Rachnjeff

Hi everyone.... I'm new to this boardand wasn't really sure where to post this as it could have fit into a number of boards... I choose this one simply because right now, for me, my hair loss is my most devastating symptom. I actually do not yet know if I do have pcos but I think I probably do... I will have to try to shorten my history somehow so this doesn't turn into a book... in short, I started ttc back in 1999... went from dr to dr.. diagnosed with "anovulation" didn't have cysts on my ovaries but told by my gyn that I "probably" had the syndrome... ended up seeing an RE and did a number of IUI's, suffered a number of miscarraiges, suffered severe depression and anxiety, ended up with an eating disorder ..at that time my RE told me that I didn't have pcos because me LH was almost "nonexistent" (but later learned that was probably due to my drastic weight loss and low LH is common in anorexics) anyhow.. I am "recovered" and a low but normal weight now...last year we stopped TTC and started the journey I believe we were meant to take...adopting our little girl, Hannah, from China (she will finally be home in just a few weeks!) However, I have not felt "well" in a very long time...I am 33 and feel like I am an old woman most days.. I am constantly tired, achy, sad, cry constantly, my skin used to be dry now it is oily.. I had tons of dark curly hair and now I have lost more than half of it (you can see through to my scalp in the front/top and my scalp is greasy) I do have some "unwanted" hairs that I pluck and I have noticed even more lately... I don't get periods unless they are induced (they have always been irregular but now they are non-existent) and just as of this past week or so I have been having horrible night sweats that wake me up every night soaked (and the house is cool) I have more headaches than normal too... I had my thyroid tested in March and my TSH was low/normal but my Free T4 was normal so I was told it was "fine" (is that true? anyone know?) Anyhow... I hate to sound so vain but at 33 (or any age probably) hair loss is devastating and I can't wash or style my hair w/o crying lately (or look in the mirror) Tomm AM I am having fasting bloodwork done (TSH, LH, FSH, Estradiol, DHEAS,Fasting Glucose, Fasting Insulin, Testoserone (total & free), 17-hydroxyprogesterone, Fasting Lipid profile, Prolacin) I am actually really hoping that something is off so I can be 'diagnosed" with something that I can treat or at least feel a little better... My gyn and derm both told me that IF my hair loss is due to pcos or a hormonal inbalance that bcp and/or spiro could very well help but after reading some posts it doesn't sound like it is really that "hopeful" ...is it? Do my symptoms sound like pcos? thanks for any input/advice. Rachel

sharone

It sounds like PCOS to me. They should check your LH to FSH ratio. If it's above a 1:1 ratio then you have PCOS. You should also get your ferritin checked. Mine was a low 25 and I think I read it needs to be over 100 to achieve hair growth.

I'm on spiro (100mg) and it has helped with the "oiliness" of my skin and hair. I used to be a greaseball before going on it! The BCP's have helped to slow down the massive sheds I was having.

My hair is still see-through. Some days I'm ok and somedays I want to crawl in my bed and hide away. It's my worst symptom too. I just got to take it day by day and hopefully with diet, exercise, and prayer I can reverse the hair loss.

Hope you get answers tomorrow!

Rachnjeff

Sharon,

thanks so much for your reply... It was too late to call my doctor about the ferritin test but I will definetly ask about that when I talk to him in a few days to get my results... I am curious..you said that if my LH/FSH ratio is over 1:1 that I have pcos... is that "definitive'? or do you mean it is just a "possibility" ?

what are you doing to raise your ferritin level? is that what an iron supplement does? how long have you been on meds before you noticed any improvement in any of your symptoms (espacially a descrease in shedding...)

thanks!
Rachel

sharone

Hey Rach!

I would suggest going to this website and reading everything: http://www.inciid.org/faq/pcos.html

That's where I found out about the LH:FSH ratio. My LH was like around 8 and my FSH was around a 4 so my ratio was a 2:1. Anything over a ratio of 1:1 is usually an indication of PCOS. But read about all the tests and the ranges they should be from that website and talk with you doctor about it.

I'm taking Feosol with vit-C and L-lysine once a day. The Vit-C and L-lysine help the iron to get absorbed in the body. I haven't gone back to the doctor yet because I don't have health insurance. I am seeing an endo in July and hopefully she'll run more tests to see why I'm losing so much hair. I think it might also be a thyroid condition. Many women with PCOS are also Hypothyroid so you might want to get that checked as well.

Have I seen an improvement in my hair? *sigh* That's such a tough question. When I went back on the BCP the first month my shedding definitely decreased. I was losing like 200-300 hairs a day! Now I'm losing like 100-150 which is still a lot. I'm finishing up my 3rd month on sprio and BCP. It's a waiting game and patience is very hard for me when all I see is scalp! So I'm still trying to figure out why. Everyone tells me it's stress but my life is very stress free....except for my hair!

Have a good doctor visit! Tell us about it when you get your results back.

Rachnjeff

Thanks Sharon...

Well... it sounds like the bcp have actually helped alot if you have cut your shedding in half... My derm told me that healthy "normal" people can lose 100-125 hairs a day and the difference is sometimes not even that we are losing "too much" sometimes it is that the new hairs aren't growing to replace them.. I know you want better results and I hope you do get them soon...at this point I would be relieved to see at least a reduction..

they are also testing my thyroid although i have had that tested many times and it always comes back normal.... interestingly enough I just got my period today... isn't that wierd? I never get a period... few times a year usually and the morning after I get my hormone bldwk I get it..lol I hope it doesn't screw up my results? :-(

Rachel