1. Community
  2. Liver and gallbladder
  3. Gallbladder Problems

Hair loss and gallbladder problems?

Posted , 18 users are following.

Carlem
Carlem

Has anyone else experienced hair loss because of gallbladder problems? I have battled hair loss for 5 years, which has become extreme in the last 12 months, exactly when I started to suffer digestive issues on a daily basis and gain weight. All of my symptoms are hallmarks of gallbladder issues: pain in the right upper quadrant of my abdomen, clay coloured and fatty stools, lots of gas and bloating. Ultrasound came back negative for gallstones. However, I'm scheduled for a HIDA scan soon. My hair is dry, lifeless and falling out in clumps. My TSH, T3, and T4 have been consistently within normal range for 18 months. Same thing as far as sex hormones are concerned. Both liver and pancreatic enzymes are within normal range too. The only thing I can attribute this hair loss to is my digestive issues which all point to gallbladder dyskinesia. Thanks guys for your help!

1 like, 34 replies

34 Replies

Next
  • jenn03028
    jenn03028 Carlem

    Posted

    I had my gallbladder out and have had some hair loss and also dry brittle hair. My dermatologist ran blood work and attributes it to my low ferritin levels which cause hair loss, can be due the liver not working properly she said. All my liver blood work and ultrasound has been normal but I’m going to liver dr in a few weeks to see what they think. My also have to due with fat processing and being absorbed correctly. 
    • jenn03028
      jenn03028

      Posted

      Also pre gallbladder surgery all my blood work, ultrasounds and cat scans were totally normal. However my HIDA scab showed 2% gallbladder function. 
    • Carlem
      Carlem jenn03028

      Posted

      Thank you! Whatever it is that is causing you to lose your hair, I hope you get it sorted soon.
  • fernando90225
    fernando90225 Carlem

    Edited

    No. No such thing as hair loss due to gallbladder disease.
    • Carlem
      Carlem fernando90225

      Posted

      Is your reply based on your personal experience of gallbladder disease?
    • fernando90225
      fernando90225 Carlem

      Posted

      Yes never not have I heard of that. Probability nutrients you are lacking. Sorry.
    • Carlem
      Carlem fernando90225

      Edited

      Well, gallbladder issues can cause fat malabsorption and malabsorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K - which in turn can cause problems such as dry skin and hair, and hair loss. I just spent 8 hours researching the topic and came up with lots of evidence that it IS possible to lose hair as a result of gallbladder issues. Please make sure you check your credentials before putting wrong information online. Or else make it clear that you're talking based on your own personal experience.

    • jenn03028
      jenn03028 Carlem

      Posted

      Yes to vitamin, fat malabsorption issues and also low iron, testing ferritin levels specifically-can also cause hair loss.  I think I may have that going on, now to ask the Dr. what I can do. I can take vitamins but don’t want to aggravate by stomach, which has been aggravated lately with a few issues going on. 
    • Carlem
      Carlem jenn03028

      Posted

      Thanks Jenn. However my ferritin levels are slightly too high. It's been slightly too high for 20 years. In my case it's genetic and I donate my blood every 3 months to keep it in check. So I know ferritin is not the issue as far as I am concerned. If low ferritin is the culprit as far as your hair loss is concerned, I highly recommend you to take some vitamin C daily, besides the iron your doctor will prescribe you. Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron. Also avoid tea, which impairs iron absorption. Best wishes to you.

  • biliarydyskines
    biliarydyskines Carlem

    Posted

    Hope my story is useful.Ofcourse, any digestion issues end up with not absorbing  needed vitamns and minerals needed for the body and this will impact skin,nails and hair (External) and internally bloating,burping, indigestion. For me i also got additional symptoms like dizziness,tiredness and ringing in years and i'm only 37 male.

    1. I did ultrasound in 2009, no stones. But still had reflux and bloating stomach

    2. Did again in 2011, no stones. but still had reflux ,bloating stomach and some amount of pain on right side

    3.Did hida scan in 2011, found gb working 0%. This time dizziness also started. Doctors advised to remove gb, but want to control with diet.

    4.reduced eating fat/protein/oily food from there on, things were under control.

    5.in 2017,Had multiple rounds of restaurant buffet for 3 months , ended up in diarrhea  for 6 months. Did colonoscopy and endoscopy , same reflux. But did ultrasound , found stones. this time ringing in ears also started.

    6.In addition to acid reflux,bloating and burping. I have developed dizziness and ringing in ears now and i'm on verge to remove the gallbladder. The dizziness and ringing in ears are horrible to live with.

    did any one develop dizziness and ringing in ears with gallbladder issues?

    • Carlem
      Carlem biliarydyskines

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your very informative reply. Your story sounds A LOT like mine:

      - 2013: abnormal hair loss started, as well as acne.

      - 2014: first time I felt some discomfort in the liver area. It happened exactly during the World Cup during the match USA-Belgium.

      - 2015: inexplicable dental problems started (bleeding gums)

      - 2016: chronic eczema started and discomfort in the liver area started to occur more and more often, yet blood tests were normal on all levels.

      I must point out that at the time, I used to smoke and I simply attributed that stomach discomfort to my smoking. I quit the dreadful habit in March 2016.

      - 2017: that's when my digestive nightmare started. I put on 10 kg in 2 months despite training for a marathon and weight lifting. My GP said to me "congratulations on being a 35-year-old woman". I didn't buy that BS. Yet I looked 8 months pregnant and suffered from water retention, and this issue is now ongoing no matter how much I exercise - especially when I eat fats. Yet, a full blood work with an endocrinologist came back normal.

      - 2018: everything has worsened and my new symptoms are EAR PAIN & EAR RINGING DIZZINESS and DIARRHEA. The dizziness happened in June and lasted for 3 weeks, until I took some milk thistle and dandelion root for 10 days. The discomfort in my liver area has now become a constant dull pain. Hence the ultrasound à few weeks ago, which came back negative. All clear for endoscopy and colonoscopy as well. I am now scheduled for a CT scan and a HIDA scan.

      I am so sorry you're going through this. There is never a "right age" to be sick, but I find it so unfair to experience such health problems in our 30's, when we should be enjoying life to the fullest.

      May I ask you why you decided to keep your gallbladder despite it being completely non functional? I'm so confused. Some people say that it can be saved with diet. Other people say that it's not really an organ and therefore once it's diseased, there is no coming back to a healthy state :-(

    • biliarydyskines
      biliarydyskines Carlem

      Posted

      I was diagnosed with Gastritis very first and till now.. My surgeon feels still I will have stomach issues after surgery as I have Gastritis. So still on sidelines. As of now, lot of burping going on with normal food and any fat will end up in severe pain on gallbladder area.Im not sure if the Gastritis or the gallbladder...only removing it I will come to know..also each one is different after removing the gallbladder. Can't expect same outcome after GB removal...but only hope for me at this point is gb surgery sad

    • Carlem
      Carlem biliarydyskines

      Posted

      I'm so sorry about that :-(

      I'm not a doctor, and gastritis can have several causes. However, bile reflux can be one of them. So maybe sorting out your gallbladder issue and biliary system will end up curing your stomach inflammation too? I don't know . All of that is so complicated. Until now I had no idea how extremely complex the digestive system is. One thing is for sure, when I feel better, I will never take it for granted anymore.

    • laura75530
      laura75530 Carlem

      Posted

      Hi Carlem, hoping you're still receiving notifications on this thread? Have you managed to find the cause of your hair loss and other issues? Drs are making me feel like its all in my head!!

      My hair started falling out in July 17 - 4 months after being diagnosed with gallstones. After the hair loss started (and hasn't yet recovered) I started piling on weight despite dieting and going to the gym (which I had never had to do in the past). I opted to have my gb removed on 1st May 2018. I Started taking tudca around July time. It's supposed to help with fat absorption. The weight gain is slowly coming off now (still through dieting and gym, but before it wasn't budging), and the bloating has gone down. My hair hasn't recovered yet though.

      Thanks

    • jacqueline1956
      jacqueline1956 laura75530

      Posted

      So glad to find others with same issue! Been through HELL since Feb of 2020! Most of my life, I have suffered with digestive issues. Being adopted, later single mother with no idea of my issues. So many scopes, both ends, I lost count! Twelve years in OK, and I have just about seen EVERY GI doctor here. FEB 2020: another trip to ER, was rushed to main hospital with "dark spots" and told it has to be checked. Many dollars later, told me it was "just an ulcer!" Suffer up to June/July and HAD to go back to due: turned yellow all over and was passing orange urine. Rushed back to main hospital. Many test later: Your GB has produced stones and they have travelled to your liver and pancreas! During the emergency procedure, a stent was put in to stop stones from travelling. Right before GB removed, my colon is now swollen up from 2.5(normal size) to 10 CM..almost to burst. Pain meds caused it...so stop pain meds, that was a nightmare! GB removed via 5 holes in stomach..sucked what was left of GB out. 10 days later, other doc went in to remove stent, it was gone! (I think it came out when GB was sucked out. All my "ducts" were cleaned out and cleared. I am at home recovering now, but my hair, oh my hair is coming out!! After reading all the posts here, I REALLY HOPE THIS IS JUST TEMPORARY! PS: had all tests done for Thyroid, Hormone, CBC, Cholesterol, and more...all "normal". I just wish this "side effect" had been told to me in the beginning, I could have saved money on additional testing UGH! THANKS ALL, JACQUELINE

    • safa88089
      safa88089 biliarydyskines

      Posted

      hey i have same issue i lost upto 11 kgs and now my hair is thining too

      i ahev fatty stool most of the time

      what did you do?

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.