My hair

[Cindy]

Even though I read your posts every single day I dont post as much because I read them on my phone and typing is not as easy as it used to be (at least not for me)

My symptoms are still the same lately I been having more and more dryness on my eyes I really hope is just a transitory moment and I go back to my normal.

The symptom that really worries me is my hair. I been taking supplements that my doc prescribed me and still keeps falling like crazy, Im scared Im going to be bald really soon.
Is there anything else I can take to help my hair?

I lost a dear friend this past Tuesday, she was my age (28) very healthy and happy, she just didn't wake up. I was feeling down lately but after the loss of my friend Im thinking positively. I cant spend my life worrying about the future and not enjoying the present because I just dont know if Im going to have a future. We are still in shock, the first thing my mom and sister told me was "Enjoy what you have now because we just dont know what tomorrow will bring" We dont know when our turn will be so why spend the present worrying about all the what ifs. From now on I will enjoy my kids and not think about the future. (Remind me I said this when Im feeling down)

By the way I think Im flaring again my body is aching really bad...... I hope I feel better soon.

Cindy

[Piebird]

Hugs for you Cindy

With all the crap we have to deal with it is good to have things in perspective.

[slccom]

Oh, Cindy, I  can't imagine having your dear friend just not wake up one day, at such a young age! What a huge hole that leaves in your heart.

Your mother is a wise woman. Enjoy your children; the days can be long, but the years are short!

Hugs, Sharon

[artistangie]

you have a lot of your plate right now... I am sorry.

[Jellyb]

Hi Cindy,
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend.  I lost a very dear friend of mine suddenly, three months ago and my heart is broken. I know times of saddness and stress are particularly hard on our fragile bodies. I am sending you a hug

[mshistory]

Oh my, I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. 

I completely sympathize about hair loss. Mine started in earnest about two years ago, and I fought it for over a year and a half. I have tried the vitamins, biotin, even tried spironolactone for a while but it made me even drier, used Rogaine for a year and a half... and the whole time, it kept getting worse. One day last week, I got out of the shower and realized I could see more scalp than hair and thought - this is ridiculous. Why am I wasting so much time and energy to try to salvage this pathetic hair that's not going to come back. So... I went online, and bought a few wigs.

One of them has arrived, and it will take some getting used to because I'm just not used to seeing myself with a normal amount of hair. My hair is SO thin. But I have stopped using Rogaine, stopped worrying about how many hairs are falling off my head, and am now wondering more about how to style this new wig. 

A year ago, this would have been devestating to me, but I'm actually ok with it now. I'm just tired of obsessing about it, and ready to move on, and after the past year, I've realized if I FEEL halfway ok, my hair should be the least of my concerns 

I'm only 33, so not much older than you, and it is a little overwhelming to think - wigs?? already? for the rest of my life?? - but for me, anyway, it's a much better alternative than worrying about every hair that falls off my head (which is A LOT). If you decide eventually decide to go this route, www.wigsupport.com is an amazing support group that has been so helpful to me.

If you have thin areas, you can try using Toppik Hair Fibers - it really does make an amazing difference in the appearance of your hair.

[lolo1979]

Cindy,
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend, and also sorry that you are going through a rough spot yourself as well. 

Hair thinning and loss is a common problem with these autoimmune diseases, unfortunately. And if the disease itself doesn't make your hair thin, then the medicine you take FOR the disease probably will.

Have you been to a dermatologist? That should be your first step, so he/she can try to identify the cause.  Perhaps they can give you a liquid steroid to rub into your scalp. That would help calm any inflammation that might be going on.

And mshistory had good advice - try your best not to worry about every hair that falls out.  It will just make things worse. 

Good luck!

[4Kids]

I am so sorry for your loss. That is really early to just not wake up  . It would just be such a shock.

As for the hair, I feel for you. I am known to have the hair everyone wants, but secretly half of it fell out. Lucky for me I have so much hair now I have the average amount of hair but as it was coming out I found out my iron was really low. Supplementing with palafer-c has really helped, and here is new growth coming. Also, I do take spirolactone which yes, is drying but it is helping my menstral problems as well as the hair. And my body shape too. Nice to not be a doughnut again.

Not sure what else to say. Sorry you are going through all this.

Jackie

[slccom]

Oprah has pictures of herself without makeup, and showing off her wig collection. If you have to go that route, embrace it! Be boldly blond one day, ravishingly red another, beautiful brown on the third.

Hugs, Sharon

[Skylar]

I lost a dear friend this past Tuesday, she was my age (28) very healthy and happy, she just didn't wake up. I was feeling down lately but after the loss of my friend Im thinking positively. I cant spend my life worrying about the future and not enjoying the present because I just dont know if Im going to have a future. We are still in shock, the first thing my mom and sister told me was "Enjoy what you have now because we just dont know what tomorrow will bring" We dont know when our turn will be so why spend the present worrying about all the what ifs. From now on I will enjoy my kids and not think about the future. (Remind me I said this when Im feeling down)

I'm so sorry for your loss of a dear friend. She was so young - so very sad. You will need some time to get over a loss like this - it's only natural to question your own future in light of this and use it to make positive changes.

As for hair - toppix type products work when you have a small loss. If the loss is larger, maybe wigs and/or toppers? Yes it's not the same as having your own beautiful hair but you'll be amazed at the choices out there. There are a lot of women who have either gone through or are going through hair loss now who have found happiness wearing wigs. I lost most of my hair in my early twenties, went for decades with people seeing my scalp from every angle, stuck with only a pixie hair cut because my hair kept breaking off - until I found wigs. OMG you wouldn't believe the compliments I get from total strangers who just don't believe I am wearing a wig. One of my biggest regrets is that I waited so long to try wearing wigs. I don't spend any time or money on my biohair any more, instead I plop on a wig in seconds and I'm ready to leave the house looking like I spent hours in the hair salon. You can try all kinds of solutions to get your hair to grow back - but don't let hair loss stop you from living - and if wearing wigs/toppers can help, don't be scared of them.

If you decide to go this route, please do as mshistory recommends - visit Wig Support. I find Galleryofwigs to be the cheapest source of wigs and the owner is extremely helpful and will match prices from other sites. I love to look at wigs at wigs.com and voguewigs because they have videos showing you what the wig looks like out of the box - sometimes the company's pictures are modified to look great on the model - and you get them at home and they look completely different (and sometimes they are much better). However both these places tend to be expensive and people complain about returns. Namebrandwigs is another reliable place to order wigs with a good reputation. I mention these sites so you can go online and see what's available. Some quality wig companies are Amore, Noriko, Rene of Paris, Esthetica, Raquel Welch, Gabor, Jon Renau, Louise Ferre etc. At Wig Support many of us have become wigaholics - we love to talk about our wigs.

[sjenny]

I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend - it is heart breaking.  Your mother's advice is very wise.

Have you seen the posts on this board for a new medication called Tofacitinib which is showing promising results in the treatment of hair loss from alopecia areata?

http://www.skinandallergynews.com/news/medical-dermatology/single-article/new-era-in-alopecia-areata-therapy-beckons/98c14e8ab4c042216fdad3afcbb3a959.html

If your hairloss is autoimmune, I wonder if you could similiarly benefit - I am hoping the results of more clinical trials for this drug will be even more promising.

In the meantime, have you been tested for Hashimoto's?  This can cause hairloss and dry eyes, iron deficiency.  Are you on Restasis for the dry eyes?  Doctors normally prescribe thyroid hormone for Hashi's but I subscribe to the advice of Dr. Datis Kharrazian for this condition and am having great results, although thinning hair was not one of my symptoms as it is for so many others.

http://thyroid.about.com/od/hypothyroidismhashimotos/a/Optimal-Treatment-Hypothyroidism-Datis-Kharrazian.htm

Hope this helps and may God comfort you with His peace which passes all understanding,
Sue