Hi Everyone, I have only posted here a couple of times (back in 2013), hoping to connect with others who were experiencing similar hair loss issues, and ideally, to find some answers. My hair loss experience is covered in my previous forum posts, but I’ll provide the basics again here. I first noticed thinning (especially at the crown) in 2009, when I was 21 years old. Since that time, it only continued to get worse. I have seen many different doctors and specialists (GPs, dermatologists, naturopaths, etc.) over the years, all of whom gave me different answers. I was told my hair loss was due to low iron/low B12. I was tested for diseases such as celiac and lupus, as well as disorders such as hypothyroidism. I was encouraged to try acupuncture that targeted both my scalp and my liver (since one doctor thought that there may be a connection there). I’ve also used various medical shampoos and topical treatments (both prescription, and natural) but saw no changes with anything, and did not test positive for any of the conditions listed above. In addition to all of this, some health care professionals just gave me responses such as "you're losing your hair because you're too stressed", "you just need to exercise more" and "it's probably just genetic" – all of which left me feeling terrible. Although I kept trying new treatments and new doctors, I was getting no real solutions. And to make matters worse, I started to experience a number of other symptoms: fatigue, bloating, headaches, and brain fog, among others. I also developed tons of food sensitivities including almonds, garlic, cow's milk, peppers, eggs, and wheat. I had grown up eating all of these foods regularly without any kind of bad reaction, so I was quite surprised when I had to completely cut them out of my diet. For many years, I felt like I'd never find out what was causing all of these symptoms. However, a couple months ago, my current naturopath suggested running two blood tests: one for Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and one for Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). The results showed that I tested positive for a latent form of EBV - a virus linked to hair loss, along with all of the other symptoms I was experiencing. Known as a "mystery virus" EBV is extremely tough to diagnose. My naturopath told me that most GPs (if they do test for it) will only test for the active version - a version that would have still shown a negative result for me. But although it's difficult to discover, this virus is very easy to treat. I'm currently on oral medication for the next two months. My naturopath thinks this should be enough to completely kill the virus and (hopefully) alleviate my symptoms. After finding out all of this information, it was really important for me to provide an update to this community and I hope that it might be able to help someone else. If you think you may have EBV, I will tell you that the most informative article I found on the topic was this one: https://goop.com/wellness/health/th...potentially-at-the-root-of-medical-mysteries/ Everything in the article matched with what I had personally been feeling! I've only started treatment recently, but will try and report back to let everyone know the effect it will have on hair regrowth. I hope that all of this is encouraging for anyone seeking answers.
Hi ttaylorcrna, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but am happy to answer any questions you have. One of the best products for Epstein-Barr virus treatment is a DesBio product (homeopathic) available widely online, known as "EBV/CFS Plus". Many people have reported positive reactions to using this kit. However, it didn't work for me. Either the dosage of the medication was too strong, or my virus (which has been in my system for 10 years) was too powerful. That said, I started working directly with a homeopath in fall 2018. She seems confident that my hair should come back. Some of my other EBV symptoms (such as food allergies) have already disappeared. However, the treatment process is slow. Basically, for every year I was sick, it will take about a month to repair the damage of my virus - meaning I will stay on homeopathic medications (a variety of different ones) until spring/summer of 2019. So far, no sign of hair regrowth - but I'm hopeful! One thing I'd also highly recommend: juicing celery (16 oz. every morning). I've just started, but have seen many women online have positive results from this, fully recovering from alopecia or other hair loss conditions. Hair regrowth is only one of many benefits, but definitely the one that appeals most to me.
