When you’re in your 30s it’s not nice to realise you’re losing your hair.
I mean, hair is important right?
- It keeps your head warm
- It frames your face
- It’s useful for hanging out of high windows so that handsome men can climb up it
- And it’s good for hiding any strange growths on your neck, or an oddly shaped pointy head, or wonky ears.
Over the past four years I have been shedding hair from about January time until about June. There are lots of reasons why this might have happened so it’s impossible to pin it down to one, but we’re talking child birth, dieting, PMDD and the stress and depression it causes, and, well, life really. It also doesn’t help that I am vegetarian, and that the meds I am on for my PMDD can cause hairloss. Sighhhhh.
Seriously it’s been awful. I’ve even considered the possibility that I am somehow part dog, moulting all over everything on a seasonal basis. I can rub hairballs off my carpet even though I vacuum regularly. I have to clear the plug every time I shower, and my house has been infested by small birds who seem to have spread the word that there’s free nest material at Chez Beaufoix just there for the taking. Tsk.
When I was left with really big balls of hair after showering for the fourth day in a row I decided enough was enough. I mean, I do not want to be bald. As it is my head burns very easily in the summer, and then it peels and looks like I have the worst case of dandruff this side of Dandruff Land, and I can’t find a hat that I have the confidence to carry off on a daily basis so will probably end up wandering around with a bucket on my head to protect myself from the sun’s rays, or look like a walking over ripe tomato…(and breath). So, I spoke to my doctor and was referred to a specialist who agreed I was a bit ‘thin on top’ and decided to take some blood. (Mine, not just anybody’s. I mean come on, what would be the point of that?)
Scarily she also said that if there was male pattern baldness on my mum’s side of the family then it could be hereditary and there would be nothing they could do. Seems kind of unfair to me as I am female and should therefore not get ‘male’ pattern baldness. That’s just wrong.
Anyway, my Uncle and Grandad are both thin on top so there was a possibility that I would be purchasing the human hair wig I had tried on not so long ago. It was and is a £60 I’d rather not spend, but I am not Gail Porter, I just can’t carry off that look.
Scary right?
But joy of joys I got my ferritin results yesterday and while the specialist said that if I was at 100 it would be worth getting me to 150, I never expected this.
My level?
12
Can you believe it?
So it’s a 200mg iron tablet for me 3 times a day. Nice.
Nausea, constipation, black you know what, and stomach cramps, bring it on. I am so so happy I might just do a dance. I know it will take a while, but I have hair and energy on the horizon and it feels good.
Oh, and I am planning to do a special little photo shoot for you next week to illustrate why it is not good to buy wigs from ebay, even if they look ok in the pictures. You KNOW you want to see that.
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May 15th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Yeah – my hair is MUCH thinner now than it was when I was younger. I miss my full head of hair!
I haven’t been tested for any iron deficiencies in ages – wonder if that would help me, too?! People always assume I’m anemic because I am always purple and cold. Hello – hole in my heart! Never had an iron problem, but it’s worth a try, right? Hmm…
May 15th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Oi that’s low! That can’t have been helping things. Goodness!
I’m picturing a children’s picture book about a princess who was losing her hair and the lengths she goes to to get it back . . .
Yayness!
May 15th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Hair might be thin, but sense of humour still very rich.
You always look fab in the photos.
May 15th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
oohh be careful, I am anemic and every time they give me iron pills, I get so sick to my stomach. it is hard on a girls belly…
May 15th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Yikes! You sure your “friend” wasn’t by and mistakenly used that creme on your head???
I can’t wait for the eBay photos.
BTW, we are Blog Hopping tonight… and I see you are on the original member’s list.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Oh my, I went through a similar thing when they put me on Vioxin for my arthritis…my hair was falling out in clumps…it was my pharmacist, Karen…a lady, of course–who told me it was the Vioxin doing it…Deciding that I’d rather face the pain than the hair loss, I tossed the bottle to her to destroy and never looked back! Thank heavens for lady pharmacists! (Especially Karen).
Can’t wait to see the really bad hair day wigs!
Sandi
May 16th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Blimey, that’s low. Any ideas why? Lots of people assume if you’re veggie you’ll have iron deficiency, but it’s actually usually the other way round, because we tend to eat a healthier and more varied diet (generalities, of course).
Anyway, good luck. And hope that you don’t have to clear out the plughole after every shower anymore!
May 16th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Oh you poor thing. I seem to lose my hair all over the house as well. So unpleasant for everyone living here…Really hope the iron tablets work. But in the meantime, stop having so many showers…have baths instead and don’t touch your hair!!! xxx
May 16th, 2009 at 2:56 am
I’m a vegetarian and have the same hair loss problem, so I guess it’s time for a complete blood test to see which elements are missing in my body. It wouldn’t surprise me if I was short of a few. Thank you for writing this post. It is very informative.
May 16th, 2009 at 3:47 am
HHHmmmmmm, I’m taking those iron tablets too, not nice side effects, the ‘blackness’ etc. I have to regularly unclog the dyson cos it won’t pick up anymore. I am fortunate as I have so much hair, losing some does not notice. Yet. Hope you have found the cause and everything will be ok again x x
May 16th, 2009 at 6:15 am
Oh what a shame. My two aunts have this but my mother has the thickest hair I’ve ever seen, so I’m hoping the genes go straight down the line rather than skipping over one! Hope it works for you.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Oh my god. You just described me. Balls of hair in the shower. Ever since I had the kids. Not balding yet, I have a lot of hair. Went to the Dr, he said I needed a blood test and it was probably due to stress. I never did get round to that blood test. Will do it next week though … before I start perusing Wig Wearers Weekly
May 16th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Great news! I know you secretly still want to wear those Ebay wigs, Jo. And indeed you can. I look forward to our next night out in town!
May 17th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Ah. I have a friend who suffered from this Jo; she caved on the vegetarianism and ended up eating chicken every now and again, and it seems to have worked. Is that completely out of the question for you? (Don’t answer that, stupid question, of course it is). Lentils are supposed to be high in iron if that helps? (And don’t make that face! Can send you a couple of OK recipes if that helps…)
May 17th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I could wield out my ’sconna’ insult again, but that would be most inappropriate.
Keep taking the tablets.
May 18th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Sybil it#s definitely worth checking. I’m not anaemic, but my Ferritin level are very low. Apparently taht’s different??
Kim, and then the Princess realises she needs to breed magic ferrets to supply her with ferritin which is extracted through a non painful form of gene telepathy?? Oh this could be good.
Iota, thanks mate, but I only pick the photos where my hair is okish.
Notasoccermom, so far I’m ok but I’m aware I might feel rough. It’s certainly very runmbly down there. Hmmm. Maybe you didn’t want to know that. ;D
Maureen, my “friend” would just do something like that. And have fuin blog hopping. I won’t be able to make it as I’m struggling to get round blog buddies at the moment, never minding finding new ones. If you want to take me off the list I won’t be offended.
Sandi it’s a mnightmare isn’t it? I’d already decided that if it’s my meds I will keep on taking them as they’re literally keeping me sane right now. I’d rather buy a wig for the next few years than not be able to care for myself or my girls properly.
Coding Mama you’re right. I’ve been veggie for 18 years and it’s only the last four that I’ve been having hair issues so I doubt it’s my veggie diet and more likely to be daft diets.
May 18th, 2009 at 8:29 am
And try not to wash your hair so often .. dont brush it hard .. treat it gently and get stool softener or take magnesium capsules (2 200 mg a nite) and you wont have a bad reaction to the iron
May 18th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Maternal Tales, I think it will happen whatever. It’s like somewhere in my head there’s a hair quotient for the day. Sighhh. Ah well, at least there’s hope.
Gossamer Woman go for it, it’s definitely worth a try. Good luck. x
Picklesmum I hope you get sorted too. I think mine is worse because each time it happens there is less time to recover if that makes sense. Hug.
Expat Mum here’s hoping you have your mum’s genes too.
Laura I kept leaving it but it’s got to the point where I’m really worried. I’m so glad I did it. Go for it young lady.
Rosie I’ll wear one if you do.
Potty Mummy I’m not really up for the chicken, but the lentil recipes would be fabulous. I do quite like them but have never really cooked them.
SPDad I will. And I still don’t know what a sconna is but I’m getting an idea.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Daryl I must look for the magnesium stuff. Thanks lovely. x
May 18th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Ahhh! Ferritin,my old friend, can sympathise with you there; crawling up the stairs to bed ‘cos you haven’t the energy to stand is NO fun. Mine was down to about 10 not too long ago; this time due to being pregnant and not realizing:
Dr “Could you be pregnant?”
Me “Nooooo, no way…why my partner is having the snip next week”
Dr “Are you taking your pill”
Me “Errr, well, sometimes; when I remember {smiles hopelessly} but I’m sure I’m not pregnant.
The iron pills are the pits!!! I still blame them for giving me piles!!
May 18th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I’m glad there is a reason…but so sad to see you number so low. eeekkkk.. definately look for some stool softener.
hugs!
May 18th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I somehow missed this one (what WAS I doing?) but now it explains the post I just read. I can truly empathise. I had hairloss through the medication I was on. I already had really thick hair so I was very fortunate because my hair got really thin, but unless you knew me or were my hairdresser, it didn’t make you mention bald patches. So I never had to buy wigs. Now I am off the meds, the hair grew back – without the grey! Seriously! I had grey patches I used to colour and my natural hair colour grew back (this was after chemo though). So, some good points to hairloss and chemo then!
If you possibly can, stop worrying. You are still you.