Hair Loss & Medication

[RichHomieTom]

Hello, I am a 19 year old male and recently my hair loss has really started to bother me. I've been on 6mp 75 & 100 mg for almost 2 1/2 years. I've always known my hair hasn't been the same since before I started medication but I saw an old picture of myself right before I started 6mp and I had a perfect amount of hair.

Basically what I am asking is what can I do for this? I haven't really had any problems on 6mp except having c-diff twice and being hospitalized because of intussusception. It has given me bad skin and obviously hair loss. Overall I have been healthy over the past 3 or so years.

Has anybody taken humira? Has it caused hair loss? Any other side effects? I'm debating asking my doctor if switching would benefit me.

 

[InkyStinky]

Hi! Hair loss stinks - pred always makes me lose tons of hair, but thankfully I haven't had that trouble with 6mp. Were you diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago, or have you been on other meds before starting the 6mp? What sort of skin troubles are you having?

Have you had labs recently for vit or mineral deficiencies? IBD folks are prone to deficiencies - Here's the forum wiki page: http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/Vitamin-and-Mineral-Deficiencies
If you search it for "hair" it will direct you to some specific things you might be deficient in.

6mp can cause hair loss and skin troubles: http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/Mercaptopurine , but I'd personally ask my GI to check vit & mineral labs first.

 

[theOcean]

I'm on 6mp (100mg) and take 2000mcg Biotin every day to prevent hair loss, which it's done perfectly so far.

Any of our Crohn's medications can potentially cause hair loss, but I think it's most common with Imuran/6mp and Prednisone. I'm on Humira and it didn't cause that for me, though. No side-effects from it at all, actually.

 

[RichHomieTom]

I'm on 6mp (100mg) and take 2000mcg Biotin every day to prevent hair loss, which it's done perfectly so far.

Any of our Crohn's medications can potentially cause hair loss, but I think it's most common with Imuran/6mp and Prednisone. I'm on Humira and it didn't cause that for me, though. No side-effects from it at all, actually.

Does biotin help grow lost hair back?

 

[theOcean]

It should. My hair's been growing like a weed since I started taking it. I have to go get it cut way more often now.

 

[RichHomieTom]

It should. My hair's been growing like a weed since I started taking it. I have to go get it cut way more often now.

Do you think I should contact my doctor before taking it or?

 

[theOcean]

I personally didn't... It's just vitamin B6. When I did mention it, it turned out my GI had never heard of using biotin, and I tried it anyway. Personally: it's been very successful for me. So it's up to you. I don't think there's really any downside.