hair falling out

[gymcoach10]

Hello! I had a problem a couple of years ago (before I was diagnosed) when I was in the sun a lot, and got sick- my hair fell out quite a bit. I have since been diagnosed, and am on an array of medicines: Plaquenil, Arava, Pletal, Arthrotec, Norflex, Lasix. I have had quite a bit of stress lately, and think I am probably getting ready to flare, but I noticed that I am losing handfuls of hair again. Do any of you lose your hair as a part of a flare. I almost wonder if it is not associated with the medicine. Guess it does not really matter why, but does anyone know how to help this stop? I have had a lot of symptoms that I generally have right before I have a full blown event- dizzy, vertigo, trouble talking (cant find the appropriate word..), skin crawling and aching, and low an behold, my malar rash appeard this morning. To top it all off, I have to have my gallbladder removed, and am to talk to the surgeon tomorrow. I am so very exhausted as well!

Any advice on the hair thing would be greatly appreciated! I used to have a very thick beautiful head of hair- not so anymore.

Pam

[peonyprincess]

Pam

First sorry to hear that you are having difficulties. I hope things improve for you!!

As for the flare and hair connection (ooh, look, I am a poet a nd didn't know it!), I do not know if the two are connected, but it wouild make one wonder. I too am currently in a flare and yes, I am also getting handfuls of hair. I haven't had this problem for some time, but as the song states....Here we go again!

My whole day lately would be quite amusing if you could sit and watch. I attempt to get out of bed. Sometimes it takes a few minutes, other times it takes a few hours. ARHGH!! Then you get that "uneasy" feeling, you know, like you might fall over or something, words escape me, which is hard to imagine (:lol: ), and yes that wonderful butterfly rash. Do you know that I was out shopping one day and I actually had a lady come up to me and told me that she felt my blush was a bit heavy?????? It takes all kinds.

Advise....hmmmm.... maybe we should just stay in bed, hire a man servant to wait on us hand and foot and watch tv all day and just relax. Okay, I know, not gonna happen. Good thought though. Anyway, I do not know any "rememdies" for the hair, I wish I did. When I flare and the hair (there I go again) starts to fal out, I try to wash it everyother day and use conditioners and air dry...you know pamper the hair. I also do not curl or attempt to style it, just let it go....natural. I figure that I am already losing some, no need to help it out.

Hope things settle down


Nancy

[pnutts]

Pam,
My experience is that any time I'm under a lot of stress my hair will start falling out a lot. I've never noticed it until I started having lupus symptoms 8 years ago. I too had thick hair ,now not so much.
I'm not always in a flair at the time so they don't seem to be connected for me.
Hopefully it will slow down for you soon.

[Linda_L]

Hi PAm
My hair fell out about 3 months after being very ill. The doctor said the same thing can happen when you are pregnant and basically the normal cycles of the body, including hair loss and growth, get thrown out of synch and you loose a lot at once. Mine started to grow back 3 months later. Probably not the same thing as the hair loss that people can get due to lupus but never the less a bit upsetting! Get a good hairdresser! Mine was great. She tried to cut it so it didn't look bad, she always told me it was okay and she warned all the junior staff who washed my hair not to say anything when handfuls ended up in the sink! I found going to the hairdressers really helped! I was close to the point of having it cropped if it had got worse and was planning how to make the most of really bright make-up and jewellrey to detract from the fact that I was going bald! I think the worse thing was the feeling that I wasn't in control of it and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. Hope yours settles down soon.

[MILLMILL81]

:rotfl: Hello

My hair fall out everytimes am in flare or med can cause your hair to fall off.

mill:rotfl:

[JLmuir]

Pam,

I noticed you said you're taking Arava (leflunomide). When I was taking it, my hair became so thin -- and I'd never had problems before with hair loss. It is one of the side effects of Arava -- not to say that just having lupus couldn't cause it, i.e., stress/loss.

My hair dresser recommended a product called Nioxin for me. It's a shampoo and conditioner and it helped a lot. It's a little expensive for shampoo, but it was worth it. You can get it at salons and beauty supply places. I don't know where you live -- if you're in the UK, maybe you can't get it?

I did notice that when my hair grew back (when I stopped the Arava), it came in totally different. I now have very curly hair, where before it was rather straight. Go figure!

One has to remember that Arava is a chemotherapy drug -- you'll have some of the same side effects as any chemotherapy. Hair loss is one of the primary ones.

Good luck -- I hope you can find the Nioxin. It really makes a big difference.

-- JLmuir

[millykitty]

Hi,
I just wanted to add to the above post. I agree Nioxin is great but expensive I have used peppermint soap (the hand made kind) and it worked comparably not as great but good. Also I like the bar shampoos for when my hair is falling out too. Seems like they suds less so you do not have to spend a long time rinsing and ending up with enough hair to make a wig when you are done. I tell my husband I am going to start saving my lumps of hair that fall out to make my own wigs:lol: They are making pretty stylish hair accessories that come with hair attaches a have a few ponytail holders and hair bands that look decent and blend with my hair I recommend them as a cheap cosmetic solution. I hope you don't end up flaring
erin

[slimhobo]

Well, hair it goes.....
My hair was falling out before my diagnosis, during my flare, and yes, still falling out! Clumps! my poor vaccuum bar is bound with all my hair that falls on the floor! An elephantbird could weave a nest!:rotfl:
I am not really in a flare per say, right now, but Im sure my meds are to blame right now. Methotrexate 15mg weekly, 18mg Prednisone, Colchicine, Protonix. I also take iron, folic acid.
I have lost over 1/2 of my hair, have tried Nioxin...does it work????not sure....
But, I am very thankful for the remaining hair I have! - and not thankful for the extra hair on my upper lip, thanks to the prednisone!
How can you loose so much hair on your head, and still grow hair in places it shouldnt be? Answer that!:lol: :lol:
Kim