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Nails

Posted , 12 users are following.

constance.de
constance.de

I think this has been discussed before, but I can't find it.

Does anyone have a remedy for splitting nails?  Mine are getting really bad.  I've tried everything.  From very expensive nail conditioners, to glycerin, olive oil, etc etc, to no avail.  I drink a lot of milk (my favourite tipple) so it can't be lack of calcium.  Any suggestions?

2 likes, 39 replies

39 Replies

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  • carol20979
    carol20979 constance.de

    Posted

    Hi Constance I have always had very strong nails however they would eventually split. My doctor found that I had low vitamin d levels.Since taking the vitamin d my nails have stopped spitting I don't know if this would help you but it did help me.
    • constance.de
      constance.de carol20979

      Posted

      Thanks Carol, but I've been on vit d tablets for 3 years.  The strange thing is, the nails only split on one hand, the other one has talons if I don't watch out.  Crazy!
  • linda81950
    linda81950 constance.de

    Posted

    Hi Constance

    I have noticed lately that my nails are cracking and also have lines which jeopardizes the strength of my nails.  I am also experiencing hair loss which friends have suggested could be a result of various medications I am on or stress.  Funnily enough, I was speaking with a friend yesterday who mentioned something about increasing her intake of magnesium and that it helped with hair loss and cracked nails along with energy levels.  She also mentioned that she was experiencing insomnia and, because of the magnesium, she was sleeping better and feeling more energetic.  I guess when you think about it, it is one big circle. I am currently taking Calcium with magnesium along with a separate Vitamin D pill but I am sure that the Calcium tablet does not have that much magnesium in it.  There is a small pharamcy here in Ottawa where they make the pills with, hopefully no or fewer fillers than the large commercial companies. I am going to give it a try and will report back after a few weeks.

     

    • constance.de
      constance.de linda81950

      Posted

      Hair loss is one of the side effects of pred.  I lost quite a lot over the first 2 1/2 years of PMR (my hairdresser was horrified when she first saw it).

      I am, or will be again soon, on 6 mgs of pred and the thickness is back.  Some people, Eileen for instance, have strange things happen on pred, hers went from straight to curly - how about that then?  I am sooooo jealous.  I have always wanted long wavy hair and all I had/have is short fine hair!  I even get jealous if I see a 3 year old girl with long flowing locks.😡

      All the best.  C

    • linda81950
      linda81950 constance.de

      Posted

      I was on prednisone for a little over 2 years but have been off it since last fall.  I still follow this site because I find entries that are both informative and interesting.  I did lose a lot of hair as well while on prednisone but have regained most of it except for a receding hair line which worries me greatly.  In both corners of my forehead my regrowth are short little hairs (that appear to be breakage but not) and relatively fine.  Hair on the back of my head is quite thick and I often joke with my hairdresser that I will soon have to do comb overs.  

      I just thought that I would give magnesium a try and wondered if anyone else had heard about this or had tried increasing their intake.  

      I think that these forums are wonderful and only wish that I had found out about them while on prednisone.  Sharing information is so beneficial to keeping spirts up and providing supporting one another.

       

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy constance.de

      Posted

      My hair has gone curly too. I always had straight shiny hair. I now have curly frizzy hair, it is not long and wavy. In fact I have now had it cut short to get rid of all that cr*p were my hairdresser's words. 
  • Nefret
    Nefret constance.de

    Posted

    My nails were so bad on high doses of Pred that I eventually got aggressive with them.  They didn't break, but they did peel and right down to the nail bed at that, so very painful.

    I had to do something, so I got  Sally Hansen stuff - it did the trick in covering and sealing the peeling which was a relief.

    Now I'm down to 5mg and have been for some time (long story) they are better, but it does still happen occasionally, so I keep my little bottle handy.  I have to say they do still look awful and I camouflage them with a good base coat and nail varnish.

    For the record I take magnesium on my GP's advice and sometimes also have to top up my potassium too.  They are very good and always contact me if anything like that shows in my routine blood tests.

    • constance.de
      constance.de Nefret

      Posted

      I've never heard of Sally Hansen. Where do you live?  When I lived in England my chemist was Boots only.  I really must get myself a life!

      C.  💐

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy constance.de

      Posted

      Sally Hansen is probably the best I have found for protecting nails. They sell it in Boots, also on Amazon in UK, the US and Germany. Probably around the world in fact.
  • penelope10875
    penelope10875 constance.de

    Posted

    Zinc is the answer for nails. I swear by it and have very strong nails. I tablet daily.
  • kathy67492
    kathy67492 constance.de

    Posted

    I am in the U.S. I take an over-the-counter supplement called Biotin.

    It comes in several forums...regular oral, chewable. It is for hair and nails.

    My nails are a lot better. My bleached hair is very, very dry...and I have lost about 1/3 of it. Fortunately I started out with cery thick hair.

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy kathy67492

      Posted

      My hair used to be very greasy but pred has made it really dry and brittle. I had it cut very short this week which has really helped how it looks.
  • penelope10875
    penelope10875 constance.de

    Posted

    The hair is a real problem. It's bad enough being fat, having a round face, things that ar improving now, but after 3 years of pred, the slow hair loss over that time is really showing. I don't know what to do. My hairdresser suggested Vit B , but I have pernicious Anaemia, so cant absorb that. I have 8 weekly injections and am topping that up with patches. Fin hair , head sweats don't go. I'm looking at turbans!

    I'm the one who swears by Zinc for the nails, maybe I'll add Magnesium and Vit D as people are sugesting. All this body image change we have to cope with is not nice and nobody realises how it affects us, except us!

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE penelope10875

      Posted

      I suggest you take a look at Folic Acid, it is given to cancer patients to reduce hair loss.   But whatever you do talk to a pharmacist before you take any new prescribed medication or buy over the counter.  You can make a big mistake if they are not compatible with what you are already taking.
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