On a break from antimicrobials for 7 months, while I work on my methylation issues. The last month or so, my hair has thinned out dramatically! Coming out in clumps...
I had this symptom years ago and it improved completely with Lyme treatment (abx and herbal). Does it seem like I should start treating again?? Which abx/herbs most likely to help?
Thyroid is high normal with treatment and I think it's pretty steady.
Scalp doesn't really itch, feels tender and kind of warm or inflamed. I'm using the same castile-based (olive oil) shampoo I've used for years. I don't shampoo every day and have to comb very carefully.
This seems like a minor problem compared to all the other issues, but it makes me feel miserable, plus I think it may be a sign something's wrong.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
Ya mine is coming out with treatment ...scalp pain has stopped with bvt . Adding houtthnia and other things to go after bartonella but i blame bartonella for everything
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I'm taking two pills of biotin. seems to help so far.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Are you on artificial thyroid hormone or the natural dessicated?
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
bluelyme, what's bvt?
randibear, I just read about biotin as it happens, will get some, sounds promising.
Lymetoo, natural dessicated.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Hmmm... then I second the motion to try biotin.
Posted by lookup (Member # 44574) on :
For the inflamed warm scalp one could try rinsing the hair in nettle tea water and also drinking nettle tea.
There are homeopathics for the inflamed warm scalp. If you are interested you can pm me.
When your body goes through something traumatic like child birth, malnutrition, a severe infection, major surgery, or extreme stress, many of the 90 percent or so of the hair in the anagen
(growing) phase or catagen (resting) phase can shift all at once into the shedding (telogen) phase. About 6 weeks to three month after the stressful event is usually when the phenomenon called telogen effluvium can begin. It is
possible to lose handful of hair at time when in full-blown telogen effluvium. For most who suffer with TE complete remission is probable as long as severely stressful events can be avoided. For
some women however, telogen effluvium is a mysterious chronic disorder and can persist for months or even years without any true understanding of any triggering factors or stressors."
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
Wow! I think that TE might be the cause...exactly 3 months ago I fell off a stool onto concrete and cracked a shoulder bone. It is healing well, and I'm lucky it wasn't a worse injury. However, I've remarked to people that it was surprisingly traumatic. The level of pain was quite something, for quite an extended time.
Thanks, lookup, I'm gonna go with this diagnosis, LOL! I was thinking it was spirochetes and I'd have to start up the battle again, but I don't feel ready to do that yet. So this makes some sense.
I will try the nettle tea water, that sounds nice. Today I mixed aloe gel with some drops of rosemary oil and mint and slathered that on. That felt reaaally nice and soothing.
thanks for all the help! I now have a plan, yay! And I don't think it's permanent, I do feel it will recover.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
aha! thank you, amazing.
Posted by lookup (Member # 44574) on :
Hair falling out episodes are never fun and I am glad you don't think it is permanent.
One time, our daughter was losing so much hair it was like tumbleweeds rolling around here and there in the house. The only thing she was doing different was using ProActive for her face. At least you can rule out that it is not your shampoo.
In homeopathy there is the "never been well since" scenario and if this is the case then it is in order to take the remedy one would have used at
the time of the accident. This remedy would be Arnica Montana. It helps lift the trauma that was inflicted, and that possibly could have embedded, in the person's vital force.
Good luck!
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
interesting, I'll look into that remedy. Not familiar with that concept.
At the time I got two liniments from my herbalist--comfrey (aka knitbone) and a Chinese one for soft tissues, such as used by Kung Fu masters, LOL. I also used topical magnesium for pain with some success.
The bone healed nicely but I still have residual pain, despite rehab work and stretching. My herbalist wonders if it could be an opportunistic Lyme thing in there? The PT guy will look at it again in a few weeks, he thinks it may get better over time esp with more strengthening.
So spirochetes could be at play here.
Posted by lookup (Member # 44574) on :
Spirochetes could be at play. They do love those weakened areas.
The difference between a homeopathic and a herbal is that the way that a homeopathic is made (succussing between each dilution) makes it energetic and one of the things that the homeopathic Arnica can do is go in and remove a cell memory of a trauma.
Posted by me (Member # 45475) on :
So sorry you are dealing with this. I went through a bad phase a few years ago and hair was everywhere. I hated washing my hair bc my hands would be full of strands and it would freak me out.
Have you had all hormones checked? Pituitary function? Do any of your meds have that side effect? Sometimes I find tons of patient reports about side effects that aren't listed on the drug label side effects by doing a Google search.
I will pray for you.
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
thanks me, oddly I'm not really taking much in the way of meds now. Thyroid, gabapentin if needed. On a break from things while working on methylation. Many supportive supplements for this, but I don't think any of these would cause this problem.
Yes, most hormones have been a little low, like many Lyme patients but not dramatically so any more. For some time for example I was taking adh (desmopressin) hormone for bladder and other problems but since getting on the methylation program I was able to phase that out. It's good to keep these hormones in mind and get them rechecked from time to time, which I do. At the moment they may be steady...?
I think the most likely explanations for the hair loss are the lyme or the effects of the shoulder injury, or both. It's been great to get so much thoughtful input from people about this!
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
Also, me, what do you think improved your hair loss issue of a few years ago?
Posted by me (Member # 45475) on :
My hormones were off--that's the main reason. I'm sure there were other factors, too. I just don't know what they were.
Google gabapentin/neurontin hair loss. A lot comes up. I'm not saying that's the cause, just something to consider. I take gabapentin and haven't had this problem, but we know how some of us get side effects that others don't.
Some bladder meds can also cause hair loss, and it can last for a bit even after you stop the meds.
Basically, all my doctors told me there are a multitude of reasons for hair loss, not to worry, and it would most likely stop. But when it started, my thyroid and prolactin were off.
I was freaked out bc I kept losing hair even after my hormones were in check. I think it just took time for my body to readjust to hormones, but honestly, who knows?
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
I'm glad you got it resolved, but it is frustrating not to know causes. Doctors saying 'not to worry'--yeah, right, easy for them to say. I think my doc must get shoulder issues from so much shrugging.
Posted by me (Member # 45475) on :
That made me giggle--the shoulder pain for shrugging shoulders comment.
I know, doctors kept telling me not to worry bc my hair would stop falling out-but that did zero to comfort me. It was very distressing, and I'm sorry you're going through this.
My thyroid dose got upped about a month ago and I've noticed a bit more hair falling out than usual, but not like it used to. I think my body is just adjusting? Who knows (I shrugged my shoulders on that one)! Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
Check your iron/ ferritin status.
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
Good point. I wouldn't suspect anemia necessarily (post-men., last blood work okay) but you never know...next blood work coming up fairly soon. Thanks!
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
I do have low iron ...hmmm
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Book: Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It
By Dr. David Brownstein -
Posted by garnet10 (Member # 48181) on :
I have had intermittent scalp soreness with subsequent hair fall-out (telogen effluvium--there are little bulbs at the ends of the hairs) for years.
I have been on thyroid supplementation, iron stores are good, have taken iodine and biotin daily, and take bio-identical hormones--none of which seem to affect this problem which happens randomly.
My LLMD suggested this may be related to the Lyme, or else it is some other auto-immune issue. I'm hoping as I progress in my Lyme treatment that this will eventually resolve.
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