Hair loss - ThinnerTimes

Rainsunbow · 01-26-2005, 11:11 AM

I am being treated for hairloss, (I haven't had my surgery yet). Every 3 weeks I get 25 injections of watered down steroids in my scalp. I'm 30 and although most women's hair starts to thin at this age, my was coming on really fast. I am almost back to normal, and I have been told the treatments can stop for two years, and then I will have do another series. My biggest fear is that when I have my surgery I'll lose my hair, but not like others, I'm afraid it will never grow back. Oddly enough, I don't really mind being heavy, I like my body, I'm doing the surgery for health reasons, but, don't take away my hair, I can handle it for about a year, but, if it doesn't grow back, I will have serious issues. I have a few questions for y'all.

#1. After surgery did you loose your hair? How much? Was it really noticeable?

#2 When after your surgery did you loose it? When did it start growing back? Do you eat all the recomended protein?

#3.Have you experienced hair loss that did not grow back? What was your situation before your surgery, full head of hair, or were you already loosing it?

#4. What is the deal with steriods? I know that I have heard they create problems with the surgery, what kind of problems and why? Should I be ok if I stop getting shots?

Thanks
Leigh

tracyarps · 01-26-2005, 12:02 PM

Ok. To answer your question. About three months out I started loosing my hair by the handfulls. No one really noticed it except me because I had thick hair to begin with. Not everyone has this problem though.
I try to get in the proper amount of protein, but it's not an everyday thing. I take vitamins religously to make up for it.
Steroids, I can't help there, but someone else can I am sure.
Hope this helps.

Tracy

watergirl · 01-26-2005, 12:56 PM

My answers are in blue.

#1. After surgery did you loose your hair? Yes How much? by the fingers full, not handfuls. Was it really noticeable? Yes, you can see my scalp

#2 When after your surgery did you loose it? For me, it was around 3 months out. When did it start growing back? It hasn't yet. Do you eat all the recomended protein? I try my hardest. For the most part, I think I do.

#3.Have you experienced hair loss that did not grow back? Not there yet. What was your situation before your surgery, full head of hair, or were you already loosing it? I have always had very thin, very fine hair. For me, it's hereditary. But not at this rate!

#4. What is the deal with steriods? All I know about steriods is don't take them unless you really need to. I know that I have heard they create problems with the surgery, what kind of problems and why? I don't know. Should I be ok if I stop getting shots? I don't know. I'd ask your doctor.

JohnsWife4Life · 01-26-2005, 02:39 PM

I started thinning at the small oval crown on top in 1996, my daughter noticed it first, but everyone told her she was nuts. I had a head full of hair, or so I thought, and it was always very long and fine and beautiful, I had hair to die for. I was in the Registered Nursing Program at the time, I had just started the last semester and it was totally stressful, but at the same time I started having high blood pressure and the classic sign of Lupus, the butterfly rash across my nose and face, neck sometimes. I really noticed it myself when I graduated from the RN program, and my picture was in the paper, there it was as big as life, small oval about the size of a quarter. I tried rogaine for a few weeks but used too much and grew hair on my face. EWWWWWE! I remember one time when I was 19 years old having a major hair thinning during a break up with my fiance over religious preferences of our parents. So I was losing hair before surgery, I guess by the fingerful, then about three months post op I lost massive hair. I will probably cut it soon, but I did have a perm for my second honeymoon, and a cut in layers, so it does look better, but you can see my back through my hair. I would say too much more loss and you might say the strands were laying single across my back. LOL! Not funny. However with the perm, if I let it dry before I put it up I can fake the most part. I have been looking at wigs, long before surgery, just looking for when the time comes, it is about here. I do believe the loss has slowed down considerably about the last month or so. I notice I only have to clean my brush twice instead of three or four. IT WILL CLOG YOUR DRAIN!

I am not an expert on steroids, but I know a little. Steroids are an anti inflammatory, like asthma pts may take a steroid to keep the edema in the breathing tubes clear. Ibuprofen is a non steroidal anti inflammatory, it takes a pain away but also helps reduce the inflammation. When you take a good amount of steroids, it does something to your immune system, your body is so used to the "anti inflammatory" that your body cannot muster up the gumption to take care of a new and accute inflammation. I am sure there are more considerations, but this one can get you a jump start.

Hair? It won't matter when you are dead right?

There are many beautiful wigs on the market today, in every style of your immagination.

I chose life over hair. Well, no I didn't even consider the hair loss, I wanted to save the life of my childrens mother. The Lord used Dr. Callery to do just that.

Hang in there, you have plenty of time to think of your other options, this process takes a long time, and by the time you get there, you will be ready, either to go for it or to preserve your hair. You may not lose your hair, but I wouldn't make a bet on that.

On another note, YAHOO! I gained two pounds! I don't want to gain anymore, but I feel good knowing I am not going to starve to death. The ability to gain weight again is a scary thing. The HONEYMOON is over, I got back last night. I have been looking forward to being able to use my pouch as a tool. I just hope I use it right. I have this thing about me, and as long as i can over lap my fingers, not nails, around my wrist, and two around my legs, I feel I am safe.

I have been able to enjoy or at least not gag on some old favorites of mine. Bacon was an all time favorite for me. I lost 40 pounds on the atkins eating bacon and filet mignon. Those just made me gag for many months, but I found I can tolerate a little bacon again. Burritos used to be a favorite, and I waited long past our three months to eat soft flour tortillas, but just never tasted good. I had one last night, okay i had about 3 or 4 bites of one, it was good, not great as days gone by, but palatable at least. Palatable is what is going to keep us alive I suppose for the rest of our lives, I think its a great trade off. 116 pounds for a LIFE!

Hugs,

Traci

Blueyz · 01-26-2005, 08:00 PM

At 3 months I started losing by the handfuls. At 6 months, it started to slow down and it is very thin. It is starting to get better though. If I had no hair, it sure is better than having fat on my body. I will take thin any day.

Don't worry, everyone loses their hair.

Rainsunbow · 01-27-2005, 06:21 AM

Thank you for all of your comments! For me though i would much rather be fat and have hair, this is something i really need to consider before surgery. i don't really want to comit a life time of wigs or trying to find new ways to cover up my bald spots. i have already been through this and it messed me up so bad I didn't even want to live. i would rather be fat and happy. I'm thinking about trying to cut back my protein before surgery and seeing if I lose hair. This doesn't mean that I'm not going to have the surgery, I just need to talk to some people who's hair did grow back, no offense, but so far with your comments, I just lost hope. I will post in a different forum and see if others come forward and say the opposite.

Thank you, i welcome any other comments too
Leigh

brattygirl · 09-06-2006, 10:10 PM

Leigh,
I am 3 years post op. At 6 months I lost half my volume and it remained that way for 3 months. It started coming back slowly. It never came to my full head of hair...which I never really had in the first place...and my age, well, it would have started thinning anyway. I have found without a doubt that nowadays my hairloss is directly related to my protein shake intake. It doesn't matter how much protein we get in foods! No one really knows how much of that we actually absorb. The only protein we can really count is the grams we get from predigested protein in our shakes. If I get in 70 grams of protein shake per day my hair will stay the same...if less...less hair. I eat a very protein rich diet also, take 2 multis a day, 2 lecithin, 2 calcium, iron and extra C. I exercise at least 3 times per week. My bloodwork is fantastic at 3 years out....with no signs of any ill effects of surgery. there is no 'fix' for the hair loss....just BALANCE!! Eat healthy, act healthy. My best to you!
A woman's hair is her crown of glory...shakes, girl!...and balance!

Cinerbelle · 09-07-2006, 06:10 AM

Hey Brattygirl,

Not sure if you realized it, but Leigh's post was from January of 05. I am hoping that her hair loss has stopped by now!!

Rainsunbow · 02-08-2007, 07:02 PM

I just joined back after almost two years. I had the surgery, lost a bunch of hair, and it grew back even fuller than before surgery. My hair is great! I have lost about 150lbs. I joined back to talk about pregnancy. When I joined it automatically sent me a link to my past posts, and I saw someone replied to this just a few months ago. I decided to give a quick update.

rainrain · 02-08-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainsunbow

I just joined back after almost two years. I had the surgery, lost a bunch of hair, and it grew back even fuller than before surgery. My hair is great! I have lost about 150lbs. I joined back to talk about pregnancy. When I joined it automatically sent me a link to my past posts, and I saw someone replied to this just a few months ago. I decided to give a quick update.

Glad to hear your doing well!!!!

My hair is really coming back great, full and curly kind of 80's in a big way!!!

Congrats on the little one!!