since women can get hair loss from so many things. Rather unfair, considering. Also -to the person who asked if I have Alopecia Areata, I do not.

Cheers!
Sara -----------

Also take a look at this link: http://www.americanhairloss.org/women_hair_loss/diagnosis.asp

Diagnostic Tests

-Hormone levels (DHEAs, testosterone, androstenedione, prolactin, follicular stimulating hormone, and leutinizing hormone)

-Serum iron

-Serum ferritin

-Total iron binding capacity (TIBC)

-Thyroid stimulating hormone (T3, T4, TSH)

-VDRL (a screening test for syphilis)

.Complete blood count (CBC)

-Scalp biopsy
A small section of scalp usually 4mm in diameter is removed and examined under a microscope to help determine the cause of hair loss.

-Hair pull

The hair pull test is a simple diagnostic test in which the physician lightly pulls a small amount of hair (approx 100 simultaneously) in order to determine if there is excessive loss. Normal range is one to three hairs per pull.

-Densitometry

The densitometer is a handheld magnification device which is used check for miniaturization of the hair shaft.

--------------------

Sending you lots of wonderful vibes for your appointment to tomorrow, I hope you don't have to wait long there.:>

[kris79]

hey, I am sorry to hear of your situation...if I had money, I would send it..but I am a struggling single mom in atlanta....my advice to you is this...I have found great comfort on this web site just having a place to go and vent, and read others story...if you can't go to the therapist every week, come here...I would also recommend when you are interviewing, especially if you want the job, offer to work for free for 3 months..employers love this, and, if they like you, after the 3 months they will hire you full time and pay you..just a thought...my last piece of advice is to make sure you are nurturing your spiritual side at this point, pray, go to church.....good luck to you, kris

[mymanego]

Going back to school is a good idea. Your situation is very stressful and having hair loss on top of it all just compounds it. I lose a lot of hair when I wash my hair too. Now I wash my hair every 2 weeks! I know that sounds gross but I figured I would rather have dirty hair than less hair. I wear my hair pulled back in a clip - it's the ultimate combover. Also I use a scalp makeup to color the scalp so the scalp isn't as noticable. It is messy and I'm self conscious about how it looks in the sunlight but I would rather have my hair loss less noticable most of the time since I'm indoors a lot.

Like you, I just want to find out what is causing my hair loss and hopefully be able to reverse this, but apparently there aren't any miracles. I just found this forum today and it looks like it is great for sharing ideas. Keep faith that your life will improve.