Losing my hair at 25, I don't believe my diagnosis is correct!!!

[Anonymous]

I am having diffuse hair loss, it started in the middle and now is all over. It begun about 3-4 years ago, very slowly, during this time my childhood friend was murdered. I suffered from extreme anxiety, gained weight (8 stone to 10 stone pretty quickly). The hair loss comes and goes at different times of the month.

It's accompanied with itching, hair breakage, I have excess hair on my chin, hands, stomach- get the picture? I have lost weight, still have excessive hair loss. I have been cleared of PCOS, I'm not on any BC never have been.

Dermatologist said I am suffering from androgentic alopecia because my hair follicules have shrunk. No one on either side of my family suffer hair loss.. She looked at my hair for 1-2 minutes then recommended rogaine for men even though I'm trying to have a baby.

What do you guys recommend or think or her diagnosis?

[abundantlyrich]

Your adrenal glands are burnt out. I know people take herbal tablets for that. I wouldn't recommend it if you grew up with the westernised conditioning of healing through pills and seeing the doc regularly. You need to stop worrying but no point for me tell you now because you have emotionally built up this tornado for four years, it has taken a toll on your body and seep through your subconsciousness. I would only say you should be spend more time with people who are loving and caring that would ease by reducing anxiety and replacing it with feelings of more hope and optimism.

[abundantlyrich]

But you need to acknowledge the root cause of your anxiety first.

[Asker]

The people around me are positive and loving. I have always had anxiety, I have always been dubious of western medicine hence why I don't or haven't been taking any..

[Asker]

I agree, it's mainly now my hair loss

[abundantlyrich]

Do you always have to be anxious?

[Asker]

Not at all, only when I notice how much hair I have lost. It's at certain times during the month which leads me to believe it's hormone related

[abundantlyrich]

Yes you are hormonally imbalanced due to stress. Nothing can fix it unless you claim responsibility for your feelings that has caused this. You let your emotions get carried away and overtook your well being.

[abundantlyrich]

Helps to talk to a therapist to release those feelings but i don't know what you've been doing to deal with stress.

[Asker]

I think it's this and an endocrine problem which can also cause anxiety so it's a cycle

[Asker]

I workout 6 days a week. I only get anxiety and stressed once I see how much hair I have lost or that is coming out

[abundantlyrich]

Bad diets also causes hair loss too

[Asker]

I eat loads of fruit and fresh vegetables, I get enough protein, iron etc..

[abundantlyrich]

Then It's your inability to process your neg emotions and key go.

[abundantlyrich]

Let go

[Asker]

As well as my endocrinology issue

[AngeVashes]

Don't use rogaine it sucks, the doctor is most likely right you are looking hair from stress as well. In my opinion I started losing my hair since I was 15.. For a women it is obviously different but I notice women don't lose nearly the same amount. Look up caboki and you'll get by just fine. There will be a market solution for hairless without implants required in 5 years. Feel free to look up some research studies about it :)

[Asker]

My hair was thick and curly before, now it's thin and lifeless, there are gaps everywhere and bald patches it's getting more and more noticeable. In 5 years at this rate it will be too late. I just think my doctor is lazy. I haven't started using rogaine because I didn't like the idea that minoxidil isn't recommended when trying for a baby. It is like all my options have run out and I don't know what to do. What is the reason for your hair loss? Mine is apparently hereditary but no one in my family has a bald head or thin hair. My dad is even 60 with a think full head of hair.

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

I think you need see a Endocrinologist cause something is not right here
that dermatologist has not given you a clear diagnosis. There is a illness
where women get hair on different parts of their body and it sure is far more
than female pattern baldness. You need checked for "Cushings Disease"

www.nlm.nih.gov/.../000348.htm

[Asker]

Her diagnosis doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it's fpb but something else is causing this to happen considering my other issues. Her 5 second observation was way too quick. I will ask to have my cortisol levels checked. I know I have a high prolactin level I'm not sure if that's connected in anyway and I also have slightly raised androgen levels

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Get checked to see if you have a Pituitary Tumor
high prolactin is means to get Endocrinologist
1.) Test Lh Fsh ( Hormone)
2.) 24 hour Cortisol Urine
3.) Cortisol lab
4.) Estrogen levels

[Asker]

I have tested 1/4 of what you listed and they are perfect. The other two, I'm not sure if I have ever had my cortisol level checked

[Asker]

They ignored my high prolactin and said it will be fine

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

You wanna get checked for Cushings Disease cause
excess hair on your hands, chin , stomach sounds like
another thing going on besides androgentic alopecia

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

What else can cause elevated prolactin levels?

There are a few conditions other than prolactinomas that may
be associated with hyperprolactinemia. As prolactin is regulated
by dopamine, medications that interfere with this substance in the
brain can cause elevated prolactin levels. Drugs prescribed for
psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders may raise prolactin levels
to greater than 200 ng/ ml. Other drugs that can cause mild elevations
of prolactin levels include estrogens and verapamil, a drug used to treat
high blood pressure.

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

An underactive thyroid or inadequate thyroid hormone
replacement can also raise prolactin levels, as can kidney
disease, pregnancy, stress, and chest trauma.

Causes of Hyperprolactinemia

Prolactinomas
Medications (phenothiazines, metoclopramide, risperidone,
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, estrogens, verapamil)
Stress
Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism
Kidney disease
Chest trauma

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Most patients with medication-induced hyperprolactinemia
will have prolactin levels between 25 and 100 ng/ml (rarely up to 250 ng/ml).
If an elevated prolactin level is due to a medication, the level will usually
return to normal 3-4 days after the drug is stopped. It is not possible to
determine the cause of an elevated prolactin from the blood level alone.
Even if you have a high prolactin level caused by a medication, do not stop
any of your medications without first consulting your doctor.

[Asker]

My prolactin is about 530 or something like this

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

I hope you can find out what's going on
i just feel something else could be going on:)

[Asker]

Me too, I appreciate your help and insight. Thanks so much

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

You're very welcome i hope you can come to
some conclusion of what's going on :-) xoxo

[Asker]

Me too, it's so devastating. Early happy new year to you x x x

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Thank You:-)
Happy News Year Aww!!!

[Anonymous]

My mumma's going through hair loss. You need educated people for a second diagnosis, not GaGs "google it, then copy and paste" people. Even if someone here had a similar issue, the cause could still be different. What you need, is a "trichologist"!

[Asker]

My dermatologist sent me away with a leaflet and advice to use rogaine. She said I should use nizoral even tho I told her it irritates my scalp. I will ask for a second opinion and I'm sorry about your mum.

Google is confusing, it doesn't give much information in terms or narrowing down my symptoms and pinpointing a cause, that's why I visited my doctor.

[Opinion Owner]

So you're on the NHS? they are useless. I had really bad acne when I was in my early teens and the "no hope service" were not inclined to sort it out. They just prescribed weak antibiotics and creams that did nothing. I went to a private Harley Street place to see one highly recommended dermatologist and he sorted me out. I got his name from a friend's mother who used to write for Tatler! lol. It'd probably be worth seeing Philip Kingsley. You get what you pay for with these things!

[Asker]

Thanks for the recommendation. This is true, the NHS are very lazy and uncaring with these things. The dermatologist seemed desperate to get rid of me. Printing me a leaflet and telling me to take rogaine pissed me off massively

[Opinion Owner]

lol, they love "take paracetamol and come back in two weeks". If it won't kill you, they don't care... even if it will kill you they fail miserably sometimes. I'm sure they save lives, but they are under immense strain like all public services so they have to prioritize, it sucks! If you want a problem like this sorted, private is the only way to go, I've got BUPA because it covers me for proper medical treatment.

[Asker]

This is something I'm considering. I have been considering the belgravia centre? Thing is they are heavily based on minoxidil which I can't take if I'm trying to conceive. I will try different avenues anyhow and see how I get on. I appreciate your help and banter of course lol

[Opinion Owner]

I see adverts for them on the tube! No worries, all the best and merry belated xmas! lol

[Asker]

Haha me too, I will give them a try, I will update because you might be able to let your mum know if I have any success. Happy belated Christmas to you too or happy Boxing Day

[Opinion Owner]

Cheers, it's funny being all British amongst all these yanks lol. Have a good one!

[Asker]

I agree, best wishes 😊 lol

[Error_204]

I'd get a second opinion. It's too clean. It doesn't explain the hair growth in other place just the hair loss in the hair. That doesn't mean she's wrong as it is possible to have a disorder caused or triggered by stressors so she could be right and it could have been latent but the larger cause or the trigger has no explanation.

Meanwhile these Fruit Loops taste delicious and I am not a doctor.

[Asker]

Well androgentic alopecia is hereditary so female pattern baldness.. It's caused by DHT hormone.. I will get a second opinion and enjoy your loops dude

[Error_204]

Thus why I brought up triggers; not all hereditary traits appear in all generations however they may indeed show up and disappear throughout the lives of those with the traits that are latent. For instance people who lose their hair when overstressed.

[Asker]

I agree that's why I'm questioning her diagnosis. I don't want to begin taking certain medication if it's unnecessary

[Error_204]

Did you alert her you are trying to become pregnant?

[Asker]

Yes I did

[Error_204]

Interesting... I wonder why she didn't address that alongside the medication, though I don't know what she offered and perhaps she did but I'm old and not a doctor so let's end htis conversation because fuck me and all that shit.

2nd opinion. Good luck.

[Asker]

She offered me rogaine for men which contains minoxidil which can't be taken whilst trying to conceive or whilst pregs. She said I should continue using nizoral which causes irritation she said I should still use it. Thanks for your help

[ThisAndThat]

Could be a lot of things. Get your thyroid tested and you may also want to get tested for lupus.

[Asker]

I have had my thyroid tested and everything is fine. Not lupus tho.. I don't have any symptoms of lupus but hair loss. I have slightly high androgen levels but apparently nothing too serious. By my hairiness and loss beg to differ

[ThisAndThat]

When was the last time you had your thyroid tested or how long has it been?

[Asker]

A few months and on various occasions

[ThisAndThat]

Some times it takes years to catch thyroid disease and the same holds true for lupus.

[Asker]

I have had my thyroid tested about 6 times over the past four years or so

[ThisAndThat]

Do you have mold in your house?

[Asker]

I actually noticed today that I do. Black mound on the basement windows and other places where there isn't enough ventilation in these areas.. Why?

[ThisAndThat]

I'm not saying that it is but that could be your problem. Is the mold your your walls?

[Asker]

I'm not sure about in the walls but it's on the wood which encase the windows

[ThisAndThat]

That can definitely make your hair come out and cause a lot of other health issues. You need to get that out of your house.

[Asker]

I will look into it, I do have some allergy at the moment which I'm not sure what it is but might be the mould. Thanks for bringing this to my attention

[ThisAndThat]

You're welcome. Mold can travel throughout your house just by opening doors and especially through air vents. Is there a lot of mold there?

[Asker]

I would say a moderate amount. I notice some in my bedroom today around the window area, I'm not sure where else, I need to investigate properly. Then eradicate it once and for all.

[ThisAndThat]

Be careful around it. You shouldn't touch it without gloves and you probably want to wear a respirator when cleaning it up. There is a few things that will kill mold such as spraying it with straight vinegar is one of them and chlorine is another but DO NOT mix any Clorox or chlorine with other chemicals and don't mix chlorine with vinegar because the mixture of the two would create a gas and it would poison you.

[Asker]

Thanks for telling me this, I actually didn't know any of this I really appreciate it

[ThisAndThat]

You're much welcome!