Hair Loss?
Okay, I'm not trying to sound all vain and stuff, but I've been experiencing some serious hair loss over the past six months. It seemed to coincide with a change in my shampoo, but I'm wondering if it's also hormonal or maybe a reaction to a switch in insulins?
I was using a Pantene product for about 2 months when the hair loss started to clog the drain during a shower every single day. I figured it was the shampoo, so I switched and the hair loss has slowed, but it has not stopped.
I have had the same diabetes care and control over the past two or three years- nothing new there as far as control.
I was on Apidra for only 3 months or so earlier this year. The hair loss started happening about 2 weeks after I switched back to Humalog. Wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them?
My diet has not changed.
My entire family blood line has a nice, thick, wavy hair.
At this point, my hair reaches my waist, but it's no longer strong. When I put it into a ponytail, it is now limp and thin. I would say that the entire diameter of my hair pulled together would be no bigger than a dime, where it used to be well over a half dollar.
I'm growing frustrated because (again this sounds vain), but I put a lot of care into my hair and to lose it is very scary to me. I have a lumpy head!
Has anyone else experienced hair loss from diabetes and/or new medications? Can this be a side effect?
Thanks and sorry for complaining about something so stupid. I'm just freaking out.
EDIT: forgot to mention that my hair is growing back in, so I'm assuming that it isn't permenant hair loss which means it can't be genetic (I don't think?) So, I"m guessing it was some kind of reaction to something.
EDIT: I have been experiencing random weight loss, but nothing huge. About 10 pounds in the past 3 months.
I've been reading up on Celiacs and trying to self diagnose (because I'm chickensh*t and don't want to go through a biopsy right now) I will be talking with my Endo in January during my regular check up.
I was using a Pantene product for about 2 months when the hair loss started to clog the drain during a shower every single day. I figured it was the shampoo, so I switched and the hair loss has slowed, but it has not stopped.
I have had the same diabetes care and control over the past two or three years- nothing new there as far as control.
I was on Apidra for only 3 months or so earlier this year. The hair loss started happening about 2 weeks after I switched back to Humalog. Wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them?
My diet has not changed.
My entire family blood line has a nice, thick, wavy hair.
At this point, my hair reaches my waist, but it's no longer strong. When I put it into a ponytail, it is now limp and thin. I would say that the entire diameter of my hair pulled together would be no bigger than a dime, where it used to be well over a half dollar.
I'm growing frustrated because (again this sounds vain), but I put a lot of care into my hair and to lose it is very scary to me. I have a lumpy head!
Has anyone else experienced hair loss from diabetes and/or new medications? Can this be a side effect?
Thanks and sorry for complaining about something so stupid. I'm just freaking out.
EDIT: forgot to mention that my hair is growing back in, so I'm assuming that it isn't permenant hair loss which means it can't be genetic (I don't think?) So, I"m guessing it was some kind of reaction to something.
EDIT: I have been experiencing random weight loss, but nothing huge. About 10 pounds in the past 3 months.
I've been reading up on Celiacs and trying to self diagnose (because I'm chickensh*t and don't want to go through a biopsy right now) I will be talking with my Endo in January during my regular check up.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marps on -
As far as I know my thyroid is still in tact. My Endo tests it on a six month basis and he has said that it is still working well. Good point, though.
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Permalink Reply by Holger Schmeken on -
Do you expect your thyroid to fail? I do my blood test regularly but I did not think that I could be affected by thyroid failure. That surprises me a bit. Can this happen even after living more than 20 years with D?
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Permalink Reply by Marps on
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No, I don't expect it to. No one in my family has thyroid issues that I'm aware of. However, I guess a lot T1Ds have issues with thyroids? I'm not sure what the link is, but my Endo checks it regularly, even when I didnt ask him to. :( Guess it's better safe than sorry?
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Permalink Reply by Patricia on -
Thyroid disease is related to T1 because it is an autoimmune disease...thought is that all of the autoimmune diseases share many of the same genetic mutations. Not certain if we are less likely to develop thyroid disease...if we have lived a long time without it. Good thing to check. I do know that many people get thyroid disease later in life. My dad has it...I do not yet. He obviously does not have T1...I do. He has Alzheimer's (also known to be autoimmune and most recently, identified as a third type of autoimmune diabetes = T3), RA and a rarer type of autoimmune anemia. Interestingly, my dad's bgs have crept up but the docs will not consider giving him a insulin receptor uploading drug to see if it improves cognitive function...trying to find him a different doc at the moment. I suspect all of these share genes w/ my diabetes. I recently participated in a study at the teaching hospital in town which acknowledged that T1s develop many of these diseases secondarily...later in life. If you sign up for the Faustman studies...they give you the same questionnaire.
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Permalink Reply by Marps on
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Hey Patricia. Such good information, thank you.
I actualy just got back from Dr Faustman's lab last week. I donated blook and am hoping to be accepted into the Phase II trials once she has adequate funding.
I don't like the idea of developing MORE diseases and I'm worried that my Endo won't know enough to keep checking for new developments. I kind of take it upon myself to inform him of changes to my body and symptoms that may or may not be important. I'm hoping it's enough.
I'm also wicked fearful of medications, so I'm going to end up only trying the stuff that is NECESSARY to live... or to keep my hair in tact. :)
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Permalink Reply by Patricia on
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I learn so much from you guys:) I share, when I know something.
I am so glad you got in on donating blood...I filled out the questionnaire early on...before Phase I but, f/u when I saw you were donating blood. I got an appt for Sept 2010 and hope the trials show positive outcomes. Maybe we will both get in on Phase II or Phase III! Would be great to meet in person one of these days:) Be well Marps...enjoy knowing you and learning together.
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Permalink Reply by Stacey :0)~ on -
Yes you can be diagnosed later in life(whether diabetic or not) with a thyroid problem. Both my mom and grandmother were diagnosed with thyroid problems later in life. Actually my mom just discovered last week she has a thyroid problem. My grandmother also has Type 2 diabetes but the thyroid problem was found many years after being diagnosed with diabetes. My family is an autoimmune mess!!! LOL ;)
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Permalink Reply by Marps on
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:( yeah, that's true. I don't THINK I've been any more stressed out than usual. *sigh* I wish there was some kind of detector that would tell me EXACTLY what is wrong w me. There are too many "could bes" and "maybes" You know?
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Permalink Reply by Marps on
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Yeah, i just sent my friend to the doctor because he is showing all symptoms of TB. I know he doesn't HAVE TB, but he's showing all the same symptoms including night sweats and weight loss and fatigue, increased appetite, etc. But, he's been to the doctor 2 times over the past year and done extensive blood work, but they can't find anything.
It's so scary!
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Permalink Reply by Marps on
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... yeah, I'm not looking into that idea either. : ) Glad you made it back!
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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on -
Hair loss can be weird. One thing that can happen is called hair shock. If you have a stress, like a strict diet, a trauma or something as small as a medication change, that can cause a marked hair loss. Usually your hair follicles cycle through with some going dormant every couple years on a contining basis. When the follicles wake up, they start growing, but the attached hair is dropped. Now since this usually happens on a continuing basis, you have a slow steady loss and it matches the rate of new hair growth.
But when you have a shock to your system, typically from a nutritional deficiency or hormone imbalance, all the follicles (or most) go dormant at once. Then when the stress is over, all those follicles wake up and start growing again. Since they all start growing, they all drop the hair and you have what is called shock hair loss.
The good news is that this sort of loss is transient and your hair will grow back. What really sucks is that you do have hair loss and if you have hair down to your waist, you spent literally years growing and caring for that hair and it will take a while to grow back as thick. You can read more about this by googling "shock hair loss." It is common to have this happen if you have used an extreme calorie restricted diet.
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