posted
I need some help with some hair loss- maybe some ladies can help me.
My hair is very brittle, dry & falling out. I am loosing & thinning out very bad around the front of my head. What is the cause of this?
Does anyone know what I can do about this? No matter how many hair vitamins and conditioning I do it still looks like crap. It's getting so bad people are asking me if I am ok because it is so obivious.
Is this hormones or something else? I have hypothyroidism and never experienced issues like this, I had thyroid a thyroid condition long before lyme hit me ( I am currently 24 )
Any help would be so much appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance Heather
Posts: 74 | From Florida | Registered: May 2006
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posted
My hair falls out in clumps when I wash it, but I'm not noticeably thin yet. Sorry to hear it's so serious for you.
Consider supplementing your B vitamins and adding a good E. Those have a big effect on skin and hair.
I'll be watching this thread for any other tips for stopping the hairy carpet problem!
-------------------- Getting older is when we would rather not have a good time than have to get over it. - Oscar Wilde Posts: 386 | From Radnor, PA - where the ticks run free | Registered: May 2006
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
My hunch is that it could be thyroid.
Like you, I already had thyroid disease before Lyme. My thyroid was completely stable with medication for ten years. Then I got Lyme and it's been a constant battle of changing doses of thyroid replacement - I'll be OK for a few weeks, then go hypothyroid again.
I know with Lyme it often affects T3 as well as T4, it's important to look at all the thyroid tests. My endocrinologist doesn't get it - I had to get a list of thyroid tests from my LLMD to give to my internist to run.
Lyme competes for the same thyroid receptor sites, causing even more thyroid problems than usual.
Plus some of the medications we can take can mess up our hormones.
Have you become more chemically sensitive with Lyme? You might want to try fragrance-free or other gentle shampoos.
Take care, Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi Jill
Make sure to drink lots of water or tea--
Toxins can build up in your body and make hair and make it crispy -- It did on me --Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
Sometimes a good progesterone cream can balance out thyroid hormones. Works for my daughter.
posted
Kelmo, you mentioned progesterone cream. I remember reading somewhere that the progesterone 'feeds' the Bb, but I can't remember where I read that. Anyone know the reference?
The coconut oil seemed great for me, until the lyme. I am still struggling with low body temps, but one of the good things I'm doing for myself is drinking this fulvic mineral complex that helps the body not only detox, but also utilize your nutrition better. They have an article that discusses thyroid issues that you might find interesting.
-------------------- When I lost my grip on Faith in the maze of illness, Hope gently clasped my hand and led on.
RuthRuth Posts: 478 | From California | Registered: Jan 2007
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
That's wierd...I haven't heard that. I would think estrogen would be an antagonist.
posted
Hi Heather, I had/have lots of hair loss due to the lyme (or side effects I suppose). My first and biggest symptom at lyme diagnosis was severe itching on arms and legs.
Then it moved to my head and other places and my hair started falling out. Do you have itchy, burning, prickly skin or peripheral neuropathy (even if it is not on your head)?
That's what they call my "situation". I wonder if I do a google I'll find a connection between sensory fiber peripheral neuropathy and hair loss?
I'm pretty sure it is growing back in, though, and that is what I wanted to tell you. I now have an unusual number of short hairs that I see when I run my hair through my fingers.
So, I'm just saying that even if you can't stop it from falling out, there is hope that it will grow back in as you get better.
Best of luck, Allie
Posts: 300 | From Northeast | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
Ok, I can't seem to recall where I read about the progesterone, so forget I even mentioned it. After further reading (I got my lyme books!) it has been observed that the estrogen strong parts of the cycle for us women may be a problem due to a drop in the immune function. May we not stumble too often as we peer through the haze!
-------------------- When I lost my grip on Faith in the maze of illness, Hope gently clasped my hand and led on.
RuthRuth Posts: 478 | From California | Registered: Jan 2007
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clairenotes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10392
posted
I like the progesterone idea, too. But I have also heard thyroid imbalances can cause this problem. You can test for these.
I really noticed a change for the better in the quality of my hair when I started doing foot detox baths (foot detox pads are another option).
Sea salt has a lot of nice minerals and might have a softening quality, too. I take a 1/2 tsp more or less per day. But... I was deficient to begin with. If you are not deficient, it might cause more dryness.
I was also wondering if you were drinking enough water?
Claire
[ 11. February 2007, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: clairenotes ]
Posts: 1111 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Thanks again guys . . .I am trying different things but really not much has helped.
I tried the mayo thing to leave in my hair and it made me stink for days . . .. I couldn't get the smell out. LOL! I was going to try the cold pressed flax seed oil but I am having problems finding it.
PS_ I am currently doing detox pads from SCOTT'S website but can't afford a foot bath - they are like $1000.
I do have progesterone cream so the question should be should I use it or not?
Thanks so much! Heather
Posts: 74 | From Florida | Registered: May 2006
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clairenotes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10392
posted
Some chiropractors and other health practitioners offer foot detox baths as part of their services. I think it is around $30 per session. That is how I was introduced to them. Still, it is a little expensive and may not be the most practical option.
Posts: 1111 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2006
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
I too need to agree with Jill and the others that say it's possible it's still thyroid related.
I was put on thyroid med about three years before my lyme diagnosis and thought that was the cause of all my "ailments". My dose kept having to be raised and raised until finally we found a common ground and all seemed fine.
I've been diagnosed just a little over three momths and my PCP ran regular routine blood work with thyroid tossed in and she said I needed to raise my dose yet again.
When I talked to my LLMD about that, he said this is extremely common with lyme and that your thyroid will bounce all over the place until that aspect of the lyme is treated.
My LLMD said that in a high percentage of lyme cases, they will be able to get off the thyroid meds with treatment but yes, if you look at symptoms even on the web pages for high and low thyroid....you will see the brittle hair and hair loss for hypothyroidism, so I would suggest getting a current reading.
Just my two cents. In any case, keep us posted and let us know how this unfolds.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
This began happening to me in Nov. 06. It coincides with the time I stopped using commercial hair dyes and began to use natural dyes. (go figure) It may be an allergic reaction to the dye.
My doctor has ruled out thyroid with a blood test. (2 test) He kept suspecting it, but can't prove it.
Lyme has given me Rheum. Arthritis. In researching hair loss, I found out Lupus can cause this. Lupus and RA are in the same family. I do occassionally get red pimply bumps in my scalp that are itchy and once, after exposure to sun, had a rash on the face similar to the Lupus butterfly rash.
I'm on low dose minocycline. When the first scalp outbreak occurred, I had changed 2 things about my regime. I had increased the mino from 100mg to 150mg and I had (at the advice of my doctor) added Vit D3 to my supplements. Mino can induce Lupus.
Of course, I stopped the D3 and backed off the mino. Still, seems my hair has stopped growing. I'm not losing unusual amounts of hair, I'm just not growing any either. I would estimate I have lost 1/2 my hair and it is heavy loss in the front but also an all over loss.
Luckily, I had ridiculously thick hair to begin with, so at this point, my loss is not real noticible to anyone except friends and family who know what my hair normally looks like.
I am meeting with the rheumie on the 28th and I will have to have the dreaded "Lupus" discussion with him. I am praying this will be ruled out.
I also was on DHEA and had increased the dose at doctor's suggestion weeks prior to the loss. I have since stopped the DHEA and do think maybe things are improving. Hard to tell at this point.
It is so much fun being a chronically ill person, right?
Luvs
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Do you take birth control pills? The front of my hair fell out when I started hormone replacement for menopause, that's when I knew for sure my thyroid wasn't working right. It was from the estrogen.
Has your doctor done t4, t3, and free t3 levels in addition to TSH? Do you have thyroid antibodies? You may not be taking the right dose of thyroid medicine. Or there may me a better medicine for you.
Lyme can throw everything off and complicates everything. But even people without Lyme can have a hard time treating thyroid problems.
There's a lot of information at About.com's thyroid pages. Unfortunately, their Lyme page isn't so good.
Posts: 353 | From Florida boonies | Registered: Nov 2005
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