Question....

Hair Loss

Hi Debra,

I am sorry to read this. Is it coming out as fast as it did when you got treatment, or in a similar way?

-j

Hair

Do you have hypothyroidism?  Do you have other symtoms of it?:

• Fatigue and sluggishness
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Constipation
• Pale, dry skin
• A puffy face
• Brittle nails
• Hair loss
• Enlargement of the tongue
• Unexplained weight gain
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Muscle weakness
• Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
• Depression
• Memory lapses
• Missing the outside 2/3 of your eyebrows

I know many of us have autoimmune conditions.  I am wondering if this is Hashimoto's.  That would not show up on regular thyroid tests.

 

You might research

castor oil and rosemary essential oil- those are supposed to be helpful..... I hope someone has a good answer for you  (((HUGS)))

TeddyandBears_Mom said:

Sorry this is happening to

Sorry this is happening to you Debrajo. :-(

I am only one year out from chemo so I don't have long term knowledge. I will tell you that I continue to lose my lashes off and on. Not all at once but definitely gaps. This happens often....

I hope this resolves itself for you.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Eyelashes

Cindi, I've noticed this, too.  My lashes came back luxuriously thick after chemo ended, as did the hair on my head, but now, my lashes seem to do the same thing...  all of a sudden I'll notice they are extremely thin, then they get thicker, then thin again.  And my hair that grew in wavy has straightened out as well.

Editgrl said:

Eyelashes

Cindi, I've noticed this, too.  My lashes came back luxuriously thick after chemo ended, as did the hair on my head, but now, my lashes seem to do the same thing...  all of a sudden I'll notice they are extremely thin, then they get thicker, then thin again.  And my hair that grew in wavy has straightened out as well.

Thanks for letting me know

Thanks for letting me know that Chris! Always seems to be an adventure when I put mascara on.

I got my first hair cut a couple of days before Christmas. Pretty much lost all my curls with that cut.  And, I got it colored. Back to pre-chemo days. Makes me feel more like me again.

I hope everyone has a very special start to 2017.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

 

Hashimoto's

I am guessing you have Hashimoto's.  It is autoimmunity of the thyroid and it's very common among people who have had the chemo treatment we have.  The only definitive way to diagnose it is to run a TPO (thyroid antibody) test.  Many conventional doctors don't recognize this test and may not run it, since they don't understand what it is showing.  Most doctors would treat Hashimoto's the same way that they treat any other hypothyroidism, but there is much more to it because it is an autoimmune disease and you have to do certain things to keep your body from continuting to attack the gland.  An excellent reference is the book "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms If My Lab Tests Are Normal?" by Dr. Datis Kharrazian.  

Temporary Alternative

Although, I didn't have to undergo chemotherapy, my hair did thin immensely three months after surgery. Sally's Beauty Supply sells hair extensions that clip in with small, flat barrettes. I have to wear them now and hoping my hair will someday be thick again. In the meantime, it is a quick, easy fix and makes me feel better about myself. They sell them in a package that would cover about four layers. However, you'd be surprised with how much hair is added with just clipping in one row/layer (two extensions). It is amazing!  It's real hair, which can be cut and colored.

As far as supplements, I have always taken Biotin, which seems to help with my nails. Therefore, I'm assuming it also helps with my hair - when nothing else interferes (medications, physical imbalance, trauma, etc.).

My mom has expereicned this problem (occasional bald spots).  She sees a dermatologist who injects cortisone in the bald spots, which in turn causes the hair to grow back. Unfortunately, I do not know what it is called or the medical diagnosis. She explained it as her immune system attacking itself.  If your tests come back okay for your thyroid and you would like me to inquire more about my mother's condition, I will be happy to do so.

Keep that positive, fun, loving personality that radiates through your words and posts.

HUGS!!!

Losing hair

I agree with some of the other women on here who say it could be your thyroid.  An overdose of your synthroid can also cause this.  I had a co-worker who had something called alopecia areata, and you might want to google this term and see what the comments are about that.  One website I found said that it's more likely in people who already have one autoimmune disease (and yours would be thyroid disease).  That site also said it can happen because of allergies.  It said that people who have alopecia areata tend to have divots or roughness in their fingernails.  I know that the older we get, the thinner our hair gets.  A lot of mine fell out at menopause, and a lot more fell out around the time I probably came down with cancer.  Then I lost it all with chemo.  I've read that the older we get, the wider our parts in our hair get, and that'swhat's happening to me now. We find ourselves in a lot of (not so) hairy situations, ha, ha!