Hair falling out? :(
 

I'm 42 and I've had CRPS for just over two years. It's spread and I've now got it in my whole left side.

I've always had shoulder length thick brown hair, and of course when your hair is long you notice the natural hair loss more when you wash it. I used to lose a regular amount when I washed my hair and brushed it out afterwards, but not much in between washes.

But over the last few months I've been losing a lot more of it. A LOT more. I've been emptying my hairbrush of handfuls of hair when I brush it, and when I washed it this morning there was masses in the bottom of the bath, it was quite shocking. My hair is feeling thinner too, I notice how much easier it is to brush now because there isn't so much of it.

I know it's natural to lose a bit more in the warm weather, but this isn't that, it's quite scary.

Any advice or thoughts? Is this CRPS-related or just a weirdness? :rolleyes:

Bram.

Are you on any meds because some meds can cause this issue?

I'm taking Lyrica, but only 50mg twice a day, nothing else.

Do you know of anything like a mineral supplement that I can try?

Thanks,

Bram.

42 is about the time many males lose their hair. Look at your older male relatives on both sides of your family to get an idea what is in store for your cranium. :D Also there are meds that will effect your hair loss. Google Lyrica to see if hair loss is an issue.

I was given a statin to lower my colesterol. About 2 months into taking them I went to the barber for a haircut. She noticed large bald spots on the back of my head under the hairline. I freaked and looked closer at my mustache which was thinning, I started looking like Adolf Hitler, then noticed most of my leg hair fell out. I googled statins and sure enough losing hair is a side effect amongst many others. My doctor confirmed it while rolling his eyes and stating "Unfortunately you just happen to be one of those who are sensitive to statins. I stopped taking them and the hair grew back. Why? Colesterol is part of the makeup of hair. Remove colesterol from hair it then dies. I now take Nyacin and fish oil pills instead.

Hi Bram,

A weird side effect of Lyrica can be hairloss.

http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/lyrica/hair+loss

That a link that talks about studies specific to Lyrica and hair loss. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that on top of everything else. How frustrating!

Have you had your thyroid checked recently?

I just this week found out that my blood tests show signs of thyroid disease and my investigations showed that it causes hair loss to the point of balding. I have also noticed alot of people with CRPS have thyroud issues. Both also thought to be auto-immune issues. Its worth checking out. I havent had the hair loss but unfortunatly a little hair gain on my neck :( but apparently it treatable and you just need to add an extra tablet to the pile we already have to take.

It might be worth checking out. Its much easier to treat than CRPS! Good luck.

Sarah

:D my husband has chronic male pattern baldness (bless him) but my whole family have always had a good head of hair right to the end, so it's very unlikely to be a genetic thing...

It's just so much worse for us girls I think (sorry chaps) - at least a man can shave his head and it's perfectly acceptable these days. I like my hair, and I'm a bit freaked out seeing handfuls coming out every time I do anything to it! I don't want to go and have a sensible middle-aged lady type of haircut either :p

I can't stop the Lyrica if it is that, it's the one thing keeping me sane and easing the worst of the burning pain. I'm only taking 50mg morning and night, but if I stop taking it, I am miserable. I'll read up on it though, thanks songbird :)

Thanks you lovely crowd for always being there in a crisis, big or small...

Bram :grouphug:

Hi Bram!

Sorry you are dealing with this on top of all else. I have short hair and lose quite a bit every day. You would think it would be my husbands hair all over the bathroom floor and shower, but no, it is mine!

I know mine is not medication related. What I don't know is whether it is RSD related or a result of vitamin deficiencies (very low on D, B12 & potassium).

Nanc
:hug:

Brambledog, I apologize, for some reason I thought you were a male. :D

:D:wink::D:wink::eek::D:winky:

I got that impression! No offence taken Jim, my name could be taken either way...:)

Bram.

Do you think it is worth me taking a multi-vitamin? I've never done it, but I don't want to take a blood test to check my levels....

Thanks for posting, relieved it's not just me!

Bram.

If you don't want to have a blood test to check your levels, then I would add a multivitamin. It couldn't hurt. I have to get my levels checked fairly often because they are waaaay too low. In fact, I am going tomorrow to get it done :(

All the best,
Nanc
:hug:

I'll give it a go Nanc :)

biotin
 

You could try taking the vitamin biotin. I'm not sure if it would help if its a medication related issue making your hair fall out but its supposed to help you hair skin and nails. I've always had very thin hair and noticed a difference after a few months of taking it ( my hair felt thicker n started growing out easier)

Liz

I went through a patch where I was losing a LOT of hair. Every time I took a bath I had huge handfuls of hairs come out. It was terrible. This was during a period when things were spreading and getting worse. As I started to get better and life in general seemed to get back on track...the hair loss stopped. Everyone said it was just stress...and I can say for sure that both mentally and physically I was EXTREMELY stressed with the spread, increase in pain, work comp issues, and complete inability to stand or walk at all.

Hi Bram
 

Do you have any other auto immune problems besides CRPS? Also is the hair coming out in round patches or all over? I ask you this because I have an auto immune condition called alopecia universalis. I have had it since I was 29 years old. I know how it presents, and what it looks like to start with. I hope this is only due to some medication, and not some more serious issue. Stress can also thin hair out, hormones too. T & B Lymphocytes is how the DX for alopecia is discovered.
I will keep you in my thoughts. It is devastating to lose ones hair, it is an emotional ordeal I wouldn't wish on anyone. All my best wishes to you Bram. ginnie Did you have a recent virus?:hug::grouphug:

Thanks Catra. That makes some sense - I am in the midst of more spread at the moment as it spreads through my left arm and back, and I'm also having problems with my right hand at times. Pain levels in my feet are back up this last couple of weeks with all this unsettled weather, so yes I probably am pretty stressed! :rolleyes:

Bram.

Thanks Ginnie :) Yes, I am a coeliac - another auto-immune merry-go-round :rolleyes: As far as I can tell, it is a general thinning out of the hair all over my head, not in one patch. At the moment I'm very thankful that I started out with thick hair, if it had been thin I would lucky to have a few wisps left... After I've washed my hair I always clean out the drain-sieve thingy, and I just couldn't get my head around how much of it there was today. Add to that everything I cleared from my brush downstairs afterwards. Sobering stuff.

I'm going to overhaul my diet and exercise, and try to do some meditation again. I've got out of the habit lately... Think I'll brush my hair a bit less as well :winky:

Bram.

Hi Bram
 

I don't think you have alopecia. When you get that, you start with little round naked patches on your head, then you connect the dots. Lousy auto immune thing, I look right now like a baby bird. Not so pretty. Get into that good spot where you aren't stressed and I bet it will stop. ginnie:hug::D

Thanks :)

I am sooooo visualising you as a baby bird :D That must be hard to deal with, is yours alopecia and will it improve? I hope so :hug:

Bram.

Hi Bram
 

Alopecia is awful mentally. I had hair down to my waist. Caught a virus that put me in the ER. While there my body tingled, and so did every hair on my head. My hair fell out in clumps, to where my bed had to be vacumned. I went to some 20 doctors to find out what was wrong. It took Mayo clinic to make the DX. I became bald in under six weeks. Mayo got me into a trial study, as my health went south at the same time. I took a form of chemo for almost 9 years at columbia university med. center. Only three places at that time in the country would even try. The T @ B lymphocytes that normally attack colds, flu, virus, are all out fighting, but they forget who they are fighting and attack me as a foreign object. In the ball park of lupus, in which I am carefully watched.

In florida. You cannot wear a wig. The synthetics literally melt on your head, and are so hot it makes you sick. So I wear my version of a biker look, called a doo rag. I make them out of old t shirts, to match my outfits.
Yeh I look like a baby bird, trying to get feathers but not doing so good at it. I do get my hair back now and then, but the same hair loss happens over and over again, all my life. The times I do get it back, I love to feel the wind in my hair on the beach. I revel in each day I get to keep it. I look normal, and I am not shunned.

In stores for example, I am followed, as I wear this biker type hat on my head. I am assumed to be a criminal over my looks. Men shun me too, as they are visual, and do not select women, even if they are OK in looks, just over the hair issue.
My housemate..., I had hair in Feb. of this year when I met him. First thing I did was tell him this would happen. It did, and he is very accepting, and non judging.. However, I have to hide my head to feel comfortable, and lose my privacy to go "Uncovered" This is one of 5 auto immune conditions I have.
So that's the story on this particular condition. I would not wish it on my worst enemy for what it does to you emotionally.

I hope your hair comes back naturally, and that it is just stress. This is the first time I actually talked about this condition here on NT. ginnie

Ginnie, you are one brave woman and you should be very proud of yourself :) That is a horrible condition to live with for so long. It's stupid how much emphasis is put on women's looks - it's like any disability, you become that disability is so many people's eyes and lose your own identity.

I've seen quite a few people with doo-rags, and always thought they looked quite cool and stylish. A friend of mine had cancer a while ago and she wore them whenever she went out as she too hated the bitty hair look.

People with such shallow opinions should be ignored, but I know it's not that easy in reality :rolleyes:

My hair still looks ok so I'm very lucky, I just know I've lost a lot of it recently. It's so much thinner that I have to put an extra twist on my hairbands if I tie it back, and on my parting my scalp is much more obvious. White scalp....mmm...

I have my fingers crossed. For you too Ginnie. Thanks for sharing your story, that took a lot of guts :hug:

Bram.

My doc but me on 5000mcg of Biotin its over the counter vitamin for hair skin and nails and it has helped greatly.
Hope this helps
Chris

That's brilliant Chris, thank you :)

I'll go and read up on it...

Bram.