Hi. I've been taking doxy for lyme, since diagnosed in Nov. For a few months now, my hair has been falling out and breaking.
I have shoulder length hair and now when I pull it back, I see all short, ragged hairs sticking out at my hairline and on the sides. Every day in the shower, many long strands easily come off and tangle in my hands. It is getting worse.
Does anyone know why this is happening and what I can do about it?
Posted by DR. Wiseass (Member # 6777) on :
Have you had your thyroid tested?
I've been on thyroid meds for >11 years -- but for some reason the supplementation stopped working like it was supposed to.
My body stopped converting the supplement (T4) into the chemical it really needs (T3) -- so NOW I've had to switch to supplementing directly with T3. It's confusing, I know.
BUT my hair falling out was a key symptom for my doc - which just meant that I needed to get my meds adjusted.
It could be something else -- just something to consider.
Good luck.
Hugs & Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
i have a lot of hair loss in the shower. Somedays i have more then others. I have thick hair otherwise im sure i would have bald patches. It was worse prior to lyme treatment...but i still have it.
All my thyroid tests so far have come back normal.
You might want to have yours checked. I think hairloss is also a lyme symptom.
Posted by liz28 (Member # 4946) on :
It's a big-time Lyme and co-infections symptom, and will stop or dramatically slow down when you get on the right (or close-to-being-right) antibiotics.
Keep an eye on it as a benchmark for how well your antibiotics are working.
Posted by Healing in Santa Cruz (Member # 7798) on :
My hair was falling out big time for about 2mo when I first started treatment. It has now stopped. Being an ex hairdresser I kept cutting it myself to keep the weight off the hair follical sp? brain fog. I'm doing salt&c, toafree catsclaw and bee venon shots. No antibotics as of yet. So it wasn't antibotics and my thyroid dose is ok.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
This was a big Lyme symptom for me.
My hair started coming out all the time, and all my hair began to thin.
This went on for about 5 months. Then I noticed one day that the drain wasn't all clogged after my shower.
For me, it was one of the symptoms I've completely lost since starting treatment in June.
I also think it helped to get a shower filter. There have been some good discussions about them with some links that you should be able to find if you search.
I keep a nightly symptom chart, and this is one that I no longer check.
Andie
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
I've been treating lyme and coinfections for years. In December I noticed lots of hair in the drain and in my hands after applying the conditioner.
My thyroid is tested every six weeks and is supposedly doing fine with medication.
I have attributed my hair loss to major stress from my husband having cancer, doing chemo and radiation, followed by a major surgery in January. He's doing very well now...but my hair is still falling out big time.
Fortunately I have a lot of fine red hair to begin with, so the loss isn't as apparent as it could be. But, it certainly is making me unhappy. I love my hair! Call me vain, but that's how it is...
Carol Ann
Posted by lymelady (Member # 6207) on :
I have a theory which of course has no scientific basis whatsoever. just what I "think" is happening.
As I am killing these buggers, my hair, skin, and fingernails are all breaking and peeling. I feel like a snake that is shedding its skin. It feels like old lyme "parts" are dead and falling off literally and new parts are emerging. I have broken hair and broken fingernails and the skin on my hands and feet is drying up and peeling off.
Sounds stupid I know but it comforts me anyway when I look at the wreck that is my body!
Lymelady PS I have no thyroid problems, been checked a dozen times.
Posted by pattiecake (Member # 6424) on :
I had that BIG time before getting treated. It was VERY unsettling. I also have had my thyroid tested and its fine.
My hair loss did diminish a lot since starting ABX.
pattiecake
Posted by tequeslady (Member # 6832) on :
Ok, this is probably not it, but...
About a year before I "broke" with Lyme, etc., my hair started falling out too. My hairdresser mentioned to me that it might be because I didn't have enough fat in my diet.
I thought that a possibility, because I had eliminated virtually all fat from my diet. When I started eating some of it again, my hair stopped falling out.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi All
My hair was falling out big time-- Luckily I have lots of hair --
After I started treatment for both Lyme and Babs --
My hair is growing back -- and Im loosing the grey big time --
Your hair is a Good record of what has gone on in your body -- over recient time (6 months)
For me When I upped my water intake the crispys mostly went away --- I drink at over 2 gallons of tea a day --every day --
In the time it took me to write this post I have downed a 18 oz.
It is important to drink water that is clean so use a filter if nessary-- The one I use is from -- New Wave Enviro --
Its a 9 stage filter that works amazingly well--
The filter is good for around 4000 gallons-- this comes out to 2 cents a gallon threw time--
--Jay--
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
If I take diflucan for an extended period I lose hair. Hiker
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