LymeNet Flash: Hair Loss

This is topic Hair Loss in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by blueocean (Member # 5860) on :

hi everyone,
recently, i have been experiencing hair loss. i am almost sure it is from a supplement that i have started and recently stopped. i know my llmd said hair loss is seen in many chronic lyme patients.
have any of you experienced hair loss?
can you describe how you are lossing it?

with me, it is slow, not coming out in clumps. it is easier for the hair to fall out from the root. it is coming out from the root.

thanks!

Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

Two things:

Your thyroid can really mess up your hair and make it fall out. You need three test t3, t4 and tsh. You can also be tested for hashimotos antibodies.

Second thing:

I was taking DHEA and I thought it might have contributed to hair loss.

Linda

Posted by blueocean (Member # 5860) on :

thanks, linda.

i was taking dhea as well. did you stop dhea?
if so, when you stopped it, did your hair stop falling out?

thanks,
take care.

Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

blueocean,

I had extremely thick hair and my hairdresser says not to sweat it--but to me it is still much thinner on top. I think babs or something will make your hair thinner. But while I don't think it is still falling out I see no new growth since stopping the DHEA several months ago.

Husband also told me I should stop taking DHEA because my face was breaking out. I told him I did stop--several months ago. awkward silence! LOL!

Linda

Posted by Jellybelly (Member # 7142) on :

At my sickest my hair fell out in mass. I have very thick coarse hair. It got so bad that you could clearly see my scalp on top. Each strand of hair that fell out had a little ball on the end, probably the root. It wasn't breaking off it was definetly falling out.

It has mostly grown back and people once again comment on how thick my hair is. I have probably only about 3/4 as much as I originally had though.

Posted by yankee in black (Member # 4309) on :

Hello,

In my first career--I researched the reasons behind hair loss for a haircare giant--L'Oreal

Without getting in to the subject matter too deeply, I can mention a few quick things

I lost alot of hair with lyme --so I've also been in the trenches with this problem, too

1) Some of the ABX, and other pharmaceticials that we take with this disease depletes the body of certain vitamins, and minerals---which can cause hair loss--due to nutrient unbalances in the body.

2) Thyroid disease--that was mentioned by a poster above. Too high of a dosage of thyroid medication can cause some pretty bad hair loss--as well as too low of a dose. Gotta stay in balance

3) Basic endocrine disorders can cause hair loss---be it blood sugar( high, or low), hormonal inbalances--such as female hormones, adrenal, and pituritary(sp), ect.

4) circulation disorders--- not enough oxygen, and blood , are making it to the hair follicle.

5) malabsorption--like in Celiac disease

6)malnourishment--not enough food intake---happens with crash dieters, and other eating disorders

Posted by no2lyme (Member # 6978) on :

Hair loss was my first clue something was really wrong. I had a lot of hair to begin with and I still have a good amount. But two years later...still amazed at what comes out of head.

Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :

My hair started to thin and fall out while on IV Rocephin. My MD said to think of the abx protocol as a form of chemotherapy - it kills everything in it's path, including the good stuff that nourishes us. Hence, the hair is undernourished and falls out, just like with cancer treatment. I wore a baseball cap many days while on my first round of meds. It did grow back - fell out again when I did another round of IV meds.

I think it is common with such high doses of killer meds.