Hair Loss Help

Cassienova
Cassienova Member Posts: 19
in Living with arthritis

I am desperate for some help.

I've had scalp pain for a good half of the year now and more recently my hair has been falling out.

There is no obvious issues with my scalp, no inflammation or bleeding (it generally seems in good health) it used to come and go but for the most part its stayed for a while. Doctors did some tests and I'm low in iron and low on vitamin d which I am taking tablets for Ferrous Fumerate 210mg (once every day) and Invita D3 50,000 IU (once a week). I've been on them now for nearly three weeks and I've not seen a difference yet and I'm on nerve pain meds also. I have very long beautiful hair which makes this whole process heartbreaking. Although there are no obvious patches, my hair is thinner, frail and constantly coming out in strands. I dread the shower and brushing my hair and I keep my hair mostly in two loose plaits everyday in hope to keep the hair from coming out.


I am aware that methotrexate causes hair thinning however it was never a issue over the past year and I've been off methotrexate for four weeks in case it was the issue and my condition is still ongoing. My arthritis is in my hands and possibly my jaw which is under investigation so this whole ordeal seems irrelevant to my recent issues.


Does anyone have any advice? Apparently dermatology referral will take over a year and my doctor doesn't think it would be any good anyway.

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Comments

  • Moira
    Moira Member Posts: 107

    Hi, poor you.

    I'm older now and have been going a wee bit bad at the front for a few years - bit by bit. Used to hate looking at the comb. My gran and mum did too and the hairdresser said it is often inherited.

    So I changed my hairstle and also colour to disguise it and it seems to work. I think we probably notice our hair loss more than others do. If you have hair loss over most of your head, as those with cance do, you could maybe buy a snazzy wig. My best friend did, and first had a wig like her own hair, didn't look right. Then she got a pink, blue and green one and everyone said how great she looked (even if she didn't feel it) and how it suited her. So maybe some of these ideas might help.

    I was on Methotrexate for several years but didn't have any problems that way.

    I have arthritis everywhere - you haven't got a skeleton, 5' 3" in good condition, have you? The kids round our door for Halloween didn't have one either! The supermarkets don't stock my size.

    Arthritis really is a pin in the you-know-what.

    Good luck with finding something that will help.

  • Baloo
    Baloo Member Posts: 527
    edited 6. Nov 2023, 22:42

    @Moira shrinking from 5' 10" but it might be a while before I get to 5' 3" currently at 5' 7 1/2" then you can have mine.

  • Baloo
    Baloo Member Posts: 527

    @Cassienova I ran a search on hair loss and found there are quite a few discussions in the archives that look helpful.

  • Terri1234
    Terri1234 Member Posts: 2

    I went through it too. About a year into my RA my hair started falling out. Thought it was stress and/or meds. It got worse and worse. Was so distressed. Went to the doctor and had blood test and was deficient in b12 and low in zinc. Told to take supplements - took 5 weeks before I noticed a difference but it did get better. My hair looks terrible now (thanks steroids) but at least it’s not falling out and is growing back. Keep going. It takes time to work. Make sure you’re on the correct type of supplement too - follow what your doctor tells you - I made an error with the b12 - should have been taking cyanocobalamin 100mcg tablets but I thought I was clever using a spray. Once I fixed that 5 weeks later it stopped. Good luck to you.

  • Nurina
    Nurina Member Posts: 458

    I don't know if your hair loss is related to the medication, sorry. I have had periods when I've lost a lot of hair. I'll try to tell you what I have found out so maybe I can help you. Because we are 'animals' at the beginning of the winter and spring, we use to lose more hair than usual. Hair loss could be more noticeable when you have long hair. Have you had Covid recently? After having Covid, I lost a lot of hair, and I mean 'a lot'. Also, you can lose hair if you are having hormone changes/imbalance like perimenopause, having a baby, starting HRT. Some medications or stress can interfere with hormones. Hair tied in ponytails can suffer too. Ponytails are heavy and they pull the hair. It's so frustrating, I know but I hope you can find the cause soon. X

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