Hi

Just a quick question - is it normal for your hair to fall out with RSD?

i have been losing clumps from my scalp for years and never really worried about it - I have red hair which is very thick, so losing bits is no major issue (apart from when it looks like I'm moulting!!)... BUT I appear to have lost it from my arms and legs;...........completely!!!!!! is this normal? I can't find reference to it anywhere - I know there's a change in hair etc but I'm not sure why my limbs would wait 5 years and then all the hair would drop off??

any thoughts appreciated!!

Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Im pretty sure it has something to do with it, as my legs are completely hairless!

My doctor told me it happens in the later stages of RSD.

The skin should have a shine to it also

I also had hairy arms and legs prior to RSD. The first thing I noticed was that the hair on my legs was thinning out. After about a year, as spread began, the hair on my arms started to do the same.

At this point my legs are almost totally hairless and they have that shiny look. My forearms still have some hair but not close to what it was before.

i've never felt that i made a major contribution to this group or to the old forum, but u can, by golly, count on me for reminders that not everything that's wrong can be blamed on rsd!

while it's very common for hair growth to be affected by rsd...let's not forget that hair loss is also a fairly common side effect of some of the meds used to treat this.

it's also a symptom of thyroid deficiency and probaly other medical conditions as well....so blame it on rsd (which is probably the cause) but check the side effects of your meds and mention it to your doc.

okay, my job is done for this week!

And to add to that - it could also be a result of high stress levels caused by RSD.

I find that I lose more hair when my pain is especially bad and/or other parts of my life cause stress - exams, etc.

Ack I am new to this rsd stuff but just looked at my arms and legs and where did the hair go?

I am freaked out now

thanks everyone!!!!

Allen --> I had lost hair before, but at this rate I am going to a totally bald person!!! lol...... yeh, my skin is shiny and scaly (Especially around my fingers) my feet are tight as well. I get lots of skin breakdown because my skin is quite thin and it takes FOREVER to heal!!!!!

Thanks Kejbrew - I don't know if we have met before? but thanks! I hadn't really noticed it, cos I guess I don't look at my limbs that much! it just seems so bizzare to me! (actually thinking about it, i suppose it's oxygen starvation or something!)...

Liz - you make a great addition to the group - and if anyone says you aren't I will personally bite them for you!!! (ok - well... I'll dribble on them... can't eat but never mind). You always add thoughtful things and come up with new angles on ideas that others haven't - don't knock yourself down!!! I might make the effort to go and see the GP - I just don't tend to because he doesn't understand RSD and generally either thinks i am being an idiot or is scared I'll ask him something medical and he won't be able to answer me or help... may store it for the consultant who I'm seeing in a fortnight.

BB - could be stress!! have so much work to hand in, got a phone call today from mum saying she is camping in the Sahara so if I don't hear from her don't worry (I didn't even know she was going to the Sahara and I was home a couple of days ago!)....and pain does make everything worse and so much harder - wouldn't be suprised if I'm grey!!!!!

Thanks guys!!

Love ya

Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Remember this drug?

The one they made toothpaste, and other products from on the old forum

Well Topamax can cause hair loss fer sure, one of the reasons I stopped taking it. Besides not able to relieve the bladder efficiently.

My skin is all thin and dry also. The doc told me classic RSD.

OMG! Allen, really? I shed like CRAZY! We joke that we have to vacuum the bathroom tile before we can mop it cuz of my shedding hair. From my head. My legs, though. I WISH they were hairless cuz I hate shaving. My SO says they're hairier than his right now. LOL! Hey, what can I say? My hands are in HUGE cramp mode right now cuz of this STUPID cold.

And about the bladder issues - can you tell me what you mean by "not being able to relieve the bladder efficiently?" I will sit there and KNOW I have to go....but it just won't come. Is this what you mean? And people wonder why I am in the bathroom all the time. It's cuz I know I have to relieve myself, but it just doesn't happen.

I just posted about another issue with hair. I hadn't seen this post.

I saw on a show last week that we lose about 100 hairs a day. So this might tell you what's going on. I also lose a lot of hair everyday when I do my hair.

My hair is very thick. I just went last night and got it trimmed and thinned and the girls were talking about how thick my hair is. When Bill and I got married they couldn't get it to stay up on my head in a bun so I had to leave it down. It's still that thick.

I think some meds can cause it also. Bill had been on some meds that caused him to lose more then normal.

Ada