Does your hair grow back??

[butafli]

Hi All,
I have a BIG problem at the moment which is making me very very sad and scared. I had a small bowel resection 8 weeks ago and have recently started taking Azathioprine, now 100mg. I took this drug back in 2006/7 for a while also but do not remember having the same side effects as now. I am losing soooo much of my hair. It is coming out in handfuls when I wash it, which I am only now doing once or twice a week. It is also all round the house, in the car and I'm having to vacuum all the time. I am wondering if it is the Azathioprine, or the surgery, or having been so low in iron around my surgery time. Or is it a combination?? My big question is, does the hair loss stop and does it grow back?? Being female, I'm far more concerned. My husband shaves his head anyway so I don't think he gets how scary this is for me.
Does any one else out there have similar experiences or some kind of reassurance?? Eeeeek.

 

[Tesscorm]

As I don't have Crohn's (son does) I dont have any experience with surgery or azathioprine, however, i was losing more hair than normal a while back and doctor found that I was quite low in iron. Started taking iron supplements and evening primrose oil (also read that this is healthy for hair, etc.) and found a noticable difference (within a few weeks started to notice less and less hair falling out). However, I also believe stress can be a big factor - since my son was recently diagnosed, am finding that my hair is thinning again (although with all that's been going on i have also been forgetting to take my iron and evening primrose).

 

[Jennifer]

Have your iron level tested and see if its still low and see what can be done about it. I've been low on iron before but didn't have the hair issue and I didn't have that issue after my resection either but you should mention it to your doctor and ask them what could be causing it. There's no doubt in my mind that if you fix the cause your hair will grow back no problem.

 

[Joleen23]

Im taking Aza and im on Iron tablets too (im quite aneamic) My hair is falling out so much and it's pretty scary. I know people think im being vain and with my crohns feeling so much better i feel like an idiot letting it upset me so much but being a girl my hair is kinda important I thought it was gettting better but just had a shower and my hair was falling out in clumps again. Just got rid of my pred moon face , now im losing my hair, thanks crohns lol

 

[Absentminded]

When I was on azathioprine quite a lot of my hair fell out. Unfortunately for me that's pretty much all it did and didn't make my crohn's any better.
To reassure you though, in my case, my hair grew back when I stopped taking it, and no longer falls out in clumps.

 

[kossy]

I was on Azathioprine for about 13 years. I've been off for about 6-7 years now. Now if I can contribute it to Aza I really can't say. Having crohn's makes people mineral and vitamin deficient. That factor along can cause hair lose. And you can't forget about the stress factor. That will make you lose your hair too. Not just mental stress but pyshical stress your body is going through dealing with Crohn's.
My hair started to thin when I was about 13 and it really hasn't stopped even after I've stopped Aza. For me, it's not a big deal. Being a male I am just gracefully execpting it. But I do understand those that want their hair back. I don't feel any one is vain at all for wanting it. For me it's my teeth that I am "vain" about. After all we've been through, the changes in your bodies, mind, and everything else, it's nice just to have something that makes us.. even for a tiny bit.. feel or look normal so to speak. I don't think it's that to much to want.

 

[butafli]

Hair Loss

So Ive been doing a wee bit of research on the hair loss "issue" after major surgery. And I have found that it is very normal to lose a lot of hair around 2-3 months post surgery. And the good news is that it is temporary and within 12 months (sounds like a lifetime) it should be growing normally again. So I'm going to put my "issue" into a box for the time being and hope like hell it stops falling out and grows back. If not, well then......... I don't know. Not thinking about it yet. Can't change it.

 

[LOSTnut]

Not sure what exactly causes the hair loss: surgery in general, aza, asacol or crohn's in general but my hair dresser told me a couple of weeks back to take Biotin. I did and last week when I went to the hair dresser again she said my hair has improved and I noticed that I am losing a lot less. Actually, none anymore washing and only small (regular?) amounts when combing and styling. It also stopped my finger nails from splitting.
I have read that it doesn't help everyone but so far it helped me.

 

[butafli]

Hi just purchased some biotin last week. Have been taking since and haven't noticed any change yet but could be a bit early. What level of biotin are you taking? How many MCG?

 

[LOSTnut]

I got 5000 mcg, which converts (according to the label) to 5mg of Biotin. I took one daily. Good luck!

 

[butafli]

Thats good to know thanks. I was only taking 1000mcg so I will up that to 5mg. Do you take it all at once in the morning?

 

[LOSTnut]

Yes, it is one pill.

Hope it will work for you too and slow down the loss.

 

[butafli]

Sorry to be a pain with all the questions, but what is the brand you take? I can't seem to find any higher dose in one pill than 1000mcg. It's a Solgar brand.

 

[LOSTnut]

That's alright, I am glad to help.

I actually found them at Walmart, the brand is Spring Valley and it is called "Super Potency Biotin 5000 mcg"

 

[Dekar]

Yea i lost a ton of hair a month or so after my surgery

 

[Spooky]

Hi! My husband had the same surgery right around the same time you did and he has had no hair loss, so I am thinking it must be the meds. What is that medication for?

 

[KaLa]

I am having the same side effects from mesalamine (used for my UC). I stopped taking it about two months ago, as my flare had subsided, and my hair has been coming out like crazy ever since. It's all over - the shower, my car, my clothes - UGH!!! I didn't have any surgery, so it's definitely the meds for me. This happened to me about 10 years ago - same meds. They work great to stop the bleeding from my UC, but they certainly do not agree with my hair. Last time my hair all came back - same as it was before. I am crossing my fingers that the same will happen this time. It seems like it is taking forever and it is definitely noticeably thinning. I would, however choose being healthy over having nice hair. I hope that your hair starts to come back soon!