Hair Loss

[Mike]

About 4 years ago I started to lose significant amounts of hair in the shower. However it made no impact on the appearance of my hair and I have a ton of hair. About 3 months ago I noticed a thinning spot in the center of my hairline. I was under the impression that most thinning started at the crown or temples so I held out hope that maybe this was something different than male pattern baldness. While I was at the dermatologist for something else I had her check out my hair and she thought mentioned telogen effluvium (sp?). This is hair loss that can be triggered by medications or severe stress. After looking at my hairline and noticing some recession at my left temple and said that she thought it was the early stages of MPB.

Anyway, I am afraid this is MPB but since people in withdrawal do have reversible hair loss I thought I'd run it by you guys. I'd be interested to hear your experiences and what you've seen in other people in withdrawal. Also, your thoughts about Rogaine? It looks like it works it fairly well. There is one serious side effect complaint out of 178 reviews at Amazon and then of course there are several more at askapatient.com. Rogaine was initially a blood pressure med that was found to stimulate hair growth. It is used topically but I am sure some small amount is absorbed.

[Luc]

Hey, Mike. As far as hair loss goes, when I was put on SSRIs, I very soon started to experience the thinning of my hair, though the worst was only to come in WD - things were getting out of hand - my going bald in front and on top of my head became pretty visible. But then, about 4-5 months ago, something unbelievable happened - the hair began to re-grow, and to the point when now you can hardly tell the difference between "me from before the meds" and "me now". To be honest, if somebody told me it'd possible for the body to make such a U-turn, I'd never believe it, but these are undeniable facts.

As for Rogaine and other such stuff (topical) and the similar of Propecia (pills), I'd strongly recommend to *not* use them. I did some research on it in the past, and it very much turns out that after the initial improvement beginning somewhere around 3-4 months after starting taking Rogaine, into a year or more, there comes a stage when your body simply compensates, and you not only go back to square one, but you lose more of your hair than prior to this "treatment". Not to mention the fact that in the first couple of weeks after starting it, you lose loooots of hair (that's what even insert says). Also, the possible side-effects are numerous.

I've gotten to the point to not to trust anything that Big Pharma offers, or, if I really have to take something, I'd check all possible info there's about it. There's a good chance that it's all caused by stress, and that, at some point, it will all get reversed, once your body will have some better quality window. Truly, stress (of which I can't imagine worst than the WD one) wreaks havoc on the system - the hormonal balance is so out of whack, it's not even funny, so, as I said, if it gets in place a bit, the good things happen again. :)

[Mike]

Hey, Mike. As far as hair loss goes, when I was put on SSRIs, I very soon started to experience the thinning of my hair, though the worst was only to come in WD - things were getting out of hand - my going bald in front and on top of my head became pretty visible. But then, about 4-5 months ago, something unbelievable happened - the hair began to re-grow, and to the point when now you can hardly tell the difference between "me from before the meds" and "me now". To be honest, if somebody told me it'd possible for the body to make such a U-turn, I'd never believe it, but these are undeniable facts.

Amazing, Luc! Thanks for sharing. Did your pattern of hairloss look like MPB? Or did it fit the pattern of Telogen Effluvium? Link below... Or do you think your hair loss/regrowth was specific to withdrawal? Did your hair feel any different? The hair on top of my head feels dry and brittle, which I've never had before. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telogen_effluvium

As for Rogaine and other such stuff (topical) and the similar of Propecia (pills), I'd strongly recommend to *not* use them. I did some research on it in the past, and it very much turns out that after the initial improvement beginning somewhere around 3-4 months after starting taking Rogaine, into a year or more, there comes a stage when your body simply compensates, and you not only go back to square one, but you lose more of your hair than prior to this "treatment". Not to mention the fact that in the first couple of weeks after starting it, you lose loooots of hair (that's what even insert says). Also, the possible side-effects are numerous.

Just about every med I've ever taken has followed this pattern and you've succinctly articulated how I feel about the whole thing. The dermatologist said that I would keep 100% of my hair if I used Rogaine. I even pressed her on it and she didn't waver. Seems a little too good to be true. I am going to do some googling about long term effectiveness.

I've gotten to the point to not to trust anything that Big Pharma offers, or, if I really have to take something, I'd check all possible info there's about it. There's a good chance that it's all caused by stress, and that, at some point, it will all get reversed, once your body will have some better quality window. Truly, stress (of which I can't imagine worst than the WD one) wreaks havoc on the system - the hormonal balance is so out of whack, it's not even funny, so, as I said, if it gets in place a bit, the good things happen again. :)

The last time my thyroid was checked it was borderline low. My doctor said I was on my way to developing hypothyroidism but I would hate to medicate a withdrawal related fluctuation in my hormones. I think once you are on thyroid medication you are pretty much on it for life because your body downregulates thyroid hormone production in the presence of thyroid meds. Then again the dry/brittle hair has me worried that maybe I do have a legitimate thyroid issue. Would appreciate your input on this and all of the above. Thanks so much for your post it is helpful and has got me thinking... BTW, I am 48. My father and paternal grandfather had full heads of hair although my maternal grandfather did lose his hair. The genetics of hair loss comes from both sides... Thanks again, Luc.

[stan]

i have all my hair at 62, i do not notice something, but i have never watched at

[Luc]

Mike, I was losing hair heavily both on scalp and in front, but it was also accompanied by a generalised severe thinning of hair in basically all places on the head. It's gotten 95% better.

[Luc]

PS Also, what may also help you strengthen your hair and make it more puffy (it goes up in volume, so to say) is stinging nettle shampoo - I hope I translated it ok, and you have something similar in the U.S. Really worth trying.

[Mike]

Mike, I was losing hair heavily both on scalp and in front, but it was also accompanied by a generalised severe thinning of hair in basically all places on the head. It's gotten 95% better.

That's pretty much what I've got going on. Seems like what I am experiencing is genetic hair loss but you've given me a little hope that it could be something else. Thanks again.

[Luc]

Mike, you'll find this interesting. The recent time has been hellish from me (the dentist, the pain, and couple of others), and it didn't take time to show physiologically. My hair has thinned a bit (though nowhere near the point it used to be), and it's not just my, subjective opinion, but I asked for one from someone in my family. So, it proves to what unbelievable extent to which the stress and losing hair are inter-connected. Thus, in many cases, once the stressor disappears, the body rebuilds itself.

[Claudius]

I have always had awful thin hair without even the slightest natural beauty. I am still convinced that this has heavily attributed to the relentless bullying I had to endure since puberty... But I have not noticed any change during WD, maybe it has thinned a bit more since the last 10 years after starting Paxil but I probably cannot attribute it ti that. Strange enough I still have the most hair on the scalp which is a notorious place for male baldening.

[Luc]

Mike, you'll find this interesting. The recent time has been hellish from me (the dentist, the pain, and couple of others), and it didn't take time to show physiologically. My hair has thinned a bit (though nowhere near the point it used to be), and it's not just my, subjective opinion, but I asked for one from someone in my family. So, it proves to what unbelievable extent to which the stress and losing hair are inter-connected. Thus, in many cases, once the stressor disappears, the body rebuilds itself.

II don't want to repeat myself, but WD must be the most absurd thing there is. What I wrote in the above paragraph very much worsened in the last month or so. Not complaining, though. Just sharing this with you to show how unbelievably cyclical the entire experience is. But it will get better again. And the we will heal.

On a side note, hadn't I been through it myself, I'd have never believed this...