Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: jaycee on May 08, 2019, 10:01:28 AM
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Hello, not been here for a while, but i m suffering sudden hair loss, no idea why,i was shocked when i looked at my hair a couple of months ago, looking in a mirror at the beck of my hair,i have 3 almost bald patches
Wondering if anyone else has found their hair has suddenly gone like this,
I can understand that it has probably been happening more gradually than it seems, but i just have not noticed any hair in the plughole or when coming it
It has thinned a bit since menopause, but nothing as drastic and seemingly sudden
I have had a thyroid test, as this seemed to coincide with weight gain and tiredness. but it came back normal
I am taking livial, [Tibilone] for the last 18 monthsor maybe longer,i did wonder if they were the reason, but i would have thought it would have shown up before now
Would a different HRT make any difference, i am so self conscious about it now
Any help or advice greatly appreciated
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Are you under any stress at the moment. That can cause hair loss.
Other than that maybe you are low on some nutrients.
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Jaycee. Sorry to hear this. Have you had your b12 and vit d levels checked? Xx
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Thank you for your replies, yes i had thyroid test done 2 weeks ago, been taking vit D but a new Dr i saw then has stopped it, she told me to go and buy it, but i dont think i can buy that strength, i am very annoyed about it, as my own Dr gave it to me for a reason,
I am supposed to have high iron as i have Haemochromatosis, but sometimes my iron drops too low as they insist i need venesections, a pint of blood at a time taken, but i have been refusing as when my iron drops i feel terrible and it drops a lot at once
I was tested for B12 apparently,
RE; the livial, i did wonder about that as it is kind of testosterone based, but i have been on it for the second time for about 2 years so if it was that i would have expected the hair loss before now
I had quite a lot of stress for the last 2 years, so could be connected i guess, but this has happened in the last 4-5 months
I am going back to the Drs next week, again not my own as he is off ill, but this Dr i know,the other was a locum or trainee,who i took an instant dislike to as she wanted to take me off others and i said i wanted to see my own Dr when he was back, as i dont think a Dr who doesnt know my history should just decide i dont need this or that
MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER DID HAVE VERY THIN HAIR AT THE CROWN, BUT THEY WERE A LOT YOUNGER THAN I AM NOW, AND I THINK IF HRT HAD BEEN AVAILABLE THEN [SORRY CAPS ON BY ACCIDENT] they might not have suffered as it was at the menopause it happened. and it was thin all over, i am going to see about oestrogen patches with this Dr i am seeing next week, but i think i will probably stop the livial anyway, only taking it because of night sweats
It is very depressing, i have been taking biotin which has helped my nails and hair otherwise,it is growing very fast , and looks very thick at the front and sides
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Thank you for all replies,i am post menopausal but still getting some flushes but mainly night sweats, so did my mother even in her 80s, also sister the same,so asked my Dr if i could go back on HRT, as nice guidelines say its ok now even at an older age,
He gave me livial as that was what i was on before and suited me, although i am sleeping better, i still [only recently ] feel tired and no energy
I have read that low oestrogen can cause hair loss, and my ferritin gets much lower than it should. i believe its below 70 it can cause hair loss, ,i will see this Dr, because she does know me better than the others who all seem to be new
My own Dr is off for 12 weeks due to having an operation, so might not be back for a while yet
I suppose the thinning has been going on longer than i thought.although one side seemed a bit thinner than the other, but overall not very thin, i know of course that hair does tend to thin as we get older,
RE; the vit D,yes i know i can buy it, but to buy the higher strength, would probably cost more than a low dose, but i feel if my Dr gave it to me for a reason, another one shouldnt take it off me[or anything else]
I hadnt noticed any particular loss of hair, and so was so shocked when i saw the almost bald patches i was shaking, i know that sounds dramatic, but that was how it affected me, my hair has always been the one thing i really liked about myself and always looked nice, i have to wear a hat now when i go out as so self conscious about it
I have bought various non sulphate shampoos, and recently bought some minoxidil, off Amazon, just a sample size to make sure i am not allergic or sensitive to it
PS; dont mind the questions at all]
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Thanks Birdy i will , i have seen fine strands in the plughole but very little, and none in the comb,
Another thing i did wonder about but forgot to mention is i had used heated rollers, not very often ,but they did get very hot, wondered if that had done any harm, my mother blamed the old fashioned way of doing perms for her hair loss, as they used heated things,that hung down from the ceiling, [no idea what they were] i remember seeing them when i went to the hairdressers with her,she said the burnt her scalp
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Hi Stella,20 + years is a long time to suffer with hair loss, i have read about the type of hair loss you have, but mine is definitely not that, like i said, my hair looks very thick and luxurious from the front
I have a feeling the Dr will say its hereditary, but i dont think it is, partly because it has happened to me so late compared to my mum and grandmother,
I do think it could be stress related, because i also lost quite a bit of weight while going through the stress, so it could have been thinning all this time and i only just noticed , i rarely look at the back of my hair so yes i was shocked, in fact couldnt believe it i had to look again and check, i have some hair that has grown over from the front so only noticed when it was wet, just washed, but i ony noticed after i put the weight back on, which is why i thought thyroid, and felt so tired,
I have read about progesterone not being good for hair, and i will try to remember when i see the Dr
My hair is a mixture of dark and light blonde, [coloured] but i am sure it is nothing to do with that
I am not particularly light skinned, but i do use sunscreen
My daughter said my scalp looked pink, not sure what it should be, but the Dr i saw who did the tests never said anything about that
I was reading on gransnet a coule of weeks ago, that a few of them were given steroid cram to apply to the scalp, and the hair regrew, i do know that steroid cream can cause har growth on hands etc, so will ask about that too,
I will update when i have seen the Dr, or any other developments before then
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I know your were;nt Stella, i wasnt meaning that, i will look up alopecia areata, thank you, and update, when i find out more, but my appointment isnt until the 20th, never known having to waiot this long for an appointment,have often got in the same day or day after, i could have done really but with Dr unknown
I would be very pleased if my own Dr was back by then, i was told i could keep checking ,
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Thank you *Birdy* thats good to know, so i can discuss this with the Dr when i go, hopefully because she is a woman Dr of menopausal age she will sort me out, i cant really understand my Dr giving me tablets, that go through the liver, as i have Haemochromatosis and have to be careful what goes through my liver
Is there a facebook page where i can find this information, so i can print it off, to take with me to show her
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Thank you *Stella* i have looked up alopecia areata, some very intersting theories on the article i looked at,
I am having to wear a hat when i go out as although some of my front hair covers it a bit because of its length,it shows when my hair parts and i have a double crown
I will see what this Dr suggests but would like to try oestrogen patches
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Just want to ask what your diet is, on a day to day basis. Do you exclude any particular foods groups etc.,
Some times important nutrients can be lacking in what you think is a healthy diet. We can get away with it when young but not us older ones.
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Maybe other people dont care but i do and i remember my poor mother when hers went thin,she ended up buying a wig, but couldnt afford a real hair one and hated going out
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Jaycee I totally understand how you feel . Have you looked into Nanogen Hair Fibres? They are fantastic at hiding a widening part. They are 100% undetectable x
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*Annie* yes i have thought about it, but dont really want to use them if i can do anything else about it,i might have to rethink, but if i use them the Dr might say thats all i need to do, so will wait and see
I have some of the spray on for colouring just roots, and it helps a bit
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https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ringworm/
I found this. Your saying that the patch looked pink rang a bell.
If it is this it is very easily treated.
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No not ringworm, ALLmy scalp was pink my daughter said, ,so its not just the bald patches,it might just have been that i was warm at the time, but the Dr i saw last time didn;t comment on it
I will ask my daughter to look again, but when i looked at it in the mirror it looked normal to me
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*Birdy* thank you for a message i have only just found? are you in the UK as the time i have found it doesnt correspond with the time you sent it? I think all women would feel the same,its something we cant really hide and to most of us its our crowning glory
I can only see what my Dr has to say about it, and if she doesnt know what to do about it i will definitely be asking for a referral
I should have mentioned ,but had forgotten all about it. i had terrible itching a few months ago, not especially head, but everywhere else. back felt very spotty, and random itching all over, but last year i did get a very itchy head,even asked my local pharmacy if they had any idea but said no,unless i had used something on my hair
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*Shadyglade* i did reply to your question, but my post seems to have disappeared,or i didnt press enter, anyway my diet isnt particulary good, i don;t eat a lot of meat, or fruit, cant stand most fruit,except strawberries
There is nothing i exclude
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*Shadyglade* i did reply to your question, but my post seems to have disappeared,or i didnt press enter, anyway my diet isnt particulary good, i don;t eat a lot of meat, or fruit, cant stand most fruit,except strawberries
There is nothing i exclude
Ha, lack of protein can cause hair loss. If meat is a problem for you try extra dairy and fish. Hair loss can be a concern for vegetarian and vegans if they don't have sufficient protein alternatives.
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I eat a lot of fish, but i will eat more meat,i am not supposed to eat a lot of meat because [supposedly] i have iron overload, not supposed to eat anything which will up my iron, or drink orange juice
I really dont think i have haemochromatosis, as every one i speak to on forums etc, plus my own 2 sons suffer with joint pains and lots of other problems, i dont,and even one DR a specialist at the hospital doesnt think i have it, my ferritin has been much lower than what they say it needs to be for hair health, i am fed up of having blood tests etc, and not seeing the consultant
I am sorry if i am repeating myself through other posts
I dont know of anyone in my family or heard of anyone who has had it, also my eldest son was told he had it, and sionce he moved to spain has had a few health problems but told he does not have haemochromatosis
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Gosh it's complicated isn't it. Sometimes with health issues it comes down to trial and error. I'm sure you will get to the bottom of it eventually. It's often things that are so obvious they are overlooked.
I wish I could be more helpful.
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I am sure it will be sorted out eventually, but up until now i have always managed to get in to see a Dr within a few days, this time 3 weeks,unless i saw a trainee, and didn;t want to, so must wait,as i wasn;t happy with the last one i saw
She stopped my Vit D,and would have stopped other stuff but i insisted i wait until my own Dr comes back after being off ill. i have seen him for the last 30 years so he knows me well, she saw me once and decided what i did and didn;t need
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*Stella* i wasnt offended, just saying it does other me, i have a feeling it could be stress related, had family problems, not particulary bad but had to help out a lot, also a relationship, which was very stressful was ghosted it was off and on, someone i thought a lot about just ended it with no real closure, and nothing wrong before that ,and i still feel angry about it, upset at first but now angry, and a few weeks ago saw him in the street and spoke to me as if nothing had happened, i want revenge, which i know isnt right,and i wont do anything, but i feel it could be contributing to this situation, and makes me angrier still that i am now going through this [possibly] because of him
Sorry, i am ranting i know
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I am thinking of looking for a hairpiece this week, we have a lovely little place in town, that sells only hairpieces and wigs and extensions etc, my daughter knows the owner so suggested i go and have a word with her,see if she can suggest anything, as i can wear a hat in winter or even on a cold windy day but not in summer
I am also going to ring my consultant tomorrow, and see if i can get in to see him, should have seen him ages ago, he is very nice and easy to talk to, so will update then
Thank you for all your input [flowers]
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I am thinking of looking for a hairpiece this week, we have a lovely little place in town, that sells only hairpieces and wigs and extensions etc, my daughter knows the owner so suggested i go and have a word with her,see if she can suggest anything, as i can wear a hat in winter or even on a cold windy day but not in summer
I am also going to ring my consultant tomorrow, and see if i can get in to see him, should have seen him ages ago, he is very nice and easy to talk to, so will update then
Thank you for all your input [flowers]
I think that's an excellent idea. Because also If this is stress related and you start to feel confident again you could find the hair loss settles down or even reverses
Being proactive can do wonders for our confidence too x
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Finally managed to get in touch with my Consultants secretary this morning after being gn different numbers to ring, but cant get an appointment until September,i explained that i had not seen him for over a year and was supposed to see him last October,she said unless i had contacted him i wouldnt be sent an appointment, which is ridiculous
I asked her to let me know if any cancellations came up, she said they don;t very often, but she said she would have a word with him and see if i could see him before September
This consultant is very good, my daughter has Crohns, and had been having digestive problems for about 2 years, no one knew why,she was given omeprazole but it did no good, she was then referred to him and he had her have a camera down throat, and whatever it was he sorted it,and she is fine now,
When you have a certain health problem Drs seem to always connect other problems with it
I will go and see the hair lady asap
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Had a call from the consultants secretary this morning she told him i had phoned and what the problem is, he said my ferritin is within normal range, well that could be anything from 15 to 100, but from everything i have read and even on Phillip Kingsleys website about hair loss he said ferritin should be no lower than 70, and mine was consistently lower, for at least 18 months, maybe longer, so i am still not ruling that out
I searched the internet last night and several of the articles i read suggested if the scalp was itchy, which mine has been but not all the time then steroid injections into the scalp can bring the hair follicles back to life
I have read on Gransnet about a few people who had this treatment and it worked,so fingers x, i feel a bit more hopeful now
About 6 -7 months ago , i was itching all over, so it may be connected
Called to see the hair lady but she was shut, with a notice on the door saying only open certain days but could make an appointment by called her mobile no,which i did, no answer,but left a message, but no rely as yet
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Really *Birdy* i didnt know that, i have printed off all i have found out online,and going to take it with me to the Drs
I think livial only has a small amount of Oestrogen in it, i will have a look soon and let you know
I have joined that facebook link but seen or heard nothing connected with my post
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Itching, along with night sweats were my first symptoms when I was 32 and had a hysterectomy x
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*Annie* first signs of what? hair loss,?
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Looking through the side effects it says itching is a rare side effect,up to 1 in 1000 women,the active substance is Tibilone,[but doesnt say what Tibilone actually is] it contains potato starch,lactosemonohydrate.ascorbylpalminate.and magnesium stearate,,
Livialis different from other HRT,INSTEAD OF ACTUAL HORMONES SUCH AS OESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE IT CONTAINS TIBILONE,IT SAYS "YOUR BODY BREAKS DOWN TIBILONE TO MAKE HORMONES,ITS EFFECTS AND BENEFITS ARE SIMILIAR TO COMBINED HRT" Sorry just realised caps was on
I was still havinf hot flushes and particularly night sweats, which is why my Dr put me back on this
The itching only started long after staring on livial
Livial is also good for strengthening bones
I am sure i read somewhere that it can [maybe] cause hair loss, but not been able to find this on the leaflet or anywhere else now
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*Annie* first signs of what? hair loss,?
Hi Jaycee
Itching was a first sign of menopause, all over body itching like ants crawling over me
First symptom of hair shedding/thinning for me was scalp itching. It was soon after I noticed how much hair was dropping during washing, brushing etc x
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Oh right thank you., well i am well post menopause, but i thought the itching could be connected with the livial, but i had been taking it for about 18 months by then, it does say in the leaflet that it is rare and can affect only 1 in 1000,
Anyway will see what the Dr says on monday, but i do think the scalp itching started the hair loss,it itches now sometimes but nothing like it was, as you say it was like something crawling in my hair
Has your recovered Annie?
I am confused about testosterone,i thought was high that caused hair loss, but yesterday i read it was low T that caused hair loss
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Low T can cause hair loss too !
I had all the symptoms of low T and the hair shedding was really upsetting me so I guessed I had nothing to lose by trying T.
Mine has really settled. The hair became much more manageable on T and now it seems to be thickening up a tad. I still have fine hair but it looks thicker than actually is x
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Oh dear,its very confusing isn;t it, maybe the Dr will do a test,i will ask about it, i think they just give you anything and hope it works,
I have never had a test for hormones, but i don;t think livial has much oestrogen in it, so maybe not the right mix of each
Thank you,
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Oh dear,its very confusing isn;t it, maybe the Dr will do a test,i will ask about it, i think they just give you anything and hope it works,
I have never had a test for hormones, but i don;t think livial has much oestrogen in it, so maybe not the right mix of each
Thank you,
I tried Livial but my night sweats and aching joints returned so I assumed the oestrogen wasn't the right balance for me. I have seen on here that a member topped her livial up with oestrogen patch or gel. I didn't think of that when I was on it ! X
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Well, went to the Drs again last night, she said try going off the livial for a while, i mentioned, and took with me a printout of how low oestrogen can cause hair loss, she just said well there are side effects, so no help there, she did say my scalp looked slightly inflamed,which i mentioned in an earlier post, my daughter said my scalp was pink
On a lighter note, i had some new eye drops dor pressure prescribed and in the side effects it said" Eyelashes may grow, dont let any go on skin as hair may grow" maybe i should use it on my head ,[grin]
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Yes she just said stop the Livial, i did say what about a patch, she said they have side effects,as of course i know, so a waste of time really. i had already stopped taking them as i panicked a bit thinking it was those causing my hair loss, but i have had stiffness in my knees and back since,but could be just coincidence,
My own GP is back after having an operation i was told, so will try to see him now
*Stella*
RE; the eye drops,it is well known that eye drops for pressure can cause hair growth, so i wonder why they dont use the same stuff for hair loss
, My previous eye drops said may cause double lash growth but they didn;t,
A lady i spoke to at the eye clinic a few months ago was telling me her eyelashes grew so long she had to trim them
Made by Allergan, who make Botox and fillers,they are called Ganfort and the main ingredient is Benzalkonium Chloride, and ,and may also change your eye colour and eyelashes
A bit confusing then about testosterone, low or high can cause hair loss ::)
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*Stellajane* it all depends on my Dr i guess, but the main thing i have been told is to check on my iron and ferritin, when i saw the Dr on monday she said the guides and tests for ferritin levels had changed, but i dont believe they have think if so i would have been told by my Consultant
Anyway i will try to see my own Dr
Talking about Alopecia just now on TV
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Hair and the menopause:
Check out more from leading hairdresser Nelson Brown on Facebook Live and Dr Heather Currie. It's a real insight into yet another route to support women and ensure a greater understanding of what to look out for..
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Thanks CLKD do i just put his name in the search bar or hair loss or menopause etc?
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Still trying to find a reason for my hair loss, and clutching at straws, but discovered that eye drops for Glaucoma or to halt pressure behind the eyes can also cause hair loss
Everything that could cause hairloss seems to have happened all around the same time, so really thinking of ,eye drops now, HRT vagifem, stress,
I know my second lot of hair loss was definitely after the Evoral Conti, but stopped that ages ago, and hair is still falling out,
I wondered if anyone else has had hair loss on eye drops, but never connected it,i didn't until i was told by someone else it happened to them
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Still trying to find a reason for my hair loss, and clutching at straws, but discovered that eye drops for Glaucoma or to halt pressure behind the eyes can also cause hair loss
Everything that could cause hairloss seems to have happened all around the same time, so really thinking of ,eye drops now, HRT vagifem, stress,
I know my second lot of hair loss was definitely after the Evoral Conti, but stopped that ages ago, and hair is still falling out,
I wondered if anyone else has had hair loss on eye drops, but never connected it,i didn't until i was told by someone else it happened to them
Hi Jaycee, my hairloss began when I started HRT. I discussed this yesterday with my doctor and she agreed having tried various types of progesterone that the commin denominator was in fact the Estrodrial. Since stopping HRT my hair has stopped shedding. As you know I had other side effects too. I know very little about eye drops tbh but I hope you find a solution to your issue as I know It can be very worrying..x
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hi birdy
i think i've spoke to u before about my hairloss but here goes again
i had everything removed including ovaries never had hairloss due to low estrogen high testosterone or whatever my lack of hormones were doing infact the opposite my hair was thicker and grew faster since starting estrogen only hrt i've been loosing hair and the hairs lost are telegenic hairs according to dermatology but i have also receded behind my ears nearly bold nape of neck and my scalp hair and crown are all thinner . my thyroid is normal range with TSH being 0.53 last time and all other bloods normal so i'm wondering if in my case or many others whether the estradiol in hrt caused hairloss as some women when pregnant loose there hair due to surge in hormones but then when i had my hormones levels tested in june my estrogen was low 104 and testosterone low 0.6 but it continues to thin hair in the brush down plug hole in my floor etc x i have regrowth but not sure the hair i've lost is regrowing since being on estrogen do u think imbalance hormones ? but if due to low estrogen low testosterone and zero progesterone why wasn't it thinning before i started hrt and after my op! i guess the only way i'll know if it's the medication (hrt) is to stop it ?
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I was talking to someone on another forum, who said it seemed to be a fluctuation in hormones that caused her hair loss, as she moved from one type of HRT to another, she said since she has been settled on the last one her hair has recovered back to it's original state
I have to see my dermatologist on the 5th of November, so will see what he has to say, all new blood tests came back normal
My daughter thinks I have some black hairs coming through, she took a photo of my bald patches, and the hair near them does look to be growing dark hair, but as far as I could see, only the hair that is already there looks to have dark roots ,doesn't look like new hair to me
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hi birdy
thank you i'm sure you have replied but having spoke to so many women on here i had forgot . menopause brain
i won't bother u again
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Estrogen was the cause of my hair loss, it wasn't too low either. Estrogel states hair loss as one of it's side effects. It really isn't an uncommon problem Birdy otherwise it wouldn't be listed as a common side effect. :)
I agree fluctuating hormones and moving from one product to another might exasperate the condition, as can adding tetesterone to the mix. There are other health conditions that may also cause hair loss (anaemia, overactive thyroid etc). I would explain to the doctor exactly how your feeling and all your concerns and take it from there Also ask for an appointment for the menopause clinic. Hopefully they will be able to put your mind at rest.
Sammie I feel your pain and I really hope you can find a solution to your problem. Good luck mi dear. 🙂
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Hi Birdy I have to correct you on that point I have absolutely no idea what has caused Sammies hair loss. That's why I think Sammy needs to go back to her doctor for some more advice/support.
It took a painstaking amount of time to determine the cause of my side effects to HRT, having previously been advised that I should 'Up my Estrogel'. Like I said before, telling people to continually up their Estrogen can be castrostophic for some folk especially if they are already experiencing an adverse reaction to the product.
Hence why I always maintain, consult a doctor before making any changes to your HRT, afterall we are mere forum posters and not professional menopause specialists.
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hi tracey e
i totally agree with u !
i have been referred to dermatologist several times and as my hair shedding has started since taking hrt dermatology do not believe it is low estrogen that has caused it but possible a surge in hormones as without ovaries your hormones are all pretty level as u loose them all suddenly and if my estrogen was declining slowly as suggested by others on here then my menopause symtoms would of been at the worse throughout the last 5 yrs and i would of felt the decline but my hair prior to hrt did the opposite it was thicker and grew quicker the only change was it had become dryer and more grey which i believe grey is low progesterone as well as genectics but i'm 40 so wouldn't have massives of grey hair for my age .
when u stopped hrt tracey how long did it take till u noticed your hair stopped falling out ?
the only way i'll know is to stop hrt !
i'm on 3 pumps gel and feel ok just hair issues and persistent wet knickers which i'm wondering if the ovestin cream is causing watery discharge ! either that or i'm constantly weeing myself without noticing x it's like the wet is coming from vulva labia majora and minora and spasms behind clitoris and urethra pressure .
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Hi Sammie my hair stopped shedding within the 2nd week off HRT. Hardly any loss atm whether that will change in the future I dunno. Have you tried cod liver oil tablets Sammie a friend of mine swears by them and she has lovely glossy hair.
I wouldn't stop the HRT until you've had a word with your doctor. You are still very young and you need your Estrogen.
Have you had an hysterectomy? If so how long between that and starting HRT? X
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hi birdy
ive been on ovestin twice a week for 10 months and the wetness improved but last 3/4 weeks been getting worse its like i can feel stuff trickling out , its weird but it like the sweat from flushes is being collected up and expelling through my groin well vagina , normally day after applying the ovestin i would have discharge ie the cream come out but it wasnt wet as such and was thicker now its wet and lots more of it i feel if i relax down there im gunna wee myself ! can the ovestin stop working x
tracey e
i had my hysterectomy in 2014 5 yrs ago no symtoms only couple hot flashes intill june 2018 then had damp knickers and that was my only symtom no hairloss no fatique no mood swings but i started hrt for dampness but to be honest has madr no difference and now after 10months with systemic hrt and ovestin my dampness is back to square one . infact sinxe increasing my gel to 3 pumps has got worse , but it could be im just not ovsorbing it at all i upped from 2 to 3 pumps because i wasnt ovsorbing it but things are worse yet im told theres no prolapse ! whats does it mean wheb thry say no significant prolapse. my mum thinks i should stop hrt because ive been worse on it then off it , i had swapped yo the estradot patch 75 which i knew i was obsorbing as had sore boobs again and improved down below. i just am frustrated so much with it i want an answer for my dampness but gynocologisy dont know x
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Hi again Sammie, if I was you I would push to see a menopause specialist just to give you some answers. Maybe you just need to find the right amount if Estrogen to stop your symptons and cure your symptons.
Sorry I can't be more help... X
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Sammijane, have you tried vagifem? if ovestin affects you badly,that feeling you said you get sounds exactly like the feeling I got when I first discovered VA I had a bad urine infection, and the feeling with it was just as you have described
I was then given vagifem ,and after some antibiotics and the vagifem it went away
Yours might be something completely different, but ovestin affects me again ,as you describe,
It didn't for the first few days, but seems to now, also the wetness
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hi jaycee
have you used ovestin then and found the same creating wetness it's not every day like today i had a little and then it dries and it's whitish so think it discharge rather then wee but some days it's bad and feels like i've wet myself but not sure if it is wetness from cream or combination of increasing gel to 3 pumps maybe making me too moist down there i noticed it was better when i was on the patch but again that could of been due to better obsorbtion .
i initially started on vagifem but notice 5 weeks into taking it my hair started shedding but is still shedding now so not sure if it was the vagifem i guess the only way to know is to try it again and see if shedding gets worse i count my hairs everyday lol so would know , i know sounds crazy 😜.
hi birdy
i'm already under menopause specialist but because i've been on my journey 1 year now i have tried elleste solo patch didn't suit tried everol patch wouldn't stick been on estrogel 2 pumps now 3 because not obsorbing but had changed to estradot 75 as 50 wasn't enough but did 5 weeks on them but couldn't get them anymore out of stock so i've had to back on the gel but found on patch i was ok just mega sore boobs headaches and sleep was worse but had i of been on them longer may of settled , but menopause now are saying that maybe HRT dosent suit me an i may need to consider stopping it and refer me to a metabolic clinic for bone protection as that's all they seemed bothered about !
does progesterone improve hair ? maybe it's an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone i know i'll need testosterone but if progesterone works for hair i'll take this to ! and balance all 3 hormones but again have tried utrogestan and felt ok little drowsy bloated but found i urinated more!
so currently i'm just using 3 pumps gel and ovestin twice week although have increased to 3 from this week but yes i may have to back to vagifem ! i did get sticky discharge with the vagifem . thing is i still don't think i had VA because didn't hurt having sex didn't have frequent urination or UTIs ! what happened was i did some sit ups night before and after i got up and went in to do some squats and felt something pop left groin no pain or anything and the following morning walking to work i had wet patch and has continued ever since very strange and if the wetness is VA still then again why at my checks up with gynocologist do they say u no longer have atrophy as the vagina is well estronised so then i think is it wee ! can u have incontinence without prolapse ?
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hi birdy
what's a gum clinic ?
what you mean ref VA my appointment couple weeks ago with gynocologist said i don't have VA it all well estronised so if i did have it then the ovestin has worked but still i have this dampness !
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Yes Sammijo, I have only recently started using Ovestin and it does make you feel wet, but not watery like wee, and yes you can have incontinence without a prolapse, i'm lucky I don't have that problem .but my sister has and she doesn't have a prolapse
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hi birdy
i've had pelvic floor exam by specialist who have given me excersises as pelvic floor strength good just slight weakness on the right same side as my batholemew cyst not sure if connected.
i've had camera in bladder and urethra all looks normal
i've had urodynamics test done and bladder capacity is filling up and emptying fine and isn't contracting when it shouldn't be , they got me to cough and bear down but didn't actually look to see if anything leaked out but said they would know through pressure on monitor and gynocologist exam also got me to bear down and cough no leakage he could see .
mri showed no prolapse or no significant prolapse what does that mean ? there is one there isn't ?
to be honest my only symtoms of menopause is vaginally and hairloss now ! before it was just vaginal
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hi birdy
already under a menopause specialist maybe had this been offered to me 5 yrs who i may be on the rollercoster now !
do u think i should stay on 3 times a week ovestin or try vagifem ? i've got symtoms to of after i wee feel like i need another wee pressure there constantly and feel if i relax wee is going to come out ! my hairloss to have doubled in last few days so maybe i'm not obsorbing at all from estrogel .
jaycee
how come you swapped from the vagifem to ovestin ? if it was working
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hi birdy
blood test for what!
my next hormone test is mid november and i'm seeing menopause 28th november !
but as i have stuck to a constant regime for 8 or months which was estrogel 2 pumps i wasn't obsorbing it so meno advised either up to 3 pumps or change to a patch as me E levels had dropped from 195 to 104 so i went on estradiol patch and was fine but then went out of stock so back on gel at 3 pumps but i think when i see menopause i may stop hrt for a while see if hair improves and just use vaginal estrogen or i need to change to maybe a combined therapy of estrogen and progesterone because something is upsetting my hair ever since starting hrt
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Sammiejo, I changed from from Vagifem to Ovestin, for the same reason as you, because I worried about hair loss, but I didn''t use them very often, but my hair was still shedding up to recently, but now more thinning, the ovestin doesn't last long though,had to get another tube already
Also regarding the wetness,i don't think the ovestin gets to where it should, not high enough as the applicator is very weak and it's easy to let the cream come out of it too soon, it slides too fast if you know what I mean,so leaks out again
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hi jaycee
i don't understand it because i've been told by gynocologist that my vagina is well estronised and no VA but have persistent dampness i think it wee to be honest i had a wee in a hug earlier and poured it on clean pair of knickers just a little then smelled it and then smelled the wet patch in the knickers i was wearing and smells the same no odour really just smells of damp. my gynocologist said to do the tampon test by putting a tampax in for few hours go about normal day and if leaking the knickers would be wet so going to try that if it's just discharge from vagina then knickers should be dry , but then i read the pressure from having a tampax in can help with incontinenece so it may stop any leakage anyway but something isn't right i can feel it and it's more then VA and since increasing my gel to 3 pumps it's got worse i don't feel it coming out though but the wet patch lines up with my wee hole .
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Sammijo, i don't know what to suggest then, except do as you are planning and go to the menopause clinic,i never felt dry and had no pain or discomfort etc,
It was only because i got a bad urine infection that i ended up having vagifem prescribed, and i didn't use them often, and the ovestin does leak out and leave a dry white patch later
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Sudden hair loss is terrible. It happened to my daughter in her early 20s, she lost about 80%. She was low in iron so making sure that is ok has helped. Minoxidil helped too although that is an expensive option but for her it was worth it.
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Joney,did your daughters hair come back with minoxidil, and did it not fall out again, as they say it does if you stop it, but maybe if hair is going to come back anyway it wont fall out again
My iron is not too low,but it was quite low last year,but built it up gradually,
Apparently i was told too high iron can cause hair loss too
Sounds strange but it my vet who told me that
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The hair came back and she is still on it as it was so devestating at the time.
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Joney,how old is your daughter now, i mean how long has she been on Minoxidil, and has she ever tried to come off it
I was told by a lady on gransnet a few months ago that she went on minoxidil, and she has stopped it and no hair fall out since
I am seriously thinking of trying it, but i am seeing the Dermatologist, so will see what he says
I don't want to go down the wig route,and really have too much hair for a wig,i have looked at toppers, but would prefer my own hair.
It's just patchy, the rest of my hair is quite ok, and growing without any problem
I can understand why your daughter was so upset,at her age, it is upsetting at any age,but especially when so young
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Jaycee she was 23. She went on the Monoxidil and is still on it 4 years later though she has reduced it a lot. She is too scared to stop. Who knows if hair would have come back without it but at the time it seemed like a good option and her hair did come back.
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Poor girl it must have been dreadful for her, has she ever seen anyone professional about it,?
Maybe if it was just a case of low iron she could be fine without minoxidil but I can understand how frightened she is, in case it happens again,
Could I ask how long it was before she saw any regrowth,
I am seeing the dermatologist again next Tuesday,he said it would come back, and it was Telogen Effluvium, but
According to the derm it can come back,someone higher up thread said TE wasn't curable, sorry forgot who, might be Stellajane,
The information he printed out for me says it usually resolves itself, but medication doesn't speed up the process
Mine he said is chronic TE as it has lasted more than 6 months,so he might do a skin biopsy
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My dermatologist hasn't ruled out regaine, only said it is a lifelong treatment, having read more about TE it says it is more all over thinning,mine is slightly thinner than it used to be all over, but it is more bald looking patches, but not properly bald there is some hair but very very thin,so does look bald at first glance ,i would say more Alopecia Areata,or a combination of both
My own Dr said if it's stress related it will come back
I will decide after i have seen the derm on tuesday what to do about it,
I have too much hair otherwise for a wig, in fact it is still quite thick at the front and also below where the patches are, not much hair missing from the crown area either
I am still not convinced that it wasn't a hair colour i had used, just for the root area, a brand i have often used but not this one just for roots
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Stellajane i wouldn't be happy at all if it was hair colouring, as all my blood tests have come back normal, so if not hair colour,it's either stress related or hormone related,
I would be furious if it's hair colour,in case it's killed the roots
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Jaycee the hair came back quickly, new growth appeared within weeks or at most months though of course it took several years before it was back to the previous length and she wore a wig for a while as she had lost so much hair and it was all over her head.
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Poor girl, it's bad enough when you are my age, but can only imagine what it must be like for a young girl
I have thought about a wig but i seem to have lots of hair otherwise,in fact when i look at it in the mirror it is easy to forget i have patches missing at the back, but have had lots of tests and all are ok
After i have seen the derm on tuesday i will decide what to do,
A topper might be ok, but it is finding someone who has them ,the cheaper ones are very sparse and the others i have enquired about are very expensive but thicker, and none near me, but i am still looking,i have tried lots of these sprays, waste of money, lots of shampoos, i think nioxin has helped to reduce the hair fall, but will see what the derm says on tuesday
Iwould rather have my own hair , and at my age might be worth using regaine,and if i have to sacrifice something i will , don't smoke,or drink so can't give that up.lol
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25 years? so it took so long to stabalise? not sure i understand as you said your father died in 2017,and the hair loss started,maybe i have misunderstood and your father died 25 years ago :-\
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Jaycee - plenty of toppers on ebay which are now 100% real hair, so you can dye them the right colour if you have to. Some not too expensive, but you can go up according to budget and different kinds and different shapes and weights depending on how thick you need, I have a couple and have dyed them. I use just for thinning at the crown, I don't have any bald patches thoughxx
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I did send for a topper from ebay,but it was very thin and didn't cover enough area,
I have been told that some synthetic hair looks as good a real hair,