Hi ladies..
So I was diagnosed with PCOS finally this year, although I knew intuitively that I had it a couple years ago. My dr just decided to treat me with Diane 35 and I made the decision to go off of it in January of this year. Since then, my hair has been shedding at a ridiculous rate and it is now obvious how thin my hair has become. When I think about it though, I think I started to notice it falling out more back in Sept/Oct of 2007 as this is when I quit eating gluten.
Has anyone else experienced hair loss when quitting gluten? Or with quitting the pill? Everyone says its normal to lose hair after coming off the pill, but i mean its been 11 months now....I started counting the hairs just so I could know...the most I have lost during a shower and comb was close to 200...but the average amount I was losing consistently was around 150...then 125...and now I am averaging 80-100...which apparently is normal..but it doesnt feel normal..some days I lose less...maybe 60...but not often...i have NEVER gone a day without shedding for the past year for sure...I am eating a very restricted but healthy diet...i am exercising (although this is my weak point and i am not consistent with it)..
I am getting married next year and I hate that I have to worry about a pimply face and balding head...its just not fair..
I am seeing a naturopath and she has me on some supplements.. she also has pcos so i trust her...but i dont know if i am just being impatient..but i just want it to stop...
i cant even tell if i am having regrowth....i just dont know...
Here are the supplements that i am taking...
ADB5 Adrenal Support
Vit c
Ultra Preventative X (multi which has additional things such as inositol and a greens mix)
Iron (which has folic acid and b12)
Testo Quench (which has fenugreek, saw palmetto, fennel, holy basil etc)
Ultra Meal Protein Powder
I just don't know how much more I can handle..it has caused me to become so depressed and I feel I am doing so many right things..but nothing seems to be working...
I am also using Nisim, which I guess is helping..but not as much as I would like...
PLEASE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON OTHER SUPPLEMENTS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOU! I was thinking of taking vitex, but then read that it can cause hair loss? Any thoughts??
What HAS worked?
What HASN'T worked?
Will it ever grow back? Will it continue to fall and never stop?
I also have some acne on my scalp too which is very bothersome.
Hi, Sorry to hear you are so stressed! I am not sure if your hair loss is as obvious as you think it is, but the reason I am replying to to your post is it sounds that you are very stressed, which I know will only make matters worse. A friend of mine lost lots of her hair during a divorce and she has no pcos, so obviously stress will not help. I have every pcos symptom except hair loss, so understand all the symptoms of pcos are very stressful, it is just mine are different. Maybe you could go to a good hair salon, or even phone them and ask advice/or go in and if your hair loss is obvious, the hairdresser can advise on suitable styles etc , plus they may have good products etc. Hope this makes sense to you, and good luck and congrats with you etting married.
WAIT! i cant read the replies..i cant even find this thread..i have to manually search for it..can anyone help me? when I go to the "Hair Growth/Loss" category it doesnt show my post..and i cant read the replies...can someone please email me and help me figure this out..and for the person who replied..thank you..can you send it to my email.. bellagurl77@hotmail.com thank you!
I also noticed hair loss after going off of the pill. The more I read about the pill, the more frustrated I become. I have been on all kinds of BC pills since age 18, and I atribute it to a whole list of problems.
If you don't absolutely NEED the pill, I wouldn't suggest ever using it. The more research articles I read, the more fearful I become. They're saying most women 35+ experience serious long term effects from the pill, and they won't even perscribe it for some women in their 30's.
I feel you on the hair loss!! I have an annoying hair line.. it's fine around my temples. It's not noticable yet, but unless I get my hormones in check now, I'm sure it'll get worse with age
__________________ -D-chiro-inositol
-Vegetarian / Organic Diet
-Morning Cardio / Two Hours
-Vitamins / A, B, C, D, E, K Books- Skinny B!tch(s), The Ultimate PCOS Handbook Treatments- Laser hair removal, Dermabrasion
Topical Prescriptions- Differin, Vaniqa
I completely sympathize with you. I also have thinning hair that is noticeable. I can only wear my hair one way and I have to wash it everyday so it is nice an fluffy to help hide this problem. It sucks when I wake up late and still have shower so my balding doesn't really show. DH is being very supportive and I feel comfortable leeting my hair down at home and I don't have to worry about covering it from him too. I have been taking Biotin and been using NIOXIN which has helped given me some fullness. I am hoping at least some will grow back! Don't worry you are not alone.
I had the same thing happen to me when I went off BC to try to conceive baby #2. I was able to get pregnant, and started Rogaine, Yasmin, and Spironolactone the second the baby was no longer breast feeding. Most of my hair is filling back in, especially along the hairline which was the hardest hit when I stopped the BC. Why don't you schedule an appointment with a dermatologist and see if you can start a combination of meds to get things under control? Supplements are great, but there are prescription meds out there that work very well, too.
Thanks for all the replies ladies. I appreciate it. It is helpful to know that I am not alone. I just got my hair cut so I am happy that is looks a tiny bit better.
So I had an appointment with my dermatologist the other day and he says he does not think it is angrogenic alopecia or female pattern baldness because I still have hair on top..i have a diffuse thinning all over and he said that is telogen effluvium due to coming off the pill.. Its been 11 months since I have been off and he said that has happened to other patients as well. I will never go back on the pill..i too blame the pill for sooo many problems i now have.. when can i expect it to get better??
Also, I went to my family dr and got some test results back and all my results came back fine..my iron has gone up to 48!! it used to be at 11 and has slowly been climbing so thats good..my LH and FSH werent crazy...my estrogen and testosterone were fine..and my progesterone was 22 which is evident that I ovulated!!!!! That makes me the happiest!! I cried when I found out cuz I was worried that I wasn't and for fertility reasons and such. So..my dr said my blood work doesnt indicate that I have pcos..so I told her that the things I am doing must be working! She is sending me for an ultrasound to re-check the ovaries.
So I do have some successes...but my skin is still breaking out and the hair issue will hopefully resolve itself soon.
Any suggestions for the acne??
Excessive hair loss! Please someone help..Losing Hope! 
