Will my hair stop falling out ?

[Joleen23]

Hi all ,
Sorry for yet another hair post :sorry:
Basically i was taking Aza , which was stopped due to joint pains and i experienced hair loss with it. I was then started on 6mp , this made me quite sick (vomiting for a week solid) and my hair was falling out even more than before. I stopped the 6mp about 3 (maybe 4) weeks ago and am now on remicade which is going very well.
My problem is my hair is still falling out in quite large amounts.
It comes out by itself , without brushing. When i brush it it come out a lot, and when i wash it it comes out in lumps which is pretty scary :yfrown:
I am due to get married in 4 weeks and at the moment am really stressed because the way things are going im pretty sure im going to be a bald bride.
Me and my fiance have been planning our wedding for over a year now and to be honest it cost us a small fortune. I really hate the thought of my day being ruined due to the fact that i have zero confidance due to this.
Does anyone have any idea if the hair loss will start slowing down ? Does it just take time for these tablets to work there way outta your system ? I know i must seem so petty and vain since so many of you are in pain and im not at the moment but it's really getting me very down, i really would appreciate any advice.
Thanks

 

[lola99]

My doctor told me my hair loss was from having crohns. According to him the part of my bowel thats inflammed is the part that absorbs zinc. So he told me to take a zinc supplement. I haven't taken a supplement yet but my hair is still coming out alot. Not in clumps or anything. Before I flared up my hair wasn't coming out like this. I've since changed my meds so i don't know if its what im on now or the crohns like my doctor said. im on asacol/imuran/entocort.

 

[Joleen23]

Imuran and 6mp have hair loss as a side affect. I never really had hair loss befor taking them. My crohns is crohns Colitis so it's only in my large bowel , so maybe im not absorbing something either , im taking a supplement for hair loss and using nioxin hair products but there not really doing anything. My fiance thinks it may be my folic acid thats low (which it has been before) but im not taking that currently.

 

[LOSTnut]

For me a high dose of Biotin has worked extremely well to stop the hair loss. I take a daily pill of 5000 mcg Biotin and bought 120 pills for $7 at Walmarts.

I read here that for some it doesn't work but you might want to give it a try.

Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

 

[ThanksP]

I'm going thru the hair loss issue (again) due to 6MP. I have taken Biotin for over a year now thanks to another episode with hair loss due to Pred. It worked previously for me, so I'm holding out hope that it's helping curb some loss now. I was just reading that it takes a "few weeks" after stopping treatment to begin hair re-growth. So maybe any day now it'll stop for you (fingers crossed).

Just curious, do you ever notice a sore scalp since the hair loss started? I get this weird sensation, almost like the feeling of your scalp after having it up in a ponytail too long. It drives me crazy!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!

 

[Joleen23]

Hey Heike , yeah will get some biotin suppletments , willing to try anything. Spoke to my GI today (i think i drive him nuts lol) and he's looking into it for me

Hi Thanks P , seems like everyone is on this Biotin , will be getting some i think. I was thinking it may just be working its way outta my system , so it may slow down soon. Yeah i get a sore scalp after having my hair tied up , it when i let it down at the end of the day and it feels achey. Have to have my hair up for work (not allowed it down) so it's everyday

 

[ThanksP]

That's what bugs me. I don't keep my hair up, but it feels like that. Ugh, it's so annoying.

The Biotin takes awhile to show improvement but it really helped me last go round. And my nails have never looked so great! LOL

 

[KaLa]

Hi, Joleen. I went to my dermatologist about a month ago and he said that it can take 3-4 months for new hair growth to start after losing hair from meds. My hair has been falling out like crazy too because of medicine. He did a blood test for ferretin levels (available iron in your blood). You may want to have your iron checked and RBC/hemoglobin, etc... to see if you need iron supplements. Unfortunately, I am back on the same medicine again - great for my ulcerative colitis, crappy for my appearance. I feel like shaving my head and getting a wig some days. I miss my nice, thick hair. It is really sad to look in the mirror and see my scalp through the thinning hair. I hope now that you are off of the meds that your hair grows back quickly. It seems minor to some people, especially if they haven't experienced hair loss, but for women, I think that it's really traumatic. I hope that you have a beautiful wedding day!!!

 

[Carrie630]

I cut all my hair off when the hair loss started really getting to me. I take plaquenil and some of the hair started growing back after 8 or 9 months. I'm not sure how you feel about this, but you could look into getting a lace-front wig or a partial for your wedding day. I have a couple lace front wigs. If you get it put on by a beautician it should be invisible. lace front is nice because scalp shows through and the hairline isn't rigid.

 

[Joleen23]

Hey Guys , It's still coming out in clumps I know i've just gotta get on with it (maybe try a wig) Just really wanted my own hair for my wedding (Been planning it for 2 years) I've been using Nioxin Shampoo/conditioner/scalp treatment/flooical booster also biotin shampoo and conditioner. Im taking Iron Supplements but everytime my iron gets checked its always low. Maybe i just don't absorb it well , may ask about injections instead. I went to the hairdresser the other day and she said i have lots of new hair growing. So hopefully it may start slowing down soon

 

[Carrie630]

Joleen, if you have new hair growing in thats a good sign! My doctors both told me that the hair loss isn't usually permanent.

 

[Joleen23]

Yeah , i have like lots of baby hair growing in at the top, just been reading about iron defficiency and hair loss an it looks like its a major cause , then the fact that i've been of 6mp and aza - it's a lot really. Just gonna try not t get stressed as it can't be helping matters. Will Keep taking my iron tablets, also gonna try and improve my diet , don't really eat a lot of fresh foods (got into the habit of avoiding fruit/veg when i was flaring) maybe eat more steak (yum) and spinach - get some more iron naturally. Gotta start taking better care of myself, Thanks

 

[Carrie630]

mm yeah, I've been feeling so crappy that I haven't eaten a lot of protein recently. I think we both need to have some steak!

 

[sunflower]

I'm going thru the hair loss issue (again) due to 6MP. I have taken Biotin for over a year now thanks to another episode with hair loss due to Pred. It worked previously for me, so I'm holding out hope that it's helping curb some loss now. I was just reading that it takes a "few weeks" after stopping treatment to begin hair re-growth. So maybe any day now it'll stop for you (fingers crossed).

Just curious, do you ever notice a sore scalp since the hair loss started? I get this weird sensation, almost like the feeling of your scalp after having it up in a ponytail too long. It drives me crazy!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!

My hair has recently started falling out again, too. I am on Asacol and Humira and Cort enemas, so I wasn't sure if it was the meds, but since you say Crohn's causes it, that may be the deal. I notice the painful scalp, also, as I did the last time I had hair loss. I lost a LOT of hair last time. I changed shampoos to an anti-breakage shampoo and that helped - I thought. Maybe my flair lessened and it wasn't the shampoo at all. Well, I guess I am off to find some biotin today!!

 

[Mountaingem]

Hi Joleen, it's the low iron that's making your hair fall out-I have the same problem. It takes a while to get enough in your system with supplements-maybe your doctor would prescribe iron shots? They hurt like hell but it stops the hair loss.

On a cosmetic note, I notice your hair is long and straight in your pic, maybe one length? If you go to a salon and explain your problem, they can give you a layered cut that can disguise some of the hair loss. That's why I wear my hair this way, because the curls and layers hide a bald patch in the back of my head the size of a base ball.

Don't let it ruin your wedding Sweetie-start by going to a salon, telling them your problem, and they can experiment with styles and wigs/hair pieces if need be. Be sure to bring your veil, they can use it to disguise it as well. You'll be beautiful, and remember to have fun and enjoy it!

 

[Joleen23]

Thanks Jeannette,
I've got a free trial for my wedding hair next week. They gave me 3 free trials -think the lady is feelin a bit sorry for me - she has crohns too but had surgery and is doin well (crazy how many people have it) I have some real hair clip in extensions and am having my hair half up with a bit of a bouffant at the top, I've always wanted curly hair my hair is so straight naturally , can curl it but it falls out within the hour For the wedding have a veil and tiara so it prob will be hidden. I just really want it to be a perfect day after the year we have both had (my partner will deffo mean the 'in sickness and in health' part anyways lol) Thanks for the suggestions and support guys

 

[Carrie630]

It's great to hear you have a few trials ahead of you; I'm sure you'll find a style you love You mention a bouffant on top, depending on how big, you can get these hair insert kind of things you bobby-pin to your head and then cover with hair. They have them for beehive hairdos, but also smaller. It makes it look like you have more hair and height without teasing the heck out of everything.

 

[Joleen23]

Oooo i'll get googling it now , sounds like a plan Just washed my hair again with my nioxin (4 stage treatment) and maybe it's just me , but looks like less has come out already (been using it for about a week) Shame it cost about £50 lol

 

[Mountaingem]

They're called Bumpits-here's a link-best wishes to you!
http://www.bighappiehair.com/

 

[Carrie630]

Jeannette, those aren't what I was talking about, but they look like they may even work better!

The ones I meant are usually made out of hair. You pin them in and you can either cover it entirely or arrange your hair around it depending on the style you're going for.

 

[sunflower]

I am glad the others know what to do. I glossed over that part of your question, not because I don't care, but because I don't know what to do. I have the thin straight hair that never curls, so I just hid mine with my veil. LOL!! Hair has never been my favorite subject because I can't do much with mine. The layers will help, though! That is what they did with mine when it fell out. It is nice you have a hair stylist that understands. There are a crazy number of people out there with Crohn's!

 

[Joleen23]

Spoke to a friend today and she has some bumpits so she's gonna lend me them to have a go. I've calmed down a bit now, been planninng this day too long so im not going to ruin it for myself by worrying Yeah sunflower its crazy how many people have crohns. I have a friend who i work with and she was diagnosed 2 weeks after me , my hairdresser and also 2 guys my fiance does motocross with have it too. Also know a girl with UC , didn't know any of this till i was diagnosed and these people then told me.