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HAIR LOSS N a DIABETIC

9

95FEB

Member
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12
Hi, im 17 my hair use to be really thick know if i just hold them in my hand load of hair comes out or i comb it lots of har falls outs(like when you go to get your hair cut) know my hair has gone really thin. i went to my clinc to get it checked and the nurse didnt even have a proper look she just picked at my hair and said oh your hairs just like that which its not even my family have realised my hair are not the same..... does anyoe know why? is it linked to diabetes?
 


Hiya,

Do you have any other symptoms? The reason I ask is that hair loss can also be a symptom of thyroid problems. I lost alot of hair when my thyroid was underactive and also more recently when I have been on a too high a dose of thyroxine. Alot of Diabetics also have thyroid problems. May be worth asking your Gp for a Thyroid function test. he may do other blood tests also just to rule anything else out.

Hope you get it sorted.

Lucy. xxx
 
No I have not Lucy... my nurse did mention that on my recent vist but we didnt talk about it.... i didnt know what it was till know... i go for blood test on my visit would it come up in them do you think?
i read tutor mentioned in class that vitamin B9 boilin , if there is not enough it can cause hair loss and britle hair......
i will try to make an appointment with my Gp for a Thyroid function test instead of seeing the nurse!
Thank you Lucy
 

Bypass the stupid nurse, you know your own hair best and if it's not 'just like that' don't accept her stupidity. Book yourself an appointment to see your GP, tell him or her that your hair is falling out and ask for some tests to be done to find out why that is. Take some hair in with you to your appointment and show it to him/her.

There should be some sort of wage docking or fine mechanism in place for some of these stupid, inconsiderate, lazy, up their own a**e clinicians who waste the PATIENT'S time, NHS money and create more stress than necessary.

:thumbup: Good luck!
 

I agree with Grace just book yourself in with the Dr he will probably do some tests to see if its thyroid or something else. It is amazing how our hair can be affected if we are ill. My hair is only just coming right and has'nt been right for months. I have been on a reduced dose of thyroxine for about 4 1/2 weeks now and it was so dry and was falling out. I have a few weeks yet for my thyroid function test to see if has been reduced enough.

Let us know how you get on

Good luck,

Lucy xxx
 
Hello 95FEB
I echo the same to ask your GP to query hypothyroidism ?
Or do you take - use a statin? probably 'not' given your young age of 17...
I lost loads of hair when was taking/using a statin and YES I do have an underactive thyroid too.
Both - or either of these can cause hair loss.
It can take up to 3 months on levothyroxine [thyroxine meds] to see or feel an
improvement with your hair condition.
As was the case with myself.
It can vary with each person - we are all different.
Anna.
 
When diagnosed were you also prescribed Statins? I lost over half my hair on Atorvastatin, and Statins have been associated with hair loss.
 
Definitely bypass the nurse and go straight to the doctor.... it could be any number of things and it is a very REAL problem for you, especially at your age - I was 15 when I started losing my hair and that was due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (closely associated with diabetes/insulin levels).


GraceK said:
There should be some sort of wage docking or fine mechanism in place for some of these stupid, inconsiderate, lazy, up their own a**e clinicians who waste the PATIENT'S time, NHS money and create more stress than necessary.
Click to expand...

Well said! I know the NHS is trying to save money left right and centre but fobbing off patients who could have a serious condition is just plain wrong.
 
As I've mentioned before on the forum, about 10-15 years ago, well before my recent diagnosis I had ALL the major symptoms of diabetes but had a very blase GP at the time. I had a couple of blackouts and he asked me if I had any witnesses!!! His tone wasn't enquiring, it was sarcastic and trite.

I came home from the surgery feeling like a malingerer and I was dazed and confused for months which I think was a result of high blood sugar. Went to the hairdresser and she discreetly asked me if I'd been under a lot of stress recently as I had two large bald patches on either side of my head, twice the size of a 50p piece. I hadn't even noticed I'd lost any hair apart from a strange feeling when my hair moved around. On closer inspection I couldn't believe it and promptly burst into tears. Went to the doctor and he quickly inspected the bald patches, told me it was alopecia and that it would grow back. That was it. No tests done as usual. He never once suggested I have blood tests for anything. I was in a very vulnerable state at the time, menopausal, depressed and having gone through divorce and two very close bereavements in a short space of time and most of the time I was in a state of bewilderment and just accepted his word.

Eventually, I just stopped going to the doctor altogether and muddled through as best I could. My health has been awful but could have been a lot better had I had a GP who gave a ****.

Rather than have the bald patches, I had my head shaved. :lol: I always was a bit drastic with my hair styles. My hair eventually grew back but it grew back pure white so I had a head full of brown hair with two thick white streaks down either side of my head. So I started a new fashion. Eventually it grew back in its natural colour.
 
wow Grace, what a thing to go through! I steadily lost the hair all over the top of my head for quite a few years until I got so fed up of wearing head scarves to cover the baldness and i shaved it all off... now I wear a wig. It's a pain in a lot of ways and I wish I hadn't lost my hair, but one good thing is I don't have 'bad hair days' anymore and I'm sure I save a fortune on haircuts/hair products!
 

Did you ever discover what caused your hair loss?

I know thyroid probs can cause it but thyroid probs, like diabetes, seem 'difficult' for the NHS to diagnose for some strange reason. I have two male cousins who both had good heads of hair but suddenly in their 20s lost ALL their head and body hair over a period of a few weeks - head, eyelashes, eyebrows, facial, the lot. The doctors never came up with the reason and their hair has never grown back. For that to happen to two brothers within a year or so of each other intrigues me and I can't for the life of me understand why the HCPs can't come up with a reason for it. Their mother was diagnosed with thyroid problems in her 70s so I can only think there's some hereditary/hormonal link that isn't showing up on NHS tests.

Gawd ... life is full of mysteries isn't it?
 
The problem with thyroid (problems) is that you can be 'within normal limits' for years and its very hard to convince doctors to anything about it. My thyroid has been under-active for years - I can remember feeling totally exhausted when I was only about 9 years old, and that feeling has been with me most of my life. Numerous tests showed that I was 'within normal limits' upper end of, but just within. The trouble is that 'normal limits' doesn't mean that it is normal for you. Some people need to get their levels right down before they actually feel well. But, try to get a doctor to do anything about it, is next to impossible.

I am sure that the menopause is the time that many of these things really kick in for women. Its our bodies telling us we are past it I suppose but I ain't giving up just yet. :lol:

95FEB I think you are going to have to be a bit pushy with the Dr. what you are experiencing isn't right and certainly needs to be sorted out. Good luck.
 
GraceK said:
Did you ever discover what caused your hair loss?
Click to expand...


My hair loss is due to polycystic ovarian syndrome - lose the hair on your head and gain excess body hair elsewhere.... wonderful! :roll:
 

Tell me about it!! I so agree. I Started with an overactive thyroid about 13/14 years ago. I has gone down to 6stn and had every symptom apart frm bulging eyes and a goitre. Was given pills, and eventualy radio iodine treatment. I then went underactive but didnt know until my routine hosp appt because when I phoned for my b/test result was told it was fine!!! By this time I had gained 4 stn, was puffy and felt lousy. I had also had 3 bumps in my car ( which was when I had phone for my B/test results ) As it happens the bumps were because the tracking was out on my car!!!

Anyway I digress I have been on thyoxine since then and had my dose adjusted several times pregnancy etc. I have lost 2 stone in the last 12 months and when I had lost 1 1/2 stone approached my GP as I felt that the weight was coming off a little to quickly and asked if I could be on too high a dose!!! a b/test was done and when I got the results from the nurse she said that my TSH was low ( surprise, surprise!! ) But because my T4 was within range the GP had decided to leave me on the same dose!! Fast forward to about 5 weeks ago and I am loosing more weight, muscle and feeling very and feel like someone is sitting on my chest!!!! Go to Drs see a different GP he looks ant my notes and reduces my dosage straight away TFT in 4 weeks to see igf now OK. the last week or so I have started to feel better!!!

But why do they have to wait for you to be really ill before anything is done!!!

This last GP that I saw is so much more keen to also look at howe the patient is feeling with with the test results, not just the results on their own!!!

So yes stand your ground and if neccessary see a different GP, I did and it made all the difference!!!

Good luck

Lucy xxx
 

I know the feeling - it sort of migrates to places you'd rather not have it. Life eh? :roll:
 
Hello
I don't know if you've been to the doctor by now and if this is too late to be of use to you but I just wanted to say that soon after my diagnosis I noticed I had started losing my hair as well. I had a blood test and they discovered I was anemic. In changing my diet because of the diabetes I had inadvertently cut out a lot of my iron as well. I was given iron supplements and have changed my diet and the problem has completely reversed so I would echo the sentiments of everyone else and say go to your doctor and get your blood checked.
Good luck
 
Hi 95FEB, Sorry to hear about your hair. I have had a similar issue. For the past 6 or 7 months my long thick hair has been falling out so much it is now so thin it really upsets me. I have recently been diagnosed with Diabetes and my GP said that when your body is dealing with the massive metabolic changes it goes through with DIabetes that your hair can fall out. He said once my blood sugars are lowered then it will stop and should start to grown back. I thought I was going nuts, I used to have to use really thick bobbles if I was tying it up and they would snap because my hair was so thick, now I could tie it up with any old thing.

I hope your hair improves soon.
 
I've had the hair loss in the past, mine has grown back as thick and spurious as it was before but I wish I'd taken my vitamin pills at the time. I used to buy the damned things, take them for a few days and then forget them. Get yourself a good multivitamin and TAKE IT. They really do help fill the gaps and shortages that perhaps our food intake isn't covering. Coconut milk and oil in my diet is also improving my hair. Even my hairdresser comments on its thickness now, she can feel the difference from when she first met me.

I do notice a difference in myself a few days after I start taking my vitamins and I've now FORCED myself into the habit of taking them. I've change my priorities now about what comes first and what can wait and now my view is - I COME FIRST, LOOKING AFTER MYSELF COMES FIRST, EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT IT'S TURN. :wink:
 
Helloooo! I'm a type 1 and have been for 10 years, I'm 22 now. My hair has always been long and thick but for the past 2 years I've been experiencing hair loss too. It just comes out in big clumps especially in the bath. I've had lots of tests, thyroid and iron levels all fine. I took vit D with calcium for a while and my hair loss stopped, however it was then in the news that taking vit D and calcium is bad for you so I stopped and the hair loss started again!! Been taking multi vits for past few weeks but it's still falling out. It doesn't feel much thinner but there are days that I panic about it. I think sometimes some people's hair is just like that- especially if it's thick and heavy!
 
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