Merrie24
07-05-2008, 05:18 PM
Hi,
About 2 months ago, my hair started to shed profusely. About three weeks ago, I went to my doctor and found out that my ferritin was at 22. She suggested a multivitamin.
After doing research, I decided to start taking Slow Fe. I'm at a loss for what to do now. It seems as though my hair is falling out more now than before!
I have been quite stressed out lately and I'm not sure if that is contributing.
Today after my shower, I actually cried. It is so terrifying to see that much hair come out.
I'm not sure what to do next. Should I be seeing a dermatologist? I feel like I need more answers than I have. This is making me want to hide away at home!
Any suggestions as to where I should go from here would be greatly appreciated.
Merrie
About 2 months ago, my hair started to shed profusely. About three weeks ago, I went to my doctor and found out that my ferritin was at 22. She suggested a multivitamin.
After doing research, I decided to start taking Slow Fe. I'm at a loss for what to do now. It seems as though my hair is falling out more now than before!
I have been quite stressed out lately and I'm not sure if that is contributing.
Today after my shower, I actually cried. It is so terrifying to see that much hair come out.
I'm not sure what to do next. Should I be seeing a dermatologist? I feel like I need more answers than I have. This is making me want to hide away at home!
Any suggestions as to where I should go from here would be greatly appreciated.
Merrie
Sponsor
T4T3hell
07-05-2008, 07:32 PM
Low thyroid and other more serious endocrine problems can cause hair to fall out----and for you to have low iron levels.
Low thyroid can also cause all sorts of anxiety---so maybe the stress isn't increasing---but your ability to deal with it is decreasing.
I think your doctor took the easy way out by suggesting that you take a multi-vitamin. I'd do some research on your own---list your symptoms and then do a search of them.
It could be that you have an anemia problem too.
I'd check back with the doctor---or get a new one if this one doesn't want to be bothered (too many of them have no clues when it comes to anything that is "uncommon")---and have your vitamin d. levels checked too.
Good luck.
Low thyroid can also cause all sorts of anxiety---so maybe the stress isn't increasing---but your ability to deal with it is decreasing.
I think your doctor took the easy way out by suggesting that you take a multi-vitamin. I'd do some research on your own---list your symptoms and then do a search of them.
It could be that you have an anemia problem too.
I'd check back with the doctor---or get a new one if this one doesn't want to be bothered (too many of them have no clues when it comes to anything that is "uncommon")---and have your vitamin d. levels checked too.
Good luck.
Audrey-B
07-07-2008, 09:05 AM
T4T3hell is correct.
With a ferretin of 22 you are not anemic, but that is low. You iron needs to be lifted so good idea that you are taking something stronger than a basic multivitamin. For some people low iron and low B12 go together. A lot of people who have low iron also seem to have low vitamin D and/or low zinc. I think you should have a full blood test and find out where you values are with your other vitamins just incase you are low in other things.
My ferretin kept dropping each year and my doctor didn't say anything about it until it dropped to 8. My hair had been shedding for 6 years at that point and i focused on the low iron, believing if i could lift my iron then my hair would stop shedding. My gp didn't test anything else, just told me to buy an iron supplement.
The problem is that i spent 2 years lifting my iron levels and then learnt that i infact had an auto immune thyroid condition known as Hashimoto's. I had spent 2 years focusing on ONLY my iron. What a waste of time, when all along my low iron was a symptom of my thyroid issue.
Not only was my iron low and difficult to lift, my vitamin D was extremely low as was my iodine.
My thyroid doctor then found out i was not digesting protein sufficiently due to my pancreas lacking a certain enzyme and hair is 98% protein. This was also linked to my thyroid condition.
Unless you are totally vegetarian and your low iron is a diet related condition, pretty much all other iron issues are a sypmtom of another condition. Finding out what that other condition is is the difficult part.
While taking iron supplements, don't drink things which contain caffeine within 2 hours of either side of taking your iron. Calcium and zinc will inhibit iron absorbtion so dont take these products along with your iron either. You should also check out the anemia board as you will find a lot more information there.
With a ferretin of 22 you are not anemic, but that is low. You iron needs to be lifted so good idea that you are taking something stronger than a basic multivitamin. For some people low iron and low B12 go together. A lot of people who have low iron also seem to have low vitamin D and/or low zinc. I think you should have a full blood test and find out where you values are with your other vitamins just incase you are low in other things.
My ferretin kept dropping each year and my doctor didn't say anything about it until it dropped to 8. My hair had been shedding for 6 years at that point and i focused on the low iron, believing if i could lift my iron then my hair would stop shedding. My gp didn't test anything else, just told me to buy an iron supplement.
The problem is that i spent 2 years lifting my iron levels and then learnt that i infact had an auto immune thyroid condition known as Hashimoto's. I had spent 2 years focusing on ONLY my iron. What a waste of time, when all along my low iron was a symptom of my thyroid issue.
Not only was my iron low and difficult to lift, my vitamin D was extremely low as was my iodine.
My thyroid doctor then found out i was not digesting protein sufficiently due to my pancreas lacking a certain enzyme and hair is 98% protein. This was also linked to my thyroid condition.
Unless you are totally vegetarian and your low iron is a diet related condition, pretty much all other iron issues are a sypmtom of another condition. Finding out what that other condition is is the difficult part.
While taking iron supplements, don't drink things which contain caffeine within 2 hours of either side of taking your iron. Calcium and zinc will inhibit iron absorbtion so dont take these products along with your iron either. You should also check out the anemia board as you will find a lot more information there.
justme56
08-15-2008, 07:08 PM
Interesting about hair being mostly protein.
I have wispy hair---sometimes it's worse than others. I wonder if I have a problem with digesting/processing protein.
Do you crave a lot of protein in your diet?
I have wispy hair---sometimes it's worse than others. I wonder if I have a problem with digesting/processing protein.
Do you crave a lot of protein in your diet?
Audrey-B
08-17-2008, 08:14 AM
I don't necessarily crave protein, i eat a normal healthy diet which includes dairy, meat, fuit, vegetables, nuts, legumes. I never drink fizzy/sweet drinks, just water or natural fruit juice, tea. I might eat two little squares of chocolate (dark chocolate 70% or more cocoa) every few days and might have one sweet biscuit with a cup of tea once in a day or every few days.
If i had to crave something it would more likely be savoury foods over sweet foods.
As i eat so healthy i could never work out why i'd be losing hair. Since being diagnosed with bad digestion of protein plus coming out a bit over on my gluten intolerance test i guess it all makes sense.
Gluten intolerance and Hashimoto's are both autoimmune diseases. If you have one it's easier to end up with others.
If i had to crave something it would more likely be savoury foods over sweet foods.
As i eat so healthy i could never work out why i'd be losing hair. Since being diagnosed with bad digestion of protein plus coming out a bit over on my gluten intolerance test i guess it all makes sense.
Gluten intolerance and Hashimoto's are both autoimmune diseases. If you have one it's easier to end up with others.