Hair loss. Help!
Posted , 11 users are following.
Is anyone here suffer from hair loss? I don't know what to do.
1 like, 40 replies
Posted , 11 users are following.
Is anyone here suffer from hair loss? I don't know what to do.
1 like, 40 replies
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christine_73623 lia23756
Posted
kim70304 lia23756
Posted
I am losing alot of hair, almost afraid to wash it..as it comes out in clumps..I don't know how i am not bald yet!!!
lia23756 kim70304
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lily65668 kim70304
Posted
Kim and Lia - I don't want to annoy you by stating the obvious, but have you both had blood tests for thyroid function? Sjogren's frequently attacks the thyroid. This was true in my case. I lost practically all my eyebrows (which never grew back) and a lot of hair before I was finally put on levo-thyroxine (synthetic thyroid hormone). This stopped the hair loss but very little of the hair I'd already lost grew back.
kim70304 lily65668
Posted
Hi Lily, My thyroid levels are a little off, but i have very high thyroglob antibody levels.. Haven't seen doc since these were drawn, so I am not sure what the plan will be. My eyebrows are fine though
lily65668 kim70304
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Zoe2016 lia23756
Posted
estelle44124 Zoe2016
Posted
Anything that might help!
Zoe2016 estelle44124
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joyce61442 Zoe2016
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lily65668 joyce61442
Posted
Joyce, are you still following through with the thyroid investigations? That's the usual culprit for hair loss.
joyce61442 lia23756
Posted
I don't think I have thyroid issues but I will recheck. And several years ago blood tests did not confirm Sjogren diagnosis although I have many symptoms. I just turned 76 and I think docs attribute my symptoms to age. But the hair loss is becoming frightening. Thank you for your response.
lily65668 joyce61442
Posted
Joyce, these boards are full of people whose blood and lip biopsy results don't suggest Sjogren's, but who clearly have it. I've never had a lip biopsy, but I know that my inflammation markers come and go. They can be high for a few months then go back to completely normal for a couple of years (with the exception of a constantly raised CRP). In my case, it clearly depends on when bloods are done.
However, thyroid insufficiency should show up consistently on blood results, so I think you should push your GP a bit on this one.
Unfortunately, it is normal to start losing hair as we get older, and also for the remaining hair to become finer and of poorer quality. I know about this one as I'm 72 myself! However, age-related hair loss is usually more of a slow, ongoing process, rather than dramatic. Loss of eyebrows specifically is often a sign of thyroid insufficiency but it isn't universal. We're all different. The fact that you haven't lost your eyebrows in no way means you can't have an underactive thyroid.
I suspect you're in the UK, where I know some doctors are scandalously negligent about routine testing for thyroid activity. (I was born British, worked as a nurse in the NHS for 10 years, then shipped out 40 years ago.) I remember when one of my mother's friends, who was in her late 70s, told me about her experiences. She'd been going to her GP for about a year complaining of feeling exhausted, which was totally out of character for her. The (female) doctor kept telling her she was depressed and trying to prescribe antidepressants. She actually asked this poor woman: "What have you got to look forward to?" It took her hairdresser to raise the alarm because she was losing too much hair. She told her to go back to the doctor and insist on a blood test for thyroid hormone levels. Sure enough, they were very low and she was eventually put on thyroxine.
I'm not saying you definitely have an underactive thyroid, but you should be checked for this every year. I don't know why British doctors don't all do this, as ours do. The test itself isn't very expensive and thyroxine (synthetic thyroid hormone) costs just pennies!
Cowgirl918 lia23756
Posted
Well my eyebrows disappeared three years ago and are never coming back. I wear long bangs and it is no big loss. It does amuse my Grandaughter.
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My hair fell out in clumps so I had it shaved and started over. My lifesaver has been 5000 of Biotin each day. The hair on my head grew back and seems to be staying although I shed frequently and that makes me worry. The upside is that I don't have to shave my legs as often.
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Shorter haircuts are advised for thinning hair also. I am on Synthroid but have been for years and never had this problem. Good luck and try the Biotin.
lia23756 Cowgirl918
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Do you have problems with your thyroid gland?
tj268 Cowgirl918
Posted
Iam getting ready to start using caster oil. May swear by it. Worth a shot
Cowgirl918 tj268
Posted
I'll let you "go first", no pun intended
. My fear is diarhea. I have issues with electrolytes that was it is.My Collie takes Cod Liver oil and that smells terrible. He does have a shiny coat.
Seriously let me know how you feel. I do take vitamins and magnesium and vitamin E. I think that has helped.